CHAPTER 7
Entering
upon a New Way of Life
It
is not money, power, or human affection that you crave. Your greatest need
is acceptance by God.
How
can you have it? How can you find Him? How can you be accepted by Him? How
can you stay close to Him?
There
are answers, and they are not complicated.
Here
is what you have always wanted: peace with God! —

–
Part One –
How Can I
Come to God?
Nature
and revelation alike testify of God’s love. It is transgression of
God’s law—the law of love—that has brought woe and death. Yet even
amid the suffering that results from sin, God’s love is revealed. “God
is love” is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of
springing grass.
Jesus
came to live among men to reveal the infinite love of God. Love, mercy,
and compassion were revealed in every act of His life; His heart went out
in tender sympathy to the children of men. He took man’s nature, that He
might reach man’s wants. The poorest and humblest were not afraid to
approach Him. Such is the character of Christ as revealed in His life.
This is the character of God.
It
was to redeem us that Jesus lived and suffered and died. He became a
“Man of Sorrows,” that we might be made partakers of everlasting joy.
But this great sacrifice was not made in order to create in the Father’s
heart a love for man, not make Him willing to save. No, no! “God so
loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.” John 3:16.
The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He
provided the propitiation because He loves us. None but the Son of God
could accomplish our redemption.
What
a value this places upon man! Through transgression the sons of man become
subjects of Satan. Through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ the
sons of Adam may become the sons of God. The matchless love of God for a
world that did not love Him! The thought has a subduing power upon the
soul and brings the mind into captivity to the will of God.
Man
was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-balanced mind. He was
perfect in his being, and in harmony with God. His thoughts were pure, his
aims holy. But through disobedience, his powers were perverted, and
selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened through
transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to
resist the power of evil.
It
is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which
we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. There must
be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be
changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can
quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to
holiness. To all, there is but one answer, “Behold the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Let us avail
ourselves of the means provided for us that we may be transformed into His
likeness, and be restored to fellowship with the ministering angels, to
harmony and communion with the Father and the Son.
How
shall a man be just with God? How shall the sinner be made righteous? It
is only through Christ that we can be brought into harmony with God, with
holiness; but how are we to come to Christ?
Repentance
includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce
sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart,
there will be no real change in the life.
But
when the heart yields to the influence of the Spirit of God, the
conscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern something of the
depth and sacredness of God’s holy law, the foundation of His government
in heaven and on earth. Conviction takes hold upon the mind and heart.
The
prayer of David, after his fall, illustrates the nature of true sorrow for
sin. His repentance was sincere and deep. There was no effort to palliate
his guilt; no desire to escape the judgment threatened, inspired his
prayer. David saw the enormity of his transgression; he saw the defilement
of his soul; he loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he
prayed, but for purity of heart. He longed for the joy of holiness, to be
restored to harmony and communion with God. A repentance such as this, is
beyond the reach of our own power to accomplish; it is obtained only from
Christ.
Christ
is ready to set us free from sin, but He does not force the will. If we
refuse, what more can He do? Study God’s Word prayerfully. As you see
the enormity of sin, as you see yourself as you really are, do not give up
in despair. It was sinners that Christ came to save. When Satan comes to
tell you that you are a great sinner, look to your Redeemer and talk of
His merits. Acknowledge your sin, but tell the enemy that “Christ came
into the world to save sinners” and that you may be saved (1 Tim. 1:15).
“He
that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and
forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. The conditions
of obtaining mercy of God are simple and just and reasonable. Confess your
sins to God, who only can forgive them, and your faults to one another.
Those who have not humbled their souls before God in acknowledging their
guilt, have not yet fulfilled the first step of acceptance. We must be
willing to humble our hearts and comply with the conditions of the Word of
truth. The confession that is the outpouring of the inmost soul finds its
way to the God of infinite pity. True confession is always of a specific
character, and acknowledges particular sins. All confession should be
definite and to the point. It is written, “If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
God’s
promise is, “Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me
with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13. The whole heart must be
yielded, or the change can never be wrought in us by which we are to be
restored to His likeness.
The
warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. The
yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of God, requires a
struggle; but the soul must submit to God before it can be renewed in
holiness.
In
giving ourselves to God, we must necessarily give up all that would
separate us from Him. There are those who profess to serve God, while they
rely upon their own efforts to obey His law, to form a right character,
and secure slavation. Their hearts are not moved by any deep sense of the
love of Christ, but they seek to perform the duties of the Christian life
as that which God requires of them in order to gain heaven. Such religion
is worthless.
When
Christ dwells in the heart, the soul will be so filled with His love, with
the joy of communion with Him, that it will cleave to Him; and in the
contemplation of Him, self will be forgotten. Love to Christ will be the
spring of action. Such do not ask for the lowest standard, but aim at
perfect conformity to the will of their Redeemer.
Do
you feel that it is too great a sacrifice to yield all to Christ? Ask
yourself the question, “What has Christ given for me?” The Son of God
gave all—life and love and suffering—for our redemption. And can it be
that we, the unworthy objects of so great love, will withhold our hearts
from Him? What do we give up, when we give all? A sin-polluted heart, for
Jesus to purify, to cleanse by His own blood, and to save by His matchless
love. And yet men think it hard to give up all! God does not require us to
give up anything that it is for our best interest to retain. In all that
He does, He has the well-being of His children in view.
Many
are inquiring, “How am I to make the surrender of myself to
God?” You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral
power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of
sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot
control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of
your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your
own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you
need not despair.
What
you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the
governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice.
Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice
God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your
heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose
to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to
will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will
be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will
be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.
Desires
for goodness and holiness are right as far as they go; but if you stop
here, they will avail nothing. Many will be lost while hoping and desiring
to be Christians. They do not come to the point of yielding the will to
God. They do not now choose to be Christians.
Through
the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life.
You will have strength from above to hold you steadfast, and thus through
constant surrender to God you will be enabled to live the new life, even
the life of faith.
As
your conscience has been quickened by the Holy Spirit, you have seen
something of the evil of sin, of its power, its guilt, its woe; and you
look upon it with abhorrence. It is peace that you need. You have
confessed your sins, and in heart put them away. You have resolved to give
yourself to God. Now go to Him, and ask that He will wash away your sins
and give you a new heart.
Then
believe that He does this because He has promised. The gift which
God promises us, we must believe we do receive, and it is ours. You are a
sinner. You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart
and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through
Christ. You believe that promise. You confess your sins and give
yourself to God. You will to serve Him. Just as surely as you do this, God
will fulfill His Word to you. If you believe the promise,—God supplies
the fact. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say,
“I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God
promised.”
—Summary
of all the key points in Steps to Christ, pp. 9-51, in the author’s own
words.
–
Part Two –
–
How Can I Remain True to God?
Jesus
says, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye
receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24). There is a
condition to this promise—that we pray according to the will of God. But
it is the will of God to cleanse us from sin, to make us His children, and
to enable us to live a holy life. So we may ask for these blessings, and
believe that we receive them, and thank God that we have received
them.
Henceforth
you are not your own; you are bought with a price. Through this simple act
of believing God, the Holy Spirit has begotten a new life in your heart.
You are a child born into the family of God, and He loves you as He loves
His Son.
Now
that you have given yourself to Jesus, do not draw back, do not take
yourself away from Him, but day by day say, “I am Christ’s; I have
given myself to Him”; and ask Him to give you His Spirit and keep you by
His grace. As it is by giving yourself to God, and believing Him, that you
become His child, so you are to live in Him.
Here
is where thousands fail; they do not believe that Jesus pardons them
personally, individually. They do not take God at His Word. It is the
privilege of all who comply with the conditions to know for themselves
that pardon is freely extended for every sin. Put away the suspicion that
God’s promises are not meant for you. They are for every repentant
transgressor.
Look
up, you that are doubting and trembling; for Jesus lives to make
intercession for us. Thank God for the gift of His dear Son.
“If
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
A
person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or trace all the
chain of circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not
prove him to be unconverted. A change will be seen in the character, the
habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be clear and decided between what
they have been and what they have become. Who has the heart? With whom are
our thoughts? Of whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest
affections and our best energies? If we are Christ’s, our thoughts are
with Him. There is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works
reformation. The loveliness of the character of Christ will be seen in His
followers. It was His delight to do the will of God.
There
are two errors against which the children of God especially need to guard:
The first is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they
can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. All that man can do
without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of
Christ alone, through faith, which can make us holy.
The
opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men
from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers
of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption.
Obedience
is the fruit of faith. Righteousness is defined by the standard of God’s
holy law, as expressed in the ten commandments (Exo. 20:3-20). That
so-called faith in Christ, which professes to release men from the
obligation of obedience to God, is not faith, but presumption. The
condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been,—just what
it was in paradise before the fall of our first parents,—perfect
obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were
granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole
universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its
train of woe and misery, to be immortalized.
Christ
changes the heart. He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain
this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your
will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and
to do according to His good pleasure.
The
closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own
eyes; for your vision will be clearer. This is evidence that Satan’s
delusions are losing their power. No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell
in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness. The soul that is
transformed by the grace of Christ will admire His character. A view of
our sinfulness drives us to Him who can pardon; and when the soul,
realizing its helplessness, reaches out after Christ, He will reveal
Himself in power. The more our sense of need drives us to Him and to the
Word of God, the more exalted views we shall have of His character, and
the more fully we shall reflect His image.
The
change of heart by which we become children of God is in the Bible spoken
of as birth. Again it is compared to the germination of the good seed sown
by the husbandman. It is God who brings the bud to bloom and the flower to
fruit. It is by His power that the seed develops.
As
the flower turns to the sun, that the bright beams may aid in perfecting
its beauty and symmetry, so should we turn to the Sun of Righteousness,
that heaven’s light may shine upon us, that our character may be
developed into the likeness of Christ.
Do
you ask, “How am I to abide in Christ?” In the same way as you
received Him at first. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6. By faith you became
Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow up in Him—by giving and
taking. You are to give all,—your heart, your will, your service,—give
yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take
all—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be
your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper—to give you
power to obey.
Consecrate
yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your
prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy
feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be
wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate
yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be
carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day
you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will
be molded more and more after the life of Christ.
A
life in Christ is a life of restfulness. There may be no ecstasy of
feeling, but there should be an abiding, peaceful trust. When the mind
dwells upon self, it is turned away from Christ, the source of strength
and life. Hence, it is Satan’s constant effort to keep the attention
diverted from the Saviour and thus prevent the union and communion of the
soul with Christ.
When
Christ took human nature upon Him, He bound humanity to Himself by a tie
of love that can never be broken by any power save the choice of man
himself. Satan will constantly present allurements to induce us to break
this tie—to choose to separate ourselves from Christ. But let us keep
our eyes fixed upon Christ, and He will preserve us. Looking unto Jesus,
we are safe. Nothing can pluck us out of His hand. All that Christ was to
the disciples, He desires to be to His children today.
Jesus
prayed for us, and He asked that we might be one with Him, even as He is
one with the Father. What a union is this! Thus, loving Him and abiding in
Him, we shall “grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
God
is the source of life and light and joy to the universe. Wherever the life
of God is in the hearts of men, it will flow out to others in love and
blessing.
Our
Saviour’s joy was in the uplifting and redemption of fallen men. For
this He counted not His life dear to Himself, but endured the cross,
despising the shame. When the love of Christ is enshrined in the heart,
like sweet fragrance it cannot be hidden. Love to Jesus will be manifested
in a desire to work as He worked for the blessing and uplifting of
humanity. It will lead to love, tenderness, and sympathy toward all the
creatures of our heavenly Father’s care. Those who are the partakers of
the grace of Christ will be ready to make any sacrifice, that others for
whom He died may share the heavenly gift. They will do all they can to
make the world better for their stay in it. This spirit is the sure
outgrowth of a soul truly converted. No sooner does one come to Christ
than there is born in his heart a desire to make known to others what a
precious friend he has found in Jesus. If we have tasted and seen that the
Lord is good, we shall have something to tell.
We shall seek to present to others the attractions of Christ and
the unseen realities of the world to come. There will be an intensity of
desire to follow in the path that Jesus trod.
And
the effort to bless others will react in blessings upon ourselves. Those
who thus become participants in labors of love are brought nearest to
their Creator. The spirit of unselfish labor for others gives depth,
stability, and Christlike loveliness to the character, and brings peace
and happiness to its possessor. Strength comes by exercise. We need not go
to heathen lands, or even leave the narrow circle of the home, if it is
there that our duty lies, in order to work for Christ. With a loving
spirit we may perform life’s humblest duties “unto the Lord” (Col.
3:23). If the love of God is in the heart, it will be manifested in the
life. You are not to wait for great occasions or to expect extraordinary
abilities before you go to work for God. The humblest and poorest of the
disciples of Jesus can be a blessing to others.
Many
are the ways in which God is seeking to make Himself known to us and bring
us into communion with Him. If we will but listen, Nature speaks to our
senses without ceasing. God’s created works will teach us precious
lessons of obedience and trust.
No
tears are shed that God does not notice. There is no smile that He does
not mark. If we would but fully believe this, all undue anxieties would be
dismissed. Our lives would not be so filled with disappointment as now;
for everything, whether great or small, would be left in the hands of God.
God
speaks to us through His providential works and through the influence of
His Spirit upon the heart. God speaks to us in His Word. Here we have in
clearer lines the revelation of His character, of His dealings with men,
and the great work of redemption. Fill the whole heart with the words of
God. They are the living water, quenching your burning thirst. They are
the living bread from heaven.
The
theme of redemption is one that the angels desire to look into; it will be
the science and the song of the redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of
eternity. Is it not worthy of careful thought and study now? As we
meditate upon the Saviour, there will be a hungering and thirsting of soul
to become like Him whom we adore.
The
Bible was written for the common people. The great truths necessary for
salvation are made as clear as noonday. There is nothing more calculated
to strengthen the intellect than the study of the Scriptures. But there is
little benefit derived from a hasty reading of the Bible. One passage
studied, until its significance is clear to the mind and its relation to
the plan of salvation is evident, is of more value than the perusal of
many chapters with no definite purpose in view and no positive instruction
gained.
Keep
your Bible with you. As you have opportunity, read it; fix the texts in
your memory.
We
cannot obtain wisdom without earnest attention and prayerful study. Never
should the Bible be studied without prayer. Before opening its pages, we
should ask for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and it will be given.
Angels from the world of light will be with those who in humility of heart
seek for divine guidance. How must God esteem the human race, since He
gave His Son to die for them and appoints His Holy Spirit to be man’s
teacher and continual guide!
Through
nature and revelation, through His providence, and by the influence of His
Spirit, God speaks to us. But these are not enough; we need also to pour
out our hearts to Him. In order to commune with God, we must have
something to say to Him concerning our actual life.
Prayer
is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend.
Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are,
but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down
to us, but brings us up to Him.
Our
heavenly Father waits to bestow upon us the fullness of His blessing. What
a wonder it is that we pray so little! God is ready and willing to hear
the sincere prayer of the humblest of His children. What can the angels of
heaven think of poor helpless human beings, who are subject to temptation,
when God’s heart of infinite love yearns
toward them, ready to give them more than they can ask or think,
and yet they pray so little and have so little faith?
The
darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered
temptations of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all because they do
not make use of prayer. Yet prayer is the key in the hand of faith to
unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources
of Omnipotence.
There
are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear and
answer our prayers:
One
is that we feel our need of help from Him. If we regard iniquity in our
hearts, if we cling to any known sin, the Lord will not hear us; but the
prayer of the penitent, contrite soul is always accepted. When all known
wrongs are righted, we may believe that God will answer our petitions.
Another
element of prevailing prayer is faith. When our prayers seem not to be
answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will
surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. But to claim
that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular
thing that we desire, is presumption.
When
we come to God in prayer, we should have a spirit of love and forgiveness
in our own hearts.
Perseverance
in prayer has been made a condition of receiving. We must pray always if
we would grow in faith and experience.
We
should pray in the family circle, and above all we must not neglect secret
prayer, for this is the life of the soul. Family or public prayer alone is
not sufficient. Secret prayer is to be heard only by the prayer-hearing
God.
There
is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer up a petition to
God. In the crowds of the street, in the midst of a business engagement,
we may send up a petition to God and plead for divine guidance.
Let
the soul be drawn out and upward, that God may grant us a breath of the
heavenly atmosphere. We may keep so near to God that in every unexpected
trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to
the sun. Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your
fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He is not
indifferent to the wants of His children.
We
sustain a loss when we neglect the privilege of associating together to
strengthen and encourage one another in the service of God. If Christians
would associate together, speaking to each other of the love of God and
the precious truths of redemption, their own hearts would be refreshed and
they would refresh one another.
We
must gather about the cross. Christ and Him crucified should be the theme
of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion. We
should keep in our thoughts every blessing we receive from God, and when
we realize His great love we should be willing to trust everything to the
hand that was nailed to the cross for us.
The
soul may ascend nearer heaven on the wings of praise. As we express our
gratitude, we are approximating to the worship of the heavenly hosts.
Many
are at times troubled with the suggestions of skepticism. God never asks
us to believe, without giving sufficient evidence upon which to base our
faith. Disguise it as they may, the real cause of doubt and skepticism, in
most cases, is the love of sin. We must have a sincere desire to know the
truth and a willingness of heart to obey it.
—Summary
of Steps to Christ, pages 51 to 111, in the author’s own words.
Chapter
7 is condensed, in the author’s own words, from the book, Steps
to Christ.
Chapters
1 through 5 are condensed, in the author’s own words, from the 88
edition of the extremely important book, Great Controversy, as
follows:
CHAPTER
1 includes
all of Great Controversy, chapter 29.
CHAPTER
2 focuses
on Great Controversy, chapters 1, 2 and 3, but also includes
portions of chapters 8, 16, and 26.
CHAPTER
3 covers
the greater part of Great Controversy, chapter 25, and much of chapter
35.
CHAPTER
4 has a
large amount of material from the very important chapters 33 and 34.
CHAPTER
5 brings
together the best of chapters 27, 35, 36,
37, 38, 40, and 42.
Principles of
Healthful Living
— Another Preparation for the Crisis
We
do not have to be sick all the time. The laws of nature are the laws of
God. Learning them and obeying them can enable each of us to live a
fuller, happier life. Our minds will be clearer, our bodies stronger,
and we will be able to better serve our God.
Here
are principles of healthful living which can help you —
We
today are so accustomed to chemical drug medications, that it is
surprising to learn that the natural healing centers of a hundred years
ago used a combination of eight natural principles (pure air, sunlight,
abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, and trust
in divine power) to restore health from nearly every type of
disease—without the dangerous side effects of drugs, all of which are
poisonous to one extent or another. Here are helpful statements from that
earlier era, written by the author of chapters 1 through 6:
“A
practice that is laying the foundation of a vast amount of disease and of
even more serious evils, is the free use of poisonous drugs. When attacked
by disease, many will not take the trouble to search out the cause of
their illness. Their chief anxiety is to rid themselves of pain and
inconvenience. So they resort to patent nostrums, of whose real properties
they know little, or they apply to a physician for some remedy to
counteract the result of their misdoing; but with no thought of making a
change in their unhealthful habits. If immediate benefit is not realized,
another medicine is tried, and then another. Thus the evil continues.
“People
need to be taught that drugs do not cure disease. It is true that they
sometimes afford present relief, and the patient appears to recover as the
result of their use; this is because nature has sufficient vital force
to expel the poison and to correct the conditions that caused the disease.
Health is recovered in spite of the drug. But in most cases the drug only
changes the form and location of the disease. Often the effect of the
poison seems to be overcome for a time, but the results remain in the
system, and work great harm at some later period.
“By
the use of poisonous drugs, many bring upon themselves lifelong illness,
and many lives are lost that might be saved by the use of natural methods
of healing. The poisons contained in many so-called remedies create habits
and appetites that mean ruin to both soul and body . .
“The
only hope of better things is in the education of the people in right
principles. Let physicians teach the people that restorative power is not
in drugs, but in nature. Disease is an effort of nature to free the system
from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health. In
case of sickness, the cause should be ascertained. Unhealthful conditions
should be changed, wrong habits corrected. Then nature is to be assisted
in her effort to expel impurities and to reestablish right conditions in
the system.
“Pure
air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of
water, trust in divine power,—these
are the true remedies. Every person should have a knowledge of nature’s
remedial agencies and how to apply them. It is essential both to
understand the principles involved in the treatment of the sick and to
have a practical training that will enable one rightly to use this
knowledge.
“The
use of natural remedies requires an amount of care and effort that many
are not willing to give. Nature’s process of healing and upbuilding is
gradual, and to the impatient it seems slow. The surrender of hurtful
indulgences requires sacrifice.
But
in the end it will be found that nature, untrammeled, does her work
wisely and well. Those who persevere in obedience to her laws will reap
the reward in health of body and health of mind . .
“We
cannot be too often reminded that health does not depend on chance. It is
a result of obedience to law . . It is not mimic battles in which we are
engaged. We are waging a warfare upon which hang eternal results. We have
unseen enemies to meet. Evil angels are striving for the dominion of every
human being. Whatever injures the health, not only lessens physical vigor,
but tends to weaken the mental and moral powers. Indulgence in any
unhealthful practice makes it more difficult for one to discriminate
between right and wrong, and hence more difficult to resist evil. It
increases the danger of failure and defeat . .
“Apart
from divine power; no genuine reform can be effected. Human barriers
against natural and cultivated tendencies are but as the sandbank
against the torrent. Not until the life of Christ becomes a vitalizing
power in our lives can we resist the temptations that assail us from
within and from without.
“Christ
came to this world and lived the law of God, that man might have perfect
mastery over the natural inclinations which corrupt the soul. The
Physician of soul and body, He gives victory over warring lusts. He has
provided every facility, that man may possess completeness of
character.”—Ministry of
Healing, 126-131.
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publisher of this book. May God bless and keep you in the months and years
ahead.
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