Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. Malachi 3:18.

An awakening power must be revealed in every believer. We must no longer act like sinners, while as Christians we should be revealing a living, saving faith. Living faith in Christ Jesus will produce fruit. There will be a holy, unwavering devotion to the Lord. Laboring with an eye single to His glory, we shall be sustained amidst the perils of the last days.

What has sustained Christians in every age, amidst reproaches, temptations, and sufferings? A pure, trusting faith, constantly exercised to understand what is truth which sanctifies the receiver, a committing of the keeping of the soul to God, under any and every circumstance, as unto One whom they knew would not betray their trust. Our Creator will keep that which is committed unto Him against that day.

Christ, by His sacrifice to save sinners, evidenced His great love for the human soul. He gave His life to secure our salvation. What an insult so many, deceived by Satan’s temptations, offer to the Saviour by abusing their privileges, refusing to acknowledge His loving interest in them. Yet He, their Creator and Redeemer, bears long with them in their persistent disdain of His mercies. As this matter is daily urged upon my mind, I am so astonished that I cannot hold my peace. I long to reach sinners, and to cry out to them, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” (Ezekiel 33:11).

Christ with His own blood has bought the whole human family. We are His purchased possession. He desires those who claim to believe in Him, to receive His power, that in this wicked and perverse generation they may become sons of God, and that they may reveal to a world entranced and corrupted by Satan, that God is love and [that] there is a difference, plain and distinct, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him [not]. The Lord knoweth them that are His.

The line of demarcation between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not is becoming more and more distinct. This is as the Lord designs it should be. An active, living faith distinguishes the people of God from the sinful, who by their rejection of Christ bear continually to the world a plain testimony: “I will not have this man Christ Jesus to rule over me. I will not eat and drink to the glory of God, but will follow my inclination, eating and drinking as I please. I will not wear the yoke of Christ; I will not learn His lessons of meekness and lowliness of heart; I will have my own way, and live in this world a life of pleasure.”—Letter 131, August 18, 1902, to Emma White.

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For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Romans 14:7.

There is constant temptation for human beings to consider that any influence they have gained is the result of something valuable in themselves. The Lord does not work with these, for He will not give to any human being the glory that belongs to His own name. God would have everyone under His supervision, and recognize that to God belongs all the glory of their success….

If the human worker will walk in all humility of mind, looking to God, trusting in Him, working out his own salvation with fear and trembling, the Lord will cooperate with him. It is God that works in us to do His will for His own name’s glory. He will give His wisdom, His divine power, to everyone who is doing His service. He makes the humble trustful servant His representative—the one who will not lift himself up, and think of himself more highly than he ought to think. The life of such an one will be dedicated to God as a living sacrifice, and that life He will accept and use and sustain….

Our life is not our own. It is Christ’s life. All is His, and we are to spend our powers in doing the will of God. Watch and pray; spend and be spent in doing His will from the heart. Carry every entrusted capability as a sacred treasure, to be used in imparting to others the knowledge and grace received….

Nehemiah, after gaining so great an influence over the [Persian] monarch in whose court he lived, and over his people in Jerusalem, instead of ascribing praise to his own excellent traits of character, his remarkable aptness and energy, stated the manner just as it was. He declared that his success was due to the good hand of God that was upon him. He cherished the truth that God was his safeguard in every position of influence. For every trait of character by which he obtained favor, he praised the working power of God…. And God gave him wisdom, because he did not exalt himself. The Lord taught him how to use the gifts entrusted to him to the very best advantage, and under the supervision of God, these talents gained other talents….

Every jot of influence is to be appreciated as the gift of God. The eye of the mind is to be single to the glory of God. Then the sense of responsibility will increase. Our talents will be put out to the exchangers to increase and double. There are hundreds of men and women who, if they had a proper appreciation of the heavenly trust, would go diligently and earnestly to work to use what they have.—Letter 83, August 17, 1898, to a leading minister in Australia.

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Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. 1 Peter 4:12.

Our daily experience with Christ should be of the highest value to us. We have an individual part to act in His service. Our blessed Saviour has given us … precious promises for our encouragement. He desires us to know that He is watching over us, and that He will teach us what He expects us to do. If the enemy comes to us in the morning, or during the day, with annoyances, let us remember these precious promises, and not allow ourselves to be ruffled. Let us remember that we are Christ’s representatives, and that we must not, by word or act, offend one another.

Do you think that perhaps no trials will arise? Certainly there will be trials. If there were not, you might rejoice that you had no devil to tempt you. But you will have temptations till the very close of time. Therefore you need to keep in close companionship with Christ. His angels are commissioned to watch over you. They are your appointed guardians. If someone says something that tends to provoke you, remember that at such a time silence is eloquence. Do not respond in a manner to retaliate. It will be better to say nothing than to speak unadvisedly. We will all have our battles to fight, though these struggles may vary in character, according to our disposition and our experience.

Let us rejoice that Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to lay hold upon divinity. When we feel exceedingly tried, let us remember that there is a heavenly angel by our side. This thought will help us to honor Christ, who has made it possible for us to become sons and daughters of God. Unless we are constantly on our guard, we may be caught unawares, and speak hastily. It may then be impossible for us to remove the impression from the minds of those to whom we have spoken, for some do not desire to get rid of such impressions. They seem to delight in cherishing evil. Let us, by keeping our words in harmony with the instructions the Saviour has given us, not give them any occasion for offense.

As we come in contact with varying dispositions, we shall undoubtedly find great provocation to speak unkindly. But remember that at such times silence is often eloquence. If you refrain from retaliating when you are provoked by others, you will surprise them. And, if repeatedly you preserve your dignity under provocation, they will realize that you are in connection with a higher Power.—Manuscript 55, August 16, 1909, “Lessons From the Sermon on the Mount,” a talk given for morning worship at Madison (Wisconsin) Sanitarium.

From The Upward Look – Page 242

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity. Isaiah 58:9.

Last night I had a wonderful experience. I was [in the visions of the night] in an assembly where questions were being asked and answered. I awoke at one o’clock and arose. For a time I walked the room, praying most earnestly for clearness of mind, for strength of eyesight, and for strength to write the things that must be written. I entreated the Lord to help me to bear a testimony that would awake His people before it is forever too late. I was glad that there was no one in the room below me. Sara [McEnterfer] and Maggie [Hare] usually occupy this room, but during the summer they sleep in a tent pitched under a great live-oak tree growing close by the house….

We are nearing the end of this earth’s history, and the different lines of God’s work are to be carried forward with much more self-sacrifice than they have yet been. The work for these last days is a missionary work. Present truth, from the first letter of its alphabet to the last, means missionary effort. The work to be done calls for sacrifice at every step of advance. The workers are to come forth from trial purified and refined, as gold tried in the fire….

I cannot now write all the instruction given me. These words were spoken: “Some are reckless, insensible of the results of sin, heedless of warning. Soon the handwriting on the wall, now unintelligible to them, will be read. But, like Belshazzar, they seem unable to see their peril. A straight testimony must be borne to our churches and institutions, to arouse the sleeping ones.” …

The experience that I had last night has impressed me very deeply. I seemed to have Christ close beside me. I was filled with hope and courage and faith and love for souls. I pleaded with God to sustain me, and He lifted me up, and made me to triumph in Him. I know that the Lord will work for His people when they will sanctify their souls by obeying the truth. Then the whole being, body, mind, and soul, will be in harmony with God. Loving God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves, we shall possess a freedom crowned with glory.

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).—Letter 130, August 15, 1902, to Edson White.

From The Upward Look – Page 241

If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Zechariah 3:7.

The future of the church depends on the efforts made by its members to understand the sinfulness of selfishness, and their willingness to take the remedy which will cure the disease from which they are suffering. Let a reformation take place, that those who accept the truth in the future shall not be contaminated by the corrupting influence of Satan….

Many who are condemned by men are vindicated by God. Many who are exalted by human judgment are by God pronounced to be wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Human judgment often errs. Often man condemns his brother because his discernment is defective. God looks at the heart. He reads the motives which prompt to action.

God prompts the question, “Ought I to do this?” Satan leads man to say, “I can.” Right is a loyal subject. Might is a haughty tyrant, leading to warfare, the scourge of the world. Right is a representation of the perfect man in Christ Jesus. It is the foundation of all righteousness and peace—the oil which fills the divine flagons….

There is a work to be done among the churches of Seventh-day Adventists that has not yet been done. Ministering angels are waiting to see who will take up the work in the right spirit…. Let all humble themselves before God, asking for grace and wisdom, that they may see wherein they have violated His holy law. Unless His Spirit enlightens them, they will never know, even though it is set before them by their brethren. Those who refuse to come into right relation to God, who will not obey the rules of His government, do not bear His mark….

The Lord is merciful. He does not chastise His people because He hates them, but because He hates the sins they are committing. He must chastise them, that they may return to their loyalty. He designs their punishment to be a warning to them and to others. No one need walk in darkness. No one need say, “Specify to me the precise wrongs of which I am guilty.” To those who say this, I give the word of the Lord: “Search prayerfully, and you will know.”

If the warnings and reproofs given in the Word of God and in the testimonies of His Spirit are not plain enough, what words would be sufficiently plain to bring about a revival and a reformation?—Manuscript 108, August 14, 1901, “Diary.”

From The Upward Look – Page 240