THE WORK BEFORE US

God wants to work for His people and for His institutions—for every sanitarium, every publishing house, and every school. But He wants no more mammoth buildings erected; for they are a share. For years He has told His people this. He wants plants made in many places. Let the light shine forth. Do not try to show what great things you can do. Let God work through you. Do all in your power to establish a memorial for God in every city where such a memorial has not been established.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.4

God wants the Southern field worked. He wants this work taken up in earnest. All the means in the treasury is not to be sent into foreign lands. In our own land there is a field and a people needing help. The barrenness of this field, the ignorance and destitution of the people, rise as a reproach against us. And yet we profess to be serving the God of heaven. The Lord calls upon every man to do his appointed work. He calls upon us to stand in the place where He can use us as His instruments. He wants us to go to Him for help. We are not to lean upon human beings, but upon the living God. Our question is to be. What can I do to proclaim the third angel’s message? Christ came to this world to give this message to His servant to give to the churches. It is to be proclaimed to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. How are we to give it? If we can not gain entrance to the churches, we must give the message in our camp-meetings. The distribution of our literature is another means by which the message is to be proclaimed. Let the workers scatter broadcast tracts and leaflets and books containing the message for this time. We need men who will stand with unswerving faith in Israel’s God. We need colporters who will go forth to circulate our publications everywhere.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.5

The Lord needs printing offices. But He has shown us that He is not pleased with the way in which the work has been carried forward. Something is wrong. He wants to bring us into the place where we can understand His will concerning us. He is speaking to us. Let us strive to understand what He wants us to do.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.6

Brethren and sisters, we have no time to dwell on little differences. For Christ’s sake, to your knees in prayer! Go to God, and ask Him to give you a clean heart. Ask Him to help you to stand where He wants you to be. Labor in harmony with one another, even though you are not alike. Do you not know that of the leaves on a tree there are no two exactly alike? From this God would teach us that among His servants there is to be unity in diversity.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.7

Bring all the pleasantness that you can into your lives. Do not make your mind a depository for the enemy’s rubbish. Do not let trifling differences destroy your fellowship with one another. Do not say that because your brethren differ with you in some particular you can not stand by their side in service. They do not differ with you any more than you differ with them.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.8

We are commanded to love one another as Christ has loved us. So great was His love for us that He willingly gave His life for us. And our love for one another is to make us willing to sacrifice our feelings and ideas, if by so doing we can help them.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.9

Are we standing on the platform of eternal truth? Are we giving the message that is to prepare a people to stand in the day of trial before us? God is calling upon every one of us to stand in his lot and in his place. He is calling upon us to plant the standard of truth in the places that have not heard the message.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.10

For years the word has been coming to this people telling them what to do. In every city in America the truth is to be proclaimed. In every country of the world the warning message is to be given. Remember that when churches are raised up in America, there are brought into the truth those who can enter God’s service as workers. When the work is done that should be done in America, there will be brought into the truth those who will help with their talents of intellect and with their means to carry forward the work for these last days.GCB March 30, 1903, page 10.11

Centralizing in Battle Creek, putting up so many buildings there, has robbed other places of light. Means has been used in this way that should have been used in proclaiming the truth in other cities, thus raising up workers of talent and ability.GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.1

Brethren, shall we have faith in God? Shall we make an individual preparation to meet Him in peace, or shall we spend our time looking for defects in our fellow-workers? When self is crucified, when the heart is purified from all dross, the words and actions will be as pure gold. During this meeting, instead of going to one and another and talking unbelief, will you not speak when God tells you to speak, and then hold your peace? Will you not ask, as Moses did, for a revelation of God’s character. “Show me Thy glory,” he pleaded. And God granted his request, and made all His goodness pass before him. When you catch a glimpse of the goodness of God, you will have a tongue of wisdom. You will have words to speak in season to those that are weary. You may never have learned the different languages of this earth, but God will teach you the language of heaven.GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.2

My brethren and sisters, humble your hearts before God. You have reason to. His work is hindered. As yet, it has been established in a few places only, and God declares that it is to extend over the whole world.GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.3

I ask you to do all that you can for the work in America. In this country workers are to be raised up who will help with their means and their talents to carry forward the work of God. I pray that there will be brought into the truth those who will refuse to be moulded by the spirit of covetousness and pride and self-sufficiency that has been coming in. God’s rebuke is upon this spirit.GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.4

In the church of God there is to be done a work of cementing heart to heart. It is the divisions among as that stand in the way of our advancement. God calls upon us to come into line. To every man given his work. But though our work is different, we need the help of one another. No one is to gather around him a party of men who will think as he thinks, and say, Amen, to everything that he says. God uses different minds. What one minds lacks will be made up by what another mind has.GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.5

My brethren and sisters, think of these things. Seek the Lord with the whole heart, that you may find Him. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Humble your hearts before Him, and pray more than you do. Pray for the impartation of the Holy Spirit. When this Spirit fills the heart, the praise of God will be in the congregation, and it will be reflected from your faces. Love for God will be shown by your love for one another, and this will give you power for service. Let your hearts break before God. Repent that you have so poorly glorified Him. Bear witness to the truth. If you had been in the habit of doing this, it would have removed many difficulties. Begin to work in right lines, and God will help you.GCB March 30, 1903, page 11.6