Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29.

Christ is the author of all truth. Every brilliant conception, every thought of wisdom, every human capacity and talent, is the gift of Christ. He borrowed no new ideas from humanity; for He originated all. But when He came to earth, He found the bright gems of truth which He had entrusted to the human race, all buried up in superstition and tradition. Truths of most vital importance were placed in the framework of error, to serve the purpose of the archdeceiver. Human opinions, the most popular sentiments of the people, were glossed over with the appearance of truth, and were presented as the genuine gems of heaven, worthy of attention and reverence. But Christ swept away erroneous theories of every grade. No one save the world’s Redeemer had power to present the truth in its primitive purity, divested of the error that Satan had accumulated to hide its heavenly beauty.

Some of the truths that Christ spoke were familiar to the people. They had heard them from the lips of priests and rulers and from people of thought; but for all that, they were distinctively the thoughts of Christ. He had given them to people in trust, to be communicated to the world. On every occasion He proclaimed the particular truth He thought appropriate for the needs of His hearers, whether the ideas had been expressed before or not.

The work of Christ was to take the truth of which the people were in want, and separate it from error, and present it free from the superstitions of the world, that the people might accept it on its own intrinsic and eternal merit. He dispersed the mists of doubt, that the truth might be revealed, and shed distinct rays of light into the darkness of human hearts. He placed the truth in clear contrast with error, that it might appear as truth before the people. But how few appreciate the value of the work that Christ was doing! How few in our day have a just conception of the preciousness of the lessons which He gave to His disciples!

He proved Himself to be the way, the truth, the life. He sought to attract minds from the passing pleasures of this life to the unseen and eternal realities. Views of heavenly things do not incapacitate men and women for the duties of this life, but rather render them more efficient and faithful.—The Review and Herald, January 7, 1890.

From From the Heart

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:4, 5.

Christ was the foundation of the whole system of Jewish worship, and in it was shadowed forth the living reality—the manifestation of God in Christ. Through the sacrificial system all could see Christ’s personality and look forward to their divine Savior. But when He stood before them representing the invisible God—for in Him dwelt “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”—they were not able to discern His divine character because of their want of spirituality. Their own prophets had foretold Him as a Deliverer…. But though His character and mission had been so plainly delineated, though He came unto His own, His own received Him not. Occasionally divinity flashed through humanity—the glory escaped through the disguise of the flesh and brought forth an expression of homage from His disciples. But it was not until Christ ascended to His Father, not until the descent of the Holy Spirit, that the disciples fully appreciated the character and the mission of Christ. After the baptism of the Holy Spirit they began to realize that they had been in the very presence of the Lord of life and glory. As the Holy Spirit brought the sayings of Christ to their remembrance, their understanding was opened to comprehend the prophecies, to understand the mighty miracles which He had wrought…. They seemed of much less importance in their own eyes after their awakening to the fact that Christ had been among them than they did before they realized this. They never wearied of rehearsing every item which had come under their notice in connection with His words and works. They were often filled with remorse at their stupidity and unbelief and misapprehension as they recalled His lessons of instruction which they had but dimly understood when He had spoken them in their presence, and which now came to them as a fresh revelation. The Scriptures became a new book to them….

The disciples remembered that Christ had said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” The Word was to be their guide and director. As the disciples searched Moses and the prophets which testified of Christ, they were brought into fellowship with the Deity and learned anew of their great Teacher, who had ascended to heaven to complete the work which He had begun upon earth.—The Review and Herald, April 23, 1895.

From From the Heart

Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me. John 17:24.

Christ was infinite in wisdom, and yet He thought best to accept of Judas, although He knew what were his imperfections of character. John was not perfect; Peter denied his Lord; and yet it was of men like these that the early Christian church was organized. Jesus accepted them that they might learn of Him what constitutes a perfect Christian character. The business of every Christian is to study the character of Christ. The lessons which Jesus gave His disciples did not always harmonize with their reasonings…. The Redeemer of the world ever sought to carry the mind from the earthly to the heavenly. Christ constantly taught the disciples, and His sacred lessons had a molding influence upon their characters. Judas alone did not respond to divine enlightenment. To all appearances he was righteous, and yet he cultivated his tendency to accuse and condemn others….

Judas was selfish, covetous, and a thief, yet he was numbered with the disciples. He was defective in character, and he failed to practice the words of Christ. He braced his soul to resist the influence of the truth, and while he practiced criticizing and condemning others, he neglected his own soul, and cherished and strengthened his natural evil traits of character until he became so hardened that he could sell his Lord for thirty pieces of silver.

Oh, let us encourage our souls to look to Jesus! Tell everyone how dangerous it is to neglect the soul’s eternal healthfulness by looking upon the diseased souls of others, by talking upon the uncomeliness of character found in those who profess the name of Christ. The soul does not become more and more like Christ by beholding evil, but like the evil which it beholds….

Let us remember that our great High Priest is pleading before the mercy seat in behalf of His ransomed people. He ever liveth to make intercession for us…. The blood of Jesus is pleading with power and efficacy for those who are backslidden, for those who are rebellious, for those who sin against great light and love…. He will not forget His church in the world of temptation.—The Review and Herald, August 15, 1893.

From From the Heart

I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord. Psalm 104:33, 34.

If the mind is molded by the objects with which it has most to do, then to think of Jesus, to talk of Him, will enable you to become like Him in spirit and character. You will reflect His image in that which is great and pure and spiritual. You will have the mind of Christ, and He will send you forth to the world as His spiritual representative….

The sun shining in the heavens pours its bright beams into all the highways and byways of life. It has sufficient light for thousands of worlds like ours. And so it is with the Sun of Righteousness. His bright beams of healing and gladness are amply sufficient to save our little world, and are efficacious in establishing security in every world that has been created….

It is growth in knowledge of the character of Christ that sanctifies the soul. To discern and appreciate the wonderful work of the atonement transforms all who contemplate the plan of salvation. By beholding Christ, they become changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. The beholding of Jesus becomes an ennobling, refining process to the actual Christian….

What kind of faith is it that overcomes the world? It is that faith which makes Christ your own personal Savior—that faith which, recognizing your helplessness, your utter inability to save yourself, takes hold of the Helper who is mighty to save as your only hope. It is faith that will not be discouraged, that hears the voice of Christ saying, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world, and my divine strength is yours.” It is the faith that hears Him say, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” …

Every soul must have a realization that Christ is our personal Savior; then love and zeal and steadfastness will be manifest in the Christian life….

Christ should never be out of the mind…. He is the dispeller of all our doubts, the earnest of all our hopes. How precious is the thought that we may indeed become partakers of the divine nature, whereby we may overcome as Christ overcame! … He is the melody of our songs, the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. He is living water to the thirsty soul. He is our refuge in the storm. He is our righteousness, our sanctification, our redemption.—The Review and Herald, August 26, 1890.

From From the Heart

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. Ephesians 3:16.

Our Savior represents His requirements as a yoke and the Christian life as one of burden-bearing. Yet, contrasting these with the cruel power of Satan and the burdens imposed by sin, He declares, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

When we try to live the life of a Christian, to bear its responsibilities and perform its duties without Christ as a helper, the yoke is galling, the burden intolerably heavy. But Jesus does not desire us to do this. He bids the weary and heavy-laden, “Come unto me, … and I will give you rest.” “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Here is revealed the secret of that rest which Christ promises to bestow. We must possess His meekness of spirit, and we shall find peace in Him.

Many profess to come to Christ while yet they cling to their own ways, which are as a painful yoke. Selfishness, love of the world, or other cherished sin destroys their peace and joy. My fellow Christian, … remember that you are in the service of Christ. Whatever your burden or cross, lift it in the name of Jesus; bear it in His strength. He pronounces the yoke easy and the burden light, and I believe Him. I have proved the truth of His words.

Those who are restless, impatient, dissatisfied under the weight of care and responsibility, are seeking to carry their burden without the aid of Jesus. If He were by their side, the sunshine of His presence would scatter every cloud, the help of His strong arm would lighten every burden….

We cumber ourselves with needless cares and anxieties and weigh ourselves down with heavy burdens because we do not learn of Jesus…. Christ’s true followers are unlike the world in words, in works, and in deportment. Oh, why will not all His professed children follow Him fully? Why will any bear burdens which He has not imposed? …

In every act of life Christians should seek to represent Christ—seek to make His service appear attractive…. Let the graces of the Spirit be manifested in kindness, meekness, forbearance, cheerfulness, and love….

Love to Jesus will be seen, will be felt. It cannot be hidden. It exerts a wondrous power. It makes the timid bold, the slothful diligent, the ignorant wise…. Love to Christ will not be dismayed by tribulation nor turned aside from duty by reproaches.—The Review and Herald, November 29, 1887.

From From the Heart