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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance
patience. It is a duty to know how to preserve the body in the very
best condition of health, and it is a sacred duty to live up to the light
which God has graciously given. If we close our eyes to the light
for fear we shall see our wrongs, which we are unwilling to forsake,
our sins are not lessened but increased. If light is turned from in one
case, it will be disregarded in another. It is just as much sin to violate
the laws of our being as to break one of the Ten Commandments,
for we cannot do either without breaking God’s law. We cannot
love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength while we
are loving our appetites, our tastes, a great deal better than we love
the Lord. We are daily lessening our strength to glorify God, when
He requires all our strength, all our mind. By our wrong habits
we are lessening our hold on life, and yet professing to be Christ’s
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followers, preparing for the finishing touch of immortality.
My brother and sister, you have a work to do which no one can
do for you. Awake from your lethargy, and Christ shall give you life.
Change your course of living, your eating, your drinking, and your
working. While you pursue the course you have been following for
years, you cannot clearly discern sacred and eternal things. Your
sensibilities are blunted and your intellect beclouded. You have not
been growing in grace and in the knowledge of the truth as was
your privilege. You have not been increasing in spirituality, but
growing more and more darkened. You have made too much haste to
acquire property, and have been in danger of overreaching, looking
out for your own interest and not regarding the interest of others as
you would like to have them regard yours. You have encouraged
selfishness in yourselves, which must be overcome. Closely examine
your own hearts, and in your lives imitate the unerring Pattern, and
all will be well with you. Preserve a clear conscience before God.
In all you do glorify His name. Divest yourselves of selfishness and
selfish love.
“Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The customs and practices
of men are not to be your criterion. However trying may be your
circumstances, never allow yourselves to overreach. Satan is at hand
to tempt you to do this, and he will not let you rest in this matter.