Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)
Ms 65, 1903
Diary
NP
November 8, 1902
Portions of this manuscript are published in 9MR 380. +Note
The Need of Repentance
I have earnestly prayed that the Holy Spirit may open the minds of those who, though claiming to believe the truth, have lost their first love, that they may realize their condition. Their first work is to repent and to clear away the fog of dissension and misunderstanding. They think that they are rich and increased with goods and know not that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. They are not convinced that they are in the condition in which Christ declares them to be. Jesus does not leave them to perish in their sins. He says to them, “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with My Father on His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” [Revelation 3:18-22.] 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 1
The ear must be alert to hear the voice of the Spirit. If we hear aright, we will plainly understand the meaning of this parable. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 2
I am very anxious that all those connected with our sanitariums and publishing houses shall be men whose lives are wholly devoted to God, free from all evil works. I greatly fear that the Lord in His providence will send judgments to check the works of iniquity that are being carried on in the world, and to impress the minds of the people, that they may repent. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 3
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November 9, 1902
A Message to Church Members
I have had a few hours of precious sleep. Many things are upon my mind that I must repeat to others. I am entrusted with a message to the churches everywhere. Stern trials are to be met. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 4
I entreat of every one who shall read these words, Come to Christ; He is your only hope. Receive Him. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” [John 1:11, 12.] What an inducement to believe on Him! Lay open your inmost soul to Him to whom you belong by right of creation and by redemption. Have faith in the pardoning love of Christ your Saviour. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 5
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. ... And of His fulness have we all received, and grace for grace.” [Verses 14, 16.] 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 6
I inquire of our church members, Are you receiving precious beams of light that you may reflect them to others? Open the windows of the soul to the Sun of righteousness, that you may be enlightened, warned, and renovated by His glorious beams. Will you be satisfied with lip service only, while your hearts are far from God? Can you serve God while you are carrying out selfish ideas for your own exaltation? It is a positive denial of Christ for us to leave the path that Christ marks out and follow our own plans. You cannot obtain satisfaction until you surrender the whole mind, soul, and strength, to serve the Lord with meekness and humility, yet with a joyfulness that will bear witness to the grace that is renewed to you day by day. Having surrendered your whole being to the service of Christ, to be worked by His Holy Spirit, realizing that you have been bought with a price, you will seek to “glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are His.” [1 Corinthians 6:20.] You are His blood-bought possession. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 7
I speak to church members. Be always ready gladly and cheerfully to serve one another. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of love.” [See Galatians 6:2.] Do not allow your minds to remain in a state of doubt and uncertainty. Believe the words of Christ. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 8
“All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” [John 6:37-39.] Mark these words, for they have a deep meaning and should inspire every heart with an earnest desire to conform his will to the will of God. “And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” [Verse 40.] 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 9
Satan was ever ready to put unbelief into the hearts of the Jews in Christ’s day. “And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father.” [Verses 42-46.] 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 10
Those are great truths, but in this day also unbelief is manifested to resist the evidence of the truth. Christ met unbelief in the hearts of the people whom He had led out of Egypt. Had the Jews closed their hearts to the evil leaven of unbelief, they would have accepted Christ, and the glory of Jerusalem would not have departed. The same danger exists today. Let the members in our churches refuse to cherish unbelief. Keep the heart, mind, and strength on the Lord’s side. We are not to give place to the devil. Resist him in whatever form he may present his temptations. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 11
Selfishness clamors for recognition. We are tempted to be fretful when our will is crossed or when another seems to be placed in a higher position than ourselves. Unkindness, selfishness, and meanness will be clearly revealed as they are allowed to develop in the character. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 12
The great heavenly Artist is making a faithful representation of our characters. Every cherished sin, though unseen by man, is perfectly delineated in the books of heaven. Every indulgence in wrongdoing makes an eternal impression upon our characters. Our likeness is being taken for eternity. Every one is either forming a character that will fit him to be a member of the heavenly family, or a character that will be found so crooked, that it can never be straightened. If we still seek to have our own way, we shall carry our selfishness with us, until the great Judge shall reveal our characters in all their deformity. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 13
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An ungodly man is one who has separated himself from God and has placed himself on the side of Satan to be worked by him. A godly man is one who has separated from himself and is connected with God, one who will receive the truth as it is in Jesus and will live the new and consecrated life. 18LtMs, Ms 65, 1903, par. 14