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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
and principles of heaven; its language is almost a strange language
to you both. The Spirit of God still pleads in your behalf; but I have
serious, painful doubts whether you will heed that voice that has been
appealing to you for years. I hope you will, and that you will turn and
live.
Do you feel that it is too great a sacrifice to give your poor unworthy
selves to Jesus? Will you choose the hopeless bondage of sin and death
rather than to have your life severed from the world and united to Christ
by bonds of love? Jesus still lives to intercede for us. This should
daily call out the gratitude of our hearts. He that realizes his guilt and
helplessness may come just as he is and receive the blessing of God.
The promise belongs to him if he will grasp it by faith. But he that in
his own eyes is rich, and honorable, and righteous, who sees as the
world sees, and calls evil good and good evil, cannot ask and receive,
because he feels no need. He feels that he is full; therefore he must go
away empty.
Should you become alarmed for your own souls, should you seek
God diligently, He will be found of you; but He will accept no half-
hearted repentance. If you will forsake your sins, He is ever ready
to forgive. Will you just now surrender to Him? Will you look to
Calvary and inquire: “Did Jesus make this sacrifice for me? Did He
endure humiliation, shame, and reproach, and suffer the cruel death of
the cross because He desired to save me from the sufferings of guilt
and the horror of despair, and make me unspeakably happy in His
kingdom?” Look upon Him whom your sins have pierced, and resolve:
“The Lord shall have the service of my life. I will no longer unite with
His enemies; I will no longer lend my influence to the rebels against
His government. All I have and am is too little to devote to Him who
so loved me that He gave His life for me—His whole divine self for
one so sinful and erring.” Separate from the world, be wholly on the
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Lord’s side, press the battle to the gates, and you will win glorious
victories.
Blessed is he who heeds the words of eternal life. Guided by “the
Spirit of truth,” he will be led into all truth. He will not be loved,
honored, and praised by the world; but he will be precious in the sight
of heaven. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.”