K - Quotes
Through faith we receive the Lord Jesus. Through faith we are united to Him. Through faith we are rooted & established in Him.
We are united with Christ. We are not to leave our first love. He will each day do for us, who are repenting, believing sinners, just as much as He did when we surrendered our hearts to Jesus. Now we are to cultivate the life of faith in Christ Jesus. That love that He has manifested for us is to be an increasing love. Self must die. We find this is hard, for self dies hard. It is not our work to uphold self, [for] “Without me ye can do nothing.” The life of grace is always a life of faith, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” 13LtMs, Lt 120, 1898
Be constantly resting the soul in the love of God. Trust his promises as Yea & Amen through Christ Jesus. 11LtMs, Lt 12, 1896
The human being must draw nigh to God, realizing that he must have the help that God alone can give. It is the glory of God to be known as the hearer of prayer because the human suppliant believes that He will hear & answer. 8MR 195
The work upon the Christian’s heart is not an instantaneous work. It is an every-day work; it is continual watching & believing. 25LtMs, Ms 55, 1910
There is healing, cleansing, for every soul who will come to Christ... In hours when clouds encompass the soul, Christ is not far from every one of us. There is joy for all who put their trust in Him, & exercise the faith that works by love & purifies the soul. Jesus says, My joy shall be in you, & your joy shall be full. JNN 363
When we speak of faith, there is a distinction that should be borne in mind. There is a kind of belief that is wholly distinct from faith. The existence & power of God, the truth of His word, are facts that even Satan & his hosts cannot at heart deny. The Bible says that “the devils also believe, & tremble;” but this is not faith. Where there is not only a belief in God’s word, but a submission of the will to Him; where the heart is yielded to Him, the affections fixed upon Him, there is faith - faith that works by love & purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed in the image of God.
There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ & who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, & they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down & weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings & mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken & rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, “These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” And do not forget the words of Christ, “The Father Himself loveth you.” He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity & holiness reflected in you. SC 63-64
If they have knowingly trampled upon & despised his law on the earth, they will not be taken to heaven to do the same work there; there is no change of character when Christ comes. The character building is to go on during the hours of probation. Day by day their actions are registered in the books of heaven, & they will, in the great day of God, be rewarded as their works have been. RH Aug. 25, 1885
Did he [Enoch] see God by his side? Only by faith. He knew that the Lord was there, & he adhered steadfastly to the principles of truth. We, too, are to walk with God. When we do this, our faces will be lighted up by the brightness of His presence, & when we meet one another, we shall speak of His power, saying, Praise God.
We can have what Enoch had. We can have Christ as our constant companion. Enoch walked with God, & when assailed by the tempter, he could talk with God about it. He had no “It is written” as we have, but he had a knowledge of his heavenly Companion. He made God his Counsellor, & was closely bound up with Jesus. And Enoch was honored in this course. He was translated to heaven without seeing death. And those who will be translated at the close of time, will be those who commune with God on earth.
It was in looking in faith to Jesus, in asking of Him, in believing that every word spoken would be verified, that Enoch walked with God. He kept close by the side of God, obeying His every word... His was a wonderful life of oneness. Christ was his Companion.
He [Enoch] did not make his abode with the wicked. He did not locate in Sodom, thinking to save Sodom. He placed himself & his family where the atmosphere would be as pure as possible. Then at times he went forth to the inhabitants of the world with his God-given message. Every visit he made to the world was painful to him. He saw & understood something of the leprosy of sin. After proclaiming his message, he always took back with him to his place of retirement some who had received the warning. Some of these became overcomers, & died before the Flood came. But some had lived so long in the corrupting influence of sin that they could not endure righteousness.
There never has been & never will be an age when the moral darkness will be so dense as when Enoch lived a life of irreproachable righteousness. 1BC 1087-1088
Every soul must have a realization that Christ is our personal Savior; then love & zeal & steadfastness will be manifest in the Christian life... FH 168
Christ may abide in our hearts by faith. ST May 18, 1891
I have frequently seen that the children of the Lord neglect prayer, especially secret prayer, altogether too much; that many do not exercise that faith which it is their privilege & duty to exercise, often waiting for that feeling which faith alone can bring. Feeling is not faith; the two are distinct. Faith is ours to exercise, but joyful feeling & the blessing are God’s to give. The grace of God comes to the soul through the channel of living faith, & that faith it is in our power to exercise.
True faith lays hold of & claims the promised blessing before it is realized & felt. We must send up our petitions in faith within the second veil, & let our faith take hold of the promised blessing, & claim it as ours. We are then to believe that we receive the blessing, because our faith has hold of it, & according to the word it is ours. When the promised blessing is realized & enjoyed, faith is swallowed up. But many suppose they have much faith when sharing largely of the Holy Spirit, & that they cannot have faith unless they feel the power of the Spirit. Such confound faith with the blessing that comes through faith.
The very time to exercise faith is when we feel destitute of the Spirit. When thick clouds of darkness seem to hover over the mind, then is the time to let living faith pierce the darkness & scatter the clouds.
True faith rests on the promises contained in the word of God, & those only who obey that word can claim its glorious promises.
I asked the angel why there was no more faith & power in Israel. He said: “Ye let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. Press your petitions to the throne, & hold on by strong faith. The promises are sure. Believe ye receive the things ye ask for, & ye shall have them.” I was then pointed to Elijah. He was subject to like passions as we are, & he prayed earnestly. His faith endured the trial. Seven times he prayed before the Lord, & at last the cloud was seen.
I saw that we had doubted the sure promises, & wounded the Saviour by our lack of faith. Said the angel, “Gird the armor about thee, & above all take the shield of faith; for that will guard the heart, the very life, from the fiery darts of the wicked.” If the enemy can lead the desponding to take their eyes off from Jesus, & look to themselves, & dwell upon their own unworthiness, instead of dwelling upon the worthiness of Jesus, His love, His merits, & His great mercy, he will get away their shield of faith, & gain his object; they will be exposed to his fiery temptations. The weak should therefore look to Jesus, & believe in Him; they then exercise faith. CET 126-127
As the true light dawned upon their minds, they exclaimed with rejoicing, “Christ is my priest; his blood is my sacrifice; his altar is my confessional.” They cast themselves wholly upon the merits of Jesus, repeating the words, “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
The assurance of a Saviour's love seemed too much for some of these poor tempest-tossed souls to realize. So great was the relief which it brought, such a flood of light was shed upon them, that they seemed transported to Heaven. Their hand was laid confidingly in the hand of Christ; their feet were planted upon the Rock of Ages. All fear of death was banished. They could now covet the prison & the fagot if they might thereby honor the name of their Redeemer. GC 88 74
There are few who really taste the sweetness of communion with the risen Saviour... There must be more beholding of our Saviour & more talking of heavenly things. GCB Apr. 23, 1901
The people who listened to the words of Christ were still anxiously watching for some announcement of the earthly kingdom. While Jesus was opening to them the treasures of heaven, the question uppermost in many minds was, How will a connection with Him advance our prospects in the world? Jesus shows that in making the things of the world their supreme anxiety they were like the heathen nations about them, living as if there were no God, whose tender care is over His creatures.
“All these things,” said Jesus, “do the nations of the world seek after.” “Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, & His righteousness; & all these things shall be added unto you.” I have come to open to you the kingdom of love & righteousness & peace. Open your hearts to receive this kingdom, & make its service your highest interest. Though it is a spiritual kingdom, fear not that your needs for this life will be uncared-for. If you give yourself to God's service, He who has all power in heaven & earth will provide for your needs.
We are to engage in no business, follow no pursuit, seek no pleasure, that would hinder the outworking of His righteousness in our character & life. Whatever we do is to be done heartily, as unto the Lord.
Jesus, while He dwelt on earth, dignified life in all its details by keeping before men the glory of God, & by subordinating everything to the will of His Father. If we follow His example, His assurance to us is that all things needful in this life “shall be added.” Poverty or wealth, sickness or health, simplicity or wisdom - all are provided for in the promise of His grace. MB 98-99
God's everlasting arm encircles the soul that turns to Him for aid, however feeble that soul may be. ...The city of God will open its golden gates to receive him who learned while on earth to lean on God for guidance & wisdom, for comfort & hope, amid loss & affliction. 4T 328
Do not think that the Christian life is free from temptation. Temptations will come to every Christian. Both the Christian & the one who does not accept Christ as his leader will have trials. The difference is that the latter is serving a tyrant, doing his mean drudgery, while the Christian is serving the One who died to give him eternal life. Do not look upon trial as something strange, but as the means by which we are to be purified & strengthened. “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations,” James admonishes, “knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” RH Jun. 9, 1910
To live such a life, to exert such an influence, costs at every step effort, self-sacrifice, discipline. It is because they do not understand this that many are so easily discouraged in the Christian life. Many who sincerely consecrate their lives to God’s service are surprised & disappointed to find themselves, as never before, confronted by obstacles & beset by trials & perplexities. They pray for Christlikeness of character, for a fitness for the Lord’s work, & they are placed in circumstances that seem to call forth all the evil of their nature. Faults are revealed of which they did not even suspect the existence. Like Israel of old they question, “If God is leading us, why do all these things come upon us?”
It is because God is leading them that these things come upon them. Trials & obstacles are the Lord’s chosen methods of discipline & His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He sees that some have powers & susceptibilities which, rightly directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these persons into different positions & varied circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects & to fit themselves for His service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to assail them that they may be purified.
The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to develop. If He saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His name, He would not spend time in refining us. He does not cast worthless stones into His furnace. It is valuable ore that He refines. The blacksmith puts the iron & steel into the fire that he may know what manner of metal they are. The Lord allows His chosen ones to be placed in the furnace of affliction to prove what temper they are of & whether they can be fashioned for His work.
The potter takes the clay & molds it according to his will. He kneads it & works it. He tears it apart & presses it together. He wets it & then dries it. He lets it lie for a while without touching it. When it is perfectly pliable, he continues the work of making of it a vessel. He forms it into shape & on the wheel trims & polishes it. He dries it in the sun & bakes it in the oven. Thus it becomes a vessel fit for use. So the great Master Worker desires to mold & fashion us. And as the clay is in the hands of the potter, so are we to be in His hands. We are not to try to do the work of the potter. Our part is to yield ourselves to be molded by the Master Worker.
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
In the full light of day, & in hearing of the music of other voices, the caged bird will not sing the song that his master seeks to teach him. He learns a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a separate & entire melody. But the master covers the cage, & places it where the bird will listen to the one song he is to sing. In the dark, he tries & tries again to sing that song until it is learned, & he breaks forth in perfect melody. Then the bird is brought forth, & ever after he can sing that song in the light. Thus God deals with His children. He has a song to teach us, & when we have learned it amid the shadows of affliction we can sing it ever afterward. HDL 8-10
The most trying experiences in the Christian life may be the most blessed. The special providences of the dark hours may encourage the soul in the future attacks of Satan, & equip the soul to stand most fiery trials. The trial of your faith is more precious than gold. But in order to endure the test, you must have that faith, that abiding confidence in God, that will not be disturbed by the arguments & temptations of the deceiver. Take the Lord at his word. Study the promises, & appropriate them as you have need. “Faith cometh by hearing, & hearing by the word of God.” Happy is the man, who, when tempted, finds his soul rich in the knowledge of the Scriptures, who finds shelter beneath the promises of God. “Thy word,” said the psalmist, “have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” We need that calm, steady faith, that undaunted moral courage, that none but Christ can give, in order that we may be braced for trial & strengthened for duty. RH Apr. 17, 1894
But when tribulation comes upon us, how many of us are like Jacob! We think it the hand of an enemy; & in the darkness we wrestle blindly until our strength is spent, & we find no comfort or deliverance. To Jacob the divine touch at break of day revealed the One with whom he had been contending - the Angel of the covenant; &, weeping & helpless, he fell upon the breast of Infinite Love, to receive the blessing for which his soul longed. We also need to learn that trials mean benefit, & not to despise the chastening of the Lord nor faint when we are rebuked of Him. MB 11
God permits trials to assail His people, that by their constancy & obedience they themselves may be spiritually enriched, & that their example may be a source of strength to others. The very trials that task our faith most severely & make it seem that God has forsaken us, are to lead us closer to Christ, that we may lay all our burdens at His feet & experience the peace which He will give us in exchange. MB 101
Every one of us will be sorely tempted; our faith will be tried to the uttermost. RH Nov. 17, 1885
The Lord permits His people to be subjected to the fiery ordeal of temptation, not because He takes pleasure in their distress & affliction, but because this process is essential to their final victory. GC 528
By God's mighty cleaver of truth we have been taken from the quarry of the world & brought into the workshop of the Lord to be prepared for a place in His temple. In this work the hammer & chisel must act their part, & then comes the polishing. Rebel not under this process of grace. You may be a rough stone, on which much work must be done before you are prepared for the place God designs you to fill. You need not be surprised if with the hammer & the chisel of trial God cuts away your defects of character. He alone can accomplish this work. And be assured that He will not strike one useless blow. RH June 20, 1907
God has shown me that He gave His people a bitter cup to drink, to purify & cleanse them... This bitter cup can be sweetened by patience, endurance, & prayer, & ...it will have its designed effect upon the hearts of those who thus receive it, & God will be honored & glorified. EW 47
Through conflict the spiritual life is strengthened. Trials well borne will develop steadfastness of character & precious spiritual graces. The perfect fruit of faith, meekness, & love often matures best amid storm clouds & darkness. CSA 24
"Then Daniel went to his house, & made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, & Azariah, his companions: that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel & his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.” Together the Hebrew youth presented the matter before God, & sought for wisdom from the Source of light & knowledge. Although for a time they had lived in the king’s court, surrounded with temptation, they had not forgotten their responsibility to God. They were strong in the consciousness that His providence had placed them where they were; that they were doing His work, & meeting the demands of duty. They had confidence toward God. In times past they had turned to Him for strength when in perplexity & danger, & He had been to them an ever-present help.
The servants of God did not plead with Him in vain. They had honored Him, & in their hour of trial He honored them. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Daniel & his fellows, & the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. He hastened to request an interview with the king.
The Jewish captive stood before the monarch of the most powerful empire that the sun ever shone upon. Notwithstanding his riches & glory, Nebuchadnezzar was in great distress of mind, but the youthful exile was calm & happy in his God. Then, if ever, was an opportunity for Daniel to exalt himself - to make prominent his own goodness & superior wisdom. But his first effort was to disclaim all honor for himself, & to exalt God as the Source of wisdom:
“The secret which the king hath demanded can not the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, & maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.”
Daniel proceeded to relate the dream. “Thy dream,” he declared, “& the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: & he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, & that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. YI Sept. 1, 1903
Christ has promised to be a present help in every time of need; but He has not told us that we shall be exempt from trials. On the contrary, He has plainly informed us that we shall have tribulation. To be tried & tested is a part of our moral discipline. Here we may learn the most valuable lessons, & obtain the most precious graces, if we will draw near to God, & endure all in His strength. LS 265
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect & entire, wanting nothing. James1:4
Many are dissatisfied with their lifework. It may be that their surroundings are uncongenial; their time is occupied with commonplace work, when they think themselves capable of higher responsibilities; often their efforts seem to them to be unappreciated or fruitless; their future is uncertain. HDL 11
Consider the experience of Moses. The education he received in Egypt as the king’s grandson & the prospective heir to the throne was very thorough. Nothing was neglected that was calculated to make him a wise man, as the Egyptians understood wisdom. He received the highest civil & military training. He felt that he was fully prepared for the work of delivering Israel from bondage. But God judged otherwise. His providence appointed Moses forty years of training in the wilderness as a keeper of sheep.
The education that Moses had received in Egypt was a help to him in many respects; but the most valuable preparation for his lifework was that which he received while employed as a shepherd. Moses was naturally of an impetuous spirit. In Egypt a successful military leader & a favorite with the king & the nation, he had been accustomed to receiving praise & flattery. He had attracted the people to himself. He hoped to accomplish by his own powers the work of delivering Israel. Far different were the lessons he had to learn as God’s representative. As he led his flocks through the wilds of the mountains & into the green pastures of the valleys, he learned faith & meekness, patience, humility, & self-forgetfulness. He learned to care for the weak, to nurse the sick, to seek after the straying, to bear with the unruly, to tend the lambs, & to nurture the old & the feeble.
In this work Moses was drawn nearer to the Chief Shepherd. He became closely united to the Holy One of Israel. No longer did he plan to do a great work. He sought to do faithfully as unto God the work committed to his charge. He recognized the presence of God in his surroundings. All nature spoke to him of the Unseen One. He knew God as a personal God, &, in meditating upon His character he grasped more & more fully the sense of His presence. He found refuge in the everlasting arms.
After this experience, Moses heard the call from heaven to exchange his shepherd’s crook for the rod of authority; to leave his flock of sheep & take the leadership of Israel. The divine command found him self-distrustful, slow of speech, & timid. He was overwhelmed with a sense of his incapacity to be a mouthpiece for God. But he accepted the work, putting his whole trust in the Lord. The greatness of his mission called into exercise the best powers of his mind. God blessed his ready obedience, & he became eloquent, hopeful, self-possessed, fitted for the greatest work ever given to man. Of him it is written: “There hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom Jehovah knew face to face.” HDL 13-15
Many are unable to make definite plans for the future. Their life is unsettled. They cannot discern the outcome of affairs, & this often fills them with anxiety & unrest. Let us remember that the life of God’s children in this world is a pilgrim life. We have not wisdom to plan our own lives. It is not for us to shape our future. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; & he went out, not knowing whither he went.”
...As we commit our ways to Him, He will direct our steps.
Too many, in planning for a brilliant future, make an utter failure. Let God plan for you. As a little child, trust to the guidance of Him who will “keep the feet of His saints.” God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning & discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him. HDL 18-19
Let us remember that while the work we have to do may not be our choice, it is to be accepted as God’s choice for us.
Whether pleasing or unpleasing, we are to do the duty that lies nearest. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
If the Lord desires us to bear a message to Nineveh, it will not be as pleasing to Him for us to go to Joppa or to Capernaum. He has reasons for sending us to the place toward which our feet have been directed. At that very place there may be someone in need of the help we can give. He who sent Philip to the Ethiopian councilor, Peter to the Roman centurion, & the little Israelitish maiden to the help of Naaman, the Syrian captain, sends men & women & youth today as His representatives to those in need of divine help & guidance. HDL 11
Many who profess to be Christ’s followers have an anxious, troubled heart because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him, for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender they cannot find peace.
Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish & a plain path before their feet.
The faithful discharge of today’s duties is the best preparation for tomorrow’s trials. Do not gather together all tomorrow’s liabilities & cares & add them to the burden of today. “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Let us be hopeful & courageous. Despondency in God’s service is sinful & unreasonable. He knows our every necessity. To the omnipotence of the King of kings our covenant-keeping God unites the gentleness & care of the tender shepherd. His power is absolute, & it is the pledge of the sure fulfillment of His promises to all who trust in Him. He has means for the removal of every difficulty, that those who serve Him & respect the means He employs may be sustained. His love is as far above all other love as the heavens are above the earth. He watches over His children with a love that is measureless & everlasting.
In the darkest days, when appearances seem most forbidding, have faith in God. He is working out His will, doing all things well in behalf of His people. The strength of those who love & serve Him will be renewed day by day. HDL 20-22
We should carefully consider what is our relation to God & to one another. We are continually sinning against God, but His mercy still follows us; in love He bears with our perversities, our neglect, our ingratitude, our disobedience. He never becomes impatient with us. We insult His mercy, grieve His Holy Spirit, & do Him dishonor before men & angels, & yet His compassions fail not. The thought of God’s long-suffering to us should make us forbearing to one another. How patiently should we bear with the faults & errors of our brethren when we remember how great are our own failings in the sight of God. TMK 181
Self-control on the part of all the members of the family will make home almost a paradise. ML 84
Patience implies that we have difficulties to encounter, annoyances to meet. The Word of God says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Anger provokes anger...
There will need to be a firm principle & fixedness of purpose not to offend in word or action our own conscience or the feelings of others. There must be a rising above the customs of the world in order to bear reproach, disappointment, losses, & crosses, without one murmur, but with uncomplaining dignity. 19MR 344
Now, I think many of these difficulties arise from misunderstanding & not hearing & interpreting correctly the words spoken. The exhortation of the apostle is safe always. “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” 6LtMs, Lt 75, 1890
If some expression of another does not meet your mind, wait. Do not be in a hurry to express your difference of opinion in matters that perplex you, lest you yield to the temptation to become irritated in spirit & speak unadvisedly. You have no right to be angry with the Lord’s workers because your mind is not prepared to harmonize with their plans & methods. Until you know of a surety that they are not making straight paths for their feet, wait. In patience possess your soul, & cleanse the soul temple of the passion which so easily springs into life, & which will hinder you from receiving the word with meekness of wisdom. 13LtMs, Lt 87, 1898
The work of the Lord must advance rapidly. We have not time to notice the objectionable words or actions of others. Let us not risk our soul’s healthfulness by speaking impatient words, whatever may be the attitude of others. 23LtMs, Lt 50, 1908
When the grace of meekness is cherished by those who are naturally sour or hasty in disposition, they will put forth the most earnest efforts to subdue their unhappy temper. Every day they will gain self-control, until that which is unlovely & unlike Jesus is conquered. They become assimilated to the Divine Pattern, until they can obey the inspired injunction, “Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” SL 15