Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)

Ms 75, 1911

Sermon/Thoughts on John 14

Oakland, California

July 15, 1911

Previously unpublished.

John 14:1-31. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 1

You see with what assurance He gives to us of His power and His grace and His authority. Can you take it in? It is worth everything to us. Now we have our opportunity to bring ourselves in right relation to God. We have no time to hesitate and question for here is the statement just as plain as it can be made, and we are to believe the Word. Let us come into that position where we can take God at His word. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 2

We want to be in that right relation to God that He accepts us. If we take that word and present it to the Lord, do you think that He will turn away from His word? No. Some of you have been giving your hearts to God. We are glad for this. And we want you to understand in doing this you are to humble your hearts before a righteous God. You are to repent and to be converted. The power of God will come upon human hearts, and you can testify before angels and before men that you have taken Christ as your Leader, as your Saviour and your Keeper. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 3

And when you come in to your family, you are to bear the right relation to your family and to your God. That family that you have you are to labor for. You are to take the children patiently and talk with them and open the Scriptures to them, and you can kneel right down and pray with them. The Lord recognizes such service as this. He wants that every soul shall be in right relation to God. We have had a very important season here on this ground, and we do not want to lose the impressions that have been given us here, but retain them. And those that have not been converted, we greatly desire that they may be converted because Christ has given His life for them. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 4

We are to cling to the arm of the Mighty One, for we are to have trials that you scarcely dream of. But we read over and over again, “I will not leave you comfortless.” [Verse 18.] Now, God will not leave us comfortless. Let us not be taken off from the belief that “Christ is my Saviour. He came into the world to be tempted in all points like as we are. If we fail in standing by the precious promises of God, we ourselves are to blame; but we cannot afford it. A life that measures with the life of God is promised to us in the Word, therefore we want to take these promises and we want to apply them to ourselves, and He will help us. We have a work to do to give to others the light that God has given to us. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 5

Educate your children. There is a great work that is left undone. You cannot afford it. They are God’s property, and you are to work for the saving of the souls of your children. Guard them from the evils they will come in contact with. Bring the light of heaven into your homes, and if you fail to do this, who is to blame but yourselves? We want the converting power of God in our homes. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 6

We want to labor for the salvation of the souls of our children. Scolding and fretting only hardens their hearts. If you are a Christian, you will be Christlike. You should talk to them, and tell them what it is their privilege to have and what is it their privilege to shun, and tell them that they are right in view of heaven that is watching and waiting to receive them if they will repent and come unto God. Talk to them kindly and tenderly. They understand more than you suppose. Do not rest until your family is united with you in the faith. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 7

The world is working to draw the young people unto itself and to draw the older people unto itself, and it has much success. Therefore, Christians that are here on these grounds, we want you to understand that we have a Saviour, and that if we receive Him by living faith He will cleanse us from all our sins, and He will bring us into that relation to God so we can work with our children and so we can pray with them and for them and intercede to God to have compassion on our children, that when the work here is ended, we may come up to the city of God and enter in with our children. You can say, Jesus, I have labored for these children. I want them to have an entrance into the city of God with me. I want them to have a right to the tree of life. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 8

God will give the mother capabilities if she will make the care and training of our children her business in her home and in her life. Now let them work for the salvation of their children here in this world, for unless they are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, they will have no place in that kingdom of God. You want to take them with you. As we approach the close of time, everything possible will be invented to draw our minds in worldly channels, but you cannot afford it. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 9

We want pure and undefiled religion. I was but a child, an afflicted child, but by separating myself from those that would entice me to sin and keeping myself in right relation to God, I knew that I was kept by His power. And thus I have an experience that no living mortal can change, because is it grounded in my experience from my childhood. And the children are to be brought to Jesus. Do not neglect them. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 10

Christ said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. I go to prepare a place for you.” [Verses 1, 2.] What was that “going”? He was taken by wicked hands and condemned, and stretched upon the cross. He did that to save us, and what are you willing to do to save your own soul? You have a heaven to win, and it becomes you, fathers and mothers, in the place of going out to parties and such places to which you are not called at all, to stand over your children and teach them and educate them and train them for salvation. If you do this, angels of God are right around you. It is not you that makes all the impression. You act your part, and the angels of heaven are right around you to act their part. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 11

Fathers and mothers have no right to spend their time in parties and pleasure excursions and leave their children to the temptation of the enemy. I want all who possibly can to give their children to the Lord, and themselves make a consecration, and then watch them. Why? You are preparing them for the grand review. You are preparing them that they may enter through the gates into the city to go no more out, and now is your opportunity. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 12

To those who invite you to parties say, No; God has given me my work. It is to fit my children for the future immortal life. I want them to stand by my side and help me, and I want to help them that they may accomplish that which they are capable of accomplishing through the love of Christ and faith in His Word. I ask you, fathers and mothers, if you have habits or practices that will blot you out of the kingdom of heaven, for Christ’s sake to overcome them, and teach your children that eternal life will take their all. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 13

We want every soul here to understand that we are dealing with eternal realities. We cannot be turned away by any invitations to go to parties and dances and these things. Tell them, No; I take no stock in these things. I am preparing for the grand review, and I want to take my children with me to enter in through the gates into the city. The crown of life will be placed upon their brow, and they shall have a harp of gold, to sing the praises to God. The music parties that they have do not give spiritual strength to scarcely any unless they are under the inspiration of God. We must come out from the world and be separate, and we are to be partakers with Christ of His sufferings. You know what the history of Christ is, for you have read it in your Bibles. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 14

I want you to make your decisions here if you will accept the testimonies that I have been bearing ever since I was twelve years old. The Lord has been with me, and He has brought me from place to place through sickness after sickness, and yet I have gone to the foreign countries. He has saved me when the doctors said it was not possible for me to live. I said, “I believe God will raise me up.” Christ seemed to be right by the side of my bed when night after night I could not turn my body or move, except my right arm. The Lord is good. Will you trust Him? Will you take Him at His word that He is your Saviour, that He gave His precious life for you, and that He has gone to prepare mansions for you, that where He is there you may be also? Will you consider this? May God help you do it. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 15

I have an interest for the children, and I want that the parents shall never scold them. They are to be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. That is what we want. All the frivolity that is in the world, it is from the devil. It is not from the Lord. The Lord wants us to think soberly and righteously and sensibly in regard to the future life. We are striving for an immortal crown. We are striving that we may see the King in His majesty, and that we may sing the song of Moses and the Lamb in the city of God, and that we may have that salvation that we shall never lose. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 16

It is for our own happiness here to reject everything like foolishness and pride and vanity, and labor to be overcomers. And we can be overcomers, for angels of God are right around us. If you will give them a chance, they will come in and mold the characters of your children. If you have no regard for them themselves, how can you expect that they will come in and take possession in them? You must educate your children for the heavenly courts, and when you do this, angels of God will accept and strengthen your efforts. Will you seek for that life that measures with the life of God? Will you seek to honor Him who came to our world and died a sacrifice that He might be able to win your children and your own hearts to His service? How many will agree to place themselves on the right side to win heaven? How many can appreciate the value of being on the Lord’s side? 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 17

Christ came and died that He might make it possible for Him to save every child that will obey Christ’s commandments. Then how should you labor, fathers and mothers, to teach your children the commandments of God and pray with them instead of going visiting a neighbor or going to a party of pleasure? How much better it is to feel that you have let your children have the blessings that you can give of your presence in the place of letting them grow up without any real solid education. Will you try it? I want you to understand we have a heaven to win. We have an eternal inheritance to come into possession of in the heavenly courts. It is above any earthly possession. It is for eternity that we are saved by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 18

You will have temptations; you will have trials, but read your Bible and conform your life to the conditions laid down in that Word, and everyone who will conform his life to the life of Christ will mount up on angel wings and enter in through the gates into the city of God. A crown will be placed upon the brow, a song of triumph and praise is sung that the battles of life are over. Will you give yourselves to Jesus? He will work for you. He will give you strength. All heaven is watching for know the decision you make. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 19

May God help you that this very day you may search your Bibles and obey the commandments of God. He has given you prophets and testimonies, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, and now what are you going to do about it? I will now leave this matter with you. There is a battle for you to fight. Let your novels that have entertained you make a bonfire, and put every one of them in it. Let them never be brought into your house. I have told everyone in my house, If I find a novel, you will never see it again. I shall put it right in the fire. The Bible, the precious Bible, that teaches us the way of salvation. God help us that we may appreciate it. I have seen that heaven is worth everything. God will help us. He will help you. 25LtMs, Ms 75, 1911, par. 20