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Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce
in taking God at His word. They have not gone on from strength to a
greater strength.
They have not increased in ability, but kept up the same low tone of
efficiency. They have not become able men in the Scriptures, mighty
men in God, and yet every privilege has been within their reach. The
cause of God has not been glorified by their tame, Spiritless, Christless
work. These have done great injury to the truth, and why? Because the
heart is not cleansed. They have not a new, clean heart, but a heart that
is open to the temptations of Satan. Such can never lead the people
to the true, pure fountain of living waters. They may make others
acquainted with the reasons of our faith, but it will be impossible for
them to do the work which a true shepherd of the flock will do, to
“feed the flock of God.”...
Ministry of the Word Better Than Arguments—We must
awaken to our God-given responsibilities. Your adversary the devil is
intensely active, represented as a roaring lion, and we must be wide-
awake and not ignorant of his devices. We shall surely be overcome by
Satan’s devices unless our hearts, our minds, our wills, are in complete
subjection to the will of Christ. We shall surely fail our salvation
unless the natural elements in our character, the discordant elements,
are brought daily and hourly into unity with Christ’s character. Unruly,
debasing tendencies and passions cannot reign in the heart controlled
by the Spirit of Christ. There are many who have never submitted their
will and way fully, without any reserve, to Jesus Christ.
There need to be far more lessons in the ministry of the word of true
conversion than of the arguments of the doctrines; for it is far easier
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and more natural for the heart that is not under the control of the Spirit
of Christ to choose doctrinal subjects rather than the practical. There
are many Christless discourses given [that are] no more acceptable to
God than was the offering of Cain. They are not in harmony with God.
Taint of Spiritual Malaria—The Lord calls upon you, my
brother, to step down from the work, leave the walls of Zion, or
be a converted man. When your own heart is sanctified through the
truth, there will be in it no moral defilement. It will now require a most
desperate resistance to unholy suggestions upon your part, because
your soul is tainted with spiritual malaria. You have breathed a satanic
atmosphere. You have not been a man in the sight of God. When your
mind should have been growing, your ideas elevated, and your plans