Ye Are the Light of the World!

A message has been given me for our people in Southern California. God bids you, «Arise and shine.» Now, just now, let every believing soul study to comprehend the words of Christ, «Ye are the light of the world.» It is no time now to become weakened and discouraged. This is a time for every soul to humble his heart before God in confession of mistakes and sins, and to wait upon the Lord, that his spiritual strength may be renewed.

Day by day God’s faithful, commandment-keeping people are to become better prepared to let their light shine forth amid the moral darkness of a world that is rapidly filling up its cup of apostasy, and becoming as it was in the days of Noah. Knowing the times, we are to set in operation every agency that can be employed in doing missionary work for Christ. The great aim of those who profess to believe the third angel’s message should be to bring all their powers into active service in the cause of God.

Not all are called to engage in the same line of labor, but to every man and woman who enters the service of Christ, are given responsibilities to bear, and a special work to do. My brethren and sisters, Christ sends you this message, «Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me.» Humble your hearts before God, and seek counsel of Him who never makes a mistake. Under His guidance you will never go astray. You need to seek as you have never sought before for an understanding of the word of God. Pray that the Lord will open your understanding, and turn your whole heart to the One who has bought you with an infinite price. You are Christ’s purchased possession. Ask Him to tell you what He would have you do.

Letters come to me from near and from far, asking for definite instruction in regard to individual duty. I gladly refer these inquirers to the words of Christ, spoken just before His ascension to heaven. «And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,»

Before leaving them, the Saviour outlined to His disciples the work in which they were to engage. They did not yet fully comprehend the mission to which, as the followers of Christ, they had given themselves. «Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and this it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.»

As the Lord’s missionaries, a great work was before the disciples; but they were to be witnesses for Christ first in Jerusalem where His enemies thought to extinguish the torch of truth that had been lighted. In their cruel murder of the Saviour, and by the false reports they had circulated regarding His resurrection, they thought to remove all witness to the truth. But these falsehoods were to be met by the positive testimony of the disciples. They had talked with Christ after His resurrection; they had been eye-witnesses of His ascension.

The enemies of Christ had supposed that the disciples would be intimidated by the events that had taken place, and would give up their faith in the Messiah. They were astonished when they saw with what boldness these humble followers took up the work where Christ had laid it down. Multitudes from many parts of the world were gathered at Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion of Christ, and these had heard the false reports regarding the Messiah. Before these multitudes the disciples, with the power of the Holy Spirit resting upon them, bore witness to the truth of the words of Christ, «I am the Resurrection and the Life.» The gospel message heard by these representatives of other nations, was carried by them to their homes; the scenes they had witnessed at the crucifixion of Christ and on the day of Pentecost were related; and the message of repentance and remission of sins preached in Christ’s name, was carried to many places.

In the words of the Saviour, «Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,» the work of the followers of Christ in every age was outlined. There is a promise for us in His assurance. «All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.» Brethren, shall we not take up our work, not seeking to carry burdens which the Lord has not committed to us, but doing that to which we are called, with a spirit of thoroughness, earnestness, and willingness? If we do our work faithfully, the Lord will complete His part of the contract, fulfilling the promise of His presence, «Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.» Let us not allow our faith to waver, but putting our dependence in God, let us teach all things whatsoever He has commanded. Day by day we need to receive divine instruction. I pray that every laborer may ask, and believe, and receive, the promise, «Lo, I am with you.»

O, how much less we are doing as people than we should be doing! Even those in responsible positions do not realize their privileges and duties. And how weak seem my words, how inadequate to set before God’s people what He requires of them. I am distressed as I see the work developing, and note how difficult it is to support the agencies appointed for the diffusion of the light of the gospel. The Lord demands more of His people than they are doing.

The invitation is given to all, «Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and 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.»

Those who have a part in the work and cause of God should be careful that they strike no discordant notes. There are some who have been laboring in the Southern California Conference who need to lay off the armor for awhile until they learn Christ’s method of working. They need to be reconverted; for they give the impression to others that they consider all the other workers out of harmony with them. Thus the seeds of dissension and strife are sown. When these workers take upon them the yoke of Christ, and learn of Him who is meek and lowly in heart, they will return to God in acceptable service the talents He has lent them, and in doing this they will find rest unto their souls. They will hunger and thirst after righteousness, and their desire will be satisfied in a new and living experience. They will become daily students of the word of God; and, guided by the light shining from that word, they will follow on to know the Lord, whose going forth is prepared as the morning.

No worker is to consider it his duty to administer reproof, to point out existing evils, and stop with this. Such work does not accomplish any good, but only disheartens and discourages. Plain, sensible, intelligent discourses should be preached to the churches, that will show the need of seeking the Lord in prayer, and of opening the heart to the Light of life, and that will lead church-members to engage in humble work for God. To every man God has given a work; to each worker who engages in service for Him, He gives a part to act in communicating light and truth.

The appointed leaders of our churches need themselves to seek the Lord with humble, broken hearts; then they will discern their own defects of character. They need to present their cases before the Lord, asking, What shall I do that I may comprehend my individual duty? What shall I do that I may meet the mind and will of God? And when you have asked this question, my brethren, do not yield the point until you have surrendered soul, body, and spirit to God. Then God can stamp His image on your soul.

God placed His church in the earth that it might be the light of the world. But the self-indulgent course of many church-members, and the rising up of self to take the lines of control, have resulted in diffusing darkness rather than light. God’s professing people need to seek Him in sincere sorrow of heart, because there is so little life in the church, so little effort put forth to let the light shine in good works. «We are laborers together with God,» the apostle Paul declares: «ye are God’s husbandry; ye are God’s building.» God designs that life-giving beams shall, through the individual members of the church, shine forth to the world. Receiving that light from the Source of all light, they are to reflect that light to others. But this can be done only as the church draws near to God and lives in close connection with the Giver of life and light. The purity and simplicity of Christ, revealed in the lives of His humble followers, will witness to the possession of genuine piety. The believer who is imbued with a true missionary spirit, will be a living epistle, known and read of all men. He is a partaker of the divine nature, and therefore escapes the corruptions that are in the world through lust.

The field is the world. Christ declares, «Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.» My brethren, you would increase your pleasure in the Lord if you would practise self-denial. If you would resolve to love God truly and keep His commandments, you would discern the duties that devolve upon you as laborers together with God. You would willingly bring Him your offerings. You would faithfully and joyfully tithe your income, that His work in home and foreign fields might be advanced. The truth would go forth from your lips in no feigned words. Your zeal and piety would be greatly increased, and the unbelieving world would see that you have been in communion with God, and have learned of Him.

When this is your experience, no words of censure or blame will fall from your lips for those who are your fellow-workers, because you are being taught of God, and are learning to speak the words of Christ. Your earnest prayers for pardon for your own defects, and for the blessing of God upon your efforts, will show that your lips have been converted. And this will touch the cold hearts of unbelievers. They will distinguish between the human and the divine.

When the grace of Christ is expressed in the words and works of the believers, light will shine forth to those who are in darkness; for while the lips are speaking to the praise of God, the hand will be stretched out in beneficence for the help of the perishing.

We read that on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, no man said that aught that he possessed was his own. All they owned was held for the advancement of the wonderful reformation. And thousands were converted in a day. When the same spirit actuates believers to-day, and they give back to God of His own with the same liberality, a wide and far-reaching work will be accomplished.

The Spirit of the Lord has been working with His people, and many have given liberally for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God in the earth. Brethren, let us take hold anew, holding ourselves and all that we have in readiness to meet the demands of the cause of God upon us. Sanitarium, Cal., Aug. 29, 1907 .