“THUS FAR THE LORD HAS HELPED US.” 1 Samuel 7:12

April 8, 2014

“THUS FAR THE LORD HAS HELPED US.” 1 Samuel 7:12 (NKJV)

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:1-31 (ESV)

My Friends as I look back, at times the long distances down a highway, even as a kid traveling with my parents sometimes the stretch of road seemed endless. Every gas station, and rest stop there is a THUS FAR, as you get back into the car and continue.

Friends, This journey to the promise land is a long one so many stops along the way, so many “THUS FAR THE LORD HAS HELPED US.” in Sickness, death, heartache, pain, so many miles on life’s highway, but, THUS FAR we still see the SON shining and today He is as bright as ever.

Sometimes if we take a “moment to rest….to look back over the distance we have traveled, we realize we can only rest for a moment,…and we dare not linger” for the Journey has not ended.

“Every step in life should be that of faith, of love of consecration! We should walk in the light, as Jesus is in the light. Christ offers to walk with us through all the journey of life, and cheer our way by his presence. If we do not avail ourselves of his companionship, it is our own fault, our own loss.

If we grope in darkness, it is because we refuse the presence of the only one who can make our way bright and joyful. We need to cultivate that faith which works by love, and purifies the soul. Our greatest danger is in harboring unbelief, and neglecting to cherish the precious love of Jesus.” (E.G.White)

On this road we travel as we face trials and tragedies, highs and lows of life, ” we can always see our lives  being subject to two forces with a gradient wind representing everything changeable, unpredictable, and distressing.

“But operating simultaneously with these gusts of wind is another force that’s even more powerful. It is the sure movement of God’s wise and sovereign purposes, the deep flow of His unchanging love and the power of his Spirit and what that all means to a Child of God.”

Unlike Thomas who stated to Chris “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” If you seek Christ and His presence with a passion each day my friends you know where our Savior went when He left this earth the first time.

A Child of God knows our Savior left “to prepare a place for you” and we know in Rev. 21:21 (NIV) that John gives us a small glimpse of what He has prepared for us. “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.”

And a Child of God knows Paul gives us another glimpse of what our Savior is preparing for His faithful in 1 Cor. 2:9 (NIV) “no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

And a Child of God knows, if you are faithful and endure He will return to “take you with Him, that where He is, you may be also.” And a Child of God knows, when this journey is over that “God will wipe away every tear from (our) eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”Rev.21:4 (NKJV) my friends “THUS FAR THE LORD HAS HELPED US” to make it on this Journey. Let’s continue through our faith and endurance to not stop until we have crossed over into the promise land.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY