Spiritual Revival Still Needed
One day at noon I was writing of the work that might have been done at the last [1901] General Conference if the men in positions of trust had followed the will and way of God. Those who have had great light have not walked in the light. The meeting was closed, and the break was not made. Men did not humble themselves before the Lord as they should have done, and the Holy Spirit was not imparted. {LDE 57.1}
I had written thus far when I lost consciousness, and I seemed to be witnessing a scene in Battle Creek. {LDE 57.2}
We were assembled in the auditorium of the Tabernacle. Prayer was offered, a hymn was sung, and prayer was again offered. Most earnest supplication was made to God. The meeting was marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit.... {LDE 57.3}
No one seemed to be too proud to make heartfelt confession, and those who led in this work were the ones who had influence, but had not before had courage to confess their sins. {LDE 57.4}
There was rejoicing such as never before had been heard in the Tabernacle. {LDE 57.5}
Then I aroused from my unconsciousness, and for a while could not think where I was. My pen was still in my hand. The words were spoken to me: “This might have been. All this the Lord was waiting to do for His people. All heaven was waiting to be gracious.” I thought of where we might have been had thorough work been done at the last General Conference.—Testimonies for the Church 8:104-106 (January 5, 1903). {LDE 57.6}
I have been deeply impressed by scenes that have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement—a work of revival—going forward in many places. Our people were moving into line, responding to God’s call.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 515 (1913). [From Ellen White’s first message to the General Conference Session of 1913.] {LDE 58.1}
The Patience of God With His People
The church has failed, sadly failed, to meet the expectations of her Redeemer, and yet the Lord does not withdraw Himself from His people. He bears with them still, not because of any goodness found in them, but that His name may not be dishonored before the enemies of truth and righteousness, that the satanic agencies may not triumph in the destruction of God’s people. He has borne long with their waywardness, unbelief and folly. With wonderful forbearance and compassion He has disciplined them. If they will heed His instruction He will cleanse away their perverse tendencies, saving them with an everlasting salvation and making them eternal monuments of the power of His grace.—The Signs of the Times, November 13, 1901. {LDE 58.2}
We should remember that the church, enfeebled and defective though it be, is the only object on earth on which Christ bestows His supreme regard. He is constantly watching it with solicitude, and is strengthening it by His Holy Spirit.—Selected Messages 2:396 (1902). {LDE 58.3}
God Works With Those Who Are Faithful to Him
The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. {LDE 59.1}
When a church proves unfaithful to the word of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities. But, if these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action, if they do not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord will grievously afflict and humble them and, unless they repent, will remove them from their place and make them a reproach.—Manuscript Releases 14:102 (1903). {LDE 59.2}
Judged by the Light Bestowed
In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and advantages that she has had. If her spiritual experience does not correspond to the advantages that Christ, at infinite cost, has bestowed on her, if the blessings conferred have not qualified her to do the work entrusted to her, on her will be pronounced the sentence: “Found wanting.” By the light bestowed, the opportunities given, will she be judged.... {LDE 59.3}
Solemn admonitions of warning, manifest in the destruction of dearly cherished facilities [The Battle Creek Sanitarium, the largest and best-known Adventist institution in the world, burned to the ground February 18, 1902. this was followed by the destruction of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, also by fire, on December 30, 1902.] for service, say to us: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works” (Revelation 2:5).... {LDE 60.1}
Unless the church, which is now being leavened with her own backsliding, shall repent and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her own doing, until she shall abhor herself. When she resists the evil and chooses the good, when she seeks God with all humility and reaches her high calling in Christ, standing on the platform of eternal truth and by faith laying hold upon the attainments prepared for her, she will be healed. She will appear in her God-given simplicity and purity, separate from earthly entanglements, showing that the truth has made her free indeed. Then her members will indeed be the chosen of God, His representatives.—Testimonies for the Church 8:247-251 (April 21, 1903). {LDE 60.2}
Israel’s History a Warning to Us
In these last days God’s people will be exposed to the very same dangers as were ancient Israel. Those who will not receive the warnings that God gives will fall into the same perils as did ancient Israel and come short of entering into rest through unbelief. Ancient Israel suffered calamities on account of their unsanctified hearts and unsubmitted wills. Their final rejection as a nation was a result of their own unbelief, self-confidence, impenitence, blindness of mind, and hardness of heart. In their history we have a danger signal lifted before us. {LDE 60.3}
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.... For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3:12, 14).—Letter 30, 1895. {LDE 61.1}
The Church Militant Is Imperfect
The church militant is not the church triumphant, and earth is not heaven. The church is composed of erring, imperfect men and women, who are but learners in the school of Christ, to be trained, disciplined, educated, for this life and for the future, immortal life.—The Signs of the Times, January 4, 1883. {LDE 61.2}
Some people seem to think that upon entering the church they will have their expectations fulfilled, and meet only with those who are pure and perfect. They are zealous in their faith, and when they see faults in church members, they say, “We left the world in order to have no association with evil characters, but the evil is here also;” and they ask, as did the servants in the parable, “From whence then hath it tares?” But we need not be thus disappointed, for the Lord has not warranted us in coming to the conclusion that the church is perfect; and all our zeal will not be successful in making the church militant as pure as the church triumphant.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 47 (1893). {LDE 61.3}
The Church Triumphant Will Be Faithful and Christlike
The work is soon to close. The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant.—Evangelism, 707 (1892). {LDE 62.1}
The life of Christ was a life charged with a divine message of the love of God, and He longed intensely to impart this love to others in rich measure. Compassion beamed from His countenance, and His conduct was characterized by grace, humility, truth, and love. Every member of His church militant must manifest the same qualities, if he would join the church triumphant.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 179 (1891). {LDE 62.2}
Arthur | (Paulo Rocha) Saúde
Cláudio | (Ruth) Saúde
Levi | Saúde
Luiz e Alejandro | Saúde
Marcos | Saúde
Pedro | (pastor) Saúde
Laura | (Almir) Saúde
Miguel | (Alex) Saúde
Pr. Ottoni | (pai da Marjorie) Saúde
Thalles | (Juan e Thais) Saúde
Mateus | Saúde
Sandra | (Joezel) Saúde
Isadora | Saúde
Inês | Saúde
Laurete | Saúde
Enock e Túlio | (Silas) Saúde
Nair | (Oliveira) Saúde
Tia Bia | Saúde
Lúcia | (vó Keyse) Saúde
Saul | (família Cruz) Saúde
Elisa | (família Aguiar) Saúde
Jorge | (Ever) Saúde
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