“These things I have spoken unto you,” He said, “that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”John 16:33, Christ did not fail, neither was He discouraged; and His followers are to manifest a faith of the same enduring nature. They are to live as He lived, and work as He worked, because they depend on Him as the great Master-worker.
(GW 39.1)
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Courage, energy, and perseverance they must possess. Though apparent impossibilities obstruct their way, by His grace they are to go forward. Instead of deploring difficulties, they are called upon to surmount them. They are to despair of nothing, and to hope for everything. With the golden chain of His matchless love, Christ had bound them to the throne of God. It is His purpose that the highest influence in the universe, emanating from the Source of all power, shall be theirs. They are to have power to resist evil, power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master, power that will enable them to overcome as Christ overcame.
(GW 39.2)
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The Young Ministers Testimonies for the Church 2:504, 505, 569, 650. Testimonies for the Church 3:209-211, 308, 551, 558. Testimonies for the Church 4:269, 442-449. The Acts of the Apostles, 202, 203,352-358, 498-508. Section 4—Qualifications
(GW 111)
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“In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God.”
(GW 111)
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In order for a man to be a successful minister, something more than book knowledge is essential. The laborer for souls needs consecration, integrity, intelligence, industry, energy, and tact. Possessing these qualifications, no man can be inferior; instead, he will have a commanding influence for good.
(GW 111.1)
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Christ brought His desires and wishes into strict abeyance to His mission,—the mission that bore the insignia of Heaven. He made everything subordinate to the work that He came to this world to accomplish. When in His youth His mother found Him in the school of the rabbis, and said to Him, “Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us? behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing,” He answered,—and His answer is the key-note of His life-work,—“How is it that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?”Luke 2:48, 49.
(GW 111.2)
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The same devotion, the same consecration, the same subjection to the claims of the word of God, that were manifest in Christ, must be seen in His servants. He left His home of security and peace, left the glory that He had with the Father before the world was, left His position upon the throne of the universe, and went forth, a suffering, tempted man; went forth in solitude, to sow in tears, to water with His blood the seed of life for a lost world.
(GW 111.3)
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