Brother Jim Snead Wednesday Evening 9/24/14

Brother Jim Snead Wednesday Evening 9/24/14

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

This scripture came to me when I went back to work at the Forest Service at Seeley Lake.  They hired me in the middle of the summertime.  Frank who had gotten saved in Escondido and I asked the Ranger that I had worked for the previous year if Frank could get on with us. 

He told me to take the paperwork to Missoula.  They laughed at us in Missoula when we took frank there to get hired, there were a stack of 300 people’s papers ahead of him.  The foreman had told us to go and that he would push for him to be hired.  They hired him. 

The Forrest Service was doing burns like they have been this year and they kept getting away from them.  They kept putting us on the front line and saying, “You’re ready to go so we’ll put you on the front line.”  It did no good for us to be there the sparks kept blowing over us.  I felt that the Lord was through with us there and Frank went back to Escondido and I went to work somewhere else. 

Out of Superior another time I was logging with Bob and Myron.  I was just learning to saw trees.  They wanted me to long butt them and I thought, “I’ll just cut the stumps a little higher.”  I wasn’t on the top of that guys list.  (Myron got hurt on that job and when we took him to the hospital I couldn’t handle it and before I knew it I was on the floor and the doctor was over me taking care of me.)

I was broke down on the job and Bob always kept a bible on the dash.  As I was waiting I read these scriptures that afternoon, Luke 10:38.  I was going to get married in January and the boss said, “I hope that girlfriend of yours has a good job so that she can support you.” 

I was having a bad day and these scriptures stood out to me.  It has come back to me many, many times since then.  I am sure that I am not the only one that has been careful and troubled about many things.

Luk 10:38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

Luk 10:39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

Luk 10:40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

How many of us have been?  It seems that there is turmoil everywhere we turn.

Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

We don’t have to let the devil rob us. 

(I think back, remembering down memory lane to a job that was in Tamarack creek.  Brother Gary told me that it was over to the 240 trail.  I went back in there and found it but I don’t ever want to go back in.  It has grown over and the elk are there and they can stay there.  There are wallows and there is water.) 

Luk 21:31  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Luk 21:32  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Luk 21:33  Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Luk 21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Luk 21:35  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

He says that it will happen to all of us.  A snare: those of us that have done any trapping know that a snare is not something that you see.  It comes upon you unawares. 

We can let these cares crowd things out and trouble our minds until we are not useful because they eat us up.

You put a snare in a trail that is well traveled.  You will put a wire or something with a sapling as a spring.  Usually there is a slide that will travel on the wire so that it gets around their neck and they get caught.

There are snares out there and we don’t see them.  I think of the scripture that mentions that you are better off to go into heaven with one foot or hand then have both and miss it.  If you catch a beaver by one foot then sometimes they chew their foot off but they are still alive.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Php 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Isn’t that good?  The peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds.  If we cast all our care on Him, we know that He will take care of us.  He has all down through time. 

Sometimes we get ourselves into real predicaments.  Sometimes we say, “It will be interesting how the Lord works this out.”

1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Sometimes we think that it is just us going through the battle.  Talk to others, you will find that they also battle.  The same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren. 

Sometimes you get up in the morning and the devil is right there already to trouble you.  I guess that is why we get up in the morning and have prayer. 

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

I just want to encourage each one of you.  You think back at the saints, and we have been blessed with the saints that we have known.  Sister Kelly had a sense of humor too if you really knew her.  Then to know the concern they had for you and the confidence to help you along the way.  Those dear saints would give you their coat if you needed it. 

I remember a prayer meeting that we had at Sister Kelly’s house when a lot of the saints were sick.  She was frail but her words packed a lot of weight.  She brought out the scripture, “Jesus desired to gather you but you would not.” 

God is still working and He wants to help you.  We see our families go through so much and many of the young ones are out of the ark.  We must keep praying and toiling on.  We have to keep it settled in our heart that we are going through.

In Daniel’s day they said, “Let it be known to you oh king that even if God doesn’t rescue us we are not going to bow down.”  We are all going to go through trials and temptations, God is allowing it because he counted us worthy to suffer for Him.

We think of Job, a beautiful example.  “Though He slay me I will still serve Him.” 

There is nothing to go back to.  We see so much divorce in this world.  When I was young, I was scared of life.  There was so much going on that I was just plain scared.  I want to encourage you young people to hold onto God and to trust Him.

I have been some places where it seemed I was the only one, but God was right there in the fire with me.  Sometimes they thought, “I’ve got things signed sealed and delivered.”  God came through for me and they were amazed.  “Wow you have someone working for you.”

I’m thankful that God protected me on all the road trips and how God brought me through.  I’m thankful to be a part of the body, and that He has counted me worthy to serve Him.