Section 2—God’s Program for His Church
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Gem Thought
Read
Isaiah 58
, ye who claim to be children of the light. Especially
do you read it again and again who have felt so reluctant to inconve-
nience yourselves by favoring the needy. You whose hearts and houses
are too narrow to make a home for the homeless, read it; you who can
see orphans and widows oppressed by the iron hand of poverty and
bowed down by hardhearted worldlings, read it. Are you afraid that an
influence will be introduced into your family that will cost you more
labor? Read it. Your fears may be groundless, and a blessing may
come, known and realized by you every day. But if otherwise, if extra
labor is called for, you can draw upon One who has promised: “Then
shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring
forth speedily.”
The reason why God’s people are not more spiritually minded, and
have not more faith, I have been shown, is because they are narrowed
up with selfishness. The prophet is addressing Sabbathkeepers, not
sinners, not unbelievers, but those who make great pretensions to
godliness. It is not the abundance of your meetings that God accepts.
It is not the numerous prayers, but the rightdoing, doing the right thing
and at the right time. It is to be less self-caring and more benevolent.
Our souls must expand. Then God will make them like a watered
garden, whose waters fail not.—
Testimonies for the Church 2:35, 36
.
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Pure religion and undefiled be
¬
fore God and the Father is this, To
visit the fatherless and wid
¬
ows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.
James 1, 27
.