September 1, 1886

Growing in Grace

EGW

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” It is the privilege of the young, as they grow in Jesus, to grow in spiritual grace and knowledge. We may know more and more of Jesus through an interested searching of the Scriptures and then following the ways of truth and righteousness therein revealed. Those who are ever growing in grace will be steadfast in the faith, and moving forward. There should be an earnest desire in the heart of every youth who has purposed to be a disciple of Jesus Christ to reach the highest Christian standard, to be a worker with Christ. If he makes it his aim to be of that number who shall be presented faultless before the throne of God, he will be continually advancing. The only way to remain steadfast is to progress daily in divine life. Faith will increase if, when brought in conflict with doubts and obstacles, it overcomes them. True sanctification is progressive. If you are growing in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ, you will improve every privilege and opportunity to gain more knowledge of the life and character of Christ.YI September 1, 1886, par. 1

Faith in Jesus will grow as you become better acquainted with your Redeemer by dwelling upon his spotless life and his infinite love. You cannot dishonor God more than to profess to be his disciple while you keep at a distance from him, and are not fed and nourished by his Holy Spirit. When you are growing in grace, you will love to attend religious meetings, and you will gladly bear testimony of the love of Christ before the congregation. God, by his grace, can make the young man prudent, and he can give to the children knowledge and experience. They can grow in grace daily. You should not measure your faith by your feelings. Closely examine your own heart, and the state of your affections toward God. Inquire, Have I devoted the precious moments of today in seeking to please myself, seeking for my own amusement? or have I made others happy? have I helped those connected with me to greater devotion to God and to appreciate eternal things? have I brought my religion into my home, and there revealed the grace of Christ in my words and in my deportment? by my respectful obedience, have I honored my parents, and thus kept the fifth commandment? have I cheerfully taken up my little, every-day duties, performing them with fidelity, doing what I could to lighten the burdens of others? have I kept my lips from evil, and my tongue from speaking guile? have I honored Christ my Redeemer, who gave his precious life that eternal life might be within my reach?YI September 1, 1886, par. 2

At the beginning of the day, do not, dear youth, neglect to pray earnestly to Jesus that he will impart to you strength and grace to resist the temptations of the enemy in whatever form they may come; and if you pray earnestly, in faith and contrition of soul, the Lord will hear your prayer. But you must watch as well as pray. Jesus has said: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom, if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”YI September 1, 1886, par. 3

Children and youth may come to Jesus with their burdens and perplexities, and know that he will respect their appeals to him, and give them the very things they need. Be earnest; be resolute. Present the promise of God, and them believe without a doubt. Do not wait to feel special emotions before you think the Lord answers. Do not mark out some particular way that the Lord must work for you before you believe you receive the things you ask of him; but trust his word, and leave the whole matter in the hands of the Lord, with full faith that your prayer will be honored, and the answer will come at the very time and in the very way your heavenly Father sees is for your good; and then live out your prayers. Walk humbly and keep moving forward.YI September 1, 1886, par. 4

“For the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” “O fear the Lord, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.” “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Here are promises, rich and abundant, upon conditions that you cease to do evil and learn to do well. Then set your aim in life high, as did Joseph and Daniel and Moses; and take into consideration the cost of character-building, and then build for time and for eternity. Satan will oppose your efforts to advance. Your path will not always be smooth, but there are encouragements in God's rich promises. The Lord has pledged his word that in every effort toward righteousness he will help us. We are weak and without wisdom, but God has said: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Only learn to be thorough, never to let go your hold upon God, to persevere in his service, and you will be an overcomer through the blood of the Lamb. In doing this work for yourself you are having an influence on many others whom you associate with. Words spoken in season, how good are they! How much strength a word of hope, courage, and determination in a right course will give one who is inclined to slide into habits that are demoralizing! The firm purpose you may possess in carrying out good principles, will have an influence to balance souls in the right direction. There is no limit to the good you may do. If you make the word of God the rule of your life, and govern your actions by its precepts, making all your purposes and exertions in the fulfilling of your duty a blessing and not a curse to others, success will crown your efforts. You have placed yourself in connection with God; you have become a channel of light to others. You are honored by becoming co-laborers with Jesus; and no higher honor can you receive than the blessed benediction from the lips of the Saviour: “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”YI September 1, 1886, par. 5

Mrs. E. G. White