Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 406, 1906

Sister

1906

Portions of this letter are published in TMK 174, 290; 6BC 1074.

My sister:

“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” [Proverbs 16:3.] Let us feel thankful that we have the privilege of committing our works to God. We are to remember that we are not pieces of inanimate mechanism, but intelligent beings, able to choose the right and refuse the wrong, with a clear conscience and a pure purpose. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 1

We are to aim at consistency in all our works. We are to commit our way to the Lord, testing it by His searching laws. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 2

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” [Psalm 37:5.] 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 3

We cannot commit our way to God if we are working out deeds of injustice. “If I regard iniquity in my heart,” the Psalmist declares, “the Lord will not hear me.” [Psalm 66:18.] When we commit our way to the Lord, we are to search the heart through and through, casting out all evil, that Christ may fill it with His righteousness. We are to seek the Lord in prayer, putting at the beginning of our petitions repentance for sin. God declares, “A broken and a contrite spirit I will not despise.” [See Psalm 51:17.] 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 4

There are things that are sincerely and deeply true. God’s law is the test of our actions. His eye sees every act, searches every chamber of the mind, detecting all lurking self-deception and all hypocrisy. All things are naked and open to the sight of Him with whom we have to do. But He will receive all who come to Him with contrite hearts and a true purpose to forsake every wrong 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 5

The atonement of Christ is not a mere skilful way to have our sins pardoned; it is a divine remedy for the cure of transgression and the restoration of spiritual health. It is the heaven-ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may be not only upon us, but in our hearts and characters. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 6

I urge upon all our people the need of charity and tenderness. In all our business transactions, in every word and deed, we are to maintain a pure purpose and a clear conscience. We are to commit our works to God and then leave them in his hands. Our work is to be done in the strictest integrity. Nothing is to be cherished that we cannot carry into the heavenly courts. As we labor, let us ask God’s help, realizing that this is the only thing that can keep our work free from selfishness. “Remember me, O God, for good.” [Nehemiah 13:31.] Thus Nehemiah prayed. Look upward with intense sincerity; for you need constant draughts of the refreshing air of heaven. We need to live in constant communion with our heavenly Father. Every day ask Him to cleanse your hearts from all defilement. Perform your duties as in the sight of a holy God. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 7

We are preparing for a city whose builder and maker is God, and it becomes us to do our work in this world in accordance with God’s will. Where eternal interests are at stake, we cannot afford to make any mistakes. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 8

“I have set the Lord always before me: Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” [Psalm 16:8.] Say to yourself, I believe in God. I will live sincerely before Him who knows my mind, who understands my every purpose. If in His sight I am true and clean, I shall be accepted in the heavenly courts. Reliance on God always brings a calmness and a balance of mind, steadying and controlling the actions. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 9

Those who are working for the Lord need to have self-control. They are not to allow the thought of worldly gain to elate them, because Satan will use this in playing the game of life for the soul, if it will serve his purpose. Thus he tries to unbalance minds that every moment should be under the stern discipline of Christian principles. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 10

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” [3 John 2.] Can we forget that God has chosen those who are poor in this world’s goods but rich in faith? 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 11

We are judgment-bound. Let us never forget this. Let us ever remember that Christ desires us to make a success of our lifework by perfect obedience to every law God has given in His Word. If in this life we fail to obey, we shall fail to gain the life that measures with the life of God. What men may say, what their opinion of us may be, amounts to very little. The question that concerns us is, “What is God’s measurement of my character?” We are all on trial. The way in which we conduct ourselves in this world will decide our future destiny. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 12

A great crisis is upon us. A firm decision to stand on the side of God is now called for. We are to put on the whole armor. Each one has his own work to do, his own decisions to make. He who sustains another man in a wrong course of action is not on God’s side, but on the enemy’s. “So did not I,” Nehemiah says, “because of the fear of God.” [Nehemiah 5:15.] Every soul is to gird himself for the spiritual conflict before us. The world’s plans, the world’s customs, the world’s conniving are not for us. We are to say, “so did not I, because of the fear of the Lord.” Selfishness, dishonesty, craftiness are trying to intrude into hearts. Let us not give them room. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 13

Nehemiah kept his eye single to the glory of God. He has left an example of how ministers of the gospel and medical missionary workers may show a holy boldness for God. By the stability of his course of action, he gave evidence that he was a brave Christian. His conscience was cleansed, refined, and ennobled by obedience to God. He refused to depart from Christian principles. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 14

Upon all who believe in Christ is laid the obligation of walking worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called, to reveal the character of Christ. The cross will honor every Christian who honors it. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 15

But there are some who in their course are as unstable as water, as a reed shaken in the wind. Some have had their last entreaties. If they are now saved, it will be by obeying past warnings, which they have despised, thereby doing despite to the Spirit of grace. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 16

The end is near. The murders and thefts, the crimes and lawlessness show this. A great work is before us. We are to carry forward this work under the influence of the Spirit of God. The great Teacher calls for a different showing. One night when I could not sleep all through the night, these words seemed to ring out in clear tones: Live the light of truth. Close the door to Satan’s devising. Truth will triumph. 21LtMs, Lt 406, 1906, par. 17