Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 38, 1893

McKnight, Brother

Wellington, New Zealand

December 11, 1893

Portions of this letter are published in OHC 101, 102, 235.

Dear Brother McKnight,

I have a message from the Lord to you. You have accepted the truth, and yet you have not gained the mastery over your own natural besetments. You become angry and blaze out in words that in God’s sight are as swearing. You allow Satan to take possession of your mind and heart, and he speaks and acts through you. Jesus Christ will be your helper if you put your trust in Him. Brother Everson is connecting himself with you in business, but in doing this he is making a grave blunder. You have no respect for anyone who crosses your track or who does not carry out your ideas. When you are tried, in place of preserving the dignity of a Christian, you manifest the attributes of Satan, and your words are grievously aggravating. You stir up the worst feelings of the human heart, and by the perversity of your spirit, the independence of your mind, you cause others to speak wrong words and do evil things. You dishonor God in getting angry and fail to represent the truth, or manifest the character of your Redeemer, who is the Truth. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 1

I cannot hold my peace and see Brother Everson connecting himself with you, when I know that the result will be that he will fall into a snare. Listen to the words of Solomon, “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.” [Proverbs 22:24, 25.] When circumstances conspire in a way that displeases you, you manifest a cruel, unjust spirit, and your words fall like desolating hail. You stir up strife. You do not even control your spirit when the wicked are before you. Can the Lord permit such uncontrollable elements to enter the portals of the blest? No! No! “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and hath no walls.” “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” [Proverbs 25:28; 16:31, 32.] 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 2

I desire that you should be converted, transformed in character, and qualified to work in humble lines for the Master. You do not see the sinfulness of your course of action in cultivating a disagreeable temper. You do not understand how evil it is to speak and write bitter things against others, yet in this you work injury to your own soul, forgetting that the Lord Jesus is by your side, forgetting that every passionate word is registered in the books of heaven. The works you are doing, you will have to meet in the judgment with confusion of face. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 3

I now warn you of the danger in which you are. You are not prepared to die; you are not ready for the kingdom of heaven. You do not see how you are dishonoring God and misrepresenting the Christian character, and thus bringing the precious, sacred truth into disrepute. How long will you consent to be the sport of Satan’s temptations, and thus work against your own interests? When you feel an angry spirit arising, take firm hold of Jesus Christ by faith. Utter no word. Danger lies in the utterance of a single word when you are angry, for a volley of passionate utterances will follow. The New Year is soon to open upon you. Will you close the door to Satan? 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 4

Will you not sit at the feet of Jesus and learn of Him? He invites you saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 5

You do not yet know what religious liberty means, for you are in bondage to the tyrant of a merciless temper. You become insane, and when you do not control that passionate temper, you are a madman. Christ came to our world to bring redemption to all who are under the captivity of Satan and to set at liberty those that are bound. Christ has proclaimed salvation to all those who believe in Him. Do you believe in Him? Oh, awake to see how you dishonor Jesus and misrepresent His character before the world because you lack self-control. By your touchiness of spirit, you bring shame upon the name of Christ. But there is power in Jesus that will save to the uttermost all who come unto Him. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 6

Now, my brother, ask Christ to forgive you for the sins of the past. He says He will pardon the sins of all those who believe in Him. If you will follow the instructions that John has given, you may have the evidence that your sins are pardoned. He says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [1 John 1:9.] Precious promise! 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 7

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” [2 Peter 3:9.] Then there is hope, good hope, for all through faith in Jesus Christ; and faith works by love and purifies the soul. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 8

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” [Verses 10-14.] This is the standard for which every Christian must strive, not in his own natural ability, but through the grace given him of Jesus Christ. Let us wrestle for the mastery over every sin, and be able to check every impatient, fretful expression. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 9

“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” [1 John 2:6.] Are you doing this? Are you a diligent student of the life of Christ? Do you study His spirit and actions, that you may have the mind of Christ and walk even as He walked? I am very much in earnest; I am very anxious concerning your case lest you miss the way and are belated and left behind, because you do not follow Jesus. Your home life has been marred by bitter words. Your mind and soul have been impoverished by your own course of action. Why not decide to believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, that He may save you, not in your sins, but from your sins? 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 10

Many, many profess to be Christians, but a profession does not constitute them Christians. They are destitute of the vital principles of the truth of God. Like the foolish virgins they have on the outward garment; they have the lamp, but they have not the oil of grace in their vessels with their lamps. The message came to the virgins, “Behold the Bridegroom cometh! Go ye out to meet him.” [Matthew 25:6.] But the foolish virgins were not prepared to go out, for their lamps were burning dimly. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 11

Messages are coming to us from the servants of Jesus. Warnings are given to awaken the people from their carnal security, and they are exhorted to examine their own faith and hope to see if it is in accordance with the Word of God. The warning is addressed to the people, “Be not high-minded, but fear.” [Romans 11:20.] Paul writes to the Hebrews, “Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” [Hebrews 4:1.] “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” [Romans 8:13.] To live after the flesh is to allow the appetites and passions of the flesh to rule us, to let our tongues and our tastes run in the same way as do those of the unbelieving world. Self is the idol we worship. “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” [Ephesians 2:3.] 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 12

The man who gives way to folly in speaking passionate words bears false witness, for he is never just. He exaggerates every defect he thinks he sees; he is too blind and unreasonable to be convinced of his madness. He transgresses the commandments of God, and his imagination is perverted by the inspiration of Satan. He knows not what he is doing. Blind and deaf, he permits Satan to take the helm and guide him wherever he pleases. The door is then thrown open to malice, to envy, and to evil surmisings, and the poor victim is borne helplessly on, because passion has so long had sway that he is governed and controlled by an evil temper. But there is hope while the hours of probation linger through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 13

In the parable of the ten virgins, five were found to be wise, and five foolish. They that were wise trimmed their lamps when the cry was given, “Behold the bridegroom cometh! Go ye out to meet him.” [Matthew 25:6.] The foolish had no oil in their vessels with their lamps, and while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were wise went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. My brother, we do not want you to run the risk of delaying necessary preparation, that your lamp may be trimmed and burning, and that you may be ready to go in to the marriage supper of the Lamb. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 14

Jesus is the great Teacher, and we would have you listen to the voice of invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Here is a positive promise that will be fulfilled if you will only come. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] The rest comes in wearing Christ’s yoke. Please bear this in mind. Every yoke the human agent manufactures for his own neck is a galling yoke of bondage. Christ’s yoke is easy, for when men take upon them the yoke of Christ, they are yoked up with Christ and become laborers together with God. They have a living, sacred union with Him. They learn in the school of Christ and become Christlike in character. They comprehend the fact that they are daily and hourly in His presence, and they are assured that in committing the keeping of their souls to Him, they are kept by the power of God. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 15

My brother, if you could discern the presence of the heavenly Guest with you day after day, you would be on your guard. You would not lose your self-control, or allow the worst passions of the human heart to be set on fire of hell. Will you let your quick temper control you? Bear in mind that we have but one probation, and that by your course of action now, you are deciding your own future destiny. Will you walk with God? Will you accept the invitation of Jesus? Will you be in earnest to overcome your temper, to check your strong, overbearing talk? Will you make it manifest that you have the faith that works by love and purifies the soul? Should any accident occur that would close your probation, you would not have part in the first resurrection with the character you now possess. Will you be really in earnest to study the life of Christ, that you may be a true imitator of His character? 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 16

Consider well the fact that all your sharp words, your censuring, your evil surmising and self-sufficiency will weigh against you when your character is weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. Seek the Lord as a little child, and you will find Him. You must fall on the Rock, Christ Jesus, and be broken; and then the Lord will place His mold upon you and will take you for His very own. He is so willing, so ready, to take you into a closer fellowship with Himself. He is willing to teach you how to pray with the believing confidence and assurance of a little child. Ask the dear Saviour to forgive you for so often manifesting the attributes of the wily foe, and then by faith put on Christ. Enroll your name anew as a student in His school. Learn to pray in faith. Receive the knowledge of Jesus in such a way that you will make your intercessions to Him with meekness and lowliness of heart, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 17

Jesus is a pitying, compassionate, loving Saviour, and this is the reason He sends you this message through His servant. The converting power of God must transform your character, or you will lose heaven. You must pray, and watch unto prayer. You cannot cleanse the soul from one stain of sin; the blood of Jesus Christ alone can cleanse the soul from all moral defilement. Oh, if the curtain could be rolled back, and you could see yourself as God sees you, what grief, what sorrow, what contrition of soul would you have because you have given to the world exhibitions of a hasty temper and left the impression upon many minds that if you have religion, they do not want it. You need to cherish a continual sense of what it means to be a follower of Christ. By beholding Jesus, you will become changed into His image. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 18

Ask the Lord, as did the disciples, to teach you how to pray with the spirit, and with the understanding also. Make an entire surrender to Jesus, and feel that in the strength and grace of Christ you will take yourself in hand. Beseech the throne of grace for that faith which works by love and purifies the soul. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 19

You have excused your course of wrongdoing, excused your disposition and temper, and have not seriously considered the fact that such a disposition, such unholy imaginings, such inconsiderateness of the feelings of others will, if cherished, shut you out of the kingdom of heaven. The Lord wants you to be saved; but you must cooperate with God, and learn of Jesus His meekness and lowliness of heart. If you continue to manifest temper when you are put under test and trial, you will not be perfecting a character for the future, immortal life; you will not be qualified to make up one of the family of the heavenly courts. With such a disposition you would mar the peace of heaven; you would grieve the heart of Christ. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 20

God has given you a right to take hold of Him through the prayer of faith. Believing prayer is the very essence of pure religion, the secret of power with every Christian. Oh that the Lord may impress the truth upon your mind, for it is the Lord Jesus alone who can enable you to do right. Jesus has opened a school for the education and training of His chosen ones, and they are ever to be learning, to practice the lessons that He gives them, in order that they may know Him fully. Those who think they are very nearly good enough, and do not work diligently for the perfection of Christian character, will set up idols in their hearts and will continue to practice sinful habits until sin will no longer appear sinful, and they are so deceived with their own imaginings that they go into some strong delusion and are lost. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 21

Jesus offers Himself to every sinsick soul, to every soul who is struggling to overcome. The Holy Spirit is making intercession for every sincere wrestler, and Christ will make His words to be spirit and life, the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. But you will certainly fail if you permit the devil to control your mind, to guide your imaginings. If you do this, you will bring the truth of God into disrepute. God will not be trifled with; He will not accept a divided heart. He claims entire, wholehearted service. He has paid the ransom money of His own life for every son and daughter of Adam, in order that He may abide in every human heart, and every human heart abide in Him, that our lives may be hid with Christ in God. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 22

Christ has a claim upon every soul, but many choose a life of sin. Some will not come unto Jesus that He may give them life. Some say, “I go, sir,” to His invitation; but they do not go. [Matthew 21:30.] They do not make an entire surrender to abide in Jesus alone, which is life and peace and joy unspeakable, and full of glory. The Lord will spue the lukewarm, slothful, and halfhearted out of His mouth, for He is disgusted with their works. Will you not rise to be wise and to make diligent work for eternity? Seek the grace of Christ with the whole heart, might, mind, and strength. All who do this will be instruments to win other souls to Jesus, and they will be branches of the True Vine, bearing much fruit to the glory of God. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 23

Take time to pray, to search the Scriptures, to put self under discipline to Jesus Christ. Live in contact with the living Christ. As soon as you do this, He will take hold of you and hold you firmly by a strong hand that will never let go. 8LtMs, Lt 38, 1893, par. 24