Loma Linda Messages

A Change of Heart Needed

The men who have accepted kingly authority need to be converted; for the self-exaltation they have manifested is dishonoring to God. The word of God is to be exalted as the rule of faith and practice, for this word reveals the standard of character we are to reach and teaches us our duty to love as brethren. Its requirements are to be strictly obeyed. At this time, when God is calling every man to put away his natural and cultivated tendencies to wrong, and to rid himself of his preconceived opinions; at this time, when Satan's influences are coming into our ranks with such power, God's servants must understand the way of the Lord. The word of man is fallible, imperfect, unreliable; but the word of the Lord standeth sure, and is done in truth and uprightness. LLM 221.5

The men bearing chief responsibility on our conference must not seek to embrace too much authority. I have been shown that men receive ideas from men, and follow their own judgment and the judgment of their fellows, and that the Lord is not always their counsellor. The work of setting up erring man to judge and dictate to their fellows is folly. When men suppose that they must watch God's laborers, and exercise over them their human judgment the sure result must be confusion and dishonor to God. LLM 222.1

“The sweet Psalmist of Israel said, the Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.” LLM 222.2

The work of judgment has not been given to any minister or conference president. “Judge not,” the Saviour says, “that ye be not judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and considereth not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye.” LLM 222.3

The God of power and glory, the Strength of Israel, is being put out of sight by man's glorification of human capabilities. A change must be brought about. There is no need of so much of man's devising. We are nearing the close of this earth's history. God says I will overturn, overturn, until man stands in his appointed place. I am the true Shepherd of My flock. The voice and judgment of man is not to be the voice and judgment of My people. Church members are to be educated, line upon line, and precept upon precept, to look to God for wisdom and counsel. LLM 222.4

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another,” the apostle Paul exhorts, “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” When the principles of the word of God are brought into the life practice of the workers, we shall have men of God's appointment. LLM 222.5

There are those who, had they placed themselves in a position where the Spirit of God could lead them, would have been a great help and blessing to God's people; but they have hindered the work that God purposed to do through them by taking upon themselves responsibilities which God never required them to carry. To all who have thus exalted themselves, I am bidden to say, Let the principles of the word of God find a place in your work. Let the strong traits of character, that would eclipse the attributes of mercy and love and compassion, be put away. Every principle of the word of God is to stand magnified in the life of the servant of God. LLM 222.6

Ellen G. White

*****

N-242-'07 Aug. 6, 1907. August 7, 1907.

Sanitarium, Calif.,

Dr. M. Nicola, Hinsdale, Chicago, Ill. :

Dear Sister Nicola,

I read your letter yesterday, and I would say in response, I want you to make straight paths for your feet. I would not have your husband placed where he will be overtaxed. This you must carefully guard against. In writing to you, I did so for the good of both yourself and your husband. Your husband must not take too many burdens upon himself, and you can help in arranging his work, so that this shall not be. LLM 226.1

My sister, you and your husband need at this time the words spoken to the church in Sardis: “These things saith He that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars, I know thy works. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember how thou hast received and heard; and hold fast, and repent. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments. And they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life; but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.” It means very much to every soul at this time, what stand they shall take toward the work of God. LLM 226.2

My brother and sister, I would urge you not to bind yourselves up with the work of the sanitarium at Hinsdale. Chicago is not the best place for you to live. Loma Linda is the place where you should be. I ask you, for reasons which I shall not now state, to accept the position at Loma Linda. Acceptable provision will be made for your children. I did not design to write you particulars. LLM 226.3

I ask you now to connect with the sanitarium at Loma Linda, for I cannot have you go into peril unwarned. I fear that confusion will come to you as the result of your remaining where you are. I pray that you may be led to place yourselves on the right side. I have felt deeply over your affliction, and I have seen how important it is that your faith be firmly established in a plain “Thus saith the Lord.” I hold you very near to my heart, and I desire that you both shall be placed where the Lord can lead you and abundantly bless you. LLM 226.4

If Dr. Nicola will commit his case fully to God, to follow on to know His ways, the peace of God will come into his heart, and the light of heaven shine into his mind. We are living in perilous times, when the powers of darkness are constantly at work to overthrow our faith. “It is written” is to be our anchor. The assertions of men are of little value. Only He who makes the word of God his anchor will be secure. LLM 226.5

Those who would be safe teachers of the truth, must first be learners in the school of Christ. You must recognize in Christ a personal Saviour if you would lead those whom you instruct to Him. Christ invites, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden; and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Learning the lessons of Christ you will find rest. LLM 226.6

Christ is the great fountain head of all wisdom, the One who never makes a mistake. All the treasures of heaven were committed to Him that He might impart them to the persevering seeker after truth. The Son of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption. Teachers should bear in mind that He is the great standard for all teachers. Beholding Christ, and studying His teachings, you will learn to appreciate their originality, their authority, their spirituality, their tenderness, their benevolence, and their practicability. All who dig for the treasure of truth will be imbued with the spirit of Christ. By beholding Him, they will be changed into the same image. LLM 227.1

Those who make the word of God their counsellor, will realize the weakness of the human heart; but they will find courage in the assurance that the power of the grace of God is sufficient to subdue every unsanctified, unholy impulse. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. And when the Spirit of the Lord lifts up for His blood-bought heritage a standard against the enemy, the principles of the word of truth will bear sway in the life. Having surrendered themselves to the will of God, they reveal a faith that works by love, and purifies the soul. LLM 227.2

Ellen G. White

*****

B-244-'07 Aug. 6, 1907. August 7, 1907.

Sanitarium, Calif.,

Eld. J. A. Burden, Loma Linda, Calif.:

Dear Brother and Sister,

Yesterday I sent you a copy of the letter I wrote to Brother and Sister Nicola. Having written thus to them, I think I have done my duty in that respect. LLM 227.3

I felt that we ought to make way for them to come to the Loma Linda Sanitarium, but it was not my thought that they should be placed in charge of the training of the workers. From the light that God has given me, I know that they have had great confidence in Dr. Kellogg, and this has influenced them to some extent. Their spiritual experience is not what it should be, and the Melrose Sanitarium has not maintained the high spiritual standing that it ought. They have been carrying the work there too much as worldlings would conduct it. Our sanitariums were instituted for a special work, and God cannot prosper them unless they maintain a high standard in religious matters. The truth for these times is to be revealed in every department of the sanitarium work. LLM 227.4

In desiring that Brother and Sister Nicola be given an opportunity to connect with the Loma Linda Sanitarium, I have no wish that you should concede in any way to any ideas and practices that are not in harmony with the principles that God has told us must be maintained. Do not open the way for them to become rulers, but give them an opportunity to be with those who teach the truth in its purity. They have been lost in the fog, and I desire that they shall be fully recovered. LLM 228.1

Satan often finds a powerful agency for evil in the power which one human mind is capable of exerting on another human mind. This influence is so seductive, that the person who is being molded by it is often unconscious of its power. God has bidden me speak warning against this evil, that His servants may not come under the deceptive power of Satan. The enemy is a master worker, and if God's people are not constantly led by the Spirit of God, they will be snared and taken. LLM 228.2

For thousands of years Satan has been experimenting upon the properties of the human mind, and he has learned to know it well. By his subtle workings, in these last days, he is linking the human mind with his own, imbuing it with his thoughts, and he is doing this work in so deceptive a manner that those who accept his guidance know not that they are being led by him at his will. The great deceiver hopes so to confuse the minds of men and women, that none but his voice will be heard. LLM 228.3

When Christ revealed to Peter the time of trials and suffering that was just before Him, and Peter replied, “Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee,” the Saviour commanded, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.” Satan was speaking through Peter, making him act the part of the tempter. Satan's presence was unsuspected by Peter, but Christ could detect the presence of the deceiver, and in His rebuke to Peter He addressed the real foe. LLM 228.4

One occasion, speaking to the twelve, and referring to Judas, Christ declared, “One of you is a devil.” Often in the days of His earthly ministry the Saviour met His adversary in human form, when Satan as an unclean spirit took possession of men. Satan takes possession of the minds of men today. In my labors in the cause of God, I have again and again met those who have been thus possessed, and in the name of the Lord I have rebuked the evil spirit. LLM 228.5

It is not by force that Satan takes possession of the human mind. While men sleep, the enemy sows tares in the church. While men are spiritually sleeping, the enemy accomplishes his work of iniquity. It is when his subject “understandeth it not” that he catcheth away the good seed sown in the heart. When men and women are in this condition, when their spiritual life is not being constantly fed by the Spirit of God, Satan can imbue them with his spirit, and lead them to work his works. LLM 228.6

I will not write more on this subject at this time. But I entreat that there may be a putting away from the life every action which does not bear the approval of God. We are drawing near to the close of earth's history; the battle is growing daily more fierce. There is a day appointed when men who have bowed to the mandates of Satan will find themselves the subjects of the wrath of God, when the Judge of all the earth shall pronounce the sentence against Satan and his adherents, ‘Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” LLM 228.7

Now, my dear friends, we have a peculiar work before us in the case of Brother and Sister Nicola. As Christ's messengers, we have a special work to do to save these people. This is a test case. I have sent you the letter I wrote them, that you may understand how the matter stands. LLM 229.1

Ellen G. White