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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
regard this as the turning point in the destiny of each of you. Which
will you choose, says Christ, Me or the world? God calls for an
unconditional surrender of the heart and affections to Him. If you love
friends, brothers or sisters, father or mother, houses or lands, more
than Me, says Christ, you are not worthy of Me. Religion lays the soul
under the greatest obligation to her claims, to walk by her principles.
As the mysterious magnet points to the north, so do the claims of
religion point to the glory of God. You are bound by your baptismal
vows to honor your Creator and to resolutely deny self and crucify
your affections and lusts, and bring even your thoughts into obedience
to the will of Christ.
Avoid running into temptation. When temptations surround you,
and you cannot control the circumstances which expose you to them,
then you may claim the promise of God, and with confidence and
conscious power exclaim: “I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me.” There is strength for you all in God. But you will
never feel your need of that strength which alone is able to save you,
unless you feel your weakness and sinfulness. Jesus, your precious
Saviour, now calls you to take your position firmly upon the platform
of eternal truth. If you suffer with Him, He will crown you with glory
in His everlasting kingdom. If you are willing to sacrifice all for Him,
then He will be your Saviour. But if you choose your own way you will
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follow on in darkness until it is too late to secure the eternal reward.
What have you been willing to suffer for the truth’s sake? You
have a very short period in which to cultivate the noble traits of your
characters. You have all been, to some extent, dissatisfied and unhappy.
You have had many complaints to make. You have talked unbelief
and have censured others. Especially is this true of F and H. Your
hearts have been filled with pride, and even with bitterness at times.
Your closets have been neglected, and you have not loved the exercises
of religious duties. If you had been persevering in your efforts to
grow up into Christ, your living Head, you would now be strong, and
competent to bless others with your influence. If you had cultivated a
steady, uniform, unwavering energy you would now be strong to resist
temptation. But these precious qualities can only be gained through
a surrender of the soul to the claims of religion. Then the motives
will be high, and the intellect and affections will be balanced by noble
principles. God will work with us if we will only engage in healthy