Midnight Cry Messenger

• Main Article: The Question of Tongues: My Testimony by C. Parker Thomas
  A Scripturally balanced look at speaking in tongues. A unique point of view rooted in the spiritual experience of Bro. Thomas over nearly 50 years of ministry.
• COMPROMISE by Bro. Charles Woodard
  Does God hold us responsible for the sin of others?
• The Editor's Letter
• The Effects of Sin
• You Can't Unpick a Flower
• Recognize Your Blessings
• In Everything Give Thanks

The Effects of Sin

When Leonardo da Vinci was painting his masterpiece. The Last Supper, he sought long for a model for his Christ. At last he located a chorister in one of the churches of Rome who was lovely in life and features, a young man named Pietro Bandinelli.

Years passed, and the painting was still unfinished. All the disciples had been portrayed save one, Judas Iscariot. Now he started to find a man whose face was hardened and distorted by sin and at last he found a beggar on the streets of Rome with a face so villainous, he shuddered when he looked at him. He hired the man to sit for him as he painted the face of Judas on his canvas. When he was about to dismiss the man, he said, "I have not yet found out your name." "I am Pietro Bandinelli," he replied, "I also sat for you as your model of Christ."

You Can't Unpick a Flower

A child asked a man to pick a flower for her. That was simple enough. But when she said, "Now put it back," the man experienced a baffling helplessness he never knew before. "How can you explain that it cannot be done?" he asked. "How can one make clear to young people that there are some things which when once broken, once mutilated, can never be replaced or mended?"

Recognize Your Blessings

"Count your blessings!" That is excellent counsel, but sometimes we have to recognize them first!

A man who owned a small estate wished to sell it. Sending for a real estate agent, he asked him to write an advertisement describing the house and land. When the ad was ready, the agent took it to the owner and read it to him. "Read that again," said the owner. The agent read the description of the estate once more. "I don't think I will sell after all," said the owner. "I have been looking for an estate like that all my life, and I did not know that I owned it!"

Count your blessings, yes, but start by asking God to open your eyes to see your possessions in Christ. Begin by recognizing all that you have in Christ. That will change your entire perspective and enable you to praise God for what you have.

In Everything Give Thanks

Alexander Whyte, the Scottish preacher, always began his prayers with an expression of gratitude. One cold, miserable day his people wondered what he would say. He prayed, "We thank Thee, O Lord, that it is not always like this."

Editor's Letter

Beloved in Christ:

Well Praise God! I'm thankful and I'm looking for the coming of the Lord. That's our only hope. If I thought I had a long time to stay on this earth I would of all men be most miserable. I see signs of Christ's coming everywhere I look.

I used to read Matthew 24:14 and wonder how in the world the gospel was going to be preached as a witness to all nations before Christ comes. I couldn't visualize how this could be accomplished with the technology available at that time.

Since then such things as radio, T.V., computers, and the internet have all come on the scene. In fact, Bro. Jimmy Robbins, who handles our radio work and video ministry has been blessed to get our program, the Midnight Cry Broadcast, where it will actually be beamed to every continent on earth. Fifty years ago when I read Matthew 24:14, I could not have visualized such a thing. In my heart I wanted to get His word out and I prayed toward that end. I could visualize myself someday getting a large tent and going from city to city. But this present day capability was beyond my power to conceive. Thus Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," is being fulfilled. Our God is so great. He answers and honors the cry of our heart in ways beyond our ability to see or dream.

Luke 21:25-28 is in the process of being fulfilled this very minute. At this present moment we have four storms just spawned off the coast of Africa heading in our direction. Two of them are full blown hurricanes and the others are developing. The Lord knows we have distress of nations. The least we can do is look up as Jesus instructed and lift up our heads, for our redemption draweth nigh. By the grace of God we want to be faithful to everything the Lord puts in our path.

We are being contacted by people through the internet at this time and we are receiving calls and letters from all over the earth. We do not beg for money or use gimmicks or tricks to get money to finance this work. Yet we are thankful for those few sheep that can hear his voice and follow Him. The work that God is doing now will be short and quick. Thus Romans 9:28 -- "For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth."

Pray with us and for us. We have so much to do and so little time to do it. It's not time to be at ease in Zion. May God bless you as you will to do His will.

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