Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

Behold Him clothed in that old purple kingly robe. Hear the coarse jest and cruelmocking. See them place upon that noble brow the crown of thorns, and then smiteHim with a reed, causing the thorns to penetrate His temples, and the blood to flowfrom that holy brow. Hear that murderous throng eagerly crying for the blood of theSon of God. He is delivered into their hands, and they lead the noble sufferer away,pale, weak, and fainting, to His crucifixion. He is stretched upon the wooden cross,and the nails are driven through His tender hands and feet. Behold Him hanging uponthe cross those dreadful hours of agony until the angels veil their faces from the horridscene, and the sun 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 enjoythe consolations of religion, neither the peace which the world gives. Do not sit downin Satan’s easy chair of do-little, but arise, and aim at the elevated standard which itis your privilege to attain. It is a blessed privilege to give up all for Christ. Look notat the lives of others and imitate them and rise no higher. You have only one true,unerring Pattern. It is safe to follow Jesus only. Determine that if others act on theprinciple of the spiritual sluggard you will leave them and march forward toward theelevation of Christian character. Form a character for heaven. Sleep not at your post.Deal faithfully and truly with your own soul.You are indulging an evil which threatens to destroy your spirituality. It will eclipseall the beauty and interest of the sacred pages. It is love for storybooks, tales, and otherreading which does not have an influence for good upon the mind that is in any waydedicated to the service of God. It produces a false, unhealthy excitement, fevers theimagination, unfits the mind for usefulness, and disqualifies it for241