Work against God (4) - works against God (3)
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| Related Phrase: works against God ( 3 ) below |
| We want Christ and His obedience and we want to drink in of the Spirit of God. I want to be like Him. I want to practice His virtues and be a doer of the Word. And what did He say on the Mount? "Think not" -- on their startled ears fell the words, their very thoughts unrolled before them-- "think not that I am come to destroy the law of the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). He came to fulfill every specification of the law. "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (v. 18). I want you to take this. It is the word of God. You will hear from the word of men that the law is abolished and that it is not binding upon men. And they act just so. But you cannot afford to work against God. "Ye are laborers together with God" (1 Cor. 3:9). I would rather be a laborer with God than to be laboring counter to Him. I see in Him matchless charms. {1SAT 246.1} |
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| Not long hence it will be found that it is no light matter to work against God in a single instance. Not long hence it will be found that the approval of God is worth more than any amount of silver and gold. It will be found that to every action there has been an invisible witness who has taken cognizance, and has written it in a book, so that every man will be judged according to what he has done, whether it be good or evil. In that day sentence will be pronounced against every one that has done evil, whether he be Jew or Gentile, small or great, rich or poor, free or bond. The wise man says, "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him." - {RH, October 1, 1895 par. 12} |
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| Satan will use every device, every deceptive influence in his power, to lead us to follow his example. The greater the blessings received from God in intrusted talents, the more earnest will be Satan's effort to corrupt and pervert their use. Those whom God has favored by giving capabilities to use in his service, Satan will seek to deceive so that they shall use their gifts to work against God. But let there be no uplifting of the soul unto vanity. {SSW, March 1, 1893 par. 3} |
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| Some who will gossip over the Bible subject of justification by faith, and cavil and question and throw out their objections, do not know what they are talking about. They do not know that they are placing themselves as bodies of darkness to intercept the bright rays of light which God has determined shall come to His people. And they will come; the third angel's message is to go forth with power, filling the earth with its glory. And what is man that he can work against God? He may choose the darkness, he may love the darkness and be left enshrouded in darkness; but the message is to go forward in power, even if some refuse to advance with it. {1888 463.4} |
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| They were to be partakers with Christ in his sufferings. All who follow Christ will deny self, will share in his humiliation, will suffer affliction and persecution, and be hated of all men for his name's sake. James was killed with a sword by Herod, and John's life would have been extinguished if God had not kept his light burning to be a faithful witness of his personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. But if the words of Christ had been rightly comprehended, they would have understood what he meant when he said that to sit on his right hand and on his left was not his to give, but would be given to those for whom it is prepared by his Father. Those who would be thus distinguished in the kingdom of God, would be prepared for these places by manifesting the love of Christ, by giving to the world in their own character a representation of his character. "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away, even that which he hath." He that employs his God-given abilities in improving the opportunities sent to him, will have light proportionate to his faithfulness, and because he hath, he shall have more abundantly. But if the capabilities that God has intrusted to men are not used, their abilities will diminish, and because they are slothful servants, and do not make an application of their talents to the service of God, they will become less and less qualified to do his work. Their light will diminish, and they will cultivate the powers by which they scatter away from Christ. They will lose all that is good, and be unfitted to take a place in the courts of heaven. Because they have failed to improve their privileges, they will lose soul, body, and spirit. Their loss will be the natural result of their course of action; for he who works against God can have no place in his kingdom. {ST, July 9, 1896 par. 5} |
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| Under the supposed wisdom of men, nature is placed where she becomes a destructive agency. The good things which were given to man only to bless him are converted into a curse. By the use of wine and liquor men become slaves to appetite. God does not interpose and work a miracle to convert evil into good; for He has laid all nature under His eternal laws. Let there be no peace to the wicked, He says. Let everything be at war with him. And nature responds, "There shall be none." If man takes himself in his own hands, to do with himself as he pleases, if he works against God and nature, his indulgences will become to him the instruments of death. {3MR 344.2} |
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| We must work our way very carefully in order to remove the prejudice we find in every place. We must have places in which the people can meet to worship God. Wherever a company is raised up, a chapel must be erected. Many of the people are quite poor. The indolent, the tobacco devotees, and liquor drinkers are many. But the truth must go to them. It has worked wonders in this very place, and will still do great things. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in present truth must not abide alone with those who receive Christ. Christ died to save the world, and we are to work more zealously in acting our part. We are to look upon fallen humanity as our field. God cares for them. They have been bought with a price. They are his special property, and upon every true believer in Christ rests the solemn responsibility of being a laborer together with God, of speaking the truth as it is in Jesus. All are to become messengers to proclaim the truth. Through the power and work of Satan, the world has mistaken and forgotten God, and is living in sin. Man's influence works against God. His knowledge of God and his word is perverted. His understanding is darkened. But the Lord speaks through his delegated servants. Not one soul is to be left in darkness. The Lord is not careless in regard to his work. He will not look upon the peril of men, and remain silent. He sends his warnings, and we must voice his words, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." {GCB, April 1, 1899 par. 7} |
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