Christian Growth
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mayest see.” Your very self-complacency shows you to be in need of
everything. You are spiritually sick and need Jesus as your physician.
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In the Scriptures thousands of gems of truth lie hidden from the
surface seeker. The mine of truth is never exhausted. The more
you search the Scriptures with humble hearts, the greater will be
your interest, and the more you will feel like exclaiming with Paul:
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding
out!” Every day you should learn something new from the Scriptures.
Search them as for hid treasures, for they contain the words of eternal
life. Pray for wisdom and understanding to comprehend these holy
writings. If you would do this you would find new glories in the word
of God; you would feel that you had received new and precious light
on subjects connected with the truth, and the Scriptures would be
constantly receiving a new value in your estimation.
“The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly.”
Jesus says: “Behold, I come quickly.” We should keep these words
ever in mind, and act as though we do indeed believe that the coming of
the Lord is nigh, and that we are pilgrims and strangers upon the earth.
The vital energies of the church of God must be brought into active
exercise for the great object of self-renovation; every member must be
an active agent for God. “For through Him we both have access by
one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of
God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone; in whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through
the Spirit.” This is a particular work, which must be carried forward
in all harmony, in unity of Spirit, and in the bonds of peace. No place
should be given to criticisms, doubts, and unbelief.
The Upper Columbia and North Pacific Conferences [
See footnote
on page 249.
] are years behind. Some who ought to be strong and
established in Christ are as babes in understanding and experimen-
tal knowledge of the workings of the Spirit of God. After years of
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experience they are able to comprehend only the first principles of
that grand system of faith and doctrine that constitutes the Christian