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Your Influence Counts!, August 17
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have
loved you.
John 15:12
.
What quality is this love? ... A love for the soul that would part with
selfish gratifications and practice stern self-denial in order to elevate,
ennoble, and sanctify those with whom we associate. “And for their
sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the
truth.”
John 17:19
. Do you love those with whom you associate well
enough to forgo your desire for amusement and self-pleasing that you
will not place these souls in the path of temptation, that you will not
beckon them to pursue a course of fun and frolic which leads to the
extinguishment of serious thoughts in regard to the salvation of their
souls? Do you cultivate personal piety, ... that your youthful friends
may follow where you lead the way, upward and forward to obedience
to God? ... What is the quality of your love? Is it of a character to make
your associates more Christlike? Will it have a tendency to bring solid
timbers into their character building?
God enjoins upon all His followers to bear a living testimony in
unmistakable language by their conduct, their dress and conversation,
in all the pursuits of life, that the power of true godliness is profitable to
all in this life and in the life to come.
A cheap Christian character works more harm in the world than
the character of a worldling, for professed Christians mislead others by
professing to represent Him whose name they assume.
God is love. Whoso dwelleth in God, dwelleth in love. All who
have indeed become acquainted ... with the love and tender compassion
of our heavenly Father will impart light and joy wherever they may be.
Their presence and influence will be to their associates as the fragrance
of sweet flowers, because they are linked to God and heaven, and the
purity and exalted loveliness of heaven are communicated through them
to all that are brought within their influence.
You can surround your souls with an atmosphere that will be like
zephyrs from the heavenly Eden.
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