Words of Counsel

The Renunciation of Self.

In John’s Gospel, from the thirteenth to the seventeenth chapters, God’s will respecting the ministers of Christ is plainly outlined. It is their privilege to believe that God means just what he says. God desires them to believe every verse in these chapters, and to live them out before their brother ministers.

To every one God has given his work. All have not the same work, but all are to be workers together with God, laboring in perfect unity one with another, bearing fruit to the glory of God. God’s servants are branches of the True Vine, and they should produce the best quality of fruit. They are distinct branches, but they draw their sustenance from one source,—the parent stock, Christ Jesus.

Those who work for God are daily to empty the heart of self, that they may be cleansed of their hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong. They are to depend wholly upon Him who taught as never man taught. Unless the soul-temple is daily emptied of self, and prepared for the reception of the Holy Spirit, self will rule the entire being. The words and acts will be tarnished with selfishness. Christ will not appear in the life; but there will be seen a self-confidence that is wholly different from his character.

In order to be a co-laborer with Christ, man must put away his supposed wisdom. Then he will be humble enough to wear Christ’s yoke and to receive his Spirit, the gift that brings to the soul rest and peace. Christ’s invitation is, «Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.» In learning the lessons I teach, in cherishing the grace of patience and forbearance, in striving to control the thoughts and words, in revealing Christlike love one for another, you will learn to be meek and lowly, and you will find the peace and rest that is more precious than gold.

How to Deal with Temptation.

As God’s chosen ministers assemble for counsel, those who have been living tried and tempted lives will be tempted to give expression to their feelings. They have been severely tried; difficulties have arisen before them as they try to advance. But if they keep Christ enthroned in the heart, ever looking to him, they will not give expression to sentiments that would leave upon the minds of their brethren a disagreeable impression. They will follow Christ’s way of managing difficulties, remembering that he is the Finisher as well as the Author of their faith. They will remember that if they are to wear Christ’s yoke, they must do as he did. They will leave in God’s hands the things to be done and the things to be suffered, remembering that they are not under the control of self, but that they have given themselves up to be laborers together with Christ, and that they are to learn from him the way to overcome evil with good in all that they are called upon to suffer.

Let those who are tried and tempted consider these questions, How do you deal with your difficulties? Do you harness yourself for an encounter with trial and temptation? And then do you lay hold on these temptations, as you suppose you must, while your spirit is hot within you, and wrestle with them, quite sure that this is what you ought to do? As you battle with your covetousness and uncharitableness on their own ground, do you come out victor? — No; you come out discouraged, bruised, and wounded, bound, and enfeebled spiritually.

What should you do? — Simply put your whole trust in the One who understands your temptations and trials, the One who alone can master temptation. If you had not been premature in your efforts, you need not have fought so terrible a battle; for the Captain of your salvation was at work for you, ready to do for you that which you can not do for yourself, and to leave you free to do that which he has told you to do,—learn of him his meekness and lowliness. He has been tempted in all points «like as we are,» and he knows how to succor those who are tempted. Had you first talked with God in prayer, by faith grasping his promises, you would have received strength for the conflict.

When we believe the promise, «Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,» we shall be strong to endure. We need a constant sense of the abiding presence of Christ. He is our righteousness. Mrs. E. G. White. —