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Take the Cup of Salvation, November 10
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord
Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2
.
You speak in your letter of discouragement. I felt to sympathize with you and
would point you to the dear Saviour, the Burden Bearer. He will receive you, if
you seek Him. “Ask, and it shall be given you,” are the words which fell from
His divine lips. “Seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you”
(
Matthew 7:7
). Claim the promise as yours. Do not seek to make yourself better
and keep your eyes upon yourself, worrying and doubting the goodness and mercy
of God.
Just as you are, come to Him, and trust yourself in His hands. Believe that
He does accept you as He has promised. Do not try to do some great thing to
recommend you to God, but trust in Him now, just now.... Come by humble faith
to Him who has never said to the needy and suffering, “Seek ye My face in vain.”
We know that we are sinners and that we often err and are frequently overcome
with temptations; but this should not lead us in our great need to keep away from
the only One who can help us and save us from the power of Satan. This is the
enemy’s work to discourage and drive to despair.
What evidence have we of the matchless love of Jesus in that He left heaven
and came to the earth to help us. He has said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (
chap. 11:28-30
).
Why, my dear brother, Jesus lives to make intercession for you.... If we sin, “we
have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous” (
1 John 2:1
). The
pitying love of God is extended to us in all our wants and in all our imperfections.
Jesus loves you, and do respond to that love by cheerfully trusting in Him. Put
away from you all sins which would grieve and wound the Saviour. Seek to imitate
His holy life and spotless character.... But ample provisions have been made by
the dear Saviour to purify, to cleanse from all sins, and by His grace to remedy the
defects in our character by imputing unto us His righteousness.
But we must exercise faith ourselves. We “must believe that he is, and he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him (
Hebrews 11:6
).... Believe, my brother,
believe. My soul says, Believe. Take right hold of the promises of God by faith
and appropriate them to yourself.... In much love to you and yours, Your sister
in Christ, Ellen G. White.—
Letter 36, November 10, 1875
, to a disheartened
layman.
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