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Witnessing, August 31
Daniel 1
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1
Corinthians 9:27
.
As God called Daniel to witness for Him in Babylon, so He calls us to be
His witnesses in the world today. In the smallest as well as the largest affairs
of life, He desires us to reveal to men the principles of His kingdom. Many
are waiting for some great work to be brought to them, while daily they lose
opportunities for revealing faithfulness to God. Daily they fail of discharging
with wholeheartedness the little duties of life....
In the life of the true Christian there are no nonessentials; in the sight of
Omnipotence every duty is important. The Lord measures with exactness every
possibility for service. The unused capabilities are just as much brought into
account as those that are used. We shall be judged by what we ought to have
done, but did not accomplish because we did not use our powers to glorify God.
A noble character is not the result of accident; it is not due to special favors
or endowments of Providence. It is the result of self-discipline, of subjection of
the lower to the higher nature, of the surrender of self to the service of God and
man....
The body is a most important medium through which the mind and the soul
are developed for the upbuilding of character. Hence it is that the adversary of
souls directs his temptations to the enfeebling and degrading of the physical
powers....
The body is to be brought into subjection to the higher powers of the being.
The passions are to be controlled by the will, which is itself to be under the
control of God. The kingly power of reason, sanctified, by divine grace, is to
bear sway in the life. Intellectual power, physical stamina, and the length of
life depend upon immutable laws. Through obedience to these laws, man may
stand conqueror of himself, conqueror of his own inclinations, conqueror of ...
“the rulers of the darkness of this world,” and of “spiritual wickedness in high
places.
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51
Prophets and Kings, 487-489
.
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