Sowing and Reaping

Thought For Today -July 7
Sowing and Reaping
By: Robert A Searles

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126: 5,6.

There is a principle taught in the word of God, the bible, that teaches that we must put out before we can gather in. We must sow before we can expect to reap. If we will give ourselves first to the service of Christ, then our lives, our homes, our church, and our business will be firmly established and prosper.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Psalm 127:1,2

The foundation of every life, every home, every church, and every business must be Christ. Without him it will not stand nor prosper for long. How firm a foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord!

Wheat Among Tares

Thought For Today - July 2, 2022
Wheat Among Tares
By: Robert A. Searles

The bible says that we who are saved, the born again children of God, and the heirs of the kingdom of God, are living here on this earth as wheat growing in a field among tares. That is, we occupy the same earth; the same space; we breath the same air; bathe in the same sunshine; and enjoy all the benefits of God's love and mercy as the wicked non believers do also. 

The bible says that his rain and his sunshine and his blessings fall upon the just and the unjust alike. In order for him to water the wheat, the tares are watered also, until such time as the harvest when the wheat will be gathered into barns, and the tares cast into the furnace of hell to be burned.

As we live here among the tares, awaiting the harvest of souls, let us, as the wheat, not allow the tares to choke us and keep us from receiving all the blessings that the Lord has in store for us. Let us not be as the non believers, and the scoffers, ignoring the warning of God and being disobedient to him. God wants his own redeemed children -  the wheat, to be separated and sanctified unto himself.

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were fm the beginning of creation. For this they are willingly ignorant , that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto the fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." 2 Peter: 3:3-14

"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. 

To him be glory both now and for ever. A-men: 2 Peter 3:17,18.    

                   Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

                                                       Psalm 26:7

An Enemy of Our Ememies

Thought For Today - July 5
An Enemy Of Our Enemies
By: Robert A. Searles

"Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then will I be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water, and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee." Exodus 23: 20-25.

God is here speaking to his children, Israel, and making a covenant with them for their future welfare and well being.

I believe that these promises apply to all God's children everywhere: Those of us who have been truly born again, and grafted into the commonwealth of Israel, his people whom he loved, and chose to be the apple of his eye, and the nation through whom would come the Messiah, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

God said that he would send an Angel before them to keep them in the way, and to bring them unto the place which he had prepared for them. The bible says: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and that he would give his angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways." Jesus said: " I go to prepare a place for you", and that he would come again and receive us unto himself so that we would reach our desired haven.

We are told to be conscious of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and not to grieve him or provoke him.

Oh! How well off we are when God is the enemy of our enemies: Our spiritual enemies such as, sin, fear worry, sickness, disease, poverty, depression, failure, and our final enemy, death. God has promised to bless and prosper us if we will love and serve him only, and have no other Gods before us.







.

The Lord Hath Dealt Bountifully With Us

Thought For Today - July 4
The Lord Hath Dealt Bountifully With Us
By: Robert A. Searles

"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? For ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; and my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me”. Psalm 13.

Those of us who have experienced the love and salvation of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can truly say that in spite of the difficulties, suffering, and trials that God allows us to experience, he hath overall dealt bountifully with us.

By his grace he has given us more good things than we ever deserve; and by his mercy he has kept from us the consequences of our sins and mistakes, and his wrath and punishment that we so rightly deserve.

When there are times when we are feeling sorry for ourselves and wonder if God has forsaken us forever, even as David did, let us look back over the way we have come thus far, and see how truly God has dealt bountifully with us. Let us rejoice in our hearts and sing songs of praise to him for his goodness to us.

Today - A Gift From God

Thought For Today -  December 22, 2022
Today -  A Gift From God
By: Robert A. Searles

Each day in our lives is a brand new gift from God. There has never been a day exactly like it before, and there will never be a day exactly like it again. It is unique in itself. As someone has aptly said: "This is a brand new day without mistakes, yet." Pray to God that we can keep it without mistakes.

"This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Let us not ruin today by borrowing from tomorrow's sorrows, or remembering the mistakes of yesterday. If we at all remember, let us remember the joys and the happiness, and the good things, and let us throw out with the trash, as it were, the negative and bad things.

Let us spend this day, this valuable gift that God has given to us, always aware of his presence and companionship. A day spent in companionship with the Lord is better than a thousand without him.
If we have received Christ as our Savior, then today we have eternal everlasting life, and have passed from darkness into light and we don't have to look for tomorrow to come to receive it and enjoy it 

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

                                           Psalm 26: 7

Safety With the Lord

Thought For Today - July 2
Safety With the Lord
By: Robert A. Searles
 
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the almighty." Psalm 91: 1.

Oh! What safety and comfort there is to be found, living continually in the presence, and fellowship of God, and to be overshadowed by almighty God. Thank God ! This is possible for each of us who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ ,and have been born again as God's own children.

"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust, Surely he shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome, pestilence." Psalm 91:2,3.

The devil is constantly setting traps for God's children, but God keeps us and delivers us from them all.

"Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most high, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling: For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Psalm 91: 9,10,11

We need to learn to exercise our right and privilege as the Children of God to dwell in the habitation of God. When we live and dwell in the presence of the Lord, and abide with him, then we are safe from all evil.

Cause for Rejoicing

Thought For Today - July 1
Cause for Rejoicing
By: Robert A. Searles

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations.: Isaiah 61:10-11

We have good reason to rejoice and to be glad in the Lord. even though we live in an environment that is evil and corrupted by sin and disobedience to God. God has provided for his redeemed, born again children a robe of righteousness, and crowned them with precious jewels while we wait for the long dark winter of sin to be over, and for God's springtime to come. We are reminded, when we see the signs of spring on earth; when we see the buds begin to appear on the trees; when we see the lilies and flowers popping their heads through the soil, that God's righteousness and praise will spring forth in the earth when our Lord and savior, the Lord Jesus Christ returns, and God's righteous shall prevail.