Greetings,
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelations 14:12
I was much moved at this phrase as I was coming through the close of my word/phrase study project. 'Here is the patience of the saint', from those that refused to bow, to serve Babylon, the beast, receive the mark of his evil, there is found this blessing upon God's Own. They possess their souls for the continued, long path of life to serve, to obey, to love, to follow, to bring glory to our Lord and King. The soul is the absolute battleground of every living person. God has made a way for the soul, born in trespasses and sins, to be redeemed. Satan comes to devour, destroy and own the souls of men that they may perish as he shall perish forever and ever. He is working with a vengeance for the souls of men. And we largely, as the church, have not countered his fury for the souls of our family, friends and nation. But the redeemed, the called, the saved, they are preserved, kept, protected, delivered by the mighty hand of God. Just as Jesus prayed for the disciples, for Peter, for the future church: "Keep these that are Mine"; "Peter, I have prayed for you"; and "not only for these, but for those to come yet". And what was the prayer? For them to possess their souls in the patient work of sanctification.
When we talk of our testimony, it is powerful and wonderful to hear the salvation story of each redeemed one. "How did Jesus save you?" Great answers to prayer come from these accounts. But that was one day lost, and then one day now saved; I once was blind, but now I see. And now after the lostness, after the blindness what are you doing for the Lord? What are we undertaking each day in our walk with the Lord? How are you doing at possessing your souls? Are you exhibiting the patience of the saints? Brethren, herein is the answer to warring a good warfare for our Lord while we are here on this earth. And herein is the only way that we shall hear those words, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant'.
Here at the close of March, gearing up for the Easter celebration, let us examine ourselves to see that within this first 1/4 of this year we are showing 'the patience of the saints'.
Have you been faithful?
Are you praying without ceasing?
Have you digested and ingested the Word of God daily?
Have you shared the 'wondrous story of old' with the lost?
Have you regularly been with the saints in their faithful times of 'coming together'?
Are you more holy now at the end of March, than when we first begun this month? or this year?
Are you growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Can He, Who cannot lie, speak truth, by saying to you and me, 'IN you I am well-pleased'?
Oh, brethren, a little verse in Matthew 5, the sermon on the mount is found a warning against those that seek to offer compromise, short-cuts, irregular disciplines and plans that would fall short of holiness, righteousness and sanctification. There is no short cuts, there is no grounds for compromise; either 'we is', or 'we aint' His. And if we would fight the good fight, if we would posses our souls, have the patience of the saints it will be found in this truth of holding fast, being much alone with Him. Remember Andrew Murray's words, 'Alone with God, will make one much for God'. this is a life time battle, a race for our short time here on earth to prepare us for all eternity. and whether 29 or 99 it is how we lived each day.
therefore, let us cast off all self, sin and world. Let it not be named among us of the things that the world does. 'Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; for all that is in the world, is enmity with God'. Ever mindful of that which the Spirit is convicting, revealing to us that is not well pleasing to God. May it be the priority and agenda of each one of us to be filled with all fullness of Him and in Him; Spirit filled from top to bottom.
Seek to serve Him in each way that He offers, provides and allows for us to do so. And know this that it is not about one time a month, that at the close of the year, we can only say, "I served the Lord 12 times, 52 times this year' Knowing that the math is evidence of our failure, for it is 12 out of 365; it is 52 out of 365; revealing a sinful, slothful 3% or 14%. this is not acceptable by any stretch of knowing the truth. We are to be all for Him. 'More, more about Jesus would I know; more of His face to see'.
Now brethren, it is the last times. Great conflict and spiritual wrestling is upon us for this year. Now the Lord is teaching me on this more and more. Still very much unknown to me, and definitely not mastered yet is this thing called prevailing prayer. But this much I know, it is the higher calling upon me and you, as the remnant, to pray so as to prevail. And I am convinced that success in this, is found from the above truths of possessing our souls, and the patience of the saints. To be much before Him, to hear from Him, to be led of Him, to know His desire and will; and to pray it. He can not reveal Himself to the soul that does not possess its own self, but is manipulated by the devil and the flesh. To him that is not patient in this race of endurance to last until the end in His sweet graces, cannot be used to prevail in prayer. For the one thing, we quench and grieve the Holy Spirit, but much more we know that self and sin, 'gives an occasion against the Lord' as His Own.
And if there will be a revival upon the church in North America and to the ends of the earth, it will be because of these truths manifested by the children of God as mentioned above. There will be voids of sinfulness and worldliness; there will be a rapid appetitie for holiness and sanctification; the saints will possess their souls in all ways of thought, words, deeds, use of time, and expression of gifts; and they will be found separate from this world, and aglow of God's rich, precious Divine Spirit upon them (And they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus).
The very humanistic, self-centered, wordly church that is void of a knowledge and application of the Word of God, a prayerless church and empty secret closets will not prevail in this. God always finds a man or woman to prevail, before it is ushered forth upon the rest of the church. And until that point, the remedial judgements are revealing His wrath, fury and anger toward us. For we, the church, know better but we are not doing better. And even though, He will judge the nation, the government for their folly; we also will be judged more fiercer for 'to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin.' And we know; but are we doing it? the recognition of the church of just how far short we are is of ever such importance to lead to brokenness, contrition, weeping, wailing, confession and repentance. But for now, much of the church is at a place of justifying itself.
and if this point of correction never comes, it is certain that God will remove us from the earth. 'Repent, lest I come and remove your candlestick'. We are nearing to this than what many know. Woe to him that understands these things, knows of these things, and yet, refuses to have the patience of the saints, to posses their souls, to war a good warfare. Brethren, for such a time as this, God has called us forth, to be the people of God for His eternal glory and honor; and to see the kingdom of God done here on earth, as it is in heaven.
PRAYER TARGETS
--Austin bomber; such an unity prayer offered up by so many on social media of prayer and church leaders on Monday, by Tuesday, it was ended; Prevailing; And I am left with the question, "Why can't we do this on all the other evils of our nation and future?'
--continued school shooting; cops kill another black man unarmed; hostage situations increase; Death, Dying & Destruction upon our land. This flood of evil is almost more than one can stand. But in lieu of what shall be, these are only 'the beginning of sorrows'. I write to appeal to you to be ever vigilant and prayerful against the forces of evil. For on the horizon there is coming another evil. What is it? I have no idea; another mass shooting; school shooting, i don't know; but I've been here before and know that it is ready to happen. Stand fast brethren, he is coming; our enemy is coming; to use the agents he employs to do his evil works upon our land. O God, deliver us from evil.
--drugs; Trump and congress going over opioid crisis; remedy for them is fix drug issue with drugs; such language of humanism, no seeking God, just 'We will fight this; we will fix this'. Well 'we' aren't going to do anything without God; but with God all things are possible.
--murder-suicides; been rather quiet, yet, numerous moment of attempts have been in the news; still higher ration this year, than previous to me;
--economy; last week hit $21 trillion in debt; numerous other reports of the 'love of money' coming to a head soon; and always the reports that the next financial crisis will sink the world;
--disease/pestilence; measles outbreak in Europe; Lassau fever in NIgeria; super bugs, resistance;
--war; it is clear that war is coming; my son is in the army and I have spoken to him, that in his time of service he will see conflict; Syria; North Korea; China and Pacific, everything of saber rattling is happening and increasing with each new development. Pray now for mass evangelism for many will die by the scores in this conflict and ushered out into eternity. 'Work while it is day; for the night cometh when no man can work'
--Boko Haran/ISIS; my continued nemesis of evil that Satan is using to afflict, attack and annihilate the church, and people; may evil be put down and brought to justice; may peace be restored; Deliver O Lord
UPDATES:
--word/phrase study; Oh, brethren, I cannot express the joy I have that I am (Lord allowing) about 2 days away from finishing this task of 26 months. Revelation 17, 6 chapters to go, 6 pages to go;
--24/7 prayer chain; You are needed!! If you understand anything of the above devotion, we have today, for knows about tomorrow; http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090945a4aa2da75-broken
--bible reading; finished Old Testament; should be done by end of April; gearing to be on 50th time through by my 50th birthday in September;
--sermons; please pray about this; the last several weeks have produced numerous issues of recording, saving and uploading; This has all but come to an end of me saving the word of God.
--Easter; always a holy time as we approach for Good Friday services and full day of Easter time;
-- A Word; past week I have gotten back to this a little better; finished Isiah 50 all verses; going back to chapter 49 to finish it; started into chapter 51;
Until,
dan
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