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“What More Could I Have Done?”, July 21
Last of all he sent unto them his son.
Matthew 21:37
.
Is there no power that can take hold of our sensibilities and show us that we are
near the verge of the eternal world? Can we not get our minds on the other side?
What can be done to arouse our people? Why, these light afflictions, how we talk
about them. Hear what Paul says about them: “For our light affliction, which is but
for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (
2
Corinthians 4:17
). Would you consider that to be beaten with rods, to be a night and
a day in the deep, suffer with hunger, cold, nakedness, and all these things—and
worst of all from false brethren—were light afflictions? But he says, These light
afflictions....
There is too much self. We want self to die and be hid in Christ Jesus, then we
will not talk of discouragement and difficulties and all these small things, but we
will talk of the great plan of redemption and the matchless power of Jesus Christ to
come to our world and take upon Him human nature that we through Him might be
elevated and have a seat at His right hand. What could be more pleasant than that?
If this is not enough, what more could heaven do for the fallen race than has
been done? “What more,” says Christ, “could I do for My sheep than that I have
done?” What more? Will He have to let us go? He will unless you change your
attitude toward God, for He has done all He could to save us. According to the light
that we have received, so is our accountability before God. Walk in the light as He
is in the light....
Evil surmising and evil speaking will be put away. You will talk and we will
not be thinking of ourselves and what others are doing, but what God and Jesus are
doing.... What are they doing? They are cleansing the sanctuary.... We should be
with Him in this work and be cleansing the sanctuary of our souls of all unrighteous-
ness, that our names may be written in the Lamb’s book of life, that our sins may be
blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
It is the most solemn work that was ever given to mortals.
You have no time to be exalting self, but [only to] lift Jesus up. Oh, lift Him
up! How can we do this? How can we [be] seeking all the time to be saving
ourselves, and exalting ourselves? ... Says the shepherd of the flock, “Who does
He mean—ministers? No. Everyone who has named the name of Christ, who has
tasted and knows that the Lord is good....
God will put His power on you, and combine His divine with our human efforts,
and we can work out our salvation with fear and trembling. That is a power that
Satan cannot resist or overthrow (
Manuscript26, 1888
).
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