Steadfastness
Dearest Ones, You are a part of the great family of God and beloved of heaven, for you have taken your place in the lineup of saints and prophets who have served me faithfully in times past. It has always been difficult to live in a world where Satan has control of so many people, and my people are in the minority. Now the inhabitants of earth are rapidly filling up the cup of iniquity in preparation for their destruction. [Hab. 2:16.] But your Redeemer is strong, and I rule over the earth and the sea and all that dwell therein, and I will not allow a hair of your head to perish or fall to the ground that I do not notice. [Matt. 10:29-31.] Of necessity I must allow sin to run its course, and come to an end so that the fruits of wickedness will be fully displayed. But I have means and ways of protecting my people through every danger and every storm of persecution that Satan may stir up against you. Fear not that you will be abandoned by heaven, or that your needs will go unnoticed and uncared for. Remember how you have been led and protected and provided for in the past, and in the future you will see even greater things that will show you that I am not absent from your life. Because you cannot see me, faith is sometimes hard to exercise. But always remember to take out the green cord [EW 81] that represents faith and use it in connection with the words and promises of the Bible, and you will be blessed and your faith strengthened. Therefore the topic for today is "steadfastness." There are highs and lows in life for everyone, for the experience of each day is different and cannot be duplicated or passed on to the next day. As you sleep, the experiences that you went through and the lessons that you learned and the victories that you won do not automatically transfer to the next day, for they are stored away in the recesses of your brain, in order to make room for the things that are going to happen in the next day. Those memories are not lost, but they cannot give you strength and power for what you will experience the next day. Therefore, you must drink at the fountain of my love and grace each morning and connect with me, the source of all life and strength and wisdom. Just as yesterday's bodily nourishment does not supply strength for today, so must your spiritual nourishment be renewed every morning. To go without it means that Satan has access to you to bring discouragement or whatever temptations he can bring in various forms. Do not listen to him or parley with him, for he is a deadly foe who never sleeps, and is like a circling wolf, looking for a weak moment to attack you. This does not mean that I have left you to be overcome, but it means that when you trust in your own ability to get through the day and neglect to connect with me and call upon me for everything, I am obliged by the laws of the great controversy to allow the tempter to have a certain amount of access to you according to what you are choosing to do. But I never leave your side and will not allow the devil to destroy you or swallow you up, but to alert you to flee to me for help and protection and wisdom for each thing that happens in your day. So how are you doing today in your walk with me? Do you sense my closeness to you and my love? Raise your eyes from things of this earth and see me bending over you as a mother does to her infant. You have only to reach out to me and I am there. Some days will of necessity be more difficult than others because of the vicissitudes of life. But I will give you the courage and strength you need to be a conqueror in the battle with evil. Rest in me today and I will guide you and protect you and solve every problem for you and give you peace and joy at my side. Rest in my care, for you cannot see the future, but I can and I will guide you safely through every trial. I will also help you to be a blessing to others as you go through your day so that you can have the joy that I have every day in helping people. I will put a rainbow around every cloud in your life, and help you sense the unseen angels who are by your side, bringing heaven down to you. Now go to the activities of your day with renewed hope and courage, and bring the light of heaven to others today whom I will send to you who need just the words of hope and encouragement that you can share with them. This is the purpose of life here on this earth, but it is also the preparation you need to help you to be a part of the family in heaven. So be blessed today through your faith in me, and let the peace of heaven dwell in your heart and mind richly as you drink from the fountain of my love and care for you. [Col. 3:15, 16.] Lovingly, Jesus.