Chapter 35—Guidance by Chance Methods
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Counsel to a businessman concerning methods he employed in
making important decisions
.]
You endeavor to reach correct decisions regarding religious duties,
and to make decisions regarding business enterprises, by the tossing
up of a coin, and letting the position in which it falls decide what
course you shall pursue. I am instructed to say that we are not to
give encouragement to any such methods. They are too common, too
much like sleight-of-hand movements. They are not of the Lord, and
those who depend upon them for direction will meet with failure and
disappointment. Being nothing more than a matter of chance, the
influence of adopting such tests regarding duty is calculated to lead
the mind to depend on chance and guesswork, when all our work and
plans for work should be established on the sure foundation of the
Word of God.
The people of God can come to a correct understanding of their
duty only through sincere prayer and earnest seeking for the sanc-
tification of the Holy Spirit. When they seek aright for instruction
concerning their course of action, these strange and unreliable methods
will not be accepted by them. They will then be saved from haphazard
work, and from the confusion that is ever the result of depending on
human devisings....
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To our people I will say, Let none be led from the sound, sensible
principles that God has laid down for the guidance of His people, to
depend for direction on any such device as the tossing up of a coin.
Such a course is well pleasing to the enemy of souls; for he works to
control the coin, and through its agency works out his plans. Let none
be so easily deceived as to place confidence in any such tests. Let none
belittle their experience by resorting to cheap devices for direction in
important matters connected with the work of God.
The Lord works in no haphazard way. Seek Him most earnestly in
prayer. He will impress the mind, and will give tongue and utterance.
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