A Spirit of Service and Self-Sacrifice
Long has God waited for the spirit of service to take possession of the whole church so that everyone shall be working for Him according to his ability. When the members of the church of God do their appointed work in the needy fields at home and abroad, in fulfillment of the gospel commission, the whole world will soon be warned, and the Lord Jesus will return to this earth with power and great glory.—The Acts of the Apostles, 111 (1911). {LDE 75.1}
Everywhere there is a tendency to substitute the work of organizations for individual effort. Human wisdom tends to consolidation, to centralization, to the building up of great churches and institutions. Multitudes leave to institutions and organizations the work of benevolence; they excuse themselves from contact with the world, and their hearts grow cold. They become self-absorbed and unimpressible. Love for God and man dies out of the soul. {LDE 75.2}
Christ commits to His followers an individual work—a work that cannot be done by proxy. Ministry to the sick and the poor, the giving of the gospel to the lost, is not to be left to committees or organized charities. Individual responsibility, individual effort, personal sacrifice, is the requirement of the gospel.—The Ministry of Healing, 147 (1905). {LDE 76.1}
“Occupy Till I Come”
Christ says, “Occupy till I come” [Luke 19:13]. It may be but a few years until our life’s history shall close, but we must occupy till then.—The Review and Herald, April 21, 1896. {LDE 76.2}
Christ would have everyone educate himself to calmly contemplate His second appearing. All are to search the Word of God daily, but not neglect present duties.—Letter 28, 1897. {LDE 76.3}
Christ declared that when He comes some of His waiting people will be engaged in business transactions. Some will be sowing in the field, others reaping and gathering in the harvest, and others grinding at the mill. It is not God’s will that His elect shall abandon life’s duties and responsibilities and give themselves up to idle contemplation, living in a religious dream.—Manuscript 26, 1901. {LDE 76.4}
Crowd all the good works you possibly can into this life.—Testimonies for the Church 5:488 (1889). {LDE 76.5}
As If Each Day Might Be Our Last
We should watch and work and pray as though this were the last day that would be granted us.—Testimonies for the Church 5:200 (1882). {LDE 77.1}
Our only safety is in doing our work for each day as it comes, working, watching, waiting, every moment relying on the strength of Him who was dead and who is alive again, who lives forevermore.—Letter 66, 1894. {LDE 77.2}
Each morning consecrate yourselves and your children to God for that day. Make no calculation for months or years; these are not yours. One brief day is given you. As if it were your last on earth, work during its hours for the Master. Lay all your plans before God, to be carried out or given up, as His providence shall indicate.—Testimonies for the Church 7:44 (1902). {LDE 77.3}
Conscientious Sabbath Observance
[See “The Observance of the Sabbath,” in Testimonies for the Church 6:349-368.] Our heavenly Father desires through the observance of the Sabbath to preserve among men a knowledge of Himself. He desires that the Sabbath shall direct our minds to Him as the true and living God, and that through knowing Him we may have life and peace.—Testimonies for the Church 6:349 (1900). {LDE 77.4}
All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making preparation to keep it according to the commandment. We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter. We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the transactions of life.... {LDE 77.5}
When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working days will be left for the Sabbath.—Testimonies for the Church 6:353, 354 (1900). {LDE 78.1}
The necessities of life must be attended to, the sick must be cared for, the wants of the needy must be supplied. He will not be held guiltless who neglects to relieve suffering on the Sabbath. God’s holy rest day was made for man, and acts of mercy are in perfect harmony with its intent. God does not desire His creatures to suffer an hour’s pain that may be relieved upon the Sabbath or any other day.—The Desire of Ages, 207 (1898). {LDE 78.2}
Faithful in Tithes and Offerings
The tithe is sacred, reserved by God for Himself. It is to be brought into His treasury to be used to sustain the gospel laborers in their work.... Read carefully the third chapter of Malachi and see what God says about the tithe.—Testimonies for the Church 9:249 (1909). {LDE 78.3}
The New Testament does not re-enact the law of the tithe, as it does not that of the Sabbath; for the validity of both is assumed, and their deep spiritual import explained.—Counsels on Stewardship, 66 (1882). {LDE 78.4}
The Lord now calls upon Seventh-day Adventists in every locality to consecrate themselves to Him and to do their very best, according to their circumstances, to assist in His work. By their liberality in making gifts and offerings, He desires them to reveal their appreciation of His blessings and their gratitude for His mercy.—Testimonies for the Church 9:132 (1909). {LDE 78.5}
Dying charity is a poor substitute for living benevolence.—Testimonies for the Church 5:155 (1882). {LDE 79.1}
The wants of the cause will continually increase as we near the close of time.—Testimonies for the Church 5:156 (1882). {LDE 79.2}
We are placed on trial in this world, to determine our fitness for the future life. None can enter heaven whose characters are defiled by the foul blot of selfishness. Therefore, God tests us here, by committing to us temporal possessions, that our use of these may show whether we can be entrusted with eternal riches.—Counsels on Stewardship, 22 (1893). {LDE 79.3}
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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