The Worker’s Need (Part 18)
Chapter 43—A Higher Experience (Part 2)
Now the church is militant. Now we are confronted with a world in darkness, almost wholly given over to idolatry.
The Joy of the Lord
There were ninety and nine that safely lay,
In the shelter of the fold,
But one was out on the hills away,
Far, far from the gates of gold—
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.
“Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;
Are they not enough for Thee?”
But the Shepherd made answer: “One of Mine
Has wandered away from Me,
And although the road be rough and steep,
I go to the desert to find My sheep.”
But none of the ransomed ever knew,
How deep were the waters crossed,
Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
Far out in the desert He heard its cry—
Fainting and helpless, and ready to die.
“Lord, whence are these blood drops all the way,
That mark out the mountain’s track?”
“They were shed for one who had gone astray,
Ere the Shepherd could bring him back.”
“Lord, why are Thy hands so rent and torn?”
“They were pierced tonight by many a thorn.”
But all through the mountains, thunder-riven,
And up from the rocky steep,
There rose a cry to the gate of heaven,
“Rejoice, I have found My sheep!”
And the angels sang around the throne,
Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!”
—Elizabeth C. Clephane.
But the day is coming when the battle will have been fought, the victory won. The will of God is to be done on earth as it is done in heaven. The nations of the saved will know no other law than the law of heaven. All will be a happy, united family, clothed with the garments of praise and thanksgiving—the robe of Christ’s righteousness. All nature, in its surpassing loveliness, will offer to God a tribute of praise and adoration. The world will be bathed in the light of heaven. The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold greater than it is now. The years will move on in gladness. Over the scene the morning stars will sing together, the sons of God will shout for joy, while God and Christ will unite in proclaiming, “There shall be no more sin, neither shall there be any more death.”
These visions of future glory, scenes pictured by the hand of God, should be dear to His children.
Stand on the threshold of eternity and hear the gracious welcome given to those who in this life have co-operated with Christ, regarding it as a privilege and an honor to suffer for His sake. With the angels, they cast their crowns at the feet of the Redeemer, exclaiming, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing…. Honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Revelation 5:12, 13.
There the redeemed ones greet those who directed them to the uplifted Saviour. They unite in praising Him who died that human beings might have the life that measures with the life of God. The conflict is over. All tribulation and strife are at an end. Songs of victory fill all heaven, as the redeemed stand around the throne of God. All take up the joyful strain, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” and hath redeemed us to God.
“I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9, 10.
“These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” “And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 7:14-17; Revelation 21:4.
We need to keep ever before us this vision of things unseen. It is thus that we shall be able to set a right value on the things of eternity and the things of time. It is this that will give us power to influence others for the higher life.
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/135.2654#2663
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the assurance of Your Holy Spirit to work within us to reflect the love and character and courage and faith of Jesus Christ, especially amid a storm of evil, keen disappointment, or circumstances designed to utterly discourage faith. In such circumstances, please bless us to wholly submit to Your divine power that others will see You in us—that we are one with You as You are with Your Son Jesus—and be drawn into a saving relationship with You to experience joy in You here and now. We desire that we might have the mind of Christ to save souls and enjoy His experience of perfect obedience to Your will that we might one day soon stand in Thy glorious presence without fear of death. Thank You, because we ask it in the Awesome and Almighty name of Your Son, Jesus, our Saving King. Amen.
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DID YOU KNOW THIS…?
— Then he said unto them, … the joy of the LORD is your strength..— Nehemiah 8:10 KJV [The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
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FREE HEALTH TALK open to the public Thursdays at 5pm at Country Life Natural Foods Store and Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant, 1217 Eberhart Avenue, Columbus, GA. The topic for Thursday, April 16, is “Healing the Broken Mind.”
https://www.countrylifeonline.com/health-programs
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If you want to support Christian programming for these final days, please visit
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Thank you!!!
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I coordinate wonderful health and worshipful events and conferences online and onsite as a gospel medical missionary at Uchee Pines, a total plant-based health retreat, where doctors and practitioners specialize in lifestyle medicine. For more details, visit https://www.ucheepines.org/events
Therefore, if at any time you fail to receive this post as a text, please visit
https://baiom.org/author/audreystovall/
where devotionals are first posted daily (almost without fail). From there devotionals are publicly shared to my page on FB, LinkedIn, and Signal (in My Story), and to a response-restricted group on WhatsApp (once again when I am able to find the time to successfully rebuild it).
NOTE: These began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed March 2023. Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who will receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. Lately, I have begun featuring consecutive chapter portions of a select Bible-based book.
If you agree to continue receiving them, then this is my personal gift to you; and in this way, I not only honor God but the memory of a very dear friend whom I desperately miss.
My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift, so that we all may be encouraged to be found faithful in the sight of a Holy God, whenever Christ returns or our eyes are shut in the sleep of death.
It is a prayerful process that leads me to share from my personal study.
So please feel free to forward to your loved ones or to anyone, as God leads you. I’m calling them Barb’s Devotionals.