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| We know that the world, sensual and corrupt, love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Error and false prophets are chosen before the gospel of Christ. But shall we discard the standard of character which the God of heaven has given to our world, and venture to erect a standard of human invention? God desires that his commandment-keeping people shall arise to the emergency, and co-operate with the heavenly agencies in uplifting the standard of righteousness, setting forth to the world the message of heaven. { RH August 31, 1897, par. 15 } |
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| Let no one run the risk of interposing himself between the people and the message of heaven. The message of God will come to the people; and if there were no voice among men to give it, the very stones would cry out. I call upon every minister to seek the Lord, to put away pride, to put away strife after supremacy, and humble the heart before God. It is the coldness of heart, the unbelief of those who ought to have faith, that keeps the churches in feebleness.— The Review and Herald, July 26, 1892. { CW 38.2} |
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| But the life of John was not spent in idleness, in ascetic gloom, or in selfish isolation. From time to time he went forth to mingle with men; and he was ever an interested observer of what was passing in the world. From his quiet retreat he watched the unfolding of events. With vision illuminated by the divine Spirit he studied the characters of men, that he might understand how to reach their hearts with the message of heaven. The burden of his mission was upon him. In solitude, by meditation and prayer, he sought to gird up his soul for the lifework before him. { DA 102.2} { 8T 221.2} |
| But the life of John was not spent in idleness, in ascetic gloom, or in selfish isolation. From time to time he went forth to mingle with men, and he was ever an interested observer of what was passing in the world. From his quiet retreat he watched the unfolding of events. With vision illuminated by the divine Spirit, he studied the characters of men that he might understand how to reach their hearts with the message of heaven. { 10MR 253.2 } { RH December 17, 1903, par. 3 } |
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| The Pharisees thought themselves too wise to need instruction, too righteous to need salvation, too highly honored to need the honor that comes from Christ. The Saviour turned away from them to find others who would receive the message of heaven. In the untutored fishermen, in the publican at the market place, in the woman of Samaria, in the common people who heard Him gladly, He found His new bottles for the new wine. The instrumentalities to be used in the gospel work are those souls who gladly receive the light which God sends them. These are His agencies for imparting the knowledge of truth to the world. If through the grace of Christ His people will become new bottles, He will fill them with new wine. { DA 279.1} |
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| The rebuke of the Lord will rest upon those who would bar the way, that clearer light shall not come to the people. A great work is to be done, and God sees that our leading men have need of more light, that they may unite with the messengers whom He sends to accomplish the work that He designs shall be done. The Lord has raised up messengers, and endued them with His Spirit, and has said, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” [Isaiah 58:1.] Let no one run the risk of interposing between the people and the message of Heaven. This message will go to the people; and if there were no voice among men to give it, the very stones would cry out. { GW 304.2} |
| The rebuke of the Lord will be upon those who would be guardians of the doctrine, who would bar the way that greater light shall not come to the people. A great work is to be done, and God sees that our leading men have need of greater light, that they may unite with the messengers whom he shall send harmoniously to accomplish the work that he designs they should. The Lord has raised up messengers and endued them with his Spirit, and has said, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Let no one run the risk of interposing himself between the people and the message of heaven. The message of God will come to the people; and if there were no voice among men to give it, the very stones would cry out. I call upon every minister to seek the Lord, to put away pride, to put away strife after supremacy, and humble the heart before God. It is the coldness of heart, the unbelief of those who ought to have faith, that keeps the churches in feebleness. { RH July 26, 1892, par. 9 } { 1888 992.1 } |
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| Those who are of a contrite heart will receive the message of heaven, and will voice the words of the angel. This is the work of all who have heard the divine invitation. Jesus said to the woman of Samaria what He says to us all, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.... But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” ( John 4:10-14). { TMK 337.3} |
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| How cautious should each one be lest he cultivate an unsanctified independence! The enemy is vigilant, working with tremendous power to subvert souls who have had presented before them the light of truth. Satan watches that he may take advantage of every unconsecrated element of character in the human agent, in order that he may use him who professes to be a servant of Christ to further his Satanic designs. He will take advantage of prejudice, of preconceived opinion, of side issues, that he may make of no effect the words of God’s messenger to the church. Contention and strife will be aroused, and the message of heaven will be rendered of no effect through the working of this evil leaven. { ST May 15, 1893, par. 3 } |
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