Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Ms 63, 1903

Diary

December 1, 1902

Portions of this manuscript are published in 6MR 37.

Feeding Upon the Word of God 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 1

I am grateful to my heavenly Father for the precious sleep that I have had. I retired at eight o’clock, but for about two hours I could not sleep. My heart was drawn out to God in most earnest prayer for His blessing, that He would give me a sensitive conscience, a clear mind, spiritual power, and physical strength for my old age. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 2

The condition of the health has its influence upon the spiritual life and may be discerned by the words, the tone of voice, and by the pleasant or unpleasant atmosphere that surrounds each soul. The Christian should carefully guard himself against spiritual or physical disease. It is our duty to co-operate with the Life-giver in caring for our bodies. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 3

We have a work to do for ourselves. God will hold us responsible for the health of our souls. Our spiritual life is sustained by that which we give to the soul. The health of the soul depends upon our eating the Word of God, which is as the leaves of the tree of life. All who eat and assimilate the Word of God will receive from it eternal life. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 4

The Christian must realize the need of the working of the Holy Spirit upon mind and heart, to prepare him for the immortal life. Unless he lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, the heart becomes diseased, and his service will not be acceptable to God. The Lord will say of him, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. ... So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.” [Revelation 3:15, 16.] 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 5

If we are active in obeying God’s Word, the appetite of the soul will not become so depraved that it will crave unlawful food, which will cause us to lose our spiritual discernment. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 6

The gospel is to be assimilated. Its teachings are to be believed and practiced. It is food for every soul. If received, it will transform the character, refining and purifying the whole being. “Whoever eats the flesh and drinks the blood of the Son of God has eternal life.” [See John 6:54.] 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 7

Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.” [Verses 47-57.] He further explains this language by saying, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” [Verse 63.] 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 8

He further said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” [John 5:39.] But though you diligently read and search the Word of God, if you fail to bring its vital principles into your life, if you fail to obey its precepts, it will be to you a saver of death instead of a savor of life. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 9

I would ask those who claim to believe that the Word of God is the Word of life, Has this Word been received by you? Has it changed the impulses of your heart? Are you still thinking evil, speaking evil, and opposing your brother in the work God has given him to do? Do you realize that as you seek to weaken your brother’s influence, you are working against Christ in the person of His saints? God has never given you any such work. You are co-operating with Satan to make of no account your brother’s influence for good. You have a constant supply of evil leaven that is agreeable to the perverted appetite, but that will work in the hearts and minds of those to whom you impart your evil insinuations. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 10

You yourself become hardened in sin as you transgress God’s law. You neither love God supremely, nor your neighbor as yourself. You make yourself spiritually sick by your unwise course of action. You live in self-indulgence and seek for the first place. Having left your first love, you seek to weaken and discourage those connected with you. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 11

When Christ abides in your heart, you will have that faith that is sanctified, that works by love and purifies the soul from evil surmising and false accusing. No man loves God who does not love his fellow men. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 12

A fragrant atmosphere will surround every true Christian. If men wish to become Christ’s disciples, He will receive them gladly, but they must daily take up their cross and follow Him. They cannot carry with them their pride of heart, their envy, and their hatred. Those who engage in dissension, tearing down one another’s work, thereby give evidence that they are not eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. To every man God gives a work, and to those who would hinder him in that work, God says, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” [Revelation 2:4, 5.] 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 13

He who has lost his first love will reveal by his unbecoming words and actions that he is spiritually diseased. Others will see that he is not walking in the light, that he is not obeying the Word of God. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 14

The Great Commandment

“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked of Him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto Him, Well, Master, Thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” [Mark 12:28-34.] 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 15

Let us remember that the commandments of God will stand fast forever. They are binding upon us as Christians today. Every one will be tested on the point of obedience to God’s commandments. Faith, love, hope, patience, Christian courtesy must be seen in the lives of those who are children of God. They need the quickening of the Holy Spirit, that they may reveal the Christ abiding in them. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 16

Christ was sent as a perfect example to all the world. “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 1:12.] 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 17

Paul’s Prayer in Our Behalf

“For this cause we also, ... do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” [Colossians 1:9-14.] This is the privilege of every Christian. 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 18

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Let us take heed to the counsel of God to the Laodicean church: “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.” [Revelation 3:18.] 18LtMs, Ms 63, 1903, par. 19