Miller, Walter
“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
September 1, 1897
Previously unpublished.
Dear Brother in Christ Jesus:
I am very much grieved because of your present affliction. If I were not so far away, I would come to you. But as this cannot be, I will bear this trial with you as far as possible. Do not, I beg of you, lose your faith. Come to the Lord with your wife. Now that the cloud has gathered about her, you must believe for her. Let her mind be as free as possible; but you must draw nigh to God. Your faith must take hold of a “Thus saith the Lord.” You must “look and live.” [Numbers 21:8.] The Lord will hear your petitions. Pray to Him. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 1
This is a trial of your faith, but if you learn the lesson that God designs you to learn from this distressing development, your experience will be of great value to you. Closely examine your own heart, and cut away everything that would interpose between your soul and God. Have faith that will pierce through the hellish shadow of Satan. Let nothing be retained that will hinder your prayers. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 2
You are to feel that this affliction is for the glory of God, to test you, to prove you. Cherish the idea that you are in the presence of God. Constantly bear this in mind. Charge your mind with this: Soul, thou art in the presence of God, thy King and thy Redeemer. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 3
One thing that we all need much is seasons for private prayer, that the mind may be enabled to remember the mercy and goodness of God, and to thank Him with heart and soul and voice for every favor. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 4
All our blessings come from Him who is too wise to err, and too good to do us harm. Harm comes to us because our moral power is too weak to perceive and repel the suggestions of the enemy. If, by recounting God’s goodness and lovingkindness, His mercy and love, we trained our minds to realize our duty and our obligations to Him, we should daily have a fresh, bright experience that would show no dryness or withering blight and decay. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 5
Shall we not cherish the habit of thinking often of the Word of the Lord to us, so full of rich promises and assurances? We have business to attend to in this life. But in our necessary business we need the help of the Lord as much as in our religious service, that we may perform it in accordance with His will. If you will seek to keep the Lord ever before you, allowing your heart to go out in praise and thanksgiving to Him, you will have a continual freshness in your religious life. Your prayers will take the form of a conversation with God, as a person would talk to a friend. Often there will come to you a sweet, joyful sense of the presence of Jesus. You will feel as if you were telling Him your wants face to face. Thus it was that Enoch walked with God. Will you not try to obtain this experience? Then your highest joy will be to feel yourself in the presence of God. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 6
This experience we all may have. We shall then be insensible to the rebuffs and trials that come to every human being. O, if we could only realize the privilege that is ours, the privilege of resting in Jesus as a child rests in its mother’s arms. We can drink in the spirit and freshness of the life of God. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” [Psalm 34:8.] We have yet to learn always to consult the will of God, and put His will before our own. When we keep Christ ever before us, when we set our hearts on being like our friend Jesus Christ, who has chosen us, and called us friends, His friends, when we contemplate His character, we shall so love Him that we shall place ourselves where we can be ruled and taught by Him who is wisdom Himself. He is our sanctification and our righteousness. But O, so many put our Christ so far away from their thoughts. He does not appear to them as their best friend. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 7
The more we contemplate Christ, the more we realize what He is to us by what He has done for us, the more we shall love Him. We will give up everything to Him who has given Himself to us without reservation. He gave us all He could give—His own life. What have we given Him? “Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] This will not be an easy matter at first, but pray, and believe that the Lord hears your prayer. Then practice your prayers, giving to Him, who has bought you with such a price, your undivided affections. Thus all the difficulties may be overcome. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 8
The trouble with many is that they do not know the true and living God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, we will keep nothing back from Him. Our life will be a life of continual obedience, in things small as well as great. The language of the men and women who give themselves to God without reserve is, “Thy will, not mine be done.” [See Luke 22:42.] 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 9
It is profitable to cherish the thought that Jesus gave His life to redeem us from sin, to save us fully and entirely to Himself as beings that belong to God, soul, body, and spirit. Thus we carry with us a sense that we are not our own, but God’s. We say, I will think no thoughts, I will speak no words, I will perform no actions that I would not do in the conscious presence of God. My ear shall be opened to listen to a “Thus saith the Lord.” He has shown me how I may evidence my love for Him. “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” [John 14:15, 13.] 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 10
For our own good, and for the good of those connected with us, let us make diligent work for time. Then we shall be making the best work for eternity. In your affliction, search your heart carefully, and see if anything is retained that should be cut away. My brother, call for your brethren, and present your case before them. Ask their prayers, and unite with them. The Lord has pledged His Word that He will hear and answer. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 11
In love. 12LtMs, Lt 93, 1897, par. 12