May God help us to gather up the jewels of his promises, and deck memory’s hall with the gems of his word. We should be armed with the promises of God. Our souls should be barricaded with them. When Satan comes in with his darkness, and seeks to fill my soul with gloom, I repeat some precious promise of God…
As I do this, the light of the glory of God fills my soul. I will not look at the darkness.
1888 Materials 559
Do not trust to the wisdom of any man, or to the investigations of any man. Go to the Scriptures for yourselves, search the inspired word with humble hearts, lay aside your preconceived opinions; for you will obtain no benefit unless you come as children to the word of God. You should say, “If God has anything for me, I want it. If God has given evidence from his word to this or that brother that a certain thing is truth, he will give it to me. I can find that evidence if I search the Scriptures with constant prayer, and I can know that I do know what is truth.”
1888 Materials 547
We may work to the very best of our ability, but we cannot make a single virtue in ourselves; it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ alone that can do it. Then, as we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, we have a power and a strength that is imparted unto us, and we will not want to sin; we cannot do it with the righteousness of Christ, and with ourselves in a position where we shall have Christ working with us and by us. We may make mistakes; we may make errors; but we shall hate these sins—the sins that caused the suffering of the Son of God in our behalf because we were transgressors of the law of God.
1888 Materials 538
In Christ, divinity and humanity were combined. Divinity was not degraded to humanity; divinity held its place, but humanity by being united to divinity, withstood the fiercest test of temptation in the wilderness. . . He withstood the temptation, through the power that man may command. He laid hold on the throne of God, and there is not a man or woman who may not have access to the same help through faith in God. Man may become a partaker of the divine nature; not a soul lives who may not summon the aid of Heaven in temptation and trial. Christ came to reveal the Source of his power, that man might never rely on his unaided human capabilities.
1888 Materials 533
He saw that the world could not find the word of God, for it was hidden by the traditions of men. He came to place before the world the relative importance of heaven and earth, and put truth in its own place. Jesus alone could reveal the truth which it was necessary men should know in order that they might obtain salvation. He only could place it in the frame-work of truth, and it was his work to free it from error and to set it before men in its heavenly light.
But it was not simply because he did not come in splendor that they refused him. It was because he was the embodiment of purity, and they were impure. He walked the earth a man of spotless integrity. Such a character in the midst of degradation and evil, was out of harmony with their desires, and he was abused and despised. His spotless life flashed light upon the hearts of men, and discovered iniquity to them in its odious character.
1888 Materials 533
Satan had accused God of requiring self-denial of the angels, when he knew nothing of what it meant himself, and when he would not himself make any self-sacrifice for others. This was the accusation that Satan made against God in heaven; and after the evil one was expelled from heaven, he continually charged the Lord with exacting service which he would not render himself. Christ came to the world to meet these false accusations, and to reveal the Father.
1888 Materials 533
Through every hour, through all ages, God’s love stands revealed as without a parallel. When the fulness of time was come, a suitable channel was prepared in Christ Jesus, through whom the streams of heavenly grace could be poured into the world. God so loved that He made a gift to the world which defies all computation. That the abundance of His grace should be revealed, he could not give less than the fulness, nor was it possible for Him to give more.—Manuscript 25, 1890.
1888 Materials 527
“What,” said Robert Hall, “should we think of a person who, after accepting an invitation to a feast, and taking his place at the table, instead of partaking of the repast amused himself with speculating on the nature of the provisions, or the manner in which they were prepared, and their adaptation to the temperament of the several guests, without partaking of a single article? Such, however, is the conduct of those who hear the Word without applying it to themselves or considering the aspect it bears in their individual characters.”
1888 Materials 522
This is the only way. There can be no safety in contention of spirit in investigating points of truth, as it must be done in the spirit John had when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” More of Jesus, less of self. And as the investigation continues in the spirit of Christ it will be at last all of Jesus, none of self.
1888 Materials. 517
Those who would now help souls destitute of wisdom, sanctification, and righteousness, must themselves have on the whole armor of Christ’s righteousness; for we can never lead the people to an experience of which we are not partakers.
We need now the courage of God’s faithful servant of old. Not one wavering, uncertain note should come from the watchers’ trumpets. They must be true to the sacred, solemn work that has been entrusted to them, and lead the flock of God in right pathways onward and upward to victory.
1888 Materials 512, 515
Gems of Thought 