Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 8, 1905

Talk/Growing in Grace

College View, Nebraska

September 23, 1904

Portions of this manuscript are published in HP 99; 4MR 369.

September 23, 1904

Talk by Mrs. E. G. White before Sanitarium helpers, College View

I am deeply impressed this morning with the importance of our improving every opportunity to strengthen our souls in the love of God. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 1

Before man was created, Christ pledged Himself to take upon His own soul the guilt of human beings, should they be led into sin. And the great enemy of righteousness is seeking with all his power to make the transgression of the inhabitants of the earth as heavy as possible. Our work is to resist this tide of evil, to place ourselves in such relation to God that we may receive power from above to withstand satanic agencies. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 2

We have not a dead Christ, lying in Joseph’s tomb. Over the rent sepulcher He has proclaimed, “I am the resurrection and the life.” [John 11:25.] He is a living Saviour, and He loves us with a love that is infinite. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 3

Angels of God are watching over us. Upon this earth there are thousands and tens of thousands of heavenly messengers, commissioned by the Father to prevent Satan from obtaining any advantage over those who refuse to walk in the path of evil. And these angels who guard God’s children on earth are in communication with the Father in heaven. “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones,” Christ said; “for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 18:10.] 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 4

We are all to be children of God, members of the royal family. It is our privilege to come to our heavenly Father for help, trusting in His love and mercy. Let us conduct ourselves as God’s little children, cultivating affection, kindness, and helpfulness. Our heavenly Father will be to us all that we need. Christ died that we might receive everything necessary to our happiness and our salvation. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 5

Pray in Faith

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” [James 1:5-7.] 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 6

The ear of Christ is open to the prayer of the very weakest of His children. But when you have asked the Lord for anything, do not, as soon as you arise from your knees, forget all about it. Do not return to doubt and unbelief. Say, “I have asked God for His blessing, and He has promised to hear my prayer.” During the day keep in mind the things for which you have asked. You are to be like a waiting, watching child, entirely dependent upon Christ. O how eagerly the Saviour will come to your help! How gladly will He send His blessing in rich currents, if in faith you will present your petitions to the throne of grace. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 7

We must keep our minds open to conviction, if we would understand the Word of God. We should diligently keep our minds fixed with earnest desire upon those blessings that are promised to us, remembering that He who has promised gave His own life in order to bring these blessings within reach of the human family. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 8

With the gift of His Son, God gave us all the blessings of heaven. Then why should we speak and act as if we were poor? We are not to be guided by our feelings. We are not to ask ourselves, How do I feel? but, What does the Word of God say? 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 9

Sometimes when we think of our sinfulness and our poverty of soul, it seems hardly possible that we may obtain eternal life. But Christ has paid the price of our redemption, and He desires us to have this life. He desires us, as His little children, to come to Him, asking for His blessing and believing that we shall receive it. He says, “Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” [Matthew 7:7.] If we should remain on our knees for hours, we could get no stronger evidence than these words contain. Jesus has given us this promise, and if we have faith in His word, we shall believe that He hears our prayers, that His blessing is upon us, and that we are to walk as those who have received His blessing. This is the privilege of every one of us. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 10

God’s Ownership

“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 11

As you learn how to care for the sick, and how to conform to the laws that will preserve the body in health, carry out the instruction you receive. Remember that you are not to yield to the temptations of appetite or in any way defile or mar the body that God desires for a habitation of His Spirit. By a conscientious care of your health, show your appreciation of the price that Christ has paid for you. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 12

Every day we should make some growth in grace. Keeping Christ before us as our efficiency, we may each day make better progress than we made the day before. He gave His life for us that we might live lives which glorify Him. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 13

When I consider the wonderful privilege that it is to acknowledge God, I feel like praising the Lord. You are not to live in sadness and gloom, lamenting and weeping because of your hard lot or your trials. By faith you may see the face of Christ; and if you see Him now by faith, you will see Him in reality by and by when He comes. But in order to meet Him in peace, you must make preparation now. You must allow Him to reveal through you His salvation, that the world may know that God sent His Son into the world to save sinners. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 14

But the world will not be attracted to the Saviour, if you, as Christians, go about with sad, woeful countenances, as if you were forsaken of God. Let your faces be illuminated with the light of heaven that, as you minister to the sick, they may be attracted to the great Physician who longs to restore them to health and to impart to them His peace. 20LtMs, Ms 8, 1905, par. 15