Desire to be like Jesus
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| The graces of Christ's Spirit must be cherished and revealed by the sons and daughters of God. By their humility, their penitence, their desire to be like Jesus, to be conformed to his will by practising his lessons in their daily life, they honor him. They hope in God, and commit the keeping of their souls to him, as unto a faithful Creator, and God honors their trust in him. {RH, August 24, 1897 par. 7} {AG 65.3} |
| We are surrounded with iniquity in its various forms. You need a helper. The Lord knows all our works; even our thoughts are before Him as an open book. I now make my appeal to you. It is to change right about. Step from under Satan's hellish banner, and step under the blood-stained banner of Jesus Christ. Will you do this? Will you change your spirit for the spirit of Christ? When your mind delights to dwell upon heaven and heavenly things, there will be no desire with you to enjoy the society of young men. There will be kindled in the soul the most intense desire to be like Jesus. By beholding we become changed into the same image. Carnal thoughts, carnal feelings, will be no longer entertained. You will no longer be frivolous, cheap in talk, and unholy in life. Then you will reach, through the grace of Christ, the highest standard of purity and elevation of character. {TSB 67.1} |
| The truth of God is for us. The religion of Jesus Christ never degrades the receiver, but makes him pure, that he may see God. It gives him an intensity of desire to be like Jesus Christ, the One altogether lovely, the Chiefest among ten thousand. . . .Why should we not love Him and give Him our undivided service? {UL 143.6} |
| |
| In their habits the people of God should be simple, honest, pure, free from all iniquity. God requires perfect obedience, perfection of character. Great injury is brought upon His cause by those who, while claiming to be His followers, deny Him in character. The religion of Jesus Christ never degrades the receiver, but makes him pure, that he may see God. It gives him an intensity of desire to be like Jesus Christ, the One altogether lovely, the Chiefest among ten thousand. {PH151 49.3} |
| |
| The future glory of the adopted sons and daughters of God is not now discerned. By the world God's people are scorned and despised. But they have the sympathies of a better world than this, even a heavenly. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." He has that faith which works by love and purifies the soul. The Spirit of God brings every faculty, every organ of the body, into conformity with right. Even the thoughts are brought into obedience to Christ. In every habit and practise, the desire to be like Jesus is cherished. The aspirations are upward; the heart is filled with joy at the anticipation of the future; for he looks "for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." {ST, June 2, 1898 par. 6} |
| Then we shall have such a view of Christ's infinite sacrifice in our behalf that the soul will be softened and humbled and made full of thanksgiving to God. An intense desire will be begotten by the Holy Spirit for a favorable opportunity to witness for Christ and to express gratitude and devotion to Him who has redeemed us. Loyalty and love will be seen in all the service. A burning desire to be like Christ will keep the soul tender, leading it to give vent to grateful emotion, and in the sight of heaven to offer thanks to God for His goodness, His love, and His compassion. Such have a grace that cannot be repressed into a tame, everyday evenness of assenting to truth, while the heart is not affected. {OHC 105.4} |
| This is the oblation of a life-gift in our behalf, that we may be all that He desires us to be --representatives of Him, expressing the fragrance of His character, His own pure thoughts, His divine attributes as manifested in His sanctified human life, in order that others may behold Him in His human form, and . . . be led to desire to be like Christ -- pure, undefiled, wholly acceptable to God, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. {AG 174.2} |
| A minister of Christ, a teacher of the truth, a true shepherd, is in one sense a servant of all, anticipating the wants of those who need help, and knowing how to be useful here and there in the great work of saving souls. A man who professes to teach the truth, and goes just where he pleases, and works when and how he pleases, yet shuns responsibilities, is not bearing the cross after Christ nor fulfilling the commission of a gospel minister. Few know by experience what it is to suffer for Christ's sake. They desire to be like Christ, but wish to avoid poverty and crucifixion. They would gladly be with Him in glory, but do not love to come to Him through much self-denial and tribulation. {2T 650.1} |
| "Christ also hath loved us," writes Paul, "and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." This is the oblation of a life-gift in our behalf, that we may be all that He desires us to be--representatives of Him, expressing the fragrance of His character, His own pure thoughts, His divine attributes as manifested in His sanctified human life, in order that others may behold Him in His human form, and, comprehending God's wonderful design, be led to desire to be like Christ --pure, undefiled, wholly acceptable to God, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing (MS 159, 1903). {6BC 1118.4} |
| Desire to be more like Him |
|
I did not expect to speak more than a few words to you this afternoon. I want you to have the light and blessing that the Lord desires to give you. Reach out for these blessings; seek for a fitness for eternal life, that others may see that you are coming into harmony with heaven. When the soul takes its position on the side of right, all heaven is filled with rejoicing and praise and thanksgiving. Shall we not take hold with Christ to do our best. Pray with your children. Impress their minds with the thought that Christ was given to our world that we might love His beauty of character and seek to follow Him in every particular. If you will follow on to know the Lord, the blessing of God will rest upon you. We need to glorify God more than we do, to praise Him with uplifted soul. If we would study more faithfully the virtues of His character, we would desire to be more like Him. If in the minor points we would carry out the directions of the Lord, He will give us strength to follow Him in the large matters. We need to see the necessity of bringing the principles of the truth into every purpose and action of the life. {7MR 26.2} {PCP 39.1}
|