ANY saint of God may have tears in the trying experiences of the journey in the narrow way, but none is excusable for murmuring. Rather, each should say with the Master, "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" To those who approach the springs of bitterness with the proper faith in God as did Moses, the Lord makes known precious promises, which "steal the bitter from life's woes." As the Israelites were led from the bitter waters to Elim and its rest and shade, so God's spiritual Israel are not tempted and tried above what they are able to bear. Z'13-217 R5278:6 (Hymn 112)

BE OUR sacrifice ever so lame and imperfect, it is reckoned holy and without blemish if we presented it to the Father in and through the merit of our Redeemer; and if "holy and acceptable" through him (Romans 12:1; I Peter 2:5), the reward of sacrifice is ours, be our offering ever so small. But it must be a free will offering, and it must be a whole burnt offering; not the smallest piece can be kept back from the consuming fire of the altar. And none who have the Spirit of the Master will seek to keep back a part of their little all; they will feel, indeed, on the contrary, that at most it is but as offering dross for a jewel, for a pearl of great value. Z'89-Aug., p.1 R1133:1 (Hymn 325)

HOLINESS is not a charm which we may put in our pockets; it is not a garment which may be worn occasionally. Holiness resembles more the tempering of a piece of metal; it enters into the entire fiber, changing its general characteristics; it is transforming in its influence. True, there is a holiness reckoned to the Lord's people in the robe of Christ's righteousness, which is granted to us when first we turn from sin, accept the Redeemer, and consecrate ourselves to God. But this is not sufficient. We must work into our characters that which we have willed—or, as the apostle expresses it, we must allow the Lord to work in us the holy will, and the holy conduct which must necessarily accompany the holy will, as opportunity and conditions will permit. Z'15-233 R5739:3 (Hymn 219)

QUITE a good many who bear the name of Christ have a hope toward God as respects the future, but very little of the joys of his salvation in the present time. Such are not living up to their privileges. They have not properly grown up into Christ, their living Head. They need to increase their faith by adding to it fortitude, knowledge, patience, godliness, love of the brethren, and love in general. As they thus comply with the terms of the school of Christ they will more and more be able to say not only that the Lord has lifted their feet from the horrible pit of sin and death and placed them upon the Rock Jesus Christ but also to add "He hath put a new song in my mouth, even the loving-kindness of our God." Z'05-31 R3496:5 (Hymn 113)

THE closer we live to the Lord, and the greater our faith, the more we shall realize the divine direction, and the more we shall make use of the means he has provided for our strengthening and upholding. We may call upon him in time of trouble; we may go to him in prayer; and he never fails those who put their trust in him and earnestly seek to walk in his appointed way. This being true, we may go forth upon our journey in perfect trust and confidence. Having consecrated our all to the Lord, we are to seek for his guidance, for his presence is with us in all the affairs of our life. Z'14-296 R5548:3 (Hymn 180)

THE saints can praise God more intelligently and fully now than ever before. We can see our Lord's character better, because much of the ignorance, misconception, mysteries, and obscurity have fled away. God's Word is shining out with more brightness than ever. We cannot see that our Brother John Calvin could have had very much of the high-sounding praises of God in his mouth; for it is surely not a high-sounding praise to declare that our God would assign thousands of millions of humanity to an eternity of torture. Nor can it be said of people today who teach this same horrible doctrine, that they have the high-sounding praises of God in their mouths....There are no high-sounding praises connected with any such beliefs and teachings. But the Lord's people who keep close to his Word are now able to tell forth the wondrous story of God's love, wisdom, justice, and power as never before. Z'15-347 R5804:4 (Hymn 96)

IT IS well that the Lord's people strive to live a rejoicing life, giving thanks always to the Father in all things, and rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer shame, etc., for the cause of Christ. But as the apostle elsewhere declares, Let us rejoice with fear; let not our rejoicing be of that reckless, self-satisfying kind which might ensnare and entrap us; let our rejoicing be in him who loved us and who bought us and who is ever present with us, our best Friend and truest Guide. Let us rejoice, not in feelings of our own strength and courage and wisdom, but in the fact that we have a Savior and a great One, who is able to deliver to the utmost all that come unto the Father through him. Thus may the Lord be our strength, our confidence, our shield, our buckler. Z'06-347 R3886:3 (Hymn 93)

WHATEVER we may do for any member of the body of Christ, for any consecrated believer, the Lord tells us he will esteem as though it were done unto him. Hence as it would be our duty and our privilege and our joy to lay down our lives in the service of the Lord, we must attain to such a love for the brethren, because they are his, that we will delight to lay down our lives for them as a means of demonstrating to the Lord our loyalty to him and his cause. This does not necessarily mean the laying down of physical strength and health and life in the physical services and ministries to the brethren, though these may be and are in many instances very profitable. It is not according to the flesh that the Lord's followers are brethren, but according to the Spirit, and hence the injunction to lay down our lives for the brethren would more particularly signify the laying down of our physical health or strength, knowledge, talents, and means in the service of the spiritual interests of the Lord's people. As, for instance, in the preaching of the truth, if there be sacrifices or self-denials, loss of strength, etc., in connection with this service, it is the laying down of that much of one's life for the brethren, for the fellow-members of the body of Christ. Z'07-36 R3932:6 (Hymn 191)

LOVE for the brethren is set forth in the Scriptures as one of the indisputable evidences of our having attained membership in the body of Christ. This love may be of varying degrees, but it must be ours in some degree if we are the Lord's, for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his." (Romans 8:9) But this flame of sacred love for the brethren kindled in our hearts is not sufficient; it must blaze, burn, and produce in us not merely a warmth of love, but a consuming love—love which will not only overlook various weaknesses and imperfections in the brotherhood and will carefully note every good quality, but love which is ready to lay down life on behalf of the brethren because they are of his consecrated ones, however much they may need to strive against sin and weaknesses. Z'07-35 R3932:2 (Hymn 218)

WE BELIEVE that without a love for truth none will be favored with the light of "present truth." More than this, we hold that if sincere love for truth—honesty of thought and deed—be yielded, sacrificed to pride, ambition, vainglory, or any other thing, the result will be the loss of present truth. Let us ever keep in memory our Lord's message through the apostle, that now in the end of this age he will send strong delusion, that all may believe a lie who have pleasure in untruth—who received not the truth in the love of it. Let us guard our consciences, realizing that their perversion would surely work our injury, our alienation from the Lord, and our rejection from his service now and hereafter. Z'06-277 R3847:5 (Hymn 49)

THE apostles as witnesses were not merely to tell about the Redeemer's virgin birth, nor merely about his holy, devoted life, nor merely of our Lord's resurrection, nor merely of his ascension, but in addition to all these facts they were to tell that he was a properly qualified Redeemer, that he met all the conditions of the Law, and that now he ever liveth to succor those who come unto the Father through him. How faithfully the apostles performed their mission! How truly, as the Apostle Paul declared, they shunned not to declare the whole counsel! Worldly wisdom might intimate that to own a Master and Teacher who had been executed as a felon would be to their discredit, and thoroughly hinder them from progress in gathering followers to their Leader. But these faithful witnesses consulted not with flesh and blood as to what they should preach—they told the story simply in all of its details, not neglecting even those of Peter and Judas, and the disputing as to which should be greatest, etc. The truth in the simplicity in which God intended it to be delivered has evidently come down to us in the Bible account. Z'06-396 R3911:3 (Hymn 23)

WHILE we contemplate this high exaltation of the Master let us not forget that his bride is to be joint-heir with him in all of his glory, honor, and immortality, and that the privilege of becoming members of the bride class belongs to the "called, chosen, faithful", the "very elect" of this Gospel age. If we could but have this in mind continually, what manner of persons would we be in all holy conversation and godliness— how trifling all earthly pleasures and sorrows, all riches and poverty, all weakness and debasement would seem to us! so intense would we be in our desire to make our calling and election sure to those exceeding great and precious promises. Z'07-121 R3979:4 (Hymn 25)

THESE are wonderful words of life, indeed! They inspire us with hope. If God will accept perfect heart intentions instead of the absolute perfection of the flesh, then, indeed, we have hope of attaining to the standard which he has marked for us—the standard of perfection. We can walk after, or according to the Spirit. So far as our mortal bodies are concerned we cannot walk up to the Spirit's requirements, but our minds can walk according to the Spirit; our intentions can be perfect; and what our Heavenly Father seeks in us is perfection of intention and as perfect control of our flesh as possible. Z'11-340 R4869:5 (Hymn 267)

AS THE effect of Israel's tribulation was to turn their hearts toward the Lord and to lead them to cry out for his promised assistance, so all of our trying experiences with the world, the flesh, and the Adversary and the bondage of sin and death—all these appeal to the new creatures in Christ who have the Father's promise. All this leads us more and more to look unto the Lord from whom cometh our help, and to wait for his Son from heaven, and to expect the deliverance of the groaning creation at his second advent. Is it not true, then, that present distresses and tribulations are all working out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, if we are rightly exercised thereby? And if as true Israelites we have confidence in the Abrahamic promise, we have it, as the apostle describes, as an anchor to our souls both sure and stedfast, entering into that which is beyond the veil, whither our Forerunner is entered for us—and has made atonement for us—and from whence he provides us the blessed deliverance which we hope soon to experience in the resurrection change, when, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be made like him, see him as he is, and share his glory. Z'07-127 R3983:6 (Hymn 56)

WHAT lesson can the "New Creation" of the present time draw from this story of olden time? David, whose name signifies beloved, in many respects typified The Christ, Head and body. His experience with Goliath illustrates well, first of all our Lord's conflict with the Adversary during the forty days' temptation in the wilderness. Our Lord's victory over Satan on that occasion, his loyalty to the Father and the work entrusted to him, his own self-sacrifice, meant the victory for all the world of mankind desirous of being in harmony with God and his arrangements. Did he not declare to us, "Fear not, I have overcome the world"? In overcoming Satan, the prince of this world, he was gaining at the same time a victory over all the hosts of evil and servants of sin. He stood faithful to God and to his covenant relationship and responsibility and hurled at the Adversary the pebble of truth, "It is written." As Goliath fell before David, so Satan was vanquished by our Lord, who declared, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven," and declared also as a result of his victory, "All power is given me in heaven and in earth," and sent forth his disciples in his name similarly to battle in his strength and to come off conquerors and to ultimately share with him in his kingdom, which is to "bless all the families of the earth." Z'08-233 R4216:4 (Hymn App. G)

THE purer the person, the more surely will he be the target. You notice that the speckled birds are more a mark for the huntsman than are the others. Thus all who are bearing the vessels of the Lord's house are special targets for the fiery darts of the wicked one. So we must contend against the world, the flesh, and the Adversary. Those who are in the right condition of heart, the pure in heart, earnest as the Lord's children, watch to keep their garments clean. Unless they watch, they will surely get their garments defiled. Satan is especially endeavoring to touch them; and we know that wherever he would touch there is defilement. Whomever the wicked one touches receives a measure of injury. And there is a measure of culpability in the individual before he is touched. Z'13-185 R5259:5 (Hymn 258)

ARE we not as the Lord's people in this harvest time drawing close to the Gethsemane hour of the church? Are we not already in the hour of temptation to a considerable extent? Will not the last members of the body soon follow the Head unto complete sacrifice? How ready are we for the ordeal? Are we asleep, or are we heeding the words of the apostle, They that sleep sleep in the night, but we who are of the day should be awake, sober, putting on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand in this evil day, in the time of trial already upon us, and in the still severer trials which no doubt will be ours in the near future? Are we prepared for the time when there will possibly be a general scattering, as these "all forsook him and fled"? How courageous we will be in our hour of trial will probably depend much upon our following the Master's example and securing first of all that positive conviction that we have the divine approval. Let us not, then, avoid the Gethsemane moment if it come to us in the Lord's providence, but let us also with strong cryings and tears look up to him who is able to save us out of death by the glorious first resurrection, and let us remember that we have an Advocate, we have a helper. The Lord is our angel who speaks to us the Father's message, telling us that if we abide in his love all will be right in the end, and that he is able and willing to bring us off conquerors, yea, more than conquerors through his own merit. Z'06-348 R3886:6 (Hymn 120)

GOD has arranged for our learning certain lessons of self-control, bringing ourselves into full obedience to God in a voluntary way, with a view to our being his representatives by and by, and of then enforcing obedience to God's requirements on the part of the world. It is a generally accepted principle that no one is qualified to rule others who has not himself learned obedience. At the cost of great suffering our Lord Jesus learned what obedience means. He promptly and fully submitted himself to God. This spirit of Christ is to be manifested and developed in us, that we shall thus be ready for the future work of The Christ, the work of the millennial age. Z'16-132 R5890:2 (Hymn 4)

NO MAN ever puts on armor unless he expects to fight. If he is a soldier of the cross, the "sword of the Spirit" is the great weapon with which he will prove his loyalty and strength. The brethren should build each other up in the most holy faith, fighting the good fight, and showing their loyalty to the Lord and to the truth. (Jude 20; I Timothy 6:12) Those who succumb to the influences of darkness show themselves unworthy of the new order of things, and they may not expect to be sharers with Christ in his kingdom, but to be among those rejected of the Lord as unworthy. Z'12-288 R5098:2 (Hymn 266)

WHILE we longingly look forward to our glorious station of the future, when the glory of the Lord shall fill the Temple, when "we shall know as we are known," let us not forget that unless we are submissive to the molding and fashioning influences of the school of Christ we shall be set aside. Our names will be blotted out of that special role and our crowns apportioned to others. It is in full view of the possibilities of so great a loss of so great a prize that the apostle wrote, "Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should seem to come short." The cultivation of pride along any line, the development of an unsanctified ambition, are amongst the greatest dangers to these living stones now in preparation. Such flaws developed would render us unfit for this special service. And if they should develop in us headiness or high-mindedness, they would probably also develop envy, malice, hatred, strife, evil speaking, evil surmisings, all of which are contrary to the Spirit of Christ and would soon render such "none of his." Z'08-376 R4297:5 (Hymn 198)

THIS discrepancy between the new will, the new mind, and the mind of the flesh and the flesh itself, both reckoned as dead but really quite alive, requiring continual vigilance to restrain them and keep them in line with the new creature's intentions, means quite a fight, and success in this fight means a victory, and victory in this fight is what the Lord proposes to reward with the special honors and blessings proffered during this Gospel age....A part of this filthiness of the mind is selfishness, which frequently is so mean as to be ashamed of itself, to seek to hide itself under various pretexts of generosity, etc., and by outward ostentation, gifts, etc. Other features of the filthiness of the mind are jealousy, covetousness, ambition. These various forms of selfishness are all to be recognized, as the apostle declares, as of evil origin, works of the flesh and of the devil. Lasciviousness or sensuality is a further part of this filthiness—another form of selfishness or love of self-indulgence. With all of these conditions of the mind, the new creature should be in opposition to the extent of despising them, fighting against them, destroying them. Z'07-134 R3986:2  (Hymn 103)

AS PERFECT love casts out fear, so also it casts out false impressions of evil doing or intention toward us. The benevolent heart, full of love for others, will rather prefer to suppose that slights are unintentional oversights, or to put some other similar good construction upon the conduct of their friends, only yielding to an appreciation of persecution when its intention is unmistakable. Even then it should think generously of the persecutor, realize his share in the fall, and be disposed to pray for those who despitefully use them and persecute them. Blessed are such ones who thus hold to righteousness and the spirit of love toward their enemies and persecutors, and who may be sure, therefore, that they are being persecuted for the fidelity to truth and righteousness and not for personal idiosyncracies and peculiarities. Blessed are they, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The Lord is looking for those who are so faithful to the principles of righteousness that they will exercise it toward their enemies even when being persecuted by them and on its account. If the kingdom of heaven is for such it is assuredly but a little flock. Let us strive the more diligently to be of that little flock—to make our calling and election sure. Z'06-74 R3736:2 (Hymn 296)

WE SHOW our appreciation of God's mercy toward us by schooling ourselves in his character and becoming more and more merciful and generous toward all the household of faith. And if merciful toward the brethren, naturally we would be generous also toward all men. In other words, as we remember and appreciate our own weaknesses and blemishes, it will make us sympathetic with the brethren and with all mankind. And mercy, generosity, sympathy, God delights in. Such as cultivate these graces of the Spirit will be pleasing in the Lord's sight, and they will thereby be fitted and prepared to have a share with Jesus in his throne of glory; for that great messianic kingdom will be established for the very purpose of showing mercy unto thousands of mankind, who will return to divine favor and blessing, under clearer knowledge and with the assistance that will then be afforded. Z'12-359 R5135:2 (Hymn 63)

ALL of the wise virgin class should be in the attitude commanded in this parable. They should have a knowledge of the fact that the Bridegroom is coming; they should have lamps and a full supply of oil. Those living in this ready condition will be neither alarmed nor surprised at the message when they hear it as it is now going forth: "Behold, the Bridegroom is present." We are living in the parousia (presence) of the Son of Man—the wise virgins are already falling into line in the procession and entering in to the marriage; the full number will soon be found and the door will be shut. All in this watching attitude of heart, with the full measure of the Spirit of the Lord in their hearts will be very quickly attracted by the first intimation that the Bridegroom is present. These, trimming their lamps, examining the Scriptures, will quickly discern the truthfulness of the announcement, and speedily prepare and take their places with the wise virgins. The announcement, the truth upon this subject, is indeed a testing, proving which of the professed virgins of the Lord have the oil in their vessels, the right spirit of humility, patience, love, devotion, interest in the things of the Bridegroom. Such and such only are desired by the Bridegroom or will be permitted to enter. Z'06-315 R3869:4 (Hymn 318)

SOMETIMES it might seem like contention for the faith once delivered to the saints for one person to argue with another on scriptural subjects, and yet his real motive in so doing might be pride. Pride is a part of selfishness; therefore in contending for his own ideas one might be cultivating pride. The contention which God would approve is that earnest desire to have whatever God's Word teaches. We must not contend with the tongue improperly, nor speak slanderously. In all of our contentions we should manifest the fruits of the Holy Spirit—gentleness, brotherly kindness, love. Thus the proper contention would not partake of anger, hatred, malice, or strife. Z'12-215 R5057:4 (Hymn 329)

THE question naturally arises, Why should God test faith rather than works? The answer is that all kinds of works are dependent upon the ability of the worker, and that the whole race of Adam has become unable to do perfect works, on account of the fall of their first parents. None can be perfectly just, perfectly wise, perfectly loving; to be so in our present imperfect condition is impossible. Therefore, in his wisdom and love, God avoids making his test along those lines in which we are absolutely incompetent, and makes it along the line of faith—in his wisdom, his love, and his promises. To doubt any of these would be to weaken the basis of our hope. We realize that we are in a fallen condition, that we are dying like the remainder of the race. We have heard through the Word of God that he has provided a Savior, but we see that things continue much as they were, despite all that God and Christ have done. Our faith, however, assures us that God, who knew the end from the beginning, is working all things according to the counsel of his own will and that in due time he will establish righteousness in the earth. Z'12-321 R5115:2 (Hymn 197)

IT IS when we get the grand sweep of the divine plan that we can see God's ultimate purpose of vanquishing sin and blessing all the families of the earth with the knowledge of his goodness and with a favorable opportunity for reformation—when we come to see that the election of the Jewish age and also of this Gospel age are but means to that grand end of blessing the world. Then we begin to discern how high are God's ways above man's ways and God's plans above man's schemes, and to discern the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of God's love and provision for the blessing of the world. And proportionately as we look upon this glorious picture we are strengthened by his might in the inner man, and lifted out of our narrowness and selfishness, and more and more constituted images of God's dear Son, and thus also images of the Heavenly Father. O, then, that we might each and all be of those who are known of the Lord as the "very elect"—one of those whom he will use in the present time in connection with his present work of electing the little flock, and will be used by and by in his great work of blessing all the families of the earth. What trials and difficulties we might well endure with such a prospect! Z'07-93 R3964:4 (Hymn 58)

WHENEVER a new trial is presented to the Christian, if he will but call to mind this precept of the Lord, it will stimulate courage, nerve to patient endurance, and quicken to self-sacrifice. "Gold tried in the fire"! How can it be tried without the crucible and the flame? How otherwise can the dross be eliminated? There is no other way. Wherefore, "think it not strange"; let the fire burn; let the dross be consumed; and see to it, beloved, that in the heat of the flame you remove not the "living sacrifice" from the altar. Remember that the eye of the great Refiner is upon you; and as the refiner of gold watches the metal in the crucible to see his image reflected in it, so the Lord, the great Refiner, has his eye upon you. He is watching to see how the precious metal of your character reflects his image. Or, in plain language, in every trial he watches to see what influences control our actions, whether they be influences of present advantage or worldly policy, or personal friendship, or earthly loves—of husband or wife, or children, or houses, or lands, or whether they be honor among men, or love of ease, or love of peace at any cost; or whether, on the other hand, we are controlled by the naked principles of truth and righteousness; and whether we will defend these principles with zeal and energy at any cost of labor or suffering, or both, and so fight the good fight of faith to the bitter end—even unto death. Z'96-44 R1944:5 (Hymn 93)

THIS means, set yourselves apart to God, and he will set you apart. We have a part in this work, and God has a part. If we make a full consecration, God will consecrate us; he will accept us and set us apart for himself. He gives us the indication of this acceptance in the begetting of his Holy Spirit. Such soon begin to realize that they have a new mind, a new disposition, a new heart. It is of this class that the Apostle Paul speaks in the text, "This is the will of God" concerning you, "even your sanctification"—you who have consecrated yourselves to him and whom he has accepted and consecrated, has set apart for his service. Z'16-100 R5877:3 (Hymn 208)

THERE is a certain difference between the words sanctification and consecration, though they are sometimes used almost interchangeably. The word consecrate has the thought of surrender. Consecration is a definite step, taken at a certain moment. It is the yielding up of the will and of all to God. Whoever has not thus definitely surrendered his will, himself, to the Lord, has never made a real consecration. We believe that there is no step more necessary to be seen clearly by God's professed people than this one, and none more necessary to be made plain to others. The word sanctification not only has in it the thought of this definite and complete consecration at the beginning, but also takes in the entire process of transformation of character and preparation for the kingdom. It progresses throughout the Christian course until the character is fully developed and ripened, and it must then be maintained until the end of the way. Z'16-99 R5876:6 (Hymn 196)