Sanctified Life
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heart and his contrition before God. We repeat, The life of Daniel is
an inspired illustration of true sanctification
God Tests Those Whom He Values
The fact that we are called upon to endure trial proves that the Lord
Jesus sees in us something very precious, which He desires to develop.
If He saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His name He would
not spend time in refining us. We do not take special pains in pruning
brambles. Christ does not cast worthless stones into His furnace. It is
valuable ore that He tests
To men whom God designs shall fill responsible positions, He
in mercy reveals their hidden defects, that they may look within and
examine critically the complicated emotions and exercises of their own
[55]
hearts, and detect that which is wrong; thus they may modify their
dispositions and refine their manners. The Lord in His providence
brings men where He can test their moral powers and reveal their
motives of action, that they may improve what is right in themselves
and put away that which is wrong. God would have His servants
become acquainted with the moral machinery of their own hearts. In
order to bring this about, He often permits the fire of affliction to assail
them that they may become purified. “But who may abide the day of
His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a
refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and
purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them
as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in
righteousness.”
Malachi 3:2, 3
God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to
different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some
endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point
the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the professed people of
God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince
them that they have a work to do to overcome, if they would not be
spewed out of the mouth of the Lord
20
The Sanctified Life, 43-52
21
Testimonies for the Church 7:214
22
T 84
23
1T 187