Our time for work is limited, and God calls us as ministers and people to be minutemen. Teachers as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves must come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. There are many who do not understand the prophecies relating to these days, and they must be enlightened.—Letter 1, 1875.
(Ev 237.1)
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No Cause to Worry or Fear—Often when our workers present the testing Sabbath truth to the people, some stand hesitating for fear of bringing poverty and hardship upon themselves and their families. They say, “Yes, I see what you are trying to show me in regard to the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath; but I am afraid if I keep the Sabbath I shall lose my position, and shall not be able to provide for my family.” And so, many keep their worldly position and disobey the command of God. But these scriptures (Luke 12:1-7) teach us that the Lord knows all about our experiences; He understands about our inconveniences; and He has a care for all who follow on to know the Lord. He will never allow His children to be tempted above that they are able to bear.
(Ev 237.2)
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Christ declared to His disciples: “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?”Luke 12:22-26.
(Ev 237.3)
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Holding up before them the lily of the field in its beauty and purity, the Saviour continued: “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little faith?”
(Ev 238.1)
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“And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.”Luke 12:27-31.
(Ev 238.2)
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Christ is here teaching a precious lesson in regard to His service. Whatever experiences may come to you, He says, serve God. Whatever inconveniences and hardships you may encounter, trust in the Lord. We have no cause to worry and fear if we take our position for the truth, that we and our families will suffer. To do this is to manifest unbelief in God. “Your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things,”(Luke 12:30) the Saviour says. If we would study the Word more faithfully, we would increase in faith.—Manuscript 83, 1909.
(Ev 238.3)
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Time to Extend a Helping Hand—It is an important time now for these localities where an interest has been awakened. A large number ... are in the valley of decision. O that the Lord will give to His servants wisdom to speak to these souls such words as shall give them courage to confess the truth and surrender their will, their heart’s entire devotion, to God. We pray that the Lord will inspire with faith these souls who are convinced of the truth, that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, that they shall not confer with their own feelings and let the enemy lead them to decide that the sacrifice is too great.
(Ev 238.4)
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They will suffer loss in temporal matters, and a helping hand must not be wanting. Many ask, “How can we support our families? We shall lose our positions as soon as we decide to keep holy the seventh day and do no work on the Sabbath. Our families, shall they starve?” What can we say? Poverty and want are seen everywhere, and honest souls know not what to do. They dare not venture out; yet they are fully convinced that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord. They know that God blessed the seventh day and set it apart for man to observe as a memorial of His creating of the world in six days and His rest upon the seventh day.
(Ev 239.1)
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When we see the difficulties standing like mountains before their souls, the prospect of want to themselves and children staring them in the face, our hearts are pained. Many a one says, “I want to observe the seventh day, but as soon as I state to my employer that I have decided to keep the Sabbath, I shall be discharged.” Hundreds are waiting to step into any place made vacant. I am sorely troubled. All we can do is to encourage them to have faith, and pray for them. Oh, sometimes I wish I had a million dollars. I could use every dollar in this work....
(Ev 239.2)
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Many become decided transgressors of God’s holy law as the result of union, concord, and co-operation with companions who are instruments of Satan. God sends them light to undeceive them, but they refuse to take the Word of God as it reads. They accept error, choosing the lies of Satan rather than a “Thus saith the Lord.” And these advocates of error make it very hard for those who see the truth to obey it. Human sight can see nothing but starvation before those who keep the Sabbath.—Manuscript 19, 1894.
(Ev 239.3)
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Never Results in Starvation—Never need anyone fear that observance of the true Sabbath will result in starvation. Isaiah 58:11, 12; Proverbs 7:2; Isaiah 58:14. These promises are a sufficient answer to all the excuses that man may invent for refusing to keep the Sabbath. Even if, after beginning to keep God’s law, it seems impossible to support one’s family, let every doubting soul realize that God has promised to care for those who obey His commandments.—Manuscript 116, 1902.
(Ev 240.1)
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It Takes Men of Courage—It requires moral courage to take a position to keep the commandments of the Lord. An opposer of the truth once said that it was only weak-minded people, foolish, ignorant persons, who would turn away from the churches to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath. But a minister who had embraced the truth, replied, “If you think it takes weak-minded persons, just try it.” It takes moral courage, firmness, decision, perseverance, and very much prayer to step out on the unpopular side. We are thankful that we can come to Christ as the poor suffering ones came to Christ in the temple....
(Ev 240.2)
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You have not dared to trample under foot the commandments of God, and have stepped out on unpopular truth, let the result be what it may. Will the Saviour ever turn away to leave you to struggle alone? No, never. But He never told His disciples that they should have no trials, no self-denial to endure, no sacrifices to make. The Master was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.”2 Corinthians 8:9. We thank God that in your poverty you can call God your Father.
(Ev 240.3)
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Poverty is coming upon this world, and there will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. There will be wars and rumors of wars, and the faces of men will gather paleness. You may have to suffer distress; you may go hungry sometimes; but God will not forsake you in your suffering. He will test your faith. We are not to live to please ourselves. We are here to manifest Christ to the world, to represent Him and His power to mankind.—Manuscript 37, 1894.
(Ev 240.4)
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Time to Rely on God’s Word—In the wilderness, when all means of sustenance failed, God sent His people manna from heaven; and a sufficient and constant supply was given. This provision was to teach them that while they trusted in God, and walked in His ways, He would not forsake them. The Saviour now practiced the lesson He had taught to Israel. By the word of God, succor had been given to the Hebrew host, and by the same word it would be given to Jesus. He awaited God’s time to bring relief. He was in the wilderness in obedience to God, and He would not obtain food by following the suggestions of Satan. In the presence of the witnessing universe, He testified that it is a less calamity to suffer whatever may befall, than to depart in any manner from the will of God.
(Ev 241.1)
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“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4. Often the follower of Christ is brought where he cannot serve God and carry forward his worldly enterprises. Perhaps it appears that obedience to some plain requirement of God will cut off his means of support. Satan would make him believe that he must sacrifice his conscientious convictions. But the only thing in our world upon which we can rely, is the Word of God. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”Matthew 6:33. Even in this life it is not for our good to depart from the will of our Father in heaven. When we learn the power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of Satan in order to obtain food or to save our lives. Our only questions will be, What is God’s command? and what His promise? Knowing these, we shall obey the one, and trust the other.—The Desire of Ages, 121 (1898).
(Ev 241.2)
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