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The Youth’s Instructor

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May 10, 1900

The Student's Privileges and Responsibilities

Part 2.

EGW

We must put to the stretch every spiritual nerve and muscle if we would stand as Daniel stood. God spoke of Daniel as a man greatly beloved. Would we not rejoice if this could be said of us? Strive, then, to be like Daniel, affable, kind, and forbearing. Show your love for those who are striving to help you form right characters. Do all you can to help yourselves, that your intelligence may reach the highest point of excellence. God does not desire you to remain novices. He needs in his work everything that you can gain here in the lines of mental culture and clear discernment. He desires to have you reach the very highest round of the ladder, and then step off it into the kingdom of God. YI May 10, 1900, par. 1

The Lord desires you to understand the position you occupy as sons and daughters of the Most High, children of the heavenly King. He longs to have you live in close connection with him, so that your words may educate those around you. Cut away from everything frivolous. Do not think that you must indulge in this pleasure and that pleasure. Determine that you will be on the Lord's side from the beginning of the term till its close. If you will stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, faithfully doing his service, you will never yield to temptation; for One will stand by your side who is able to keep you from falling. But God can not do this work for you unless you give him all the powers of heart and mind. Angels are watching the development of character in the school. God is weighing moral worth. He longs to see every mind used aright. He has given you the precious talent of reason, and he calls upon you to use it in the right way. He desires you to feel that you can and will acquire greater and still greater strength. YI May 10, 1900, par. 2

Take heed to yourselves, lest you lead others astray. If by your course of action, others are turned aside from the right way, this is recorded against you in the books of heaven. We have one great object before us—the salvation of souls. Christ left the royal courts, and came to this earth in human flesh, to show us that we may co-operate with him to save souls. After he has made this great sacrifice for us, should we deem any sacrifice too great to keep our passions, our inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong, under control? YI May 10, 1900, par. 3

We are living amid the perils of the last days, and we need to receive an education as missionaries. Let each student make up his mind that he will not stand in the army of the enemy. We are working for time and for eternity, and we expect to receive light and grace from the Lord. Strive to reach all that it is possible for you to reach with the blessing of God. When you have such a helper, when angels of God are watching your every movement, when all heaven is interested in your welfare, will you not do all in your power to help yourselves? Pray for yourselves. Take firm hold of the arm of divine power, determining, as did Daniel, not to swerve from any duty. Harness your habits. Put on the bit and bridle. Use all your intelligence in God's service. YI May 10, 1900, par. 4

“If ye then be risen with Christ,” the apostle writes, “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.... And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.... Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; ... and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” YI May 10, 1900, par. 5

Mrs. E. G. White