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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
pityingly upon the young man; He loved him, and He knew the words
He spoke would forever separate the youth from Himself. Nevertheless
Jesus touched the plague spot of his soul. He said to him: “Go and
sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in
heaven: and come and follow Me.” The young man wanted heaven,
but not enough to withdraw his affections from his earthly treasure.
He refused to yield to the conditions required by God in order to enter
into life. He was very sorrowful; for he had great possessions, which
he thought were too valuable to exchange for eternal rewards. He had
asked what he must do to be saved, and the answer had been given; but
his worldly heart could not make the sacrifice of his wealth to become
Christ’s disciple. His decision was to give up heaven and to cling to his
earthly treasure. How many are now making the very same decision
which fixed the destiny of this young man?
Have any of us an opportunity of doing something for Christ, how
eagerly should we seize it and with the greatest earnestness do all we
can to be co-workers with Him. The very trials that test our faith most
severely, and make it seem that God has forsaken us, are designed
to lead us more closely to Christ, that we may lay all our burdens at
His feet and experience the peace He will give us in exchange. You
need a new conversion; you need to be sanctified through the truth
and to become in spirit like a little child, meek and humble, relying
wholly upon Christ as your Redeemer. Your pride and independence
are closing your heart to the blessed influences of the Spirit of God and
rendering it as unimpressible as the hard-beaten highway. You have
yet to learn the great lesson of faith. When you surrender yourself
entirely to God, when you fall all broken upon Jesus, you will be
rewarded by a victory the joy of which you have never yet experienced.
As you review the past with a clear vision, you will see that at the very
time when life seemed to you only a perplexity and a burden, Jesus
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Himself was near you, seeking to lead you into the light. Your Father
was by your side, bending over you with unutterable love, afflicting
you for your good, as the refiner purifies the precious ore. When you
have thought yourself forsaken, He has been near you to comfort and
sustain. We seldom view Jesus as He is, and are never so ready to
receive His help as He is to help us.
What a victory you will gain when you learn to follow the opening
providences of God with a grateful heart and a determination to live