DIVINE CALL TO BE HIS WORKERS

God is calling for men who are willing to leave all to become missionaries for Him. And the call will be answered. In every age since the advent of Christ, the gospel commission has impelled men and women to go to the ends of the earth to carry the good news of salvation to those in darkness. Stirred by the love of Christ and the needs of the lost, men have left the comforts of home and the society of friends, even that of wife and children, to go to foreign lands, among idolaters and savages, to proclaim the message of mercy. Many in the attempt have lost their lives, but others have been raised up to carry on the work. Thus step by step the cause of Christ has progressed, and the seed sown in sorrow has yielded a bountiful harvest. The knowledge of God has been extended, and the banner of the cross planted in heathen lands.  {Gospel Workers page 464.2}

Promises of God’s Guidance

      Ps. 73:24 "Thou shalt guide me with Thy Counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."

      Is. 42:16 "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."

      Ps. 48:14 "For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our Guide even unto death."

      Is. 52:12 "For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward."

      Ps. 32:8 "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine Eye."

      Ps. 23:2-5 "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

      Ps. 16:8 "I have set the LORD always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

      Ps. 23:2-5 "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

      Ps. 16:8 "I have set the LORD always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

Ps 5:11  But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Ps 9:10  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Ps 17:7  Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

Ps 25:2  O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Ps 25:20  O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.

Ps 31:19  Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Ps 55:23  But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

Ps 56:3  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Isa 27:5  Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.

Promises of God’s Hope

      Ps. 16:9 "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope."

      Ps. 31:24 "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."

      Ps. 33:18 "Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy"

      Ps. 33:22 "Let Thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee."

      Ps. 38:15 "For in Thee, O LORD, do I hope: Thou wilt hear, O LORD my God."

      Ps. 39:7 "And now, LORD, what wait I for? my hope is in Thee."

      Ps. 42:5 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance."

      Ps. 71:5 "For Thou art my hope, O LORD GOD: Thou art my trust from my youth."

      Ps. 71:14 "But I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more."

      Ps. 78:7 "That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments"

      Ps. 119:49 "Remember the Word unto thy servant, upon which Thou hast caused me to hope."

      Ps. 119:81 "My soul fainteth for Thy salvation: but I hope in Thy Word."

      Ps. 119:114 "Thou art my Hiding Place and my Shield: I hope in Thy Word."

      Ps. 119:116 "Uphold me according unto Thy Word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope."

      Ps. 130:5 "I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope."

      Ps. 147:11 "The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy."

Can the dead speak to us?

By what figure does the Bible represent death?"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." 1 Thess. 4:13 (1 Cor. 15:18, 20) (John 11:11-14).
NOTE. - In sound sleep one is wholly lost to consciousness; time goes by unmeasured; and the functions of the mental organs are suspended for the time being.
Where do the dead sleep?"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake." Dan. 12:2.
How long will they sleep there?"So man lieth down, and riseth not, till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." Job. 14:12.
What must take place before Job could expect to awake?"If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will wait, till my change come." Job 14:14.
Where does he wait?
"If I wait, the grave is mine house; I have made my bed in the darkness." Job 17:13.
While in this condition, what does one know of those he has left behind?"His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." Job 14:21.
What becomes of man's thoughts at death?"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Ps. 146:4.
Do the dead know anything?"For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten." Eccl. 9:5.
What part, if any, do they take in earthly things?"Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." Ecc. 9:6.
NOTE. - If one continued in consciousness after death, he would know of the promotion or dishonor of his sons. But Job says he does not know this, then if, as stated in the last text quoted, in death one loses all the attributes of his mind, as love, hatred, envy, etc., it is plain that his thoughts have perished, and that he can have nothing more to do with living objects. Again if man in death prolongs his powers of thought, he lives; and if he lives he must be somewhere. Where is he? Is he in heaven, or in hell? If in either place immediately after death, what is the necessity of a judgment in the end of the world to decide his case? Is there a possibility that some have at death gone to the wrong place, and must needs be sent to the other, after having been in bliss or torment for ages, perhaps?
What does the psalmist say about the dead praising the Lord?"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence." Ps. 115:17.
How much does one know of God when dead?"For in death there is no remembrance of thee." Ps. 6:5.
But are not the righteous dead in heaven?"For David is not ascended into the heavens." Acts 2:34.
If the dead cannot praise God, what must take place to enable them to do so?"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. 26:19.
What was the only thing with which David would be satisfied?"As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness." Ps. 17:15.
If there should never be an awakening of the dead, what would be the result?"For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." 1 Cor. 15:16-18.
When does the resurrection of the righteous take place?"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thess. 4:16 (1 Cor. 15:23).
NOTE. - If, as we have learned (Eccl. 9:5), the dead know not anything, then they will certainly have no knowledge of the lapse of time. A thousand years will be to them a day or a moment. To go down to the grave, and wait till the resurrection, even though it be a thousand years, will be to those who experience it like a sudden transition from this life to the next. It ought to be a consoling thought to one whose life has been filled with anxiety and grief for loved ones who persist in wickedness, to know that they will in death be spared torment. Again, it would mar the felicity of one's enjoyment in heaven if he could look upon earth, and see his friends and relatives maltreated by strangers, or suffering from cold and hunger. It is wise that God has ordered it as expressed by the patriarch: "His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." Job 14:21.

Get Alone And Pray

In the message "The Courts of God" we saw how the presence of God is to

be cherished above all else.  We considered that not even a thousand

days in an earthly paradise can compare to a single day in the presence

of God.  And yet, though we may understand the value of His presence, we

seldom make the decisions or exercise the discipline required to enter.

Luke 5:15-16

"The news about Him spread all the more, so the crowds of people came to

hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.  But Jesus often withdrew

to lonely places and prayed."

Jesus had a relationship with the Father which can only be described as

absolute perfection; "If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as

well.  Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:7,9).  We

long for and desperately seek the presence of God, but Jesus Christ IS

the very presence of God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word

was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made His

dwelling among us" (John 1:1,14).

And though He had perfect union with the Father, created the entire

Universe, and demonstrated complete control over the elements of nature

as He "rebuked the wind and the raging waters" (Luke 8:24), Jesus still

made time to be alone with the Father in prayer.  Why?

Prior to the important decision of choosing His twelve apostles, Jesus

"went out to a mountainside and spent the night praying" (Luke 6:12).

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus was in such anguish that He

prayed until "His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground"

(Luke 22:44).  Either Jesus needed to pray because of the limitation of

His human nature, or He was teaching us how we ought to relate to God.

Either way, it's a lesson we must not ignore!

If Jesus, who is Perfection, demonstrated such need of prayer, how much

more necessary is it for us who contain so many flaws and so easily

drift away from God.  We cannot wave our hand to calm the storm, we must

pray for patience and strength to endure, and relentlessly ask for His

help.  We are to live in such constant communion with God that we "pray

continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), even as we drive in busy traffic,

manage multiple assignments, or care for noisy children.

But each of us must also set aside time, which is "often" and regular,

where we can withdraw to a quiet place.  Yes, the presence of God can be

found in the midst of our busyness, but we all need times of quiet where

we can be refreshed and receive direction - times when we can simply

lift our hearts to God and say "Thank You!"  Let's develop and maintain

the discipline of entering the courts of His presence.  Let's regularly

set aside times of quiet to get alone and pray.

END TIME EVENTS

General Introduction

“In the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly brought to view. But multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready.

Meditation and Prayer

With what adversary does man have to contend?"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8.