Items For Prayer And Praise
By Lois J. Stucky
The Christian life involves much warfare, like it or not! We are in a battle of right against wrong, of truth against error, of righteousness against unrighteousness, of justice against injustice, of zeal against complacency, and the list goes on. Messages of this issue of Herald of His Coming aim to encourage you in the battle.
In the days of foot soldiers, sometimes an officer on horseback was sent to ride at the rear of the marching line, to encourage the “slow pokes” and to keep others from dropping out altogether. Friend, where are you, where am I, in the line of march of the Lord’s army? Does there need to be more zeal in our heart, more spring in our steps?
Our Lord does not drive us on, but He leads on all who will respond. By the grace He freely offers, we must first win the battle in our own heart. Then we are to continue on to the field to which God leads us, be it limited or large, near or far. We might be called on by the Lord to take up courage and faith to go across the street to witness to a neighbor, or to speak up for Him in the family or in a Sunday School class. We might be called to cross an ocean, or cross the border of our country into another, perhaps to take the Gospel to an unreached people group.
It might be we are called on to lay on the altar a son or daughter, that he or she might follow the Saviour to a faraway place. It might be the son or daughter is called on to honor the Lord more than a loved parent and leave the parent in the care of another while putting feet to his or her own dedication to go to a distant place. Only one who has shed the heart blood this entails can know the cost.
A song says, “To some, He (Christ) is a Name. To me, He’s everything!” However great the pain, Christ is worth it! However many the tears, He’s worth it! He is worthy of any price we may need to pay in order to obey. The one now facing a difficult decision along this line must remember Gethsemane. Remember Calvary. Get God’s grace. He has it for us. Pay the price. Go through. He’s worth it!
Whatever we selfishly retain to spend in this life will eventually be forever gone. Whatever we spend for Him will be laid up in Eternity, earning dividends beyond what we would imagine. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it” (Matt. 16:24,25).
On, On With the Gospel!
A good share of the mail received in the Herald of His Coming office is from developing countries of the world. While many of us in the West comfortably glide in a vehicle along the road to heaven, so to speak, some of these brothers and sisters in Christ are pressing on by foot, as it were, through knee-deep swamps, over dry and thirsty deserts, through dangerous forests of anti-Christ forces. Let’s not forget them! Let’s help them as we can! They are our brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow members of His Body, fellow soldiers in His army.
Through their sacrificial efforts, many are reaching souls we could not possibly reach. We want to encourage such. Various ones have written of strength derived and encouragement experienced by reading Herald of His Coming, perhaps by lantern light in a remote area. Through our supporting gifts and prayers, we set in motion ripples that have more far-reaching effect than we ever envision.
Thank you for your help! Together we will go on and on with the Gospel. The gates of hell shall not prevail against us. If God be for us, who can be against us? We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. None of us has time to daily. Jesus may come! We may be called away to our eternal rest. Today is our day. Let us make the most of it, by His grace and strength.
Please also press the battle with us through the prayer requests we list below. Thank you, fellow soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Praise God!
• That though some skirmishes may be lost, we are joined with the One who is the Ultimate Victor!
• For all who, with faith and courage, are pressing the battle for the Captain of our Salvation!
Please Pray!
• For the salvation of many Jewish people.
• That the messages in this issue will help us take stock of ourselves to see how we are doing. Pray we will accept the challenge to become better soldiers for Christ if need be.
• That we will faithfully stand with those hard pressed in the thick of the battle.
• That we will have God’s love in our hearts so we can help wounded soldiers and not uncaringly or critically pass by, leaving them to the mercy of the enemy.
• For clear direction of the Lord in all Herald affairs and for His provision through faithful stewards to keep a bountiful outflow of Herald literature.
• For continued health and strength, and for the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the life of each Herald worker.
• For grace and wisdom in responding to the persecutions that some Christians must endure. Especially remember new believers. Pray God will strengthen them to withstand these attack of Satan. Readers in Ethiopia and Nigeria have requested our prayers along this line. Pray for the salvation of the persecutors.
• For restoration of the standard of holiness where it has fallen.
• That God’s people will not be negligent in seeking Him for the revival needed in this crucial hour. Ask for God’s help in prayer, that we will triumph over the hindrances Satan uses to keep us from prevailing prayer.