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God Gives the Increase, November 20
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 126:6
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If our neighbors were perishing for bread, we would be thought very
uncharitable if we did not supply their wants. There are those among us
who have never had the Word of God brought to their minds or under-
standing; they are perishing for want of the Bread of Life, and is it not in
us an expression of great selfishness when we keep these sacred truths to
ourselves...?
Our heavenly Father gives the rain, the dew, and the sunshine from
heaven to refresh the flowers and to cause vegetation to spring up and
flourish. But man has a part to act, to prepare the soil and to put the seeds
into the ground in order to have a harvest. If he had folded his arms and
said, “I will let things take their course.... God will give the harvest. He
will give the sunshine and the rain from heaven, and I will take my ease,”
what kind of harvest would come? Man must cooperate with God and act
his part in preparing the soil and in sowing the seed, and God will give
the increase.
Our heavenly Father has not sent angels from heaven to preach sal-
vation to men. He has opened to us the precious truths of His Word and
implanted the truth in our hearts that we may give it to those who are in
darkness. If we have indeed tasted of the precious gifts of God in His
promises, we are to impart this knowledge to others....
We are individually to work as though a great responsibility rested
upon us. We are to manifest untiring energy and tact and zeal in this
work and take the burden, feeling the peril in which our neighbors and
friends are placed. We are to work as Christ worked. We are to present
the truth as it is in Jesus, that the blood of souls shall not be upon our
garments. At the same time we are to feel entire dependence and trust in
God, for we know we cannot do anything without His grace and power to
help. A Paul may plant, and an Apollos water, but God alone can give the
increase. Then we are indeed to go forward to the work, weeping, sowing
the precious seeds of truth and trusting in God to give the increase.
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