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Prepared for Emergencies |
| Do people make fun of you for your faith?
Jesus can give you ways of responding that will win their hearts. Pray for
courage and faith.
The following are some promises I read and review when going through difficult times. You should print them out and keep them in your Bible like I do. |
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When you have to answer for the hope that is in you, trust Jesus to provide your confidence. Review His promises. Stand fast for your dear friend Jesus. |
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Fear not, I am with you. (Men's hearts failing them for fear in last days) |
| Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward. |
| Genesis to Jacob : 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I [am] the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I [am] with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. |
| Deut. 20:3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint,
fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 20:4 For the LORD your God [is] he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. |
| Deut. 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. |
| 2 Kings 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them. 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. |
| Isaiah 35:4 Say to them [that are] of a fearful heart,
Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come [with] vengeance, [even] God [with] a recompense; he will come and save you. 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 35:6 Then shall the lame [man] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. |
| Daniel 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace [be] unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. |
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Trust God in Every Emergency Read Isaiah 35 & 56 &26 |
| I ask you to read the whole of this thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah, with the fifty-sixth chapter. When you are disappointed because of the spiritual lack you see in the churches and in individuals, read these promising words of inspiration. They are given for the encouragement of our churches, and are to be claimed in times of emergency. When you meet with those who are not willing to be helped and strengthened, do not allow yourselves to become discouraged; when you find halting and disaffection among the believers, let your faith in God be strong. I have been shown that evil angels in the form of believers will work in our ranks to bring in a strong spirit of unbelief. Let not even this discourage you; but bring a true heart to the help of the Lord against the powers of satanic agencies. {RH, May 6, 1909 par. 15} |
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Look How Luther Prayed |
| Luther was about to appear to answer for his faith before a most imposing assembly, and he looked to God in faith for strength. For a little time his courage and faith were tested. Perils in every form were presented before him. He became sad. Clouds gathered around him, and hid from him the face of God. He longed to go forth with a confident assurance that God was with him. He could not be satisfied unless he was shut in with God. With broken cries he sent up his agonizing prayer to Heaven. His spirit at times seemed to faint, as his enemies, in his imagination, multiplied before him. He trembled at his danger. I saw that God in his wise providence prepared him in this way that he might not forget in whom to trust, and that he should not rush on presumptuously into danger. As his own instrument, God was fitting him for the great work before him. {GW92 60.1} Luther's prayer was heard. His courage and faith returned as he met his enemies. Meek as a lamb, he stood, surrounded by the great men of the earth, who, like angry wolves, fastened their eyes upon him, hoping to awe him with their power and greatness. But he had taken hold of the strength of God, and feared not. His words were spoken with such majesty and power that his enemies could do nothing against him. God was speaking through Luther, and he had brought together sovereigns and professed wise men, that he might publicly bring to naught their wisdom, and that they all might see the strength and firmness of feeble man when leaning upon God, his eternal Rock. 61 {GW92 60.2} The calm bearing of Luther was in striking contrast to the passion and rage exhibited by those so-called great men. They could not frighten him into a recantation of the truth. In noble simplicity and calm firmness he stood like a rock. The opposition of his enemies, their rage and threats, like a mighty wave, surged against him, and broke harmless at his feet. He remained unmoved. They were chagrined that their power, which had caused kings and nobles to tremble, should be thus despised by a humble man, and they longed to make him feel their wrath by torturing his life away. But One who is mightier than the potentates of earth had charge of this fearless witness. God had a work for him to do. He must yet suffer for the truth. He must see it wade through bloody persecutions. He must see it clothed in sackcloth, and covered with reproach by fanatics. He must live to justify it, and to be its defender when the mighty powers of earth should seek to tear it down. |
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Luther spent at least 3 hrs a day in prayer |
| From the secret place of prayer came the power that shook the world in the Great Reformation. There, with holy calmness, the servants of the Lord set their feet upon the rock of his promises. During the struggle at Augsburg, Luther did not fail to devote three hours each day to prayer; and these were taken from that portion of the day most favorable to study. In the privacy of his chamber he was heard to pour out his soul before God in words full of adoration, fear, and hope, as if speaking to a friend. "I know that thou art our Father and our God," he said, "and that thou wilt scatter the persecutors of thy children; for
thou art thyself endangered with us. All this matter is thine, and it is only by thy constraint that we have put our hands to it. Defend us, then, O Father!" To Melancthon, who was crushed under the burden of anxiety and fear, he wrote: "Grace and peace in Christ! In Christ, I say, and not in the world, Amen! I hate with exceeding hatred those extreme cares which consume you. If the cause is unjust, abandon it; if the cause is just, why should we belie the promises of Him who commands us to sleep without fear?" "Christ will not be wanting to the work of justice and truth. He lives, he reigns; what fear, then, can we have?" {GC88 210.1}
Luther was a man of prayer. He worked and prayed as though something must be done, and that at once, and it was done. His prayers were followed up by venturing something on the promises of God; and through divine aid he was enabled to shake the vast power of Rome, so that in every country the foundation of the papacy trembled. {GW92 428.2} And now Wittenberg itself, the very center of the Reformation, was fast falling under the power of fanaticism and lawlessness. This terrible condition had not resulted from the teachings of Luther; but throughout Germany his enemies were charging it upon him. In bitterness of soul he sometimes asked, "Can such be the end of this great work of the Reformation?" Again, as he wrestled with God in prayer, peace flowed into his heart. "The work is not mine, but thine own," he said; "thou wilt not suffer it to be corrupted by superstition or fanaticism." But the thought of remaining longer from the conflict in such a crisis, became insupportable. He determined to return to Wittenberg. {GC88 188.1} |
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Isaiah 35 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. |
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Watch Therefore BIBLE GEM "Watch therefore---for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning---lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Watch." Mark 13:35-37, R.S.V. QUESTION What is meant by our Saviour's admonition to "watch?" What are some of the things we are to watch or guard against? ANSWER Keep looking up: "A company was presented before me. . . . They were waiting and watching. Their eyes were directed heavenward, and the words of their Master were upon their lips: 'What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch' "---Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 192 "I saw that it was impossible to have the affections and interests engrossed in worldly cares, to be increasing earthly possessions, and yet be in a waiting, watching position, as our Saviour has commanded."---Ibid., pl 193 Watch the first symptom: "Watch, brethren, the first dimming of your light, the first neglect of prayer, the first the first symptom of spiritual slumber."---Ibid., p. 124 Watch your habits: "Watch against old habits and natural inclinations, lest they assert themselves; force them back, and watch."---Ibid., vol. 6, p. 410 Other things to watch: "Watch, lest you should speak hastily, fretfully, and impatiently. Watch, lest pride should find a place in your heart. Watch, lest evil passions should overcome you, instead of you subduing them. Watch, lest . . . . you . . . become light and trifling, and your influence savor of death, rather than life."---The Faith I Live By, page 224 Watch for opportunities: "Watch over the souls whom Christ has purchased with His own blood. Watch for opportunities to do them good."---Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 410 Watch unto prayer: "We are to pray and watch unto prayer, that there may be no inconsistency in our lives. We must not fail to show others that we understand that watching unto prayer means living our prayers before God, that He may answer them." ---Selected Messages, b. 1, pp. 116,117 Be ready for Christ's coming: "We should watch and work and pray as though this were the last day that would be granted us. How intensely earnest, then, would be our life. How closely would we follow Jesus in all our words and deeds."---Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 200 " 'Pray always;' that is, be ever in the spirit of prayer, and then you will be in readiness for your Lord's coming."---Ibid., p. 235
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