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"Behold the Lamb of God"

Date Feb 11, 2010 Previous | Next

"Behold the Lamb of God"

Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29.

John had by nature the faults and weaknesses common to humanity; but the touch of divine love had transformed him. When, after Christ's ministry began, the disciples of John came to him with the complaint that all men were following the new Teacher, John showed how clearly he understood his relation to the Messiah, and how gladly he welcomed the One for whom he had prepared the way.

"A man can receive nothing," he said, "except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. . . . This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:27-30.

Looking in faith to the Redeemer, John had risen to the height of self-abnegation. He sought not to attract men to himself, but to lift their thoughts higher and still higher, until they should rest upon the Lamb of God. He himself had been only a voice, a cry in the wilderness. Now with joy he accepted silence and obscurity, that the eyes of all might be turned to the Light of life.

Those who are true to their calling as messengers for God will not seek honor for themselves. Love for self will be swallowed up in love for Christ. They will recognize that it is their work to proclaim, as did John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. They will lift up Jesus, and with Him humanity will be lifted up. . . .

The soul of the prophet, emptied of self, was filled with the light of the Divine. . . . He bore witness to the Saviour's glory. . . . In this glory of Christ, all His followers are to share. . . . We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We can discern the character of God, and accept Christ by faith, only as we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this, the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him." Colossians 2:9, 10.

Maranatha p. 117

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Prayer Requests

February 11---I just got a call from a parishioner, he was at the Emergency. He said his son is very sick and they are X-Raying his lungs. I lost contact with him so I don't know the full story. Please help us pray that his son will turn his life completely over to the Lord. My friend was very very upset, please pray for him too...... Also I'm struggling to do the Lords will and desperately need everyone's prayers with this. Please help me pray that the Lords will be done and for Him to create within me a new heart ...Thanks & God Bless all...BG

February 11---Praise the Lord for His mercies! Please pray for Tanya. The doctor has found a tumor on her spine. She needs surgery ASAP but she doesn't have insurance. She is trying to get some social assistance. Please pray. Thank you. Julia

February 11---I have several prayer requests. Please pray for my mother as the cancer marker test she recently had came back elevated. Two weeks later the second test was even higher. She won't be able to get a CAT scan until April. Robert and Casey will be moving across country in May. Please pray that the move will go well and that they will get settled in with no problems. Please pray for Raymundo who fell at work and cracked his head. Also that his house will sell soon so he can join his family who have already moved to their new area. Please pray that I can witness to a co-worker who needs to come back to the Lord. Brian

February 11---Please pray that I will not get stressed out after my bank account was taken on the first. . . . [and] that I will have patience and wisdom to deal with this matter PH

February 11--- Please keep us in your prayers.....I have a unspoken request. J

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Dear Friends,

My grandfather, Edwin Harmon, always had a love for trains. Because he could stand the abuse he suffered at his father's hand no longer, he had left home at the age of ten and wandered up and down the east coast of the United States. He had not been gone long, when he came upon a group of homeless men. These men shared their food with him and taught him how to travel by riding in boxcars. This was great adventure! As he would ride along, he would pretend that he was the engineer driving the huge, steam-puffing engine. From that moment, he determined to one day drive a locomotive.

Sadly for him, it was not to be. One day a few years later,as he was back in

Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to visit his mother whom he adored, his father came home from work at an odd time and immediately sent him to Lancaster Academy to finish his education. There he was watched continuously and although he almost “escaped” once, he was there until his father got him into an apprenticeship in the family trade of bookbinding. My grandfather didn't want to do it, but somehow his

father was able to force him into it. All of his life, he worked as a bookbinder. His workmanship was perfect and in great demand, but he hated every minute of it. As he worked long hours, he dreamed of being behind the throttle of a gigantic locomotive, traveling to distant places, being free.

When I was a little girl, he used to take me to the train station and we would watch the trains together. He often talked about trains when I would ask him for a story. He looked upon the time that he spent "riding the rails" as the happiest time of his life.

How often we do the same in our Christian walk. We think about being a Christian, we talk about religion, we dream of the reward at the end; but do we wholeheartedly take hold of the free gift of salvation that has been so freely provided? It is not forced upon us. God never forces. We have to ask for it. We must reach out and take it. We must have a daily experience, a daily conversion.

Peter advises, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." 2 Peter 1:10 John adds, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the

world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will

of God abideth for ever." 1 John 2:15-17 "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification." 1 Thes 4:3

How are we sanctified? In that great prayer of Jesus, we find the key. Our Dear Saviour prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17 David of this, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Ps 119:9-11 Solomon adds, "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Ecc 12:13 May we reach out and accept God's Great Provision, serve Him in singleness of heart by doing those things which please Him, and never look wistfully upon this sinful, old world as a thing to be desired is my prayer. (Luke 9:62)

Rose

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