Brace Your Souls for Action

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I ask the believers in Los Angeles to seek for a deeper, higher experience in the things of God. The Father seeketh such to worship Him. Arise, and brace your souls for action. Take an extensive survey of the work that is to be done. Read your Bibles with an increasing determination to have a larger experience in the things of God. Stand in the light of the Sun of Righteousness.

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What could induce the pure, sinless Son of God to tabernacle with men in a world filled with crime and strife and wickedness. He did this that He might better reach the lost and perishing. He suffered, being tempted. Proportionate to the perfection of His holiness was the strength of the temptation. Because of the depravity so revolting to His purity, His residence in the world was a perpetual sorrow. On every hand He saw men and women destroying themselves by yielding to perverted appetite and passion.

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Christ gave His life for the life of the world. He came to this earth in the likeness of man, to present before human beings an example of the character that all must form in order to be saved. He came to bring them power to overcome all the temptations of the enemy.

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O that every soul might be awakened, and led to become a subject of the heavenly kingdom, surrendering all to Christ. The Word of God gives us no encouragement that a sinner is pardoned in order that he may continue in sin. He is pardoned on condition that he receives Christ, confessing and repenting of his sin, and becoming renewed. Many who pass under the name of Christian are not converted. Conversion means renovation. The sinner must enter into the renovating process for himself. He must come to Jesus. He must give up the wrong habits in which he has indulged. He must bring his unsubdued, un-Christlike tendencies under the control of Christ, else he cannot be made a laborer together with God. Christ works, and the sinner works. The life of Christ becomes the life of the human agent. It is through the renewing power of the divine Spirit that man is fashioned into a perfect man in Christ.

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By the character that he is forming, every man is deciding his future destiny. In the books of heaven is made the record. There the character is photographed. There is seen a picture of the unclothed soul.

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The promise is given, «As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.» It is the striving souls who receive the assistance of heaven, and partake of its elements. It is by test and trial that the followers of Christ are fitted to dwell with Him in the heavenly courts.— Letter 161, 1905 . —

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Work in the Cities The importance of making our way in the great cities is still kept before me. For many years the Lord has been urging upon us this duty, and yet we see but comparatively little accomplished in our great centers of population. If we do not take up this work in a determined manner, Satan will multiply difficulties which will not be easy to surmount. We are far behind in doing the work that should have been done in these long-neglected cities.

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Barriers Broken Down The work will now be more difficult than it would have been a few years ago. But if we take up the work in the name of the Lord, barriers will be broken down, and decided victories will be ours.

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In this work physicians and gospel ministries are needed. We must press our petitions to the Lord, and do our best, pressing forward with all the energy possible to make an opening in the large cities. Had we in the past worked after the Lord’s plans, many lights would be shining brightly that are going out.

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Work for Laymen in Cities In connection with the presentation of spiritual truth, we should also present what the Word of God says upon the questions of health and temperance. In every way possible, we must seek to bring souls under the convincing and converting power of God. The believers in our churches need to be aroused to act their part. Let seasons of prayer be appointed, and let us earnestly seek the Lord for an increase of faith and courage. Let ministers and other church members labor for souls as never before. We are not to spend our time merely in repeating over and over again the same things to the churches where the truth is well known. Let the church members labor unitedly in their several lines to create an interest. The disciples of Christ are to unite in labor for perishing souls. Let the laborers invite others to unite with them in their efforts, that many may be fired with zeal to work for the Master.

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I entreat of the church members in every city that they lay hold upon the Lord with determined effort for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Be assured that Satan is not asleep. Every obstacle possible he will place in the way of those who would advance in this work. Too often these obstacles are regarded as insurmountable. Let everyone now be soundly and truly converted, and then lay hold of the work intelligently and with faith.— Letter 148, 1909 . —

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Growing in Grace No Christian reaches the highest point of attainment that overloads himself with worries about this world or in carrying his pet sins along with him. We can and should breathe a purer atmosphere and taste more heavenly joys. We need Jesus every day and with His strength we may gain strength, yes, grow in grace for heavier conflicts and obtain inspiring views of heavenly things. The pierced hand of our divine Master holds the signal for us to come up higher. «This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.» O that we might arise and shine, for our light has come and the glory of the Lord hath arisen upon us. The more closely we copy the Pattern the more wisdom and intelligence we will have of His matchless loveliness.— MS. 10,1889 .