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Youth Receiving Power to Be Overcomers, May 14
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the
days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight
of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring
thee into judgment.
Ecclesiastes 11:9
.
In surrendering ourselves to God, we reap great advantages; for if we
have weaknesses of character, as we all have, we unite ourselves to One who
is mighty to save. Our ignorance will be united to infinite wisdom, our frailty
to enduring might, and, like Jacob, we may each become a prince with God.
Connected with the Lord God of Israel, we shall have power from above
which will enable us to be overcomers; and by the impartation of divine
love, we shall find access to the hearts of men. We shall have fastened our
trembling grasp upon the throne of the Infinite, and shall say, “I will not let
thee go, except thou bless me” (
Genesis 32:26
).
The assurance is given that He will bless us and make us a blessing; and
this is our light, our joy, our triumph. When the youth understand what it
is to have the favor and love of God in the heart, they will begin to realize
the value of their blood-bought privileges, and will consecrate their ability to
God, and strive with all their God-given powers to increase their talents to
use in the Master’s service.
The only safety for our youth in this age of sin and crime is to have a
living connection with God. They must learn how to seek God, that they
may be filled with His Holy Spirit, and act as though they realized that the
whole host of heaven was looking upon them with interested solicitude, ready
to minister unto them in danger and in time of need. The youth should be
barricaded by warning and instruction against temptation. They should be
taught what are the encouragements held out to them in the Word of God.
They should have delineated before them the peril of taking a step into the
bypaths of evil. They should be educated to revere the counsels of God in His
sacred oracles. They should be so instructed that they will set their resolution
against evil, and determine that they will not enter into any path where they
could not expect Jesus to accompany them, and His blessing to abide upon
them.—
The Review and Herald, November 21, 1893
.
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