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An Abiding Place for You, December 23
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:1-3
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When Christ lay in the tomb, His disciples called to mind these words.
They pondered over them, and wept because they could not fathom the
meaning of them. No faith and hope relieved the brokenhearted disciples.
They could only repeat the words, “I will come again, and receive you unto
myself....”
Mansions are prepared for all who have subjected themselves in obedi-
ence to the divine law. And in order that the human family might have no
excuse because of Satan’s temptations, Christ became one with them. The
only Being who was one with God lived the law in humanity, descended to
the lowly life of a common laborer, and toiled at the carpenter’s bench with
His earthly parent. He lived the life which He requires of all who claim
to be His children. Thus was cut off the powerful argument of Satan that
God required of humanity a self-denial and subjection that He would not
Himself render....
Jesus asks no more of men than that they shall follow in His footsteps.
He was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, but for our sakes He
became poor that we through His poverty might be made rich. Almost His
last words to us are, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,
believe also in me.” In the place of being sorrowful, your hearts troubled,
you should rejoice. I came into the world for your sakes. My time here is
now accomplished. I shall henceforth be in heaven. For your sakes I have
been an interested worker in the world. In the future I shall be engaged
just as devotedly in a more important work in your behalf. I came into
the world to redeem you. I go to prepare an abiding place for you in My
Father’s kingdom
What a comfort these words should be to us! Think of the work Christ
is now doing in heaven—preparing mansions for His children. He wants
us to prepare to dwell in these mansions
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28
Letter 121, 1897
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29
Manuscript 28, 1901
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