This Day With God

September

Receive That You May Give, September 1

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 1 Corinthians 3:8. TDG 253.1

When Christ called His disciples from their fishing nets, He told them that they were to be fishers of men. By this Christ meant that they were to work. In communicating the truth to others, they were to cast their nets on the right side of the ship. By this Christ meant that they were to work in faith to save souls. And this work for individuals would, in the providence of God, lead them to work for communities. They were not to think themselves part of different systems of work, but individual threads of the great whole, inseparably united, like links in a chain, connected with their fellow men and with God. TDG 253.2

God desires that the youth shall become skillful, thorough laborers, wearing Christ's yoke, lifting His burdens. “Ye are labourers together with God,” He says. The children and youth should seek most earnestly to advance in understanding, in mental acquirements; their aim should be in spiritual as well as temporal things, to work upon the plan of addition. “Giving all diligence,” the apostle Peter says, “add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that he shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8).... TDG 253.3

Advancement in true education does not harmonize with selfishness. True knowledge comes from God, and returns again to God. His children are to receive that they may give again. Those who through the grace of God have received intellectual and spiritual benefits are, as they advance, to draw others with them to a higher excellence. And this work, done to promote the good of others, will have the cooperation of unseen agencies. As we faithfully continue the work, we shall have high aspirations for righteousness, holiness, and a perfect knowledge of God. We ourselves will become complete in Christ in this life, and will take with us to the courts above our increased capabilities, there to continue our higher education.—Manuscript 108, September 1, 1898, “Higher Education.” TDG 253.4