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25 - The Desire of Ages - Ellen Gould · Sacred Texts Archive

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  The call by the sea. Day was breaking over the Sea of Galilee.
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  The disciples, weary with a night of fruitless toil, were still in their
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  fishing boats on the lake. Jesus had come to spend a quiet hour by
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  the water side in the early morning. He hoped for a little season of
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  rest from the multitude that followed him day after day. But soon the people
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  began to gather about him. Their numbers rapidly increased, so that he was
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  pressed upon all sides. Meanwhile, the disciples had come to land in order
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  to escape the pressure of the multitude. Jesus stepped into Peter's boat and bade
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  him pull out a little from the shore. Here Jesus could be better seen
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  and heard by all, And from the boat he taught the multitude on the
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  beach. What a scene was this for angels to contemplate their glorious commander,
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  sitting in a fisherman's boat, swayed to and fro by the restless waves,
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  and proclaiming the good news of salvation to the listening throng that were pressing down
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  to the water's edge. He who was the honored of Heaven, was declaring
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  the great things of his kingdom in the open air to the common people.
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  Yet he could have no more fitting scene for his labors. The lake,
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  the mountains, the spreading fields, the sunlight flooding the earth, all furnished
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  objects to illustrate his lessons and impressed them upon the mind. And no lesson
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  of Christ fell fruitless. Every message from his lips came to some soul as
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  the word of eternal life. Every moment added to the multitude upon the shore,
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  aged men leaning upon their staves, hardy peasants from the hills, fishermen
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  from their toil on their lake, Merchants and rabbis, the rich and learned,
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  old and young, bringing their sick and suffering ones, pressed to hear
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  the words of the divine teacher. To such scenes as this, the prophets
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  had looked forward, and they wrote the land of Zebulon and the land of
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  Naphtali, toward the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people
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  which sat in darkness saw a great light. And to them which set in
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  the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring up r v
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  Beside the Throng on the shores of Goneseret, Jesus and his sermon by the
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  sea had other audiences before his mind. Looking down the ages, he saw
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  his faithful ones in prison and judgment, hall in temptation, and loneliness and
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  affliction. Every scene of joy and conflict and perplexity was opened before him.
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  In the words spoken to those gathered about him, he was speaking also to
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  those other souls, the very words that would come to them as a message
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  of hope and trial, of comfort in sorrow, and heavenly light in darkness.
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  Through the Holy Spirit. That voice which was speaking from the fisherman's boat
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  on the Sea of Galilee would be heard speaking peace to human hearts. To
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  the close of time the discourse ended, Jesus turned to Peter and bade him
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  launch out into the sea and let down his net for a draft. But
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  Peter was disheartened. All night he had taken nothing. During the lonely hours.
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  He had thought of the fate of John the Baptist, who was languishing
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  alone in his dungeon. He had thought of the prospect before Jesus and his
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  followers, of the ill success of the mission to Judea, and the malice
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  of the priests and rabbis. Even his own occupation had failed him. And
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  as he watched by the empty nets, the future had seemed dark. With
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  discouragement, Master, he said, we have toiled all the night and have
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  taken nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word, I will let down the net.
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  Night was the only favorable time for fishing with nets in the clear waters
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  of the lake. After toiling all night without success, it seemed hopeless to
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  cast the net by day, But Jesus had given the command, and love
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  for their master moved the disciples to obey. Simon and his brother together let
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  down the net as they attempted to draw it in. So great was the
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  quantity of fish and clothes that it began to break. They were obliged to
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  summon James and John to their aid. When the catch was secured. Both
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  the boats were so heavily laden that they were in danger of sinking, But
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  Peter was unmindful now of boats or lading. This miracle, above any other
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  he had ever witnessed, was to him a manifestation of divine power. In
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  Jesus. He saw one who held all nature under his control. The presence
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  of divinity revealed his own unholiness, love for his master, shame for his
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  own unbelief, gratitude for the condescension of Christ. Above all, the sense
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  of his uncleanliness in the presence of infinite purity overwhelmed him. While his companions
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  were securing the contents of the net, Peter fell at the Saviour's feet,
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  exclaiming, depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
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  It was the same presence, the divine holiness that had caused the prophet
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  Daniel to fall as one dead before the Angel of God. He said,
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  my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retain no strength.
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  So when Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord, he exclaimed, woe is
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  me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips,
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  and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For
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  mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of host Daniel ten eight Isaiah
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  six five. Humanity, with its weakness and sin, was brought in contrast
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  with the perfection of divinity, and he felt altogether deficient and unholy. Thus
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  it has been with all who have been granted a view of God's greatness and
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  majesty. Peter exclaimed, depart from me, for I am a sinful man,
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  Yet he clung to the feet of Jesus, feeling that he could not
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  be parted from him. The Savior answered, fear not. From henceforth thou
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  shalt catch men. It was after Isaiah has beheld the holiness of God and
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  his own un worthiness, that he was entrusted with the divine message. It
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  was after Peter had been led to self renunciation and dependence upon divine power that
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  he received the call to his work for Christ. Until this time, none
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  of the disciples had fully united as collaborators with Jesus. They had witnessed many
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  of his miracles and had listened to his teachings, but they had not entirely
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  forsaken their former employment. The imprisonment of John the Baptist had been to them
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  all a bitter disappointment. If such were to be the outcome of John's mission,
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  they could have little hope for their master, with all the religious leaders
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  combined against him. Under the circumstances, it was a relief to them to
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  return for a short time to their fishing. But now Jesus called them to
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  forsake their former life and unite their interest with his. Peter had accepted the
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  call upon reaching the shore, Jesus bathe the three other disciples, follow me,
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  and I will make you fishers of Immediately, they left all and followed
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  him. Before asking them to leave their nets and fishing boats. Jesus had
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  given them the assurance that God would supply their needs. The use of Peter's
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  boat for the work of the gospel had been richly repaid. He who is
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  rich unto all that call upon him, has said, give, and it
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  shall be given unto you good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running
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  over Romans ten twelve, Luke six thirty eight. In this measure he had
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  rewarded the disciple service. And every sacrifice that is made in his ministry will
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  be recompensed according to the exceeding riches of his grace. Ephesians three twenty two
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  seven. During that sad night on the lake, when they were separated from
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  Christ, the disciples were pressed hard by unbelief and weary with fruitless toil.
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  But His presence kindled their faith and brought them joy and success. So it
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  is with us a part from Christ. Our work is fruitless, and it
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  is easy to distrust and murmur. But when He is near and we labor
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  under his direction. We rejoice in the evidence of his power. It is
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  Satan's work to discourage the soul. It is Christ's work to inspire with faith
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  and hope. The deeper lesson which the miracle conveyed for the disciples is a
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  lesson for us also, that he whose word could gather the fishes from the
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  sea, could also impress human hearts and draw them by the cords of his
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  love, so that his servants might become fishers of men. They were humble
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  and unlearned men, those fishers of Galilee. But Christ, the light of
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  the world, was abundantly able to qualify them for the position for which He
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  had chosen them. The Savior did not despise education, for when controlled by
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  the love of God and devoted to his service, intellectual culture is a blessing.
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  But he passed by the wise men of his time because they were so
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  self confident that they could not sympathize with suffering humanity and become collaborators with the
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  Man of Nazareth in their bigotry. They scorned to be taught by Christ.
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  The Lord Jesus seeks the co operation of those who will become unobstructed channels for
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  the communication of his grace. The first thing to be learned by all who
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  had become workers together with God is the lesson of self distrust. Then they
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  are prepared to have imparted to them the character of Christ. This is not
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  to be gained through education in the most scientific schools. It is the fruit
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  of wisdom that is obtained from the divine teacher alone. Jesus chose unlearned fishermen
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  because they had not been schooled in the traditions and erroneous customs of their time.
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  They were men of native ability, and they were humble and teachable men
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  whom he could educate for his work. In the common walks of life.
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  There is many a man patiently treading the round of daily toil, unconscious that
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  he possesses powers which, if called into action, would raise him to an
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  equality with the world's most honored men. The touch of a skillful hand is
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  needed to arouse those dormant faculties. It was such men that Jesus called to
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  be his collaborators, and he gave them the advantage of association with himself.
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  Never had the world's great men such a teacher. When the disciples came forth
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  from the Saviour's training. They were no longer ignorant and uncultured. They had
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  become like him in mind and character. And men took knowledge of them that
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  they had been with Jesus. It is not the highest work of education to
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  communicate knowledge merely, but to impart that vitalizing energy which is received through the
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  contact of mind with mind and soul with soul. It is only life that
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  can beget life. What privilege then, was theirs, who for three years
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  were in daily contact with that divine life from which has flowed every life,
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  giving in image pulse that has blessed the world Above all his companions. John,
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  the beloved Disciple, yielded himself to the power of that wondrous life.
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  He says, the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and
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  bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and
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  was manifested unto us of his fullness. Have all we received and grace for
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  grace first John one two, John one sixteen. In the Apostles of our
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  Lord, there was nothing to bring glory to themselves. It was evident that
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  the success of their labors was due only to God. The lies of these
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  men the characters they developed, and the mighty work that God wrought through them,
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  are a testimony to what He will do for all who are teachable and
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  obedient. He who loves Christ the most will do the greatest amount of good.
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  There is no limit to the usefulness of one who, by putting self
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  aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart and
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  lives a life wholly consecrated to God. If men will endure the necessary discipline
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  without complaining or fainting, by the way God will teach them hour by hour
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  and day by day, he longs to reveal his grace. If his people
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  will remove the obstructions, he will pour forth the waters of salvation in abundant
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  streams through the human channels. If men in humble life were encouraged to do
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  all the good they could do, if restraining hands were not laid upon them
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  to repress their zeal, there would be a hundred workers for Christ. Where
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  now there is one. God takes men as they are and educates them for
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  his service. If they will yield themselves to him, the spirit of God
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  received into the soul will quicken all its faculties. Under the guidance of the
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  Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted unreservedly to God develops harmoniously and is
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  strengthened to comprehend and fulfill the requirements of God. The weak, vasus isolating
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  character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. Continual devotion establishes so close
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  a relation between Jesus and his disciples that the Christian becomes like him in mind
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  and character. Through a connection with Christ, he will have clearer and broader
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  views, His discernment will be more penetrative, his judgment better balanced. He
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  who longs to be of service to Christ is so quickened by the life giving
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  power of the Son of Righteousness that he is enabled to bear much fruit to
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  the glory of God. Men of the highest education in the arts and sciences
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  have learned precious lessons from Christians in humble life, who were designated by the
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  world as unlearned. But these obscure disciples had obtained an education in the highest
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  of all schools. They had set at the feet of Him who spoke as
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  never man spake. End of Chapter twenty five