22
Pastoral Ministry
clothed with salvation, that what they preach may reach hearts. Time
is so short and ministers of these last days are so few that they should
throw all their energies into the work, and should be in close connection
with God and holy angels, that a tremendous power may be in their
preaching—a compelling power, to draw every soul who is honest and
loves the truth right along to embrace it.—
The Voice in Speech and
Song, 219
.
Meditate especially on the mediatorial work of Christ—
Ministers of the gospel would be powerful men if they set the Lord
always before them and devoted their time to the study of His adorable
character. If they did this, there would be no apostasies, there would
be none separated from the conference because they have, by their
licentious practices, disgraced the cause of God and put Jesus to an
open shame. The powers of every minister of the gospel should be
employed to educate the believing churches to receive Christ by faith
as their personal Saviour, to take Him into their very lives and make
Him their Pattern, to learn of Jesus, believe in Jesus, and exalt Je-
sus. The minister should himself dwell on the character of Christ. He
should ponder the truth, and meditate upon the mysteries of redemp-
tion, especially the mediatorial work of Christ for this time.—
Selected
Messages 3:187
.