| |
| The design of our college has been stated again and again, yet many are so blinded by the god of this world that its real object is not understood. God designed that young men should there be drawn to Him, that they should there obtain a preparation to preach the gospel of Christ, to bring out of the exhaustless treasury of God's word things both new and old for the instruction and edification of the people. Teachers and professors should have a vivid sense of the perils of this time and the work that must be accomplished to prepare a people to stand in the day of God. {5T 12.2} |
| |
| The well-being, the happiness, the religious life, of the families with which the youth are connected, the prosperity and piety of the church of which they are members, are largely dependent upon the religious education that they receive in our schools. Because our schools have been established for so high and holy a purpose, the teachers should be men and women whose lives are purified by the grace of Christ, who are cultured in mind and refined in manners. And they should have a vivid sense of the perils of this time, and the work that must be accomplished to prepare a people to stand in the day of God. They should ever pursue a course that will command the respect of their students. The youth have a right to expect that a Christian teacher will reach a high standard, and they will pass severe judgment upon him if he does not. {CT 497.2} |
| |
| All who possess the Spirit of Christ will have a tender, sympathetic heart, and an open, generous hand. . . . To us has been entrusted the work of proclaiming the last message of mercy to be given to our world--the message that is to prepare a people to stand in the day of God. Do we realize our accountability? Are we acting our part in the proclamation of the message? The present time is burdened with eternal interests. We are to unfurl the standard of truth before a world perishing in error. {OHC 197.3} |
| |
| The same difficulties are experienced by those who are now seeking to make up the breach in the law of God. The servants of the Lord must expect every kind of discouragement. They will be tried, not only by the anger, contempt, and cruelty of enemies, but by the indolence, inconsistency, lukewarmness, and treachery of friends and helpers. As we seek to advance the cause of truth, and prepare a people to stand in the day of God, we are led directly away from the customs and practices of the world. But there are among us pleasure-seekers, who are not laboring to meet the high standard of the divine requirements, who love the spirit and influence of the world more than they love the truth or the prosperity of God's cause. These unconsecrated elements are used by Satan to accomplish his purposes. While still connected with the people of God, they unite themselves with his enemies, and thus the Lord's work is laid open to the attacks of its bitterest foes, and the arguments furnished by professed friends of the truth are employed to destroy the confidence, courage, and faith of workers who are too easily discouraged. {ST, December 13, 1883 par. 11} |
| |
| To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great work of reform was to be accomplished [by the Advent Movement]. God saw that many of His professed people were not building for eternity, and in His mercy He was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor and lead them to make ready for the coming of the Lord. {Mar 173.1} |
| |
| There is need of Nehemiahs in the church today--not men who can pray and preach only, but men whose prayers and sermons are braced with firm and eager purpose. The course pursued by this Hebrew patriot in the accomplishment of his plans is one that should still be adopted by ministers and leading men. When they have laid their plans, they should present them to the church in such a manner as to win their interest and cooperation. Let the people understand the plans and share in the work, and they will have a personal interest in its prosperity. The success attending Nehemiah's efforts shows what prayer, faith, and wise, energetic action will accomplish. Living faith will prompt to energetic action. The spirit manifested by the leader will be, to a great extent, reflected by the people. If the leaders professing to believe the solemn, important truths that are to test the world at this time, manifest no ardent zeal to prepare a people to stand in the day of God, we must expect the church to be careless, indolent, and pleasure-loving.-- ChS 177. {PM 256.1} |
| |
| There is need of Nehemiahs in the church today,--not men who can pray and preach only, but men whose prayers and sermons are braced with firm and eager purpose. The course pursued by this Hebrew patriot in the accomplishment of his plans is one that should still be adopted by ministers and leading men. When they have laid their plans, they should present them to the church in such a manner as to win their interest and co-operation. Let the people have a personal interest in its prosperity. The success attending Nehemiah's efforts shows what prayer, faith, and wise, energetic action will accomplish. Living faith will prompt to energetic action. The spirit manifested by the leader will be, to a great extent, reflected by the people. If the leaders professing to believe the solemn, important truths that are to test the world at this time, manifest no ardent zeal to prepare a people to stand in the day of God, we must expect the church to be careless, indolent, and pleasure-loving.-- Christian Service, p. 177. {ChL 22.1} Southern Watchman, March 29, 1904. {ChS 177.1} |
| There is need of Nehemiahs in the church today,--not men who can pray and preach only, but men whose prayers and sermons are braced with firm and eager purpose. . . . The success attending Nehemiah's efforts shows what prayer, faith, and wise, energetic action will accomplish.... The spirit manifested by the leader will be, to a great extent, reflected by the people. If the leaders professing to believe the solemn, important truths that are to test the world at this time, manifest no ardent zeal to prepare a people to stand in the day of God, we must expect the church to be careless, indolent, and pleasure-loving. {CC 264.4} (SW March 29, 1904) {3BC 1137.1} |
| |
| prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord |
 In this age, just prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, such a work as that of John the Baptist is to be done. God calls for men who will prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. The message preceding the public ministry of Christ was “Repent, publicans and sinners; repent, Pharisees and Sadducees; repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (see Matthew 3:2). As a people who believe in Christ’s soon appearing, we have a message to bear, “Prepare to meet thy God.” Our message is to be as direct as was the message of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding that his life was imperiled, he did not hesitate to declare God’s Word; and our work in this age must be done as faithfully. In order to give such a message as John gave, we must have a spiritual experience like his.... We must behold God, and in beholding Him, lose sight of self. { UL 308.4} |
| |
| preparing a people to stand in these last days |
| I think of the meditation of Christ and the promise, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you"(John 14:18). The agency of the Holy Spirit is to combine with human effort, and all heaven is engaged in the work of preparing a people to stand in these last days. The end is near, and we want to keep the future world in view. The burden of my prayer is that the churches may be aroused from their moral torpor and awaken to earnest, interested endeavor. Oh, that they could see and understand that in this last conflict the Captain of the Lord's host is leading on the armies of heaven, and mingling in the ranks and fighting our battles for us. We shall have apostasies; we expect them. "They will go out from us, because they were not of us" [cf: 1 John 2:19 ]. "Every plant, which My heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up" (Matt. 15:13). {14MR 286.2} {1888 761.2} |
| |
