Dear Followers of the Lord Jesus:
We are going through a time when some of our members are jubilant over the election results, while others are totally devastated. Regardless of what side you may be on in this equation, we have been taught that we should not rely on the arm of flesh, that we need to put our confidence in the everlasting God. These are indeed times of uncertainty, yet we must fix our eyes on the ultimate goal.
Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 32:7-8 KJV)
Esforzaos y confortaos; no temáis, ni hayáis miedo del rey de Asiria, ni de toda su multitud que con él viene; porque más son con nosotros que con él. Con él es el brazo de carne, mas con nosotros Jehová nuestro Dios para ayudarnos, y pelear nuestras batallas. Y afirmóse el pueblo sobre las palabras de Ezechîas rey de Judá. (2 Crónicas 32:7-8 SRV)
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:5 KJV)
Así ha dicho Jehová: Maldito el varón que confía en el hombre, y pone carne por su brazo, y su corazón se aparta de Jehová. (Jeremías 17:5 SRV)
Some people have no vision for the future. And then in the early 1870's, the U.S. Congress became greatly alarmed over the size of the federal budget, and determined to cut it. Finally a senator arose to announce a solution. It seems that he had been investigating the Patent Office. After noting the staggering total of entries in the records, he had concluded that it would be impossible to invent anything else. Therefore, they might as well discontinue the Patent Office, and appropriate no more money for it. The savings here would provide the desired decrease in the federal budget.
Some people may not use bathtubs much nowadays, but they have an interesting history. The first bathtub in America brought objections from doctors and politicians. It was built in Cincinnati in 1842 and first exhibited at a Christmas party.
The next day, the local papers denounced it as a "luxurious and democratic vanity." Doctors warned that the bathtub would be "a menace to health." The politicians also took up the fight. Philadelphia issued a public ordinance to prohibit bathing between November 1 and March 15. Boston made bathing unlawful except when prescribed by a physician. One state even levied a $30-a-year tax on every bathtub, and several cities increased water rates for such use.
The first bathtubs were encased in mahogany and lined with sheet metal, in size seven feet long and four feet wide. It weighed 1750 pounds. And water had to be pumped into it.
Some are really skeptically resistant to progress. This clipping from a Boston newspaper in 1872: "A man about forty-six years of age, giving the name of Joshua Coppersmith, has been arrested in New York for allegedly attempting to extort funds from ignorant and superstitious people. He exhibited a device which he says will convey the human voice any distance over metallic wires, so that it will be heard by the listener at the other end of the wire. He calls the instrument a "telephone," which is obviously intended to imitate the word "telegraph," thus winning the confidence of those who know the success of the latter instrument without understanding the principles on which it is based.
"Well-informed people know that it is impossible to transmit the human voice over wires, as may be done with dots and dashes and signals of the Morse code and, that, were it possible to do so, the thing would be of no practical value. Authorities who apprehended this criminal are to be congratulated, and it is hoped that his punishment will be prompt and fitting."
Some time later, an American mayor was thought most bold when he predicted, "One day there'll be one in every city." And in Britain the chief engineer of the Post Office, Sir William Preece, told a Commons committee, "The Americans have need of the telephone—but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys."
"The millennium is at hand. Man has invented everything that can be invented. He has done all he can do."
These words were spoken by a bishop at a church gathering in 1870. They were challenged by the presiding officer, who suggested that a great invention would be made within the next fifty years.
The bishop asked him to name such an invention.
The reply: "I think man will learn to fly."
The bishop replied that this was blasphemy. "Don't you know that flight is reserved for angels?"
The bishop was Milton Wright, father of Orville and Wilbur.
Here is a famous quote: “I'll go anywhere provided it is forward.”—David Livingstone
Here’s another: “Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.”—Frederick B. Wilcox
When the children of Israel were about to be slaughtered by Pharaoh’s charioteers, we read, And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: (Exodus 14:13-15 KJV)
Y Moisés dijo al pueblo: No temáis; estaos quedos, y ved la salud de Jehová, que él hará hoy con vosotros; porque los Egipcios que hoy habéis visto, nunca más para siempre los veréis. Jehová peleará por vosotros, y vosotros estaréis quedos. Entonces Jehová dijo á Moisés: ¿Por qué clamas á mí? Di á los hijos de Israel que marchen. (Exodo 14:13-15 SRV)
“The great lesson here taught is for all time. Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, "Go forward." We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, "Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;" but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.” {Patriarchs and Prophets, 290}
“The history of the children of Israel is written for the instruction and admonition of all Christians. When the Israelites were overtaken by dangers and difficulties, and their way seemed hedged up, their faith forsook them, and they murmured against the leader whom God had appointed for them. They blamed him for bringing them into peril, when he had only obeyed the voice of God.
The divine command was: "Go forward." They were not to wait until the way was made plain, and they could comprehend the entire plan of their deliverance. God's cause is onward, and He will open a path before His people. To hesitate
and murmur is to manifest distrust in the Holy One of Israel. God in His providence brought the Hebrews into the mountain fastnesses, with the Red Sea before them, that He might work out their deliverance and forever rid them of their enemies. He might have saved them in any other way, but He chose this method in order to test their faith and strengthen their trust in Him.
We cannot charge Moses with being at fault because the people murmured against his course. It was their own rebellious, unsubdued hearts that led them to censure the man whom God had delegated to lead His people. While Moses moved in the fear of the Lord, and according to His direction, having full faith in His promises, those who should have upheld him became discouraged, and could see nothing before them but disaster, defeat, and death.
The Lord is now dealing with His people who believe present truth. He designs to bring about momentous results, and while in His providence He is working toward this end, He says to His people: "Go forward." True, the path is not yet opened; but when they move on in the strength of faith and courage, God will make the way plain before their eyes. There are ever those who will complain, as did ancient Israel, and charge the difficulties of their position upon those whom God has raised up for the special purpose of advancing His cause. They fail to see that God is testing them by bringing them into strait places, from which there is no deliverance except by His hand.
There are times when the Christian life seems beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before, and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly above all discouragements: "Go forward." We should obey this command, let the result be what it may, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness and though we feel the cold waves about our feet.
The Hebrews were weary and terrified; yet if they had held back when Moses bade them advance, if they had refused to move nearer to the Red Sea, God would never have opened the path for them. In marching down to the very water, they showed that they had faith in the word of God as spoken by Moses. They did all that it was in their power to do, and then the Mighty One of Israel performed His part, and divided the waters to make a path for their feet.
The clouds that gather about our way will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Unbelief says: "We can never surmount these obstructions; let us wait until they are removed, and we can see our way clearly." But faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things. Obedience to God is sure to bring the victory. It is only through faith that we can reach heaven.
There is great similarity between our history and that of the children of Israel. God led His people from Egypt into the wilderness, where they could keep His law and obey His voice. The Egyptians, who had no regard for the Lord, were encamped close by them; yet what was to the Israelites a great flood of light, illuminating the whole camp, and shedding brightness upon the path before them, was to the hosts of Pharaoh a wall of clouds, making blacker the darkness of night.
So, at this time, there is a people whom God has made the depositaries of His law. To those who obey them, the commandments of God are as a pillar of fire, lighting and leading the way to eternal salvation. But unto those who disregard them, they are as the clouds of night. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Better than all other knowledge is an understanding of the word of God. In keeping His commandments there is great reward, and no earthly inducement should cause the Christian to waver for a moment in his allegiance. Riches, honor, and worldly pomp are but as dross that shall perish before the fire of God's wrath.
The voice of the Lord bidding His faithful ones "go forward" frequently tries their faith to the uttermost. But if they should defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty was removed from their understanding, and there remained no risk of failure or defeat, they would never move on at all. Those who think it impossible for them to yield to the will of God and have faith in His promises until all is made clear and plain before them, will never yield at all. Faith is not certainty of knowledge; it "is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." To obey the commandments of God is the only way to obtain His favor. "Go forward" should be the Christian's watchword. {Testimonies, 4:25-28}
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV)
POR tanto nosotros también, teniendo en derredor nuestro una tan grande nube de testigos, dejando todo el peso del pecado que nos rodea, corramos con paciencia la carrera que nos es propuesta, Puestos los ojos en al autor y consumador de la fe, en Jesús; el cual, habiéndole sido propuesto gozo, sufrió la cruz, menospreciando la vergüenza, y sentóse á la diestra del trono de Dios. (Hebreos 12:1-2 SRV)
We are reminded of the fact that only those who kept their eyes on Jesus were able to get through the great disappointment of October 22nd 1844. Those who looked back, fell off the narrow trail which lead to Jesus and our Heavenly Home.
5 Reminders For Christian Life
1. Remember the joy of your conversion.
2. Realize there is nothing to go back to.
3. Determine that you are not for sale.
4. Remember the past faithfulness of God.
5. Realize that you are not yet home.
In order to really progress, we should not try to do it alone. When geese fly in formation, they travel about 70% faster than when they fly alone. (Galatians 6:2: "Bear ye one another's burdens").
May God bless and keep you in His care.
Pastor Richard Parent