We are living in the perils of the last days. All heaven is inerested in the characters you are forming. Every provision has been made for you, that you should be a partaker of the divine nature,having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Man is not left alone to conquer the powers of evil by his own feeble efforts. Help is at hand, and will be given every soul who really desires it. Angels of God, that ascend and descend the ladder that Jacob saw in vision, will help every soul who will climb even to the highest heaven. They are guarding the people of God, and watching how every step is taken. Those who climb the shining way will be rewarded; they will enter into the joy of their Lord. How completely gratifying is that thought! As I prepared to "pen" this blog post, I was pondering and praying as to how to start it. I knew what the topic was: Jacob's ladder and the ladder of grace (found in 2 Peter 1:5-7, but vv. 1-12 provide the bigger pict...

On a hill long ago, Someone died for doing nothing at all. In being obedient to his Father's will, He showed His Father's love. And thousands of years before His arrival to our dying planet, God painted a picture of what that love would look like. You see, His Son would become flesh and dwell as Deity among humanity. But the Father -- His losses would be less tangible in the eyes of His creation. So rather than using reams of paper and additional doctrinal points to show us His side of the sacrifice, He gave us a story. Abraham was another father; Isaac another son. The mother in this story is distant, almost nonexistent. There was another mountain far away from their home. It was a new place. There was another pile of wood, another willing son tied to it; another group of two men on the same journey, yet not called to the same fate. There were another father's tears; another son's prayers; another story of love and self-sacrifice. And it started in the beginning*...

She would not leave her possessions. She had heard the angel's instructions; but as she observed her husband's hesitation, she dwelt on her own doubts. Her heart clung to Sodom, and the thought of leaving behind all she loved was too much. So she looked back... He had stepped out in faith. Yes, he had doubted along the way, but as he saw the fulfillment of divine promises, he was learning to love and trust God more. But, there was only one thing he did not yet trust Providence to take care of -- her. She was the apple of his eye, the joy of his life. She was a beauty, and he knew that other guys would think so too. Please, Beulah* , he said, if you love me, just please call me your brother . He would rather lose her than lose his life... Relief flooded over him as he reached the promised haven. As he entered the city, he turned to see the intense firestorm raining about six miles behind him. Heaven's judgment had come. He noticed his two daughters in the city with...