Diligence
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ciate as the Lord’s gifts, and rightly to employ. He desires the youth
to cultivate every power of their being and to bring every faculty into
active exercise. He desires them to enjoy all that is useful and precious
in this life, to be good and to do good, laying up a heavenly treasure
for the future life.—
The Ministry of Healing, 398
(1905).
Opportunities Within Reach of All—There are opportunities
and advantages which are within the reach of all to strengthen the
moral and spiritual powers. The mind can be expanded and ennobled
and should be made to dwell upon heavenly things. Our powers must
be cultivated to the uttermost, else we shall fail of meeting God’s
standard.
Unless it [the mind] flows in a heavenward direction, it becomes
an easy prey to the temptation of Satan to engage in worldly projects
and enterprises that have no special connection with God. And all
zeal and devotion and restless energy and feverish desire are brought
into this work, and the devil stands by and laughs to see human effort
wrestling so perseveringly for an object that it will never gain, which
eludes its grasp. But if he can keep them infatuated with the baseless
delusion that they will give strength of brain and bone and muscle to
the objects they never will realize, he is gratified, for the powers of
mind that belong to God, that God claims, are diverted from the right
aim, the proper objects.—
Letter 17, 1886.
Enemy Need Not Hinder Daily Improvement—Resolve to
reach a high and holy standard; make your mark high; act with earnest
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purpose as did Daniel, steadily, perseveringly; and nothing that the
enemy can do will hinder your daily improvement. Notwithstanding
inconveniences, changes, perplexities, you may constantly advance in
mental vigor and moral power.
None need to be ignorant unless they choose to be thus. Knowledge
is to be constantly acquired; it is the food for the mind. With us who
look for Christ’s coming should be the resolve that we will not live this
life constantly on the losing side of the question but in understanding
in spiritual attainments. Be men of God, on the gaining side.
Knowledge is within the reach of all who desire it. God designs
that the mind shall become strong, thinking deeper, fuller, clearer.
Walk with God as did Enoch; make God your Counselor and you
cannot but make improvement.—
Letter 26d, 1887