Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

234 Testimonies for the Church Volume 1[242]His temples, and the blood to flow from that holy brow. Hear thatmurderous throng eagerly crying for the blood of the Son of God. Heis delivered into their hands, and they lead the noble sufferer away,pale, weak, and fainting, to His crucifixion. He is stretched upon thewooden cross, and the nails are driven through His tender hands andfeet. Behold Him hanging upon the cross those dreadful hours ofagony until the angels veil their faces from the horrid scene, and thesun hides its light, refusing to behold. Think of these things, and thenask, Is the way too strait? No, no.In a divided, halfhearted life, you will find doubt and darkness.You cannot enjoy the consolations of religion, neither the peace whichthe world gives. Do not sit down in Satan’s easy chair of do-little, butarise, and aim at the elevated standard which it is your privilege toattain. It is a blessed privilege to give up all for Christ. Look not at thelives of others and imitate them and rise no higher. You have only onetrue, unerring Pattern. It is safe to follow Jesus only. Determine thatif others act on the principle of the spiritual sluggard you will leavethem and march forward toward the elevation of Christian character.Form a character for heaven. Sleep not at your post. Deal faithfullyand truly with your own soul.You are indulging an evil which threatens to destroy your spirituality.It will eclipse all the beauty and interest of the sacred pages. Itis love for storybooks, tales, and other reading which does not have aninfluence for good upon the mind that is in any way dedicated to theservice of God. It produces a false, unhealthy excitement, fevers theimagination, unfits the mind for usefulness, and disqualifies it for anyspiritual exercise. It weans the soul from prayer and love of spiritualthings. Reading that will throw light upon the sacred volume, andquicken your desire and diligence to study it, is not dangerous, butbeneficial. You were represented to me with your eyes turned fromthe Sacred Book and intently fixed upon exciting books, which aredeath to religion. The oftener and more diligently you peruse theScriptures, the more beautiful will they appear, and the less relish willyou have for light reading. The daily study of the Scriptures will havea sanctifying influence upon the mind. You will breathe a heavenlyatmosphere. Bind this precious volume to your hearts. It will prove toyou a friend and guide in perplexity.