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We Have a Perfect Pattern, April 13
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them
that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come
with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Isaiah 35:3, 4
.
Who will now put on the white robe of Christ’s righteousness, which is without
spot or wrinkle, so that Satan cannot in derision point to their filthy garments?
Keep the soul clean and pure. You have no time to gather up the mistakes of
others. Attend to your own mistakes, and make the erring ashamed by your kindly,
sympathetic interest in them. A Christian is keenly sensitive to the needs of others,
because he realizes that they are Christ’s property. He is ever on the watch for
opportunities to help them.
Envy, evil surmising, backbiting, and faultfinding—let these not be named
amongst Christ’s disciples. These things are the cause of the present feebleness
of the church. We have a perfect pattern, even the life of Christ. It is to be our
eager desire to do as He has done, to live as He lived, that others, seeing our good
works, may be led to glorify God. The Lord’s blessing will rest upon us as we
seek to bless others by doing the work that Christ came to this world to teach us
how to do.
God gave His only begotten Son to die for a race of rebels, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Why should we not
walk and work in the way that God has marked out? Why should anyone please
the enemy by tearing down another’s work, using the powers God has given him
to kill hope and drive souls into discouragement? In every church there are young
men and young women who need the help of a strong, compassionate handclasp;
of a loving, Christlike interest that will not let them go. Let there be an end to
bickering over little things. Let unkind speeches go as a hateful, unprofitable thing.
Cease to speak words that do no good, and come close to those who have erred.
Take hold of them, and draw them to Christ. Tell Satan that he cannot have them,
for they are the Saviour’s property....
“I came not to condemn, but to save,” Christ declared. Angels are sent from
the heavenly courts, not to destroy, but to watch over and guard imperiled souls,
to save the lost, to bring the straying back to the fold. Have you, then, no words
from a pitying heart to speak to the lost and straying? Will you let them perish, or
will you reach out to them a helping hand? Right around you there are souls that
are in danger of perishing. Will you not work for them and pray with them? Will
you not draw them to the Saviour with the cords of love? Cease your reproaches,
and speak words that will inspire them with faith and courage.—
Manuscript 36,
April 13, 1904
, “The New Life in Christ.”
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