Pearls Of Great Price

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Rapid Developments: `Who is prepared for the sudden change that will take place in God's dealing with sinful men?' `Peculiar and rapid changes will soon take place, and God's people are to be endowed with the Holy Spirit.' (6T436, CT416)

Rebuke: `Always the words of rebuke that God finds it necessary to send are spoken in tender love and with the promise of peace to every penitent believer.' (AA587)

Reformation: `History has proved that it is easier to destroy the world than to reform it.' (RC21.6)

Religious Intolerance: `As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church; but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. . . . Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they might render obedience.' (DA232)

`Today men are choosing Barabbas, and saying, Crucify Christ. They will do this in the person of His saints. They will go over the same ground as the Jewish priests and rulers did in their treatment of Christ. He, the Son of God, and an innocent man, was murdered because He told men truths that it did not please them to hear.' (TM131)

Righteousness: `The greatest deception of the human mind in Christ's day was that a mere assent to the truth constitutes righteousness.' (DA309.2)

Righteousness By Faith: `The proud heart strives to earn salvation; but both our title to heaven and our fitness for it are found in the righteousness of Christ.' (DA300)

Salvation: `There are many who claim to be children of God who are resting their hopes upon other dependencies, rather than on the blood of Christ alone. When urged to rest their faith wholly upon Christ as a complete Saviour, many reveal the fact that they have faith in something that they think they can do. They say, ``I have a great deal to do before I can be fit to come to Christ.'' Another says, ``When I have done to the uttermost all that I can do, then the Lord Jesus will come to my help.'' They imagine that they have a great deal to do themselves to save their own souls, and that Jesus will come in and piece out that part which is lacking, and give the finishing stroke to their salvation. These poor souls will not be strong in God until they accept Christ as a complete Saviour. They can add nothing to their salvation.' (SD227).

`A man is received by God just as soon as he realizes that he has nothing in himself that will gain salvation.' (1SAT218.1)

`It is only he who knows himself to be a sinner that Christ can save.' (COL158)

Sanctification: `Jesus presents the truth before his children that they may look upon it, and by beholding it, may become changed, being transformed by his grace from transgression to obedience, from impurity to purity, from sin to heart-holiness and righteousness of life.' (RH 12-22-91.13)

Second Coming: `When the character of Jesus shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, He will come to take them as His own.' (COL69)

Security: `God's faithful, praying ones are, as it were, shut in with Him, They themselves know not how securely they are shielded.' (PK590)

Self-Righteousness: `Many are deceived concerning the condition of their hearts. They do not realize that the natural heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. They wrap themselves about with their own righteousness and are satisfied in reaching their own human standard of character. [But man] has nothing of his own but what is tainted and corrupted, polluted with sin, utterly repulsive to a pure and holy God. Apart from Christ, we have no merit, no righteousness. Our sinfulness, our weakness, our human imperfection make it impossible that we should appear before God.' (1SM320, 342, 333)

`Who can truthfully say, "Our gold is tried in the fire; our garments are unspotted by the world"? I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness. Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement beneath. Then He said to me: "Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character? How is the faithful city become an harlot?" My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed! For this cause there is weakness, and strength is lacking.'" (8T250)

Self-Satisfaction: `If a man blinds himself to the light, and hardens his conscience, and will not acknowledge himself as a sinner lost and undone, and in need of a Saviour, his sin will remain. He does not believe in the only-begotten Son of the infinite God. Like Cain he refuses to offer to God the blood of the Son of God.’ (ST01-16-96)

Sermons: Smooth: `Their ministers take their texts from the Word, but preach smooth things. The natural heart feels no objection to this. It is only the spirit and power of the truth, and the salvation of Christ, that is hateful to the carnal heart. There is nothing in the popular ministry that stirs the wrath of Satan, makes the sinner tremble, or applies to the heart and conscience the fearful realities of a judgment soon to come . . . Satan has taken full possession of the churches as a body. The sayings and doings of men are dwelt upon instead of the plain cutting truths of the word of God.' (1SG189)

Sifting: `Divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest. The work will grow deeper and become more earnest to the very close of time. And all who are laborers together with God will contend most earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They will not be turned from the present message, which is already lightening the earth with it's glory.' (2SM114)

`The faithful presentation of the message of truth will always cause division. And upon the messenger of truth the blame of the trouble will be cast.' (RH Vol.4 p.345)

Straight Testimony: `I was shown that the pointed testimony must live in the church. This alone will answer to the message to the Laodiceans. Wrongs must be reproved, sin must be called sin, and iniquity must be met promptly, and put away from us as a people.' (3T260)

`Things have gone as far as they should, without someone protesting against them in plain words. The Lord's time to set things in order has fully come.' (MS29,1890; CE95,96)

`We are now living in the last days, when the truth must be spoken, when in reproof and warning it must be given to the world, irrespective of consequences. If there are some who will become offended and turn from the truth, we must bear in mind that there were those who did the same in Christ's day.' (3SM422)

Success: Future: `When the cities are worked as God would have them, the result will be the setting in operation of a mighty movement such as we have not yet witnessed.' (MM304).

`In the future the earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. A holy influence is to go forth to the world from those who are sanctified through the truth. The earth is to be encircled with an atmosphere of grace. The Holy Spirit is to work on human hearts, taking the things of God and showing them to men.' (9T40)

Suffering: `We shall never have to suffer one-hundredth part of what our Redeemer suffered.' (ST05-27-89.3)

`If we sit with Christ on His throne, we must be partakers with Him of His suffering. "It became Him . . . in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through suffering" (Hebrews 2:10). "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). Shall we then be timid and cowardly because of the trials we meet as we advance? Shall we not meet them without repining and complaints?’ (10MR167)

Testimonies: `Many a man professes to accept the testimonies, while they have no influence upon his life or character. In the testimonies are specified the very sins of which they are guilty; hence they have no desire to read them. . . .' (1SM47)

`The Lord's counsel has been strangely neglected. There are men in places of holy trust who, when reproved, have cared nought for it. Some who for years have stood as counsellors have boldly stated they would not receive the testimonies given. In triumph they have declared that many of our most responsible men have lost faith in the message coming from Sister White. The malaria of unbelief has been diffusing its deathly atmosphere throughout the ranks, nigh and afar off. Can the Lord's favor be expected under such circumstances?' (TM341)

`If we close our eyes to the light for fear we shall see our wrongs, which we are unwilling to forsake, our sins are not lessened but increased.' (2T70)

`Will you urge upon the churches the searching of the Scriptures and the careful reading of the testimonies? The warnings that have been given to arouse the churches to activity have not been regarded, and God holds the church guilty because of this neglect. You need the revival of the Spirit of God. You need in the several churches to greatly humble your souls before God, lest Jesus pass by and leave you no blessing. Now while mercy lingers, be in earnest. Make no delay, lest it shall be forever too late. The slumber of the world-loving men and women is deep. It will require a powerful effort to break up this frozen state of things and thaw out souls. May God help you to help yourselves.' (PH039-13)

Think Big: `The Saviour's promise to His disciples is a promise to His church to the end of time. God did not design that His wonderful plan to redeem men should achieve only insignificant results. All who will go to work, trusting not in what they themselves can do, but in what God can do for and through them, will certainly realize the fulfillment of His promise. "Greater works than these shall ye do," He declares; "because I go unto My Father."' (DA667)

Third Angel's Message: `The third angel's message is present truth . . ., and the health question is as closely connected with that message as the arm is with the body.' (MM266)

Translation Diet: `We shall soon reach a time when we must understand the meaning of a simple diet. The time is not far hence when we shall be obliged to adopt a diet very different from our present diet. We need to study the art of preparing in a simple manner the fruits, grains, and vegetables. We do not need these complex combinations that are provided. As the matter now stands we are in danger of making dyspeptics.' (MM281)

Trials: `The Lord permits trials of various kinds to call men and women to a higher order of living and to a more sanctified service. Without these trials there would be a continual falling away from the likeness of Christ, and men would become imbued with a spirit of scientific, fanciful, human philosophy, which would lead them to unite with Satan's followers. In the providence of God every good and great enterprise is subjected to trials, to test the purity and the strength of the principles of those who are standing in positions of responsibility and to mold and substantiate the individual human character after God's model. This is the highest order of education.' (MM168)

`By God's mighty cleaver of truth we have been taken from the quarry of the world and brought into the workshop of the Lord to be prepared for a place in his temple. In this work the hammer and chisel must act their part, and then comes the polishing. Rebel not under this process of grace. You may be a rough stone, on which much work must be done before you are prepared for the place God designs you to fill. You need not be surprised if with the hammer and the chisel of trial God cuts away your defects of character. He alone can accomplish this work. And be assured that he will not strike one useless blow. His every blow is struck in love, for your eternal good and happiness. He knows your defects, and works to restore, not to destroy. He sends trials to you to make you strong to do and to suffer for him.

`Remember that in every time of trouble Jesus is near you, seeking to impress his image upon you. He is trying to help you to carry the cross. He is close beside you, seeking to lead you to see how sorry he is that you make mistakes. He is always ready to clasp the hand stretched out for aid.’ (RH06-20-07)

`Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, "Go Forward." We should obey the command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. The path where God leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea, but it is a safe path.' (PP290)

`The perfect fruit of faith, meekness, and love often matures best amid storm clouds and darkness.' (COL61)

`There is no danger that the Lord will neglect the prayers of His people. The danger is that in temptation and trial they will become discouraged, and fail to persevere in prayer.' (COL175)

Trust: `Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children. Reader, He loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better. Therefore trust.’ (DA483)

`No one ever trusted God in vain. He never disappoints those who put their dependence on him. If we would only do the work that the Lord would have us do, walking in the footsteps of Jesus, our hearts would become sacred harps, every chord of which would send forth praise and thanksgiving to the One sent by God to take away the sin of the world.’ (RH05-05-10)

Truth: `The truth must not be muffled now. Plain statements must be made. Unvarnished truth must be spoken in leaflets and pamphlets, and these must be scattered like the leaves of autumn.' (PM325)

Truth: Understanding: `[The disciples] understanding of truth and their power to withstand opposition were proportionate to their conformity to God's will.' (AA594)

Truth: Testing: `God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God's means of provoking inquiry and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber.' (5T453)

Truth: Reaction To: `Those to whom the message of truth is spoken seldom ask, "Is it true?" but "by whom is is it advocated?" Multitudes estimate it by the numbers who accept it; and the question is still asked, "Have any of the learned men or religious leaders believed." ' (DA459)

`Light, brethren, more light we need. Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm in the holy mountain. Gather the host of the Lord, with sanctified hearts, to hear what the Lord will say unto His people; for He has increased light for all who will hear. Let them be armed and equipped, and come up to the battle - to the help of the Lord against the mighty. God Himself will work for Israel. Every lying tongue will be silenced. Angels' hands will overthrow the deceptive schemes that are being formed. The bulwarks of Satan will never triumph. Victory will attend the third angel's message. As the Captain of the Lord's host tore down the walls of Jericho, so will the Lord's commandment-keeping people triumph, and all opposing elements be defeated. Let no soul complain of the servants of God who have come to them with a heaven-sent message. Do not any longer pick flaws in them, saying, "They are too positive; they talk too strongly." They may talk strongly; but is it not needed? God will make the ears of the hearers tingle if they will not heed His voice or His message. He will denounce those who resist the word of God.' (TM410)

`Those who obey the truth will never be loved and honoured by the world.' (2T491)

Unity: `The powers of darkness stand a poor chance against believers who love one another as Christ has loved them, who refuse to create alienation and strife, who stand together, who are kind, courteous, and tender-hearted, cherishing the faith that works by love and purifies the soul.' (SD286)

Value of Man: `A man is measured, not by the power put forth in some one great effort, but by the zeal and integrity which he brings to the daily round of cares and responsibilities.' (ST06-30-81.3)

Walking In The Light: `To walk in the light is to walk uprightly, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. The path of obedience is the path to heaven. Following it, we follow on to know the Lord. He who walks uprightly walks surely. The law of God is in his heart, and his steps do not slide. He stands firm in Christ.' (RH 06-16-03.12)

Where Are We Today?: `We see that we are in no better condition than the Jewish people.' (1SAT95.2)

`In this experience of backsliding from the principles of reform, our people have been repeating the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness during the forty years of travel. Those who continue to follow their own course in this respect, eating, drinking, as they please, will gradually grow careless of the instructions the Lord has given regarding other phases of the present truth; they surely reap as they have sown.' (PH128 1)

Wisdom: `We must realize the nothingness of man's wisdom.' (SpM292.6)

Work: `He learned the trade of a carpenter, that He might stamp all honest labor as honorable and ennobling to all who work with an eye single to the glory of God. His work must begin in consecrating the humble trade of the craftsmen who have toiled for their daily bread. Had Christ passed His life among the grand and the rich, the world of toilers would have been deprived of the inspiration which the Lord intended they should have.’ (UL67)

Work: Our: ` In the 58th chapter of Isaiah, the work of those who worship God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, is specified.' (1MR45)

The whole chapter is applicable to those who are living in this period of the earth's history. Consider this chapter attentively; for it will be fulfilled.' (4BC1149)

`Eternity stretches before us. The curtain is about to be lifted. What are we thinking of, that we cling to our selfish love of ease, while all around us souls are perishing? Have our hearts become utterly callous? Can we not see and understand that we have a work to do in behalf of others? My brethren and sisters, are you among those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not. Is it in vain that God has given you a knowledge of His will? Is it in vain that He has sent you warning after warning of the nearness of the end? Do you believe the declarations of His word concerning what is coming upon the world? Do you believe that God's judgments are hanging over the inhabitants of the earth? How, then, can you sit at ease, careless and indifferent?' (3TT295)

`Sin has extinguished the love that God placed in man's heart. The work of the church is to rekindle this love. The church is to cooperate with God by uprooting selfishness from the human heart, placing in its stead the benevolence that was in man's heart in his original state of perfection.' (Letter 134, 1902)

`Our work is to place our will on the side of God's will. Then, through the blood of the atonement, we become partakers of the divine nature; through Christ we are children of God, and we have the assurance that God loves us even as He loved His Son. We are one with Jesus.' (5T741)

Work: Delayed: `The work the Lord would do to set the churches in order is not done, because the individual members - and especially the leaders of the flock - would not be corrected.' (1SM 47)

Works: `If you would gather together everything that is good and holy and noble and lovely in man and then present the subject to the angels of God as acting a part in the salvation of the human soul or in merit, the proposition would be rejected as treason . . . any works that man can render to God will be far less than nothingness.' (FW24)

Worldliness: `If the things of this world are cherished, however uncertain and unworthy they may be, they will become all-absorbing.' (DA520)

World Today: `Man has not grown more pure and holy since the days of Noah. His heart has not changed; it is still "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." The intense worldliness of that generation is exceeded by that of the generation now living. Money is lavishly spent for costly houses, fine horses and carriages, and other expensive articles of luxury and display, while the poor suffer for food and clothing. The fear of God is banished from the hearts of the children of men, and his law is treated with indifference and neglect.' (BEcho07-01-87)

Worry: `Christians should not allow themselves to be troubled with anxious care as to the necessities of life. If men love and obey God, and do their part, God will provide for all their wants.' (CS227)