Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

who accompany their husbands should go to labor unitedly with them. They must notexpect to be free from trials and disappointments. They should not think too much ofpleasant feelings. What have feelings to do with duty?I was cited the case of Abraham. God said to him, “Take now thy son, thine onlyson Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him therefor a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” Abrahamobeyed God. He did not consult his feelings, but with a noble faith and confidence inGod he prepared for his journey. With a heart rent with anguish he beheld the proudand loving mother gazing with fond affection upon the son of promise. But he led thatloved son away. Abraham suffered, yet he did not let his will rise in rebellion againstthe will of God. Duty, stern duty, controlled him. He dared not consult his feelings oryield to them for one moment. His only son walked by the side of the stern, loving,suffering father, talking engagedly, uttering over and over the fond name of father, andthen inquiring: “Where is the sacrifice?” Oh, what a test for the faithful father! Angelslooked with pleased wonder upon the scene. The faithful servant of God even boundhis beloved son and laid him upon the wood. The knife was raised, when an angel criedout: “Abraham, Abraham.... Lay not thine hand upon the lad.”I saw that it is no light thing to be a Christian. It is a small matter to profess theChristian name; but it is a great and sacred thing to live a Christian life. There is but alittle time now to secure the immortal crown, to have a record of good acts and fulfilledduties recorded in heaven. Every tree is judged by its fruit. Everyone will be judgedaccording to his deeds, not his profession or his faith. The question will never be asked,How much did he profess? but, What fruit did he bear? If the tree is corrupt, the fruitis evil. If the tree is good, it cannot produce evil fruit.454