The Southern Watchman
June 4, 1903
God's Promises Our Plea
In the formation of character, we should build for time, and then we shall build for eternity. There is time enough for this—time enough for all that the Lord has appointed us to do, if we will only work, not in our own way, but in his. We have the promise of God's help, and like the importunate widow we are to plead for his blessing, for the power to live as his children. SW June 4, 1903, par. 1
As with earnestness and assurance you come to God, tell him all about your necessities. Claim his promises. He has given us the privilege of coming to him, and we need have no fears of wearying him. Do not doubt his word of promise. Study the word, and with your Bible in your hand say. “Here, Lord, I come to receive the gift thou hast promised me.” But you should be able to say, “I have done as thou hast said.” Do not bring God's word before him, asking him to do things which he has promised, when you are not entitled to the promise. SW June 4, 1903, par. 2
The promise is, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.” “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” What are the conditions? “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” If you are disobedient, and yet plead the promises of God, you bring to him a note to be cashed when you have not fulfilled your part of the contract. You complain that your check is not honored, when it is a forgery. Thus it is with those who bring the name of Christ as their authority for the fulfilment of the promise, when they have not done those things by which they show their love for Christ and their faith in him. Let it not be forgotten that those who bring their petitions to God, claiming his promises, while they do not comply with the conditions, insult Jehovah. SW June 4, 1903, par. 3
There is need of close examination of the deed of trust wherewith we approach God. Many have no assurance of acceptance with him. They have forfeited, and are continuing to forfeit, the conditions upon which acceptance is based. When weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, they are found wanting; for they love self; Christian principle is away down in the scale, and their profession of knowing Christ is a deception. They approach God with his promises, and ask him to fulfil them, when by so doing he would dishonor his name. In his mercy and love the Lord has given this testimony for them, and the words here traced should be carefully studied. SW June 4, 1903, par. 4
Christ gave his life to make it possible for the human family to have another trial, to form such characters as will entitle them to be called sons and daughters of God, members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. The Lord will surely comply with the conditions he has made, if they will show themselves true and faithful. “Abide in me,” he says, “and I in you. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.... If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” SW June 4, 1903, par. 5
“As the Father hath loved me,” Christ said, “so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” This is the substance of the covenant which God has made with his people. SW June 4, 1903, par. 6
John declares: “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” Then, lest the matter shall not be plainly understood, the apostle adds, “I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning.” SW June 4, 1903, par. 7
“Whoso keepeth his word,” John declares, “in him verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” “Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” SW June 4, 1903, par. 8
I am commissioned to say that the piety and spiritual discernment and righteousness of those who profess to believe the present truth must be pure and holy. Their characters must be entirely transformed by divine grace, else they will never see the kingdom of God. They will perish with the wicked. I know not how to make the people understand this, and yet it is a case of life and death with them. Will they confess their sins? Will they humble their hearts before God, before it shall be too late? SW June 4, 1903, par. 9
God has declared: “Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which can not be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which can not be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire.” SW June 4, 1903, par. 10
Mrs. E. G. White