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Pastoral Ministry
Spirit cannot use men; it keeps in idleness those who are willing and
anxious to labor in Christ’s lines; it discourages many from entering
the work who would become efficient laborers together with God if
they were given a fair chance. Those who would be laborers, who see
the great necessity for consecrated workers in the church and in the
world, should seek strength in the secret places of prayer. They should
go forth to labor, and God will bless them, and make them a blessing to
others. Such members would give strength and stability to the church.
It is the lack of spiritual exercise that makes church-members so weak
and inefficient; but again I would ask, Who is to blame for the state of
things that now exists?—
The Review and Herald, July 9, 1895
.
Every Christian is anointed for the mission of sharing Christ—
It is not merely the duty of the minister, but of every member of the
church, to represent Christ to the world. They are to catch the rays
of light from Jesus, and reflect them upon souls blinded by error and
infatuated with false doctrines. They are to hold up the only true
standard of righteousness, which is God’s holy law, while the world
is holding up a false standard. Satan is seeking to present light for
darkness, and darkness for light, the truth for error, and error for the
truth. He would extinguish every ray of light shining from the throne
of God, and in its place put his darkness. But the sons of God are
here, every one of them, for the purpose of irradiating the world. The
more light is despised, opposed, and condemned, the greater evidence
they have in regard to their work to let their light shine forth to others.
They receive their orders from God to guide souls to righteousness,
truth, and heaven. The torch of truth must shine to willing as well as
unwilling eyes. When Christ ascended on high, the church was to be
the agent, or medium, through which light was to be communicated to
the world. “Ye are the light of the world.” Every individual Christian
is required of God to be a living, shining light in the world. He must
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wrestle with God in secret prayer; then he will go forth in the spirit of
Christ to hold converse with men. Anointed for the mission, he bears
with him the atmosphere of paradise. His words will be well-chosen,
and his face will reflect the image of his Master. He will be the light of
the world, a living epistle known and read by all men.—
The Review
and Herald, March 8, 1887
.
Each member should be educated to do the work for which
he/she is best adapted—Sabbath after Sabbath many of you hear the