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For Those Seeking The Truth
& Dynamic Living Christ is Victor |
March/April 2010
Volume 23, Number 2
“Unforgettable Benefits”
“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” (Psalm 103: l & 2)
There is a great revelation in this inspired Psalm. You are a loser if you forget any of these benefits. To remember His benefits and to praise Him will increase your faith. We often remember His denials and not His benefits. Remembering His denials will have a negative effect on your faith. You should remember His blessings gratefully and should expectantly wait for what He has not yet given. The Psalmist says ‘Let all that is within me praise His name.’ Yours is a stable faith when your subconscious breathes praises to God.
Jesus brought into this world a light that pierces into the subconscious mind of men. He that followeth Jesus will no more walk in darkness. But we do have moments when we walk in darkness. It is because all our thoughts are not enlightened and there are parts in our hearts which are still dark. If your morning watch is poor, you will walk in darkness.
Jesus wants to give you light in all the details of your life and work. When there is an important function like marriage in your house, if you do not pray sufficiently you will walk in darkness. When your heart has been cleansed and all that is within you is enlightened, all your diseases will be healed. These are the rights of those that trust in God. God will warn you of coming calamities so that you can pray and prevent them altogether or to a great extent. This is a wonderful light that God gives you.
“Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things.” (Psalm 103:5) The secret of youth is that there is so much of positive thinking. This positive thinking God always gives us, and our youth is renewed. You always wish well for others and hope for the best even when you see the worst man. Your blood will be kept healthy by such thoughts. Infectious diseases will not affect you easily.
The whole human system is connected with the word of God. The radiations reach the children in your house and keep them healthy.
When people become wicked, the rain will cease and there will be dearth or else untimely rain comes and brings damage.
Once there was a young man who lived a very careless life. He lived in sin. For his marriage the outdoor platform was well decorated. But rain came and spoilt all the decorations; serving dinner also became a problem. Some of us defy God. We think we can overrule God and carry on. But Nature will catch us.
The word of God is the stored up energy for us. It comes from the living God. As you study the Word and meditate on it you will get that power. “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” (Malachi 4:2)
—Late Mr. N. Daniel
“Reality Check”
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“I Have Just Met With a Wonderful Manifestation of Divine
Thus spake a venerable man of God, some months since, on meeting me upon one of the streets of our city. He was aged, though active; had a wife and children to provide for, and withal was poor. After introducing the subject in the manner, and with the words at the head of this article, he proceeded to narrate the following facts. That morning as he sat down at his table with his wife and children, to partake of a very scanty breakfast, his partner told him it was the very last in the house, and said, “Husband, where is the dinner to come from?” He replied that he knew not, and added, “God will provide”. After finishing their humble meal, instead of offering thanks to God in the customary manner, they bowed down upon their knees, and by “prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving”, made known their requests. Before concluding their devotions, a knock was heard at the front door of his house. On finishing the prayer, he went to the door, and much to his surprise, there stood before him a most excellent and pious brother, a member of one of the Presbyterian churches of this city; a gentleman and Christian, whose worth was “known and read” of many, but whose numerous acts of noble charity will never be fully manifested, until the “judgement of the great day”. His astonishment at seeing this excellent man was the greater, because he had but a partial personal acquaintance with him, and he had never before visited his dwelling. Upon invitation he entered, and after being seated, asked the old gentleman how it was with him and his family. After telling him, in reply, that physically they were well, and spiritually they were at “peace with God and all mankind”, he apologized for keeping him at the door for a short time, and told him of what his wife had said at the commencement of their meal, and further remarked that when he knocked, they were engaged in fervent prayer to God, commending themselves in their necessitous state to His fatherly care.
After listening to his affecting narrative, this brother told him that he had left his home thus early for the purpose of visiting a poor widow, who lived some distance beyond him, and without the most remote thought of calling on him or his family. On passing his door, the impression was made strongly upon his mind, that he ought to stop and inquire after his health. He resisted it, and went on, because of not being, as he supposed, sufficiently intimate with him to justify such a visit, and particularly so early in the day. He had not, however, progressed very far, before the impression became so strong, that he stopped, and after reflecting for a moment or two, determined to yield to it. He had done so. Whilst in the act of saying a few words of encouragement to this aged servant of God, he took leave of him, at the same time pressing into his hand a ten dollar gold piece.
Reader, your
judgment now is, this was truly a direct and “wonderful manifestation of
Divine Providence”, in behalf of His needy child. The “eye of the
Lord” was over him for good, and thus sent help from a quarter least
expected, and at the very time in which it was most called for. Christian
reader, in straitened circumstances, have you ever been led, like old Jacob, to
say, “all these things are against me?” If
so, be ashamed, heartily ashamed, of having thus dishonored your God. He has
never failed you, or ceased to “care for you”. Remember his plain,
pointed, and all-comprehensive command, “Trust in the Lord”.
“It is better trust in the Lord than to put confidence in men; it is
better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes”. Write
these blessed Scriptures upon a tablet of your memory. Give them a permanent lodgement in the innermost recesses of your heart’s
warmest affections. Now in spirit, and if possible, upon your knees, consecrate
yourself fully to your God, and resolve from this moment never again to succumb
in the day of clouds and darkness; never again to doubt the good Providence
that has thus far always been over you. Resolve that now, henceforth and
forever, you will, “by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let
your requests be made known unto God”. Then may you realize the fulfilment of the promise annexed, viz.: “The peace
of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep
your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ”.
—Selected
“How to Read The Bible”
I read the Bible
daily, just as the children of
Perhaps you do not read the Word of God because you cannot understand it. You come across passages that are beyond your comprehension. My friend, you should read the Bible as you eat fish. Now how do I eat fish? When I come to a bone, do I take up my plate of fish and throw it away just because I have found a bone? Of course not. I pick out the bone, lay it on the side of my plate, and go on eating fish. I am not going to throw my fish away just because I find a bone. Are you going to cast God’s Word aside because you come across a passage that you cannot understand? Of course not. Just leave it and go on reading the Word. Lay it aside for the time and continue your study. Keep eating fish. Keep reading the Word.
I read the Word of God as I read a letter. When I get a letter I do not turn to the first page and read a paragraph and then put it away in the pigeon-hole and a week later take it down and read a statement from the third page and then put it back in the pigeon-hole, only to take it out a few days later and look at the signature to see who wrote it. Most certainly not. When I read a letter I start at the beginning, and I read through to the end. Thus I know the contents of the letter. There is no other way to read the Word of God. I appreciate the various booklets that men have compiled, such as the ‘Daily Light’ and others, and I use them. But I would not dream of allowing the ‘Daily Light’ or any other book that man has compiled to take the place of the Bible. If you do that, you will never know the contents of the Book. You must read the Book itself. I start with the first word of Genesis and I read two or three chapters a day until I have read through to the last word of Revelation. Then the next day I go back to the first word of Genesis and again I read through to the last word of Revelation. How often I have read it I do not know. I have never kept count. But I do know that I have gone through it again and again, reading the entire Book from beginning to end. Thus I know something of the contents of the Book. If you really want to know it, you will have to read it like that. You will have to go through it from start to finish. Then you will become familiar with it. Read it, I say, as you would read a letter.
(Selected from Oswald J. Smith’s ‘The Man God Uses’)
“Saved From the Grip of Alcohol!”
Testimony of Mark Rydinski
When I was young, I spent my life foolishly, though I thought I was very smart. I thought it was great to meet with my friends every night after work and have a few drinks. Of course, my wife didn’t like me doing this, because I usually came home none too steady on my feet.
In 1972, we gave our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. As new Christians, we didn’t know what to do. So as a new believer, I did what was normal for me. I’d come home from work, and my car had a habit of turning in to this one tavern. I couldn’t control the steering wheel anymore. Because of my commitment to Christ, I realized that what I was doing was wrong, but I didn’t know how to stop.
The fact was, drinking was such a normal part of my life that it was
hard for me to see anything wrong in it. When I was a youngster, my dad
operated three saloons in
But then, the Lord had a hold of me, and I got to feeling so guilty every time that I would have a drink. Even at home, I found so many hiding places for my bottle. But my wife didn’t like me sneaking drinks, and she said, "Mark, why don’t you just take that bottle and set it here on the cupboard here in the kitchen? You don’t have to go downstairs sneaking drinks. I know you’re drinking."
But I was ashamed. It bothered me, but yet I couldn’t stop. I tried on my own. There was no way I could quit. My pastor even tried to help me, but I guess he didn’t have the right combination.
And then in the year 1978, we heard that a missionary, Reverend Daniel, was coming to our church. For me, I wasn’t one of those fellows that liked to go to church at night. Sunday was fine, but any extra time, that wasn’t my cup of tea. But anyway, Rev. Daniel came and for some reason or other, no matter how much I drank throughout the day, I still attended the meetings at the church on the weeknights. There was something that Rev. Daniel was saying that got to me. His words were like a magnet; the Lord was pulling me there every night.
At the end of the week, Rev. Daniel talked to our pastor, and said, "There is a brother in the congregation that needs help. If you can arrange a meeting of some sort, I would very much appreciate it." So my pastor asked if it will be all right if Rev. Daniel could come over to our house. Well, we liked to have company and said that would be fine.
So when Rev. Daniel came in that evening with our pastor, my wife offered him a 7-up or a cold drink. But he said, "No sister. I’m here on business." And he meant it, too! Then he said to me, "I understand you have a problem."
"Yes," I said, "I have a drinking problem. I’d like to stop, but I can’t."
And he said, "Well, there must be something in your life, between you and the Lord, that’s holding you back. We’ve got to find out what it is." So Rev. Daniel took me down to the pea patch to talk privately. Eventually it came out that I had been a bartender, and he said to me, "Have you asked these families for forgiveness for the amount of alcohol that you gave these fellows that go to the bar? Have you ever asked to be forgiven?"
I said, "Ask the families for forgiveness? Joshua, there’s no way. Most of the people I didn’t even know. There’s nothing I can do about it."
He said, "Did you ever ask God to forgive you?"
I said "No. Not really."
He said, "Would you like to get down on your knees and talk to God and ask Him to forgive you?"
REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE
So that night I got down on my knees and asked the Lord to forgive me for being a bartender and for drinking like I was doing. And before I had got off my knees, I could feel something working through my system, completely changing me. You talk about instant coffee, well I was instantly free from drink. From that moment on, I had no taste for it. Even the presence of alcohol didn’t bother me one bit. And God watched over me.
CALLED TO SERVE!
About a year later, I went to an evening service and the Lord began speaking to me. A young man was at the church as a gospel chalk artist. He was up there drawing beautiful pictures out of the Bible, depicting stories. And, the Lord said to me, "Now, you were an artist when you were sober. When you were sober, you could draw. But when the booze would take over, you couldn’t do anything. But I know you’re clean now. I’d like to have you start a ministry as a chalk artist."
So that happened! My wife and I had a beautiful ministry for 13 years. We went to many states, many churches, and many campgrounds. And I would draw a picture out of the Bible, and I would also give my testimony. Many times I was invited to clubs where they weren’t used to hearing the Word of God. And I’d always say, "Yes, I’d love to come to you, providing you let me give my testimony first." So it was always agreed that I could give my testimony. That’s what I would do; give my testimony and I would draw the pictures. And we had a wonderful ministry.
When I look back over my life, I am so thankful for my beautiful wife of 57 years. And I am so thankful that the Lord freed me and gave me a chance to serve Him.
This
newsletter is produced six times per year by the Laymen’s Evangelical
Fellowship International. It is printed and distributed in the
This Fellowship is an inter-denominational missionary and
prayer group working for revival in churches and amongst students in several
countries. We invite every layperson to become God’s ally in changing his
or her corner of the world. We train people in evangelistic work and to be
self-supporting missionaries.
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