Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4b

Prayer and Faith

When at Battle Creek, Mich., May 5, 1855, I saw that there was a great lack of faith in the servants of God, as well as the church. They were too easily discouraged; were too ready to doubt God; too willing to believe they had a hard lot, and that God had forsaken them. I saw that this was cruel. God had so loved them as to give his dearly beloved Son to die for them, and all Heaven was interested in their salvation; yet it was hard, after all that has been done for them, to believe and trust so kind and good a Father. He has said he was more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children. I saw that the servants of God and the church were too easily discouraged. When they asked their Father in Heaven for things they thought they needed, and because it did not immediately come, their faith wavered, their courage fled, and a murmuring feeling took possession of them. This I saw displeased God. 4bSG 7.3

Every saint that comes to God with a true heart, in faith, and sends their honest petitions to him, will have their prayers answered. Their faith must not let go of the promises of God if they do not see or feel the immediate answer of their prayers. Be not afraid to trust God. Rely upon his sure promise, “Ask and ye shall receive.” God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from his saints that walk uprightly. Man is erring, and although his petitions are sent up from an honest heart, he does not always ask for the things that are good for himself, or that will glorify God. When this is so, our wise and good Father hears our prayers, and will answer; sometimes immediately, but gives us the things that are for our best good and his own glory. 4bSG 7.4

If the children of God could see his plan, they would know that he gives them that which is for their best good. Although they may not receive just the things they expected, or asked for, yet their prayers were answered. Nothing hurtful was given, but the blessing they most needed, in the place of something they had asked for, that would not have been good for them, but to their hurt. 4bSG 8.1

I saw if we did not feel immediate answers to our prayers, we should hold fast our faith, let no distrust come in; for that will separate us from God. If our faith wavers, we shall receive nothing from him. Our confidence in God should be strong, and when we need it the most, the blessing will drop upon us like a shower of rain. 4bSG 8.2

When the servants of God have prayed for his Spirit and blessing, it sometimes comes immediately, but it is not always then bestowed. At such times faint not. Let thy faith hold fast the promise, that it will come. Let thy trust be fully in God, and often that blessing will come when you need it the most, and unexpectedly you will receive help from God, when you are speaking the truth to unbelievers, and with clearness you can speak the word, and with power. 4bSG 8.3

It was represented to me like children asking a blessing of their earthly parents that love them. They ask something that the parent knows will hurt them; the parent gives them the things that will be good and healthy for them, in the place of that which the child desired. I saw that every prayer that was sent up in faith from an honest heart will be heard of God and answered, and the one that sent up the petition will have the blessing when he needs it the most, and it will often exceed his expectations. Not a prayer of the true saint is lost if sent up from an honest heart in faith. 4bSG 8.4

When at Oswego, N. Y., June, 1855, I was shown that God's people have been weighed down with clogs, that there had been Achans in the camp. The work of God has progressed but little, and many of God's servants have been discouraged because the truth in N. Y. has taken no more effect, and that there have been no more added to the church. The Messenger party has arisen, and we shall suffer some from their lying tongues, and misrepresentations, yet we should bear it all patiently; for they will not injure God's cause now they have left us, as much as they would have injured it by their influence had they remained with us. God's frown has been brought upon the church on account of individuals with corrupt hearts being in it. 4bSG 9.1

They have wanted to be foremost when God, or their brethren, did not place them there. Selfishness and exaltation has marked their course. A place has opened for all such now, where they can go and find pasture with those of their kind. And we should praise God that in mercy he has rid the church of them. God has given many of them up to their own ways, to be filled with their own doings. An excitement and sympathy now leads them, which will deceive some; but every honest one will be enlightened as to the true state of this company, and they will remain with God's peculiar people, and not be affected by the influence of those who have been given up by God to their own ways, to be filled with their own doings. I saw that God had given these people opportunity to reform, had enlightened them as to their love of self and other sins; but they would not heed it. They would not be reformed, and he mercifully relieved the church of them. 4bSG 9.2

I saw that the people of God must put on the armor and arouse. Christ is coming, and the great work of the last message of mercy is of too much importance for us to leave it, and come down to answer such falsehoods, and misrepresentations, and slander, as the Messenger party has fed upon, and has scattered abroad. Truth, present truth, we must dwell upon it. We are doing a great work, and cannot come down. Satan is in all this, to divert our minds from the present truth, and the coming of Christ. Said the angel, “Jesus knows it all. In a little from this their day is coming. All will be judged according to the deeds done in the body. The lying tongue will be stopped. The sinners in Zion will be afraid, and fearfulness will surprise the hypocrites.” 4bSG 10.1

I saw that we should not put off the coming of the Lord. Said the angel, “Prepare, prepare, for what is coming upon the earth. Let your works correspond with your faith.” I saw that the mind must be staid upon God, and our influence should tell for God and his truth. (We cannot honor God when we are careless and indifferent. We cannot glorify him when we are desponding). We must be in earnest and secure our soul's salvation, and try to save others. All importance should be attached to this, and everything besides should come in secondarily. 4bSG 10.2

I saw the beauty of Heaven. I heard the angels sing their rapturous songs; I heard them sing praise, honor, and glory, to Jesus. I could then realize something of the wondrous love of the Son of God. He left all the glory, all the honor he had in Heaven, and was so interested for our salvation that he patiently and meekly bore every indignity and slight that man could heap upon him. He was wounded, smitten, and bruised; he was stretched on Calvary's cross and suffered the most agonizing death to save us from death, that his blood might wash us and we be raised up to live with him in the mansions he is preparing for us, enjoy the light and glory of Heaven, and hear the angels sing, and sing with them. 4bSG 10.3

I saw that all Heaven is interested in our salvation, and shall we be indifferent? Shall we be careless, as though it was a small matter whether we are saved or lost? Shall we slight the sacrifice that has been made for us? Some have done this. They have trifled with offered mercy, and the frown of God is upon them. God's Spirit will not always be grieved. It will depart, if grieved a little longer. After all that has been done to save them that a God could do, if they show by their lives that they slight Jesus’ offered mercy, death will be their portion, and it will be dearly purchased. It will be a dreadful death; for they will have to feel the agony that Christ felt upon the cross to purchase for them redemption, which they have refused. And they will then realize what they have lost, eternal life and the immortal inheritance. 4bSG 11.1

I have seen an angel standing with scales in his hands, weighing the thoughts and interest of the people of God, especially the young. In one scale were the thoughts and interest tending Heaven-ward; in the other scale were the thoughts and interest tending to earth. And in this scale were thrown all the reading of story books, thoughts of dress and show, vanity, pride, &c. Oh, what a solemn moment! The angels of God standing with scales, weighing the thoughts of the professed children of God—those who profess to be dead to the world and alive to God. The scale filled with thoughts of earth, vanity, and pride, quickly went down, notwithstanding weight after weight rolled from the scale. The scale with the thoughts and attractions to Heaven went quickly up as the other went down, and oh! how light was the scale. I can relate this as I saw it, but never can I give the solemnity and vivid impression stamped upon my mind, as I saw the angel with the scales weighing the thoughts and interest of the people of God. Said the angel, “Can such enter Heaven? No, no, never. Tell them the hope they now possess is vain, and unless they speedily repent, and get salvation, they must perish.” 4bSG 11.2

A form of godliness will not save them. They must have a deep and living experience; this alone will save them in the time of trouble. Then their work will be tried of what sort it is, and if it is gold, silver, and precious stones, they will be hid as in the secret of the Lord's pavilion. But if their work is hay, wood, and stubble, nothing can shield them from the fierceness of Jehovah's wrath. 4bSG 12.1

The young, as well as the older, will have to give a reason of their hope. But the mind designed by God for better things, formed to serve him perfectly, has dwelt upon foolish things instead of eternal interests. And that mind that is left to wander here and there, is just as capable of understanding the truth, the evidence of keeping the Sabbath from the word of God, and the true foundation of the Christian's hope, as it is to study the appearance, the manners, dress, &c. Those who suffer their minds to be diverted with foolish stories and idle tales, feed their imagination, but to such the brilliancy of God's word is eclipsed. The mind is led directly from God; the interest in his precious word is gone. Here is a book given us to guide our feet through the perils of this dark world to Heaven. It tells us how we can escape the wrath of God, and also tells of the sufferings of Christ for us, the great sacrifice that has been made for us that we might be saved and enjoy the presence of God for ever. And if any come short at last that have heard the truth, as they have in this land of light, it will be their own fault. They will be without excuse. The word of God tells us how we may be perfect Christians, and escape the seven last plagues; but they took no interest to find this out. Other things diverted the mind, idols were cherished by them, and God's holy word has been neglected and slighted. God has been trifled with by professed Christians, and when that holy word shall judge them in the last day, they will be found wanting. That word that they have neglected for foolish story books, tries their lives. It is the standard, and their motives, words, works, and the manner they use their time, are all compared with the written word of God, and if they come short, then their cases are decided for ever. 4bSG 12.2

I saw that there was a measuring yourselves among yourselves, and comparing your lives with the lives of others. This I saw should not be. No one is given us as an example but Christ; he is our true pattern, and each should strive to excel in imitating him. We are co-workers with Christ, or co-workers with the enemy. We either gather with Christ, or scatter abroad. We are decided, whole-hearted Christians, or none at all. Says Christ, “I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” 4bSG 13.1

I saw that some hardly know yet what self-denial or sacrifice is, and what it is to suffer for the truth's sake. But I saw that none will enter Heaven without making a sacrifice. They should cherish a spirit of sacrifice and self-denial. Some have not sacrificed themselves, their own bodies, on the altar of God. They indulge in hasty, fitful temper, and gratify their appetites, and attend to their own self-interest, regardless of the cause of God. Those who are willing to make any sacrifice for eternal life, will have it. And it will be worth suffering for, worth crucifying self for, and sacrificing every idol for. 4bSG 13.2

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