YOU CAN TRUST HIM

 

YOU CAN TRUST HIM Offer yourselves to God in gratitude for having been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him to be used for his righteous purposes. Romans 6:13  I went one night to hear a sermon on consecration. No special message came to me from it, but as the speaker kneeled to pray, he dropped this sentence: “O Lord, we know that we can trust the Man who died for us.” And that was my message: it spoke directly to my heart. I rose and walked down the street to the train; and as I walked, I pondered deeply all that consecration to God might mean to my life; and I was afraid. And then, above the noise and clatter of the street traffic came to me the message: “You can trust the Man who died for you.” I got on the train to ride homeward; and as I rode, I thought of the changes, the sacrifices, the disappointments which consecration might mean to me; and I was afraid. I reached home and there upon my knees I saw my past life. I had been a Christian, an officer in the church, a Sunday-school superintendent, but had never definitely yielded my life to God. Yet as I thought of the darling plans which might be baffled, of the cherished hopes to be surrendered, and the chosen profession which I might be called upon to abandon—I was afraid. I did not see the better things God had for me, so my soul was shrinking back; and then for the last time, with a swift rush of convicting power, came to my innermost heart that searching message: “My child, you can trust the Man who died for you. If you cannot trust Him whom can you trust?” That settled it for me, for in a flash I saw that the Man who so loved me as to die for me could be absolutely trusted with all the concerns of the life He had saved. Friend, you can trust Jesus who died for you. You can trust Him to baffle no plan which is not best to be abandoned, and to carry out every goal which is for God’s glory and your highest good. You can trust Him to lead you in the path which is the very best in this world for you. By James Henry McConkey

 

THE MILLENIUM

 

THE MILLENIUM   ISAIAH 2:4 He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.     After Christ’s return, he will immediately begin to reign for 1000 years. This truly will be a new day dawning on planet earth! Life as we know it now, will be drastically changed: because the value systems of Babylon were destroyed. Those who were martyred for Christ will be resurrected to rule and reign with him during the Millennium.  Jews will live under the leadership of their Messiah, Jesus Christ: thus, fulfilling the messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Governments will rule in righteousness under Jesus Christ. Can you imagine having honest politicians? It will take many months to clean up the terrible mess of Armageddon, and then people will turn war machines into farming tools instead. Jerusalem will be the most beautiful city on earth. Those who live there will be considered blessed.   All these things (and more) will fulfill the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah and his reign of righteousness from Jerusalem.   At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be released from the Abyss for a short time. Once again, people will make their choices: whom will they serve? Then Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire to be destroyed with the antichrist and the false prophet.   This study of Revelation continues on Thursdays!   IMAGE CREDIT: Horizon on planet Earth, generated by SeaArt.ai and edited by C.A. Stevens.

THE BOOK OF LIFE

THE BOOK OF LIFE We found this special song on YouTube. CLICK HERE to LISTEN (Transcript is below.)   There will be a day when time gives way. When heaven opens in God's own day, No more delay, no shadow of night. Every soul revealed in heaven's light. Books are opened before the throne. Nothing hidden, nothing unknown. Every word and every deed, Every thought, every seed.   And another book is open wide, Where the names of the Faithful abide. Written not with ink that fades, But by grace that never decays. Do you remember the paths you chose? The silent prayers that no one knows. The times you walked when none could see. The quiet battles on your knees.   Every tear that fell in pain, every loss, Every gain, he has kept them all in love. Not one moment lost above, But one question remains that day. When earth and heaven pass away,   The Book of Life, is your name written there? Oh my brother, oh my sister, Is your name written there? When the roll is called in heaven, Will your voice answer clear? The Book of Life. The Book of Life, is your name written there?   Many will say, "Lord, we knew your name. We preached, we prayed, we spoke your fame." But he will say with sorrow true, "I never truly dwelt in you." Not by works nor outward show, But a heart transformed below. A life made new by grace alone. A faith that clings to Christ the throne. Nothing unclean shall enter in. No cherished love for hidden sin. Only those washed white as snow Will see the gates of glory glow.   There is a fountain flowing still. At Calvary's cross on that lonely hill Where every name may yet be sealed. Where every wounded heart is healed. Whosoever will may come, The call of mercy still goes on. Before that final trumpet sounds, Before the King in clouds is found,   The Book of Life, is your name written there? Oh my brother, oh my sister, Is your name written there? When the roll is called in heaven, Will your voice answer clear? The Book of Life. The Book of Life, is your name written there?   When the dead in Christ shall rise And the living change before our eyes. In a moment, in a breath. Victory triumphs over death. Then revealed what heaven has done. Judgment finished. Victory won. And those not found within that book Have lost the life they never took.   But for the Saints, oh what a day. Tears forever wiped away. No more sorrow, no more pain, No more death, no more shame. "Enter in," the Master calls To the faithful, great and small. A crown of life, a road so wide, Eternal joy and endless life.   So search your heart while mercy pleads, While grace still comes, while Jesus leads. Do not delay, do not pretend. For time is short, it soon will end. "Examine yourselves." The Spirit cries. Let truth awaken blinded eyes. Blessed are those who persevere And keep the faith till he appears.   The Book of Life, is your name written there? Oh my brother. Oh my sister. Is your name written there. When the roll is called in heaven, Will your voice answer clear?   The Book of Life, is your name written there? Is it written? Is it sealed By the blood that makes you healed? When the King appears in air, Will he find your name written there?   And whoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.   But today your name can still be written there.   Credit to Advent World Media on Facebook

 

THE FRAGRANCE OF THE GOSPEL

 

THE FRAGRANCE OF THE GOSPEL But his delight is in the Word of the LORD, and on His Word he meditates day and night. Psalms 1:2 A perfumer once bought a simple, common earthen jar and filled it with fragrant flowers. Soon, the jar was so saturated with the rich scent that, even when broken, the fragments retained the perfume for a long time. In the same way, a human life becomes filled and saturated with the Word of God when someone loves it and meditates on it continually. Their thoughts, emotions, desires, and character are all infused with the spirit of God’s Word. Filling your heart and memory with the pure words of God is the best way to prepare for the dark times that may come. It’s like hanging up a hundred lamps while the daylight is still shining, so they will be ready to provide light when night falls. By J.R. Miller

OLD MAN RUFUS

COFFEE THOUGHTS: OLD MAN RUFUS Sip. Happy Monday!! Old man Rufus, I’ll name him Rufus. I was just a youngster when I heard about this praying man, Rufus. It left such an impact I still think of it often. I’ll try to tell it the best I know how. Known in the community yet hardly known. He was hardly ever at community functions, or seen around the community. Sometimes one would ask Rufus, come on down to the ball field. To which he’d say, ”I can’t, Monday is the night for mowing the grass down at the church.” Another time on a Tuesday a friend asked him out for lunch. ”Oh, I'd love to” he replied, ”but Tuesday evenings I do maintenance at the church.” Even the pastor mentioned to him, ”Saturday is the gospel bluegrass festival, come on out, there’ll be lots of food.” But Rufus would say, ”I’ll try, but Saturday is final cleanup and setup for Sunday.” And so his life went, he was there, but he wasn’t there. Always the same answers. Years went by, there were only a handful left at the little country church. It was just another Sunday morning the pastor walks in. He wasn’t surprised to see Rufus up at the altar praying. This was a normal Sunday routine for Rufus. The pastor did his thing, a few walked in and found their seats. The pastor noticed Rufus hadn’t moved since he came. The pastor quickly shuffled over to Rufus, tapped him on the shoulder, and immediately knew old Rufus was gone. Cold and stiff, hunched over the altar, Rufus was dead. If you ask the funeral director, he will get all excited when you begin to talk about the funeral of Rufus. He says he never saw anything like it. The building was slam full, long line of people. Everyone was talking. Talking to people they had never met. He said he never saw people walk by a casket, break down and weep as they did for Rufus. The rich, the poor, suits and ties, tattoos and chewing tobacco-stained faces, all huddled together as they walked by and talked about Rufus. All were drawn together because of one man, Rufus. The stories were endless, Rufus had cared, Rufus had listened, and Rufus had prayed. That was the life of Rufus. Rufus never preached a sermon. He never sang in the choir. He never led in Bible studies. He was not gifted with words, he rarely spoke. He was here, he was among us, hardly noticed, and then he was gone. In some ways he will hardly be missed, but deep in the hearts of the many he touched he will be forever remembered. And these will always speak fondly of Rufus, the man who quietly cared, who quietly prayed in private, and quietly changed the world. Gerald D Hochstetler Jr. #coffeethoughts on Facebook Used with Permission