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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
back to them as the cloudy chariot of angels received him: “Lo, I am
with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
Heaven could no longer appear to them as an indefinite, incompre-
hensible space, filled with intangible spirits. They now looked upon it
as their future home, where mansions were being prepared for them
by their loving Redeemer. Prayer was clothed with a new interest,
since it was a communion with their Saviour. With new and thrilling
emotions and a firm confidence that their prayer would be answered,
they gathered in the upper chamber to offer their petitions, and to claim
the promise of the Saviour, who had said, “Ask, and ye shall receive,
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that your joy may be full.” They prayed in the name of Jesus.
They had a gospel to preach—Christ in human form, a man of
sorrows; Christ in humiliation, taken by wicked hands and crucified;
Christ resurrected, and ascended to Heaven, into the presence of God,
to be man’s Advocate; Christ to come again with power and great
glory in the clouds of heaven, and to receive the obedient and loyal to
himself.
The apostles went forth with courage and hope, to do their Master’s
work with fidelity. They knew that the most acceptable way of waiting
for Christ was to work for him. It was theirs to direct others to the
coming Lord, and to teach them to wait patiently for his appearing.
This work was given to every disciple of Christ.
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