And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. Matthew 6:28.

The church of Christ is dependent on Him for her very existence. Only through Him can it gain continued life and strength. The members are to live constantly in the most intimate vital relationship with the Saviour. They are to follow in His steps of self-denial and sacrifice. They are to go forth into the highways and byways of life to win souls for Him, using every possible means to make the truth appear in its true character before the world.

The truth is to be presented in various ways. Some in the higher walks of life will grasp it as it is presented in figures and parables. As men labor to unfold the truth with clearness, that conviction may come to their hearers, the Lord is present as He promised to be….

In His wonderful Sermon on the Mount, Christ used the lilies of the field in their natural loveliness to illustrate a great truth. His language is adapted to the opening intellect of child life. The great Teacher brought His hearers in contact with nature, that they might listen to the voice which speaks in all created things; and as their hearts became tender and their minds receptive, He helped them to interpret the spiritual teaching of the scenes upon which their eyes rested. The parables, by means of which He loved to teach lessons of truth, show how open His spirit was to the influences of nature, and how He delighted to gather spiritual teaching from the surroundings of daily life.

The birds of the air, the lilies of the field, the sower and the seed, the shepherd and the sheep—with these Christ illustrated immortal truth. He drew illustrations from the facts of life, facts of experience familiar to the hearers—the hid treasure, the pearl, the fishing net, the lost coin, the prodigal son, the houses on the rock and on the sand. In His lessons there was something to interest every mind, to appeal to every heart. Thus the daily task, instead of being a mere round of toil, bereft of higher thoughts, was brightened and uplifted by constant reminders of the spiritual and the unseen.

The Lord Jesus would have the true philosophy of nature’s great lesson book opened before the mind…. We need workers who will gain breadth of mind by studying the book God has opened before us of His created works. Angels cooperate with those who proclaim the truths represented by the things of nature. These things are not God, but they are specimens of God’s handiwork.—Letter 223, June 2, 1905, to J. A. Burden.

From The Upward Look – Page 167

Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 56:5.

I feel deep sympathy for you, knowing that you are sorely tempted. The enemy is trying to make you faint and become discouraged. I feel no less sympathy and deep interest for your husband. Our Saviour will be his Saviour, if he will accept Him. Never, never are any one of us to feel that it is anything but the highest honor to become sons and daughters of God.

My sister, never, never yield to the temptation to sacrifice Christian principle in order to meet the world’s criterion. Be firm, be faithful, for you are bought with a price. Your duty to your Saviour may not lead you in the smoothest paths, for your Redeemer never walked in paths of self-pleasing and self-indulgence. He lived not to please Himself. He went without the camp, bearing the reproach. Wherever Providence has placed you, God will give you strength to stand firm in the faith. Let nothing interpose between your soul and God….

Christ did not merely give us directions as to the path in which we must travel, but He came to be our Teacher. He did not merely tell us how we ought to obey, but in His own life He gave us a practical example of how we should obey. Thus He is the true Helper. Going before us, he beats down the obstructions, and tells us to walk in His footsteps. Our blessed Saviour says, “Follow Me. I will lead you. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness” (see Matthew 4:19; John 14:6; 8:12).

Christ served as a true Son, an obedient Son. He declared, “I have kept my Father’s commandments” (John 15:10). Sanctification is a lifelong obedience. We can be greatly honored by being in co-partnership with Christ. “Take my yoke upon you,” He says, “and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). The obedience of which Christ has left us an example is perfect and complete….

My sister, the Lord loves you, and He wants you to have the crown of life. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Revelation 3:5). The white robes are the garments of Christ’s righteousness, and all who have this righteousness are partakers of the divine nature. They have written upon them, “The name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name” (verse 12).—Letter 48, June 1, 1898, to a believer in Australia.

From The Upward Look – Page 166

Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Mark 16:15, 16.

It may be surprising to some that Christ’s work was not extended to the heathen nations, that it was confined in so small a circumference. But the heathen nations were not prepared for His work. And had He devoted His time to the conversion of the Gentile world, He would have closed the door whereby He could bear His message to the Jewish nation….

Frequently the people of other nations came to Christ to be healed, or to make some request for their relatives or friends. These people represented the great human family, who knew not God or the truth, but who felt a soul-longing for something they had not. All who came to Christ listened to His instruction, and as they heard the word of truth, they were deeply impressed. In speaking words of hope to those weary, unsatisfied souls, in healing the infirmities of those who came to Him, Christ was setting an example to be practiced from one end of the world to another. He was speaking and acting for humanity at large…. Although generation after generation would pass away, His lessons of practical service would be given by His witnesses. He was to ascend to heaven, but His work was to be carried forward with greater power than before, because He and His Father would cooperate in doing greater things for His people than they had seen while He was among them.

We are to work while it is day, for the night cometh, in which no man can work. Our life is represented as a day, and when our work is ended, when the worker ceases his busy activity, the work does not cease. Others take it up. Though the human agents pass away, the work of Christ does not cease, but goes on, each worker doing God service by working as Christ worked.

We often feel that in the work of God there are great interests to be handled that we are unable to touch. We seem bound about. Let us remember that Christ’s work while on earth was confined to a narrow compass. Yet multitudes from all parts of the world heard His lessons. He was giving His message to those who would afterwards become His disciples.

Christ worked out before His disciples and the world a perfect example of true religion. And when men realize the importance of showing patience, sympathy, and regard for the souls of men, nigh and afar off, Christ will be revealed in His followers.—Manuscript 50, May 31, 1897. “The Work of Christ.”

From The Upward Look – Page 165

O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. Psalm 86:16.

Dear Sister McDearmon…. I am getting old as well as you. Your age I do not exactly remember. I am past seventy-eight, but I am able to do a large amount of work in writing. I do long for rest, but the Lord preserves me so that I do not suffer much pain….

You and I shall not expect to live much longer, but we will hold fast the faith and the blessing of the Lord through obedience to all His commandments. I am trying to do what I can, writing the things that I must write. I greatly desire to keep in the work, and bear my testimony to the last. I shall be seventy-nine years old the twenty-sixth of next November. I can yet accomplish much work writing.

Though I am brain weary, yet I see so much to be done. Our warfare will soon be ended, but the Lord is good and merciful. When our warfare is ended, we shall rest in hope until the morning of the resurrection. Then the last trump shall sound, and we shall see the King in His beauty, and behold His matchless charms. My dear sister, we have a precious hope; let our hearts rely constantly upon God. Truth will triumph and bear away the victory….

The Lord will be with you. He is your ever-present Helper, and you may know He will never leave nor forsake you. You should have the best of care, and live your time in this world, until the quiet rest, in full hope of the overcomer’s reward. Just rest yourself in your belief of the truth. Do not worry about anything. You have kept the faith, and for you is laid up a crown of life, which Christ, the righteous Judge, shall give you at that day, and not to you only, but to all them who love His appearing (see 2 Timothy 4:8).

The Lord will keep you and bless you. All your hope, I know, is in Jesus, and you may rest in His love. The angels of God will be round about you. You may rest in our Lord in quiet faith, and ever believe He has your life “hid with Christ in God.”

May the Lord be a continual blessing unto you, my beloved, aged sister. I am relying wholly upon the Lord Jesus. We will hope and pray and believe, and we will trust in His living Word. Our beloved Sister [Mary] Kelsey is through with earth’s troubles. She was faithful and true. We will meet in the city of our God. In much love, Ellen G. White.—Letter 168, May 30, 1906, to Sister Melinda McDearmon, the mother of Edson White’s wife, Emma.

From The Upward Look – Page 164

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalm 127:1.

We, living far down the passage of ages, have the privilege of studying the Old Testament in connection with the New. Our faith and courage should be strong as we see prophecies fulfilling. But how many there are who are unbelieving. How many there are who reveal selfishness and unkindness in their dealings with one another. How many professing Christians seem never to be satisfied unless they are engaged in strife. How many home circles are broken because the members receive and act upon Satan’s suggestions.

No unpleasant words are spoken in heaven. There no unkind thoughts are cherished. There envy, evil surmising, hatred, and strife find no place. Perfect harmony pervades the heavenly courts.

Well does Satan know what heaven is, and what the influence of the angels is. His work is to bring into every family the cruel elements of self-will, harshness, selfishness. Thus he seeks to destroy the happiness of the family. He knows that the spirit governing in the home will be brought into the church.

Let the father and mother always be guarded in their words and actions. The husband is to treat his wife, the mother of his children, with due respect, and the wife is to love and reverence her husband. How can she do this if he treats her like a servant, to be dictated to, ordered about, scolded, found fault with before the children? He is forcing her to dislike him and even to hate him.

May God help fathers and mothers to open the windows of the soul heavenward and let the sunshine of Christ into the homelife. Unless they do this, they will be surrounded by a mist and fog most injurious to spirituality.

Fathers and mothers, bring sweetness and brightness and hopefulness into the lives of your children. Kindness and love will work wonders. Never punish a child in anger. When you do this, you are acting like grown-up children, who have not left behind them the unreasonableness of childhood. Will you strive earnestly to be able to say, “When I became a man, I put away childish things”?

Be sure, before correcting your child, to talk with your heavenly Father. When your own heart is so softened by sympathy, talk with the erring one. If the matter can be adjusted without the use of the rod, so much the better.—Manuscript 71, May 29, 1902, “Words to Parents.”

From The Upward Look – Page 163