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The Youth’s Instructor

92/477

May 4, 1893

Words to the Young

EGW

“Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord.” Thank God that it is our privilege to be called witnesses for God. Then if we are witnesses, we must speak for Christ, and lift him up among our associates. When we see the ardor and religious zeal of any of our companions growing cool, we must help and encourage such a one, pray with and for him, that he may be a true witness for the Lord. The youth may be a power for Christ, if they will maintain their simplicity, and not seek to present something startling something original, but teach the precepts of their Lord. But to invest the simplest truths with novelty and singularity, is to rob them of their power to win souls to Christ. YI May 4, 1893, par. 1

Let our youth live and work as in the sight of Heaven, and not strive to put forth something new and startling, but to present the simple, blessed lessons which Christ has given to his disciples to be passed along the lines to our times. Let their actions testify that they know how to pray, how to labor personally for souls for whom Christ has died, not waiting for some promising subject, but laboring for the sinner just as he is, revealing to him the love of Christ for fallen man. YI May 4, 1893, par. 2

The greatest Teacher the world ever knew was admired for his simplicity; for he presented divine truth in such a way that even children could comprehend his words, and at the same time he drew the attention of the best educated and deepest thinkers of the world. By the use of familiar illustrations he made truth plain to the minds of the common people. In simplicity he sowed the seed of the gospel truth in the minds and hearts of his hearers, and it sprang up and yielded a harvest unto everlasting life. YI May 4, 1893, par. 3

How much need there is that the youth who are to be witnesses for Christ, learn how to labor for those who know not Jesus. How necessary it is that they should understand how to make the lessons of Christ clear and conclusive. The use of long words and soaring eloquence is not essential to success. What you need is a living experience in the things of God and simplicity in presenting the love of Christ to the lost. Many of the souls out of Christ are in deplorable ignorance of even the simplest facts concerning the plan of salvation. When the heart is aglow with the love of Jesus, you will express it to others, and become witnesses for Christ. YI May 4, 1893, par. 4

If you truly belong to Christ, you will have opportunities for witnessing for him. You will be invited to attend places of amusement, and then it will be that you will have an opportunity to testify to your Lord. If you are true to Christ then, you will not try to form excuses for your non-attendance, but will plainly and modestly declare that you are a child of God, and your principles would not allow you to be in a place, even for one occasion, where you could not invite the presence of your Lord. We should not permit the spirit of conservatism to lead us to misrepresent our Lord. Our daily influence must be like that of Christ. We must practice self-denial, overcome temptation, and daily grow in grace. We cannot be witnesses for Christ without his Holy Spirit to work upon our hearts; but he has said that our heavenly Father is more willing to give us the Holy Spirit, than parents are to give good gifts to their children. We are to receive the Holy Spirit, and through its agency the sinner will be impressed with the fact that in Jesus there are to be found joys superior to those of earth. YI May 4, 1893, par. 5

You are to regard yourself as the property of Jesus Christ, as one whom he expects to become a laborer with God. Let the youth compare their characters with that of the Pattern. Do you turn away in sorrow from the picture of your neglect of duty, of your indulgence in selfishness, of your unlikeness to the life of Christ? Can you say that it is your delight to be a doer of the words of Christ? When selfish projects are presented to you, do you closely examine your motives, and turn away from that which is not dictated by the Spirit of God? Do selfish desires control you, or do you honor God by consulting his word, by earnestly seeking him in prayer, that he may guide you in wisdom? Do not many of you stand in the position of the half-hearted, inviting Satan to use you as his agents to misrepresent Christ to the world? Do you not do those things which you know a Christian ought not to do? And do you not neglect the very work that God has appointed you to do? YI May 4, 1893, par. 6

Be assured that if you fully consecrate yourself to God, self will die, and your life will be hid with Christ in God. O that all the youth would seek with an earnestness proportionate to the great object set before them, for eternal life! O that they might realize what eternal life includes, that they might pursue it with all diligence! The enterprise that God approves is one that is safe. Then why not make the gaining of eternal life your only business, and discard everything that will not further you in its attainment? Let no business engagement or pleasure party keep you away from the house of prayer. Be ready to catch every ray of light that shines upon the people of God, in order that you may shine as a light in the world. Make no engagements that will keep you away from the place where the presence of Jesus will be. If you are indifferent to the privileges that God graciously grants you to lay hold upon eternal life, you may be numbered at last among the foolish virgins, whose lamps were not trimmed and burning, who took no oil with them in their vessels, and whose light flickered out. YI May 4, 1893, par. 7

Why not be witnesses for Christ? why not have light in your lamps, and benefit the world by your steady ray? Do you ask what you must do in order to work the works of God? This is the answer: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he has sent.” Believe in Christ as your personal Saviour, and abide in him, and he will abide in you. Jesus says, “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” YI May 4, 1893, par. 8

The work above all work,—the business above all others which should draw and engage the energies of the soul,—is the work of saving souls for whom Christ has died. Make this the main, the important work of your life. Make it your special life-work. Cooperate with Christ in this grand and noble work, and become home and foreign missionaries. Be ready and efficient to work at home or in far-off climes for the saving of souls. Work the works of God, and demonstrate your faith in your Saviour by toiling for others. O that young and old were thoroughly converted to God, and would take up the duty that lies next them, and work as they have opportunity, becoming laborers together with God! Should this come to pass, multitudes of voices would show forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. YI May 4, 1893, par. 9

“Without me,” Christ says, “ye can do nothing.” Then be sure to open the heart to Jesus. Let simple prayer go up from your heart to God, pleading that you may not fail to appreciate his promises, and to understand the conditions upon which salvation is given. Plead this, not only for your own satisfaction, but that you may make the way of salvation plain to those that are in darkness. We must approach unto God with the simplicity of a little child, and present to him his pledged word. Educating the soul to the simplicity of faith, will be the very discipline best suited to the work we shall be called upon to do for those who are in the world, without God or hope. The minds of the worldly are dull of comprehension regarding spiritual things, and it will call for simplicity to deal with them, and teach them of the blessings that those may have who daily follow the Lamb of God whithersoever he goeth. The truth will need to be presented and made as simple as the A-B-C of the alphabet is made to the primary pupil. Take the simplest truth, bringing Christ before the mind, and angels will cooperate with you in making the impression upon the honest inquirer. You are to be the agent through whom God will speak to the soul. Precious things will be brought to your remembrance, and with a heart overflowing with the love of Jesus, you will speak words of vital interest and import. Your simplicity and sincerity will be the highest eloquence, and your words will be registered in the books of heaven as fit words, which are like apples of gold in pictures of silver. God will make them a healing flood of heavenly influence, awakening conviction and desire, and Jesus will add his intercession to your prayers, and claim for the sinner the gift of the Holy Spirit, and pour it upon his soul. And there will be joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. YI May 4, 1893, par. 10

Mrs. E. G. White