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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
You cannot afford to sacrifice heaven or to jeopardize your safety.
Do not let the deceitfulness of riches lead you to neglect the immortal
treasure. Satan is a wily foe, and he is ever on your track, striving to
ensnare you and compass your ruin. We are in the waiting time; let
your loins be girded about and your lights shining, that you may wait
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for the Lord when He returns from the wedding, that when He comes
and knocks you may open unto Him immediately.
Watch, brethren, the first dimming of your light, the first neglect of
prayer, the first symptom of spiritual slumber. “He that endureth to the
end shall be saved.” It is by the constant exercise of faith and love that
believers are made to shine as lights in the world. You are making but
poor preparation for the Master’s coming if you are serving mammon
while professedly serving God. When He appears, you must then
present to Him the talents that you have buried in the earth, talents
neglected, abused, misused—a divided love.
Both of you have professed to be servants of Christ. How necessary
that you should obey your Master’s directions and be faithful to your
duties. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon
us, that we should be called the sons of God.” This love is without a
parallel, giving to men the relationship of sons to God. Therefore the
Father expects obedience from His children; therefore He requires a
right disposition of the property He has placed in their hands. It is not
their own to use for their personal gratification; but it is the capital of
the Lord, for which they are responsible to Him.
Children of the Lord, how precious is the promise! How full the
atonement of the Saviour for our guilt! The Redeemer, with a heart of
unalterable love, still pleads His sacred blood in the sinner’s behalf.
The wounded hands, the pierced side, the marred feet, plead eloquently
for fallen man, whose redemption is purchased at such an infinite cost.
Oh, matchless condescension! Neither time nor events can lessen the
efficacy of the atoning sacrifice. As the fragrant cloud of incense rose
acceptably to heaven, and Aaron sprinkled the blood upon the mercy
seat of ancient Israel and cleansed the people from guilt, so the merits
of the slain Lamb are accepted by God today as a purifier from the
defilement of sin.
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” There are
stern battles for you to fight. You should put on the whole armor of
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righteousness and prove yourselves strong and true in your Redeemer’s