Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 50, 1896

Israel, Sister

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, Australia

July 24, 1896

Previously unpublished.

Dear Sister Israel:

I have words of encouragement to you from the Lord. Will you receive them, and heed the voice of God? 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 1

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48.] As our heavenly Father is perfect in His sphere, so also those for whom Christ has given His own life that they may not hopelessly perish, should be perfect through the grace of Christ in their humanity. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] In this expressed love, we are to believe for our individual selves, and live that belief, not in our own strength, but trusting in the efficiency and righteousness of Christ. 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 2

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9), “who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began; but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath ... brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Timothy 1:9, 10. The Lord wills not that any soul should perish. His mercies are without number; and He will not leave His purchased possession, that He has given His own life to ransom, to become the sport of Satan’s temptations. All heaven is given to those who believe in Jesus Christ as their present, personal Saviour. And no soul can dishonor God more than by claiming to believe the truth, and yet wearing the garments of mourning as though orphans. 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 3

“I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” [John 10:11.] “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them hath gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the wilderness, and seeketh that which is gone astray? and if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than over the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:11-14. 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 4

The Lord does not leave His wounded and bruised sheep to the power of Satan to be torn in pieces. He is ever strengthening His own when they are weak, and delivers the tried and tempted ones from the enemy’s power. The Lord Jesus never forsakes any soul that puts [his] trust in Him, and those who claim to be sons and daughters of God must trust in Jesus always. To do otherwise is to disown that He loves us, and by going depressed, covering ourselves with garments of heaviness and mourning, we make a very bad representation of Christ. We virtually say, “Our Lord is a hard, tyrannical Master.” This is dishonoring and misrepresenting the precious Saviour, who gave His own life that He might make it possible for all to believe on Him, and confide entirely in His interest and love for sinful man. 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 5

“He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.” Psalm 72:12. “I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.” Isaiah 27:3. You do great injustice to my Saviour when you walk as though in the shadow of darkness. You are never to walk in the fire and sparks of your own kindling, subject to feelings and emotions. They that follow me “shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” [John 8:12.] There is a positive promise. Now if you are following another leader than Christ, who is light and truth, and life, leave that leader at once, and follow Jesus, the light of the world. Is the Lord pleased to have you tossed about as the restless waves of the sea? No! No! I tell you, He bids you, be strengthened, stablished, rooted, and grounded, and built up in the most holy faith. “Ye are not your own.” [1 Corinthians 6:19.] 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 6

You are bought with a price which cannot be estimated. Then your owner is God, the mighty God, and the price is paid. Look to the cross of Calvary. This fluctuating between hope and fear hurts the heart of Christ, who hath given you unmistakable evidence of His love, and hath chosen you. “Ye have not chosen me,” saith Jesus; “but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” [John 15:16.] 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 7

In much love to yourself, and husband, and Jessie. 11LtMs, Lt 50, 1896, par. 8