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Opening the Heart, October 9
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5
.
The Lord desires to make man the repository of divine influence, and the
only thing that hinders the accomplishment of God’s designs is that men close
their hearts to the Light of life. Apostasy caused the withdrawal of the Holy
Spirit from man, but through the plan of redemption this blessing of heaven
is to be restored to those who sincerely desire it. The Lord has promised to
give all good things to those who ask Him, and all good things are defined as
given with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The more we discover our real need, our real poverty, the more will we
desire the gift of the Holy Spirit; our souls will be turned, not into the channel
of ambition and presumption, but into the channel of earnest supplication for
the enlightenment of heaven. It is because we do not see our need, do not
realize our poverty, that we do not pour forth earnest entreaties, looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, for the bestowal of the blessing....
Jesus has said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (
Matthew 7:7
). It is in proportion to
our appreciation of the necessity and value of spiritual things that we seek
for their attainment. “Without me ye can do nothing,” says Jesus, and yet
many think that man can do very much in his own finite strength and wisdom.
Satan is ready to offer his counsel that he may win souls in the game of life.
When men do not feel the need of counseling with their brethren, some-
thing is wrong; they trust to their wisdom. It is essential that brethren should
counsel together. This I have been compelled to urge for the last forty-five
years. Again and again the instruction has been repeated that those who are
engaged in important work in the cause of God should not walk in their own
ideas, but counsel together.—
Manuscript Releases 2:333
.
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