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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
conscience will not condemn you. You may have a good report from
those who are without. A circumspect life will not only bring great
profit to your own soul, but will be a bright light to shine upon the
pathway of others, and will show them the way to heaven.
Brother B, how have you governed your own temper? Have you
sought to overcome your hasty spirit? With the disposition and feelings
you now possess, you will fail of heaven as surely as there is a heaven.
For your own soul’s sake, and for the sake of Christ, who has given
you unmistakable evidence of His infinite love, bring yourself nearer
to Him that you may be imbued with His Spirit. Cultivate a spirit
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of watchfulness and prayer that you may rightly represent the holy
faith you profess as a follower of our dear Redeemer, who has left an
example in His own life. Imitate our Saviour. Learn of Christ. Endure
hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, overcome the temptations
of Satan as He overcame, and come off conqueror over all your defects
of character.
Christ was a perfect overcomer; and we must be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing, without spot or blemish. The redemption which
Christ achieved for man was at infinite cost to Himself. The victory
we gain over our own evil hearts and over the temptations of Satan will
cost us strong effort, constant watchfulness, and persevering prayer;
and we shall then not only reap the reward, which is the gift of eternal
life, but shall increase our happiness on earth by a consciousness of
duty performed, and by the greater respect and love of those about us.
I was shown that there is a general lack of devotion, and of sincere,
earnest effort in the church. There are many who need to be converted.
Brother C is not a stay and strength to the church. He does not advance
in the divine life as he advances in years. He has professed the truth
many years, yet has been slow to learn and live its principles; therefore
he has not been sanctified through the truth. He holds himself in a
position to be tempted of Satan. He is still as a child in experience.
He is watching others and marking their failings, when he should be
diligently searching his own heart. That readiness to question, and to
see faults in his brethren and talk of them to others, is reproved by
the words of Christ to one who, He saw, was more interested in the
course of his brethren than careful to watch and pray lest Satan should
overcome him. Said Christ to His disciples: “What is that to thee?
follow thou Me.”