Through Much Tribulation

"... we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22.).

The best things of life come out of wounding. Wheat is crushed before it becomes bread. Incense must be cast upon the fire before its odors are set free. The ground must be broken with the sharp plough before it is ready to receive the seed. It is the broken heart that pleases God. The sweetest joys in life are the fruits of sorrow. Human nature seems to need suffering to fit it for being a blessing to the world.

If you aspire to be a son of consolation; if you would partake of the priestly gift of sympathy; if you would pour something beyond commonplace consolation into a tempted heart; if you would pass through the intercourse of daily life with the delicate tact that never inflicts pain; you must be content to pay the price of a costly education--like Him, you must suffer.
--F. W. R.

--Excerpt: Streams in the Desert

Death Is Final

I think of when we lay away a loved one that we have known for some time, we see that when death comes, that it is final. There is no going back and changing or altering anything. The Bible says, "...where the tree falleth, there it shall be." (Ecc. 11:3) It is a very sobering thought, if we will allow ourselves to think of it.

I think that any of us who have been acquainted with losing a close loved one, perhaps, it is more impressive to know that it is final ... that we cannot go and speak to them again. How many times have we wanted to just sit down and visit one more time, but we can't.

Death is final. God tells us this day after day.

We see that this happens every day, but when it hits close to our heart, it makes a deep impression and it brings to reality what God's Word is really all about.

What He is really trying to tell mankind is that we are not going to live here forever and we are not going to be able to put our trust in ourselves or in the material things of life. But, much more, that we place ourselves in the confidence in the hands of our Lord. This is what He tells us.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. D.K.

How Much Time Do I Have Left?

I think from the very time when we started out in school and was given an assignment, the first question we asked the teacher was, "How much time do we have?" Wasn't that true? "When does this assignment have to be done?"

When we are given a job today, one of the first things we are told is the time limit on it, if we work for someone. If we work in the fields as a farmer, we know that time - especially this time of year - is of the essence ... very important.

Beloved, time is the most important thing in the life of a child of God. Time is also the most important thing in the life of a person who has not become a child of God, who has not repented of their sin. Because we wanted to know, "How much time have I got left?" "How much time do I have?"

Isn't that the question we ask ourselves? I can very well remember, when I was unconverted, how I thought upon these things. It was a nagging concern in the back of my mind all the time.
"How much time do I have left?"
"Is there any time left?"
"Will I have time to repent before Christ returns?"

We read here that "... as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matt. 24:27) I can remember, as a young person, entertaining thoughts in my mind, "Well, when I see Him coming, I'll quick repent."

Have you ever seen how fast lightning flashes from the east to the west? Much faster than the mind can think. We could NEVER repent in that short period of time. It would be too late. We might ask ourselves then, "How much time do I really have left?"
--Sermon Excerpt: Elder Bro. S.R.

The Soul Unfettered

How shall it be when now the soul, unfettered,
Goes soaring upward in unhindered flight,
Drawn on by love to Him whose light has scattered
The darkness which hid heaven from our sight?
When from the eye of faith the veil of dullness,
As mist before the morning sun doth fall,
And we the Son of God in all His fullness
Behold upon His throne, the Lord of all?
--Zion's Harp #146 vs. 3

The Christ of Calvary

Christ does not save men by His life,
Though that was holy, sinless, pure;
Nor even by His tender love,
Though that forever shall endure.

He does not save them by His throne,
Though it shall never pass away;
Nor by His vast creative power
That holds the elements in sway.

He does not save them by His works,
Though He was ever doing good;---

The awful need was greater still,
It took His death, His cross, His blood.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Men preach today a crossless Christ,
A strengthless Saviour, vague and dim;
They will not see their sinful state,
They will not own their need of Him.

They will accept the man-made God,
Since for themselves this right they claim,
But not the God sent forth as man
To suffer agony and shame.

They will not know the Lamb of God,
Despised, rejected, crucified,---
That were to humble into dust
Their boasted intellect, their pride.

Yet no man cometh unto God
Save by the Son alone, He saith;
The deathless life for which we long
Can only -- ever -- come through death.

Not Bethlehem or Nazareth
Stern Justice's lifted hand could stay;
To Calvary the soul must go
And follow Jesus all the way.

--Annie Johnson Flint

My Feeble Endeavor

Draw me ever,
My endeavor is but feeble, Lord!
Though my failing is prevailing,
Thou dost strength afford.
For Thy blood doth life impart
And Thy Spirit fills my heart.
At the crowning,
Songs resounding,
Blend in sweet accord.
--Hymns of Zion #244 vs. 4

When is the Time to Trust?

When is the time to trust?
Is it when all is calm,
When waves the victor's palm,
And life is one glad psalm
Of joy and praise?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when the waves beat high,
When storm clouds fill the sky,
And prayer is one long cry,
O help and save!

When is the time to trust?
Is it when friends are true?
Is it when comforts woo,
And in all we say and do
We meet but praise?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when we stand alone,
And summer birds have flown,
And every prop is gone,
All else but God.

When is the time to trust?
Is it some future day,
When you have tried your way,
And learned to trust and pray
By bitter woe?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is in this moment's need,
Poor, broken, bruised reed!
Poor, troubled soul, make speed
To trust thy God.

When is the time to trust?
Is it when hopes beat high,
When sunshine gilds the sky,
And joy and ecstasy
Fill all the heart?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when our joy is fled,
When sorrow bows the head,
And all is cold and dead,
All else but God.
--Selected

Self Causes Brotherly Love to Suffer

"Let brotherly love continue." -Hebrews 13:1

You know when it says, "Let brotherly love continue," there's some assumptions there. One of the assumptions is that there already is brotherly love.

And I'm not sure exactly how to say this other than ... I really feel that there is brotherly love yet.

And i'm not sure of the right way to say it, but I guess I'll just say from my heart ... I'm somewhat fearful that it's suffering.

You know we can't blame the world around us for what we are. But sometimes it does have effects and influences. And as the world around us becomes more focused on self, if in any way that has an impact on us, it is going to be that brotherly love is going to suffer. You just can't love yourself and love other people.

And you'll tell me, "Well, that's not true." We can say that. We can. We can say it that way.

But really, if you love someone and others, you have to sacrifice self. Self cannot be promoted.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. G.B.

Satan's Attacks

Loved ones, we have so much. And satan is going to attack us as he attacked the children of Israel. They had so much. Satan doesn't go where there isn't anything to take away. He doesn't attack those that are already his. But he is going to attack us.

You can see where all the confusion is today, in the churches that exist. Satan does not just attack the Apostolic Christian Church, but all of the faiths. They have been striving in the past to serve God. Satan knows he has very little time. That Jesus might appear even today. He finds a way to attack God's people.

Let's stand fast. Let's rely on the almighty God. Let's pray to God, that we can come to fruition, each one of us, that we can bear the fruit of the Spirit, so that God can be pleased.
--Sermon Excerpt: Elder Bro. P.P.

May Thy Light Dispel the Darkness

Come Thou, Shepherd, faithful One;
May Thy light dispel the darkness!
From Thee and Thy little fold
Erring lambs have strayed so helpless.
Little flock, now cease to weep;
Jesus will His promise keep.
Jesus will His promise keep.
--Zion's Harp #119 vs. 3