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The Value of a Soul, August 15
We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now
received the atonement.
Romans 5:11
.
Those who are finally victorious will have seasons of terrible perplexity and trial
in their religious life; but they must not cast away their confidence, for this is a part
of their discipline in the school of Christ, and it is essential in order that all dross
may be purged away. The servant of God must endure with fortitude the attacks of
the enemy, his grievous taunts, and must overcome the obstacles which Satan will
place in his way.
Satan will seek to discourage the followers of Christ, so that they may not pray
or study the Scriptures, and he will throw his hateful shadow athwart the path to
hide Jesus from the view, to shut away the vision of His love, and the glories of the
heavenly inheritance. It is his delight to cause the children of God to go shrinkingly,
tremblingly, and painfully along, under continual doubt. He seeks to make the
pathway as sorrowful as possible; but if you keep looking up, not down at your
difficulties, you will not faint in the way, you will soon see Jesus reaching His hand
to help you, and you will only have to give Him your hand in simple confidence,
and let Him lead you. As you become trustful, you will become hopeful.
Jesus is the light of the world, and you are to fashion your life after His. You
will find help in Christ to form a strong, symmetrical, beautiful character. Satan
cannot make of none effect the light shining forth from such a character. The Lord
has a work for each of us to do. He does not provide that we shall be sustained by
the influence of human praise and petting; He means that every soul shall stand in
the strength of the Lord. God has given us His best gift, even His only begotten
Son, to uplift, ennoble, and fit us, by putting on us His own perfection of character,
for a home in His kingdom. Jesus came to our world and lived as He expects His
followers to live....
God designs that we shall work, not in a despairing manner, but with strong faith
and hope. As we search the Scriptures, and are enlightened to behold the wonderful
condescension of the Father in giving Jesus to the world, that all who believe on Him
should not perish but have everlasting life, we should rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory.
Everything that can be gained by education, God means that we shall use for
the advancement of the truth. True, vital godliness must be reflected from the life
and character, that the cross of Christ may be lifted up before the world, and the
value of the soul be revealed in the light of the cross. Our minds must be opened
to understand the Scriptures, that we may gain spiritual power by feeding upon the
bread of heaven (
Messages to Young People, 63, 64
).
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