Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)
Ms 235, 1902
Diary — “Blessed are the Pure in Heart”
NP
Circa 1902
Previously unpublished.
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” [Matthew 5:8.] They shall see Him by an eye of faith and receive Him as their personal Saviour. We are to behold Him, to look in faith and hope to our uplifted Saviour, and as we look to Him as the healer of all our woes we live through Christ. The loving heart of Christ is full of sympathy and love. He links His heart with the heart of humanity. He will not heal its bruises slightly and leave its pestilent matter to break forth again incurable. He will pass into it and through it the purifying, divine current of His own life and will cleanse and refine it and imbue the heart with His joy, that it may remain and abide with them, that their joy may be full. Then the blessing of the pure in heart is that they shall see God. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 1
Many hearts are naturally rebellious, and stubbornness has grown with their growth and strengthened with their strength from childhood to youth and manhood. That heart, seared and marred with the curse, Christ asks you to give to Him that He may take out the evil and put His Spirit within you. He says to the many who refuse, “Ye will not come unto Me that I may give you life. I will receive all who come unto Me and that will surrender their own human will to My will. I will abide with you. I will put My Spirit within you if you will surrender your will to God. My life, My love, My joy. Myself.” 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 2
Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Let all fully understand that Christ calls for you to cooperate with Him, to make you His child, to be your righteousness. While sin is cherished He cannot do this. Where self-love and self-esteem and self-righteousness abide He cannot be enthroned in the soul temple. Happiness and the righteousness of Christ cannot be yoked up with sin and transgression. If there are entertained and practiced principles which Satan has implanted in the heart, there is no room for the righteousness of Christ. Children and youth, young men and women, are to be educating to become missionaries for Christ—strong-souled, earnest young men. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 3
Your weapons are not shaped for mortal combat. We have daily warfare to fight. Ephesians 6:5-9. Will we bring the principles of righteousness into all our work? The angels of God are beholding your words and your actions. Verses 10-12. Read the whole chapter. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 4
You must see and feel deeply if you are to have a saving influence. Be doers of the Word. The Lord calls for every soul to be patient, kind, forebearing, not giving loose rein to their impatient, unreasonable spirit, for it is catching as a contagious disease. This ground is specified as a place where the Lord presides. “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” [Ephesians 5:1, 2.] Then if you are co-laborers with Jesus Christ, you will be fragrant as was Christ in good works. You will prize your talent of words and will speak those things and do the works which will be a savor of life unto life and not of death unto death. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 5
Many are now sleeping the sleep of insensibility. They will not arouse, they will not heed warnings given them and correction and reproof. The Lord Jesus is looking on those who are appointed to act a part in this grand work, to watch for souls, to be an example. He is ready to do a good work for everyone who walks in His way who will come with Him. But bear in mind abiding in Christ brings order, purity from every defilement, and peace. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 6
Titus 2. The apostle Paul sends his message to Titus, “Young men likewise exhort to be solemn minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” [Verses 6-8.] Verses 9-15. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 7
There is a living, active missionary field for labor. The record will appear in the books of heaven. Let it be common to present before old and young, by your words and works, the highest standard of principle. If the poor feel that they have the sympathy and companionship and help of the Son of God in all their poverty and loneliness and trials, they will be encouraged. No one is to be oppressed lest they be discouraged. Those who have the severest struggles are the ones who are to have the most courteous attention. Precious lessons are to be learned. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 8
All men have not faith. They need to be helped how to believe, to ask God for wisdom, to trust. They are to be constantly educated in different lines [ways] that true religion is uplifting, ennobling, elevating the lives so that the human agent understands he is to cooperate with God in doing all on his part that Christ has left him to do in bringing order and purity into the home, which then will swell to reach the church. The peace of Christ will be there; the mist and darkness of unbelief will be rolled back. The untidy homes will be made pure, sweet, and wholesome. God cannot bear filth; all uncleanness is sin and degrading, and has no part in truth. All rudeness, all contention, all sharp speeches, all quarreling is to be put away and the evil disposition that creates dissension overcome. Every apartment where human beings dwell should be swept and cleaned and garnished, prepared for the heavenly Guest to be invited to come in and bless. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 9
In the home there is to be presented instruction, plain and simple, so that every member of the family circle may become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. We want that all who have any leading part to act should keep all their possibilities and probabilities in their mind, wherever they may be, that they can be Christ's missionaries. Present the subject of sanctification, bearing these words in mind: Without holiness no man can see the Lord, and if death closes the scene of our life here and we have had the privilege of the Word of God, and have disregarded the precepts of the Word of God, whatever may be out calling or profession or influence, we are weighed in the balances and found wanting. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 10
There is the greatest dishonor done to God by those who claim to be Christians who are so only in name. They are impatient, fault-finding, accusing the brethren because they cannot have their own way and do as they please. So is Satan; and all who possess his attributes will surely become as he is and will share his punishment. The higher position the man occupies and does not represent Christ in character, the more severe his punishment. The sensibilities through sin have become demoralized and the heart is not conformed to the will of God. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 11
Christ came to our world as the great Healer to purify, to sanctify, to redeem our whole physical and spiritual nature. He would make our earthly homes bright and beautiful by His presence revealed in us because of our obedience to all of His commandments, fitting us as subjects for His mansion above, holy and undefiled, fitted to become members of His royal family, children of the heavenly King. 1 Peter 1:13-19. Will we obey God or the scheming attractions of the devil? James 5:7-9. What we need is to seek earnestly for sanctification—soul, body, and spirit. “Seeing ye have purified your souls by obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” [1 Peter 1:22, 23.] Will you do this? His word is: “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” 1 Peter 2:1-5. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 12
1 Peter 3:8: “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” [Verses 8-12.] 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 13
Jude 20-25: “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire: hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 14
Religion in the home is not a sentiment but a reality—a whole family wearing God's sign as represented in Exodus 31:12-18. There is a plenty of pretense but we want practical godliness. The Lord presides in the home where religion is lived. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 15
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His Glorious Appearing
All who are in this life working in preparation for the future life are surely walking in the way of the commandments of God. We are to be gathering up the divine rays of light that shine from the throne of God. We must give expression to His second appearing and testify to His glory in connection with this soon-to-be-realized event in this life, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13. Let us read our Bibles critically. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 16
In the doctrine of a coming Saviour His people are represented as waiting for His Son from heaven, as loving His appearing, as looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The many glorious truths that are connected with His second appearing we are to teach to our children in our lives, in growing faith, as He is coming to take His people to the heavenly mansions prepared for them. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 17
The Lord has proved and pledged His great love to us. He paid the penalty of our transgressions, which was death. He was delivered up for us all. Our sins were transferred to His soul. They were laid upon Him and He was treated as if He was guilty of our sins. He suffered the penalty of death under the weight of the tremendous load. He puts away the sins of every believing soul. The smoke of that sacrifice ascended to heaven and darkened the earth in its dreary blackness. The words, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” were followed by the loud, despairing cry, “It is finished.” [Mark 15:34, 37; John 19:30.] The dying, anguished cry of the Victim upon the cross shook the earth; the rocks rent, the graves opened, the earthquake alarmed the people, while the darkness hid the face of Christ. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 18
The sight was open before God the Father, but the angels would not look upon the agony of their beloved Commander of the universe of heaven. He chose the path He was to travel as One among His brethren to share in their afflictions. 17LtMs, Ms 235, 1902, par. 19