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| This text appears in Manuscript Releases, Volume 18, Number 1319 |
To God Be the Glory; Forsake All Idols - - 18 MR page 127 |
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"God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God" (Ps. 62:11). God hath manifested His truth after speaking it from Sinai. He hath again spoken by His Son, and by a most wonderful experiment --by a living representation in Jesus Christ--hath made known the grand truth that "power belongeth unto God." {18MR 127.1} |
| The world accepts the theories of men, the science that is put forth. A vast number are skeptical when God speaks from His Word, but there is in this period of history great credulity when some learned man speaks. The power of human minds giving explanations of science is so marvelously increasing in these last days that man is seeking to find a natural cause for everything he sees and hears. This false science is termed higher education, and men are lifted up in their own human importance, extolling their own natural abilities, full of all they see and hear. {18MR 127.2} |
| There is no such thing as a miracle, [they say]. The men chosen of God and precious will let God speak for Himself in regard to miracles, for the Lord will not work miracles to gratify human curiosity. Let the truth of God convert the man and he becomes as a little child, and bows in humble submission to the divine will--heart, mind, strength, and soul--in humble reverence for Jesus Christ and the Omnipotent Power. He is as a man born again. Mercy and the love of God are a controlling power. The beholding of the grace and glory of the Lord Jesus and his own littleness in contrast does not overwhelm him, for he becomes changed as he is beholding and the impress is made upon his mind, "He is my salvation; He is my covering." Christ's glory is transforming his character. {18MR 127.3} |
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This is the highest miracle that can be wrought. This is a specimen case. The Holy Ghost working in mind and heart and will is for the observance and example of what God can do for all who will submit themselves earnestly to be worked, availing themselves of any and every opportunity to learn God's will, and to ponder and do His will. The fruits appear--real fruits--to bear witness of the divine life, the genuine instincts of the newborn soul. These are not ashamed to wait on the Lord. {18MR 128.1} |
| The words of light, of inspiration, shine from the Word weighty with heavenly assurance. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. When God works to prepare a soul, it is brought in connection with those who are reconciled to God. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God" [John 1:12]. No longer is it a dreadful thought that "He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth" [Daniel 4:35]. {18MR 128.2} |
| It is not God's will that we stumble over one another or that we be deficient in understanding the Lord's mighty works. Because of limited spiritual experience we cannot take in His marvelous works. We must be content to do our best and [be] determined to work upward to be overcomers, not downward to be defeated and overcome of Satan's devices. {18MR 128.3} |
| All power belongeth to God. He "so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." None are so happy and entirely safe as those who have that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Christ's hands were pierced for our sakes. He loves us, and He means that we shall have a better estimate of His work if we will only be teachable. {18MR 128.4} |
| Every heart emptied of self will have the quickening energy of the Holy Spirit. It is now that some are being worked by satanic agencies. Mark the fruit. The whole life is one of ambitious determination to carry out their own plans and purposes, to do a special work to exalt themselves. God puts to them the challenge, "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. If it be God, serve Him; if Baal, serve him." But some have been fixing themselves for a long time by a species of deception and misrepresentation and prevarication, because they have not turned from their idols to serve the living and true God. {18MR 129.1} |
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It is not necessary to bow down to a stock or a stone to serve idols. Whatever takes possession of the heart, commanding its service, that is not the dictation of the Holy Spirit, assumes the form of an idol. How many hearts through a wrong course of allowing the mind to become concentrated upon a certain course of action to distinguish self, will come under the head of covetousness, which is idolatry! {18MR 129.2} |
| In order to obtain money, or to be first, some will betray the most precious cause of truth. There is an intense spirit that takes possession of mind and character. A man turns his whole being into accomplishing some great thing; an unquenchable thirst takes possession of the whole man to obtain money and spread himself as did Nebuchadnezzar. He wants glory to himself. He will bind up with worldly men and forsake the fountain of living waters. Nothing but the humbling of his soul to the light of the Word of God, and the Sun of Righteousness penetrating every chamber of his moral being, will break the fog and the dense darkness he has gathered about his soul. {18MR 129.3} |
| There is a lack with some men of thorough decision and defined positions as to what is truth. Nothing but most earnest, clear, determined decision, and full surrender to God, will break the spell. With some their own course of action in thought and purpose is deciding their eternal destiny. Some have become confused by a continued course of action of men in responsible positions, because they know them not to be true and decided for truth and righteousness. Do they turn from idols which they have created? No, no. Old habits come in and are invited to stay and rule the heart. {18MR 130.1} |
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The tempter presents matters in such a very seducing way that men love the presentation. Satan says, as he did to Adam and Eve, "Ye shall be as gods," and the poor souls come under Satan's mesmeric influence, and they are among the number of those who depart from the faith and begin to weave them beautiful allurements to charm the senses. They love and adore nature, talk science, and all is a fine gossamer picture, pleasing to the fancy of the worldly but an abomination in the sight of the Lord. Each heart has its own idol unless that heart is cleansed. It loves, adores, and worships the beautiful theories spun, but there is death in these things. {18MR 130.2} |
| I ask men here in this congregation. What are you worshiping? Are you converted? Do you profess to believe the truth of Daniel and Revelation? Have you become nearly insane over your own specious theories? Has the living God taken possession of heart, mind, and soul? Have you been critically examining your own life by the Word of God, and has it had its influence to break you from the idolatry and imagery you have framed to make of none effect the Word of the living God? {18MR 130.3} |
| We are now come to the point where we have to make a decision as to who shall be entrusted with our sanitariums, to educate our youth in Bible doctrines. We are painfully conscious of the fact that the present truth for this time is being made of none effect by specious words and deceiving illusions. {18MR 131.1} |
| I tell you in the name of the Lord God of Israel, while He has in great mercy and love tried to call men to repentance, the temper, the style of words, and the actions emphasize distinctly that old habits are retained. Former lusts and objects fill the heart. The tenor of action shows [that] the Lord Jesus is not molding and fashioning the character. There is want of Christlikeness. The stamp of the world is upon the man in precept and example. It cannot be said intelligently and truly that from them sounded the word of the Lord so that we need not to speak anything. The whole appearance of the man is bearing the worldly stamp. There is a vagueness, an undefined expression, a turning, an uncertainty. It cannot be said in answer full and clear, distinct and comprehensive, Ye turned away from your idols to God. {18MR 131.2} |
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In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we now call upon all who have been in this position to consider and inquire, Am I working for Christ or the devil? God would have every man so thoroughly identified with the Word of the living God--which means true faith in the last message of mercy, the last call to sinners given to our world--that we shall demonstrate in character that we are one with Christ, that we share in the very same love that Christ expressed, that the Father loves the believing ones even as He loves His Son. He has become a partaker of His peace, His joy, His glory. This determines our true loyalty to God. It involves the highest possible measurement of character, of Christlikeness. [Eph. 1:3-7, quoted.] {18MR 131.3} |
| It is the purpose of God to glorify Himself through His representatives. In this present world and throughout the eternal ages God will reveal what He will do through His believing children. He will display His glory as He acknowledges them before the whole universe of heaven and all created intelligences. The Lord will give us all the exaltation that we deserve.-- Ms 224, 1902. |
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Ellen G. White Estate Washington, D. C. Dec. 17, 1987. Entire Ms. {18MR 132.1} |
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