"TRUST"

        "A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat,

         so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping

          On a cushion. The disciple woke him and said to him, "Teacher, 

         dont you care if we drown? He got up? Rebuked the wind and 

         said To the waves, quiet be still! The. The wind died down and it

         completely calm."                                                Mark 4: 37-39

Had we been in the boat, our faith would have had an advantage over the disciples. Unlike them, we have the Bible. . . Two thousand years of church history. . . the testimony of the Resurrection. . . The indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The disciples had none of that.

         So what would have been our response when the squall hit the boat? I like to believe have held on to the rigging and leaned over to whisper in Jesus' ear, "don't wake up from your sleep, Lord. Rest easy and our Father's grace will see me through this storm. I trust You're in control no matter what You

are doing." Oh, for the chance to show Jesus that, yes, I can trust Him!

         Well, I have that chance every day. And so do you.

         "I will not doubt, though all my ships at sea come drifting

          home with broken masts and sails; I shall believe the the 

          hand which never fails, from seeming evil worketh good

          to me. And though I weep because those sails are battered, 

          still will I cry, while my best hopes lis shattered, 'I trust in thee."'

                                                                          --Ella Wheeler Wilcox

          May my trust in You be complete, O Lord. May my confidence

          never  waver and my hope never faltered. When stormy trials

          Beset me, may I rely on You finally and fully.

The Scroll

        "Why is there so much symbolism in the Book of Revelation?"

There are many reason why symbolism is used in the Bible. First of all, symbolism is not weakened by time. The Apostle John was able to draw great "images" of God which encouraged saints in his century and every century since. Symbols live on. They never lose their meaning.

         Symbols also arouse emotions. It's one thing to talk about a man as a dictator, but when you call him a beast, you get your point across more powerfully. As you study and understand the symbols in Revelation, those symbls conveg emotion and excitement.

         Symbol function as a kind of spiritual code. During the time that Revelation was written. The political climate was very hostile to Christianity. Remember that John, the author of revelation, was in exile on the Isle of Patmos for his faith in Jesus, and his unwillingness to bow to the Roman emperor of his day. When we recognize the perilous political situation in which Revelation was written. We understand the reason for its mysterious and veiled pictoral language. They had own little code. Like thosr early Christians, we too can understand the symbolism found in Revelation if we take the time to study ig carefully.

"The Prominence of Prophecy"

       "Ye hypoccrites,ye can discern the face of the sky and of 

         the earth; But how is it that ye do not discern this time."

                                        LUKE 12 : 56

Out of the 216 chapters found in the entire New Testament, did you know there are 328 reference to the Second coming of Christ? That means if you were to omit passages about prophecy, you would have to remove one out of every thirty verse inthe New Testament. You would also have to skip 23 of the 27 New Testament books which mention prophecy. For every prophecy about the birth of Christ, there are eight about His Second Coming. In light of prophecy's prominence, can we really say, "Well, prophecy is just not relevant?"

         Jesus not only spoke about the future, he also rebuked people who didn't see the significance of the events taking place arpund them. He scolded those who could read the sky for weather, but were unable to to read the signs of times. In Luke 12:56 Jesus said, "Hyprocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this times?" It was no small thing to Jesus that the people of His generation remained ignorant of God's  prophetic word. Jesus wants us to investigate what the bible has to say about the future, and ask God to tell  us determine the day and hour in which we live.

"May I Come In?"

        "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walh in Him."

                                                 Colossians 2 : 6

You hear a knock on the door. It's  someone you haven't seen in months. Do you let him in? Or, do you tell him to come back some other time because you're busy, you're preoccupied or you just aren't interested right now?

        While we may not ever make a conscious decision to exclude the Lord from our lives, we can slip into this pattern if we're not careful. Do you ever go for days without spending personal time with the Lord? Do you forget to consult Him when making decisions, large and small? Do you plan activities and set goal's without considering what the Lord's counsel might be for you?

        Jesus Christ wants to be intimately involved with every part of your life. He long to hear your plans and your dreams as well as your cares and concerns. He is always there for you.

        Ask yourself, "Am I a Vhridt-less Christian'?" Make sure that you spend time with the Lord every day, in prayer and in Bible study. Consult with Him in all your plans and devisions. When you let Him take His rightful place in your life, He will fulfill His promise to guide and dtrengthen you and the blessing of fellowship with Him will be yours

" Lofty and Lowly Callings"

        "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust 

         Must prove faithful."                           --1 Corinthians 4 : 2

Picture yourself  standing before zgod on the day that He rewards believers. You longing to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant," but as you glance to your left you notice Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China. To your right stands Corrie ten Boom, the saint who put her life on the line to hide Jews from the Naxis. Somehow, you feel a little small and insignificant.

         There's no need to. God is only looking for you to bd faithful in what He's called you to be and do. No matter if your calling is lofty or lowly, it is faithfulness for which He will commend you on thst day when all believer stand before Him. Thst means your faithfulness may be rewarded by God eith great glory as that reserved for the Billy Grahams of this world!

          And one more thing: If your calling in life seems lowly, you are likely to receive a greater commendation. Why? Because a deeper kind of obedience is necessary ehen dubmitting to God in alow calling its tough to remain faithful to God through poverty ot pain. Thd one who os faithful in tough times catches God's eye.

         Jeremiah Burrough says, "You have a principle within you of grace a principle that raises your lowest actions to be higher in God's esteem than all the brave, glorious actions that are done in the world."

         That means that in God's eyes, Alexander yhe Great can't hold a candle to your faithful service as you maintain a godly home Julius Caesar's victories pale in compasion to your victories over temptations and trials. So remember: God requires you to be faithful. That's  enough. That's everything.

         

"An openning Door"

               An angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and 

             brought them out, and said, "Go, stand in the temple 

                and speak to the people all the words of this life."

                                         ACTS 5: 19,20

At most first-class hotels,  men in uniforms with whitehloves are ready to assist opening doors and carrying luggage. When guest arrive, they greet them. Their simple, yet gracious, act ushers people into the hotel.

            Today's text talk a about a heavenly door opener. God presents us with oppurtunities to serve, and to tell the world about His Love. This is exactly what happened to the Apostle Paul on his trip to troas. ". When I came . . . a door was opened to me by the Lord" (1 Corithians 2:12).

            God opens to us doors of service and ministry. Yet often hesitate to walk through. In fact, we sometimes question the oppurtunity God presents.

            Is God providing a chance for you to witness to someone today Has He given you other oppurtunity to serve. To encourages or to bless someone? If He has walk in obedience and trust Him to lead you. Seize the ministry oppurtunities he puts in your path by saying "yes," and stepping out in service to Him

"Turning to the Lord"

 "It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has  sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard"'

(ISAIAH 37 : 4a)

Psalm 123:2 says, "Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us." This was how Hezekiah responded to Assyria's shameless boast that nothing could stand in the way of its conquest of Jerusalem, not even God Himself. Hezekiah did not run scared, but he turned to the only one who could truly help his people. He turned to the Lord God: "And so it was, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord."

   Hezekiah did not go complaining and grumbling that he didn't desrve to be treated so unjustly at the hands of the Assyria, but he weep humbly into the presence of the Lord, dresses in the robes of repentance. In this way. He acknowledge that anything that happened to him and his people was well-deserve. He also understood that nothing happens by chance, and that he had something to learn from the trials he was facing, that he wasn't guiltless. And so, he tore his clothes and openly confessed to God that he deserve whatever the Lord brough upon him. But notice that this a knowledgement of guilt did not keep him from the Lord's presence. He went, knowing that this was the only hope he had, and he went not demanding justice for his cause but mercy and honor for the Lord's name.

    He also sent messengers to Isaiah, for he recognized the calling of the prophet and sought his consolation in this matter. He used the language of "your God," which seem to imply that he was afraid that God no longer thought of him as his own. But this was not what Hezekiah meant. He was recognizing the calling of Isaiah as  special servant of the Lord, and he gave him the respect due him.

    Isaiah responded with these words, "do not be afraid of the words which you heard, with which the servant of the king of assyria have blasphemed Me." Hezekiah was most concerned that God's name had been dishonored, and it is as if the Lord responded by saying. "Don't worry, I will vindicate my name and my people by driving away the Assyrian king by My Spirit and killing him in his own land."

Hezekiah received the consolation he wanted and the assurance that God' name would be glorified by the downfall of his enemies.

          

   What do you do when times are tough? Is your first response to humble yourself, acknowledge any guilt that you might have, and going to the Lord for help? Or do you complain and seek worldly methods of assistance, no matter how impotent they have proven in the past? Turn to the Lord today. Trust in him alone.