God has not given His ministers the work of

setting the churches right. No sooner is this

work done, apparently, than it has to be done
over again. Church members that are thus
looked after and labored for become religious
weaklings. If nine tenths of the effort that has
been put forth for those who know the truth had
been put forth for those who have never heard
the truth, how much greater would have been
the advancement made! God has withheld His
blessings because His people have not worked
in harmony with His directions. {7T 18.2}
 It weakens those who know the truth for our
ministers to expend on them the time and
talent that should be given to the unconverted.
In many of our churches in the cities the
minister preaches Sabbath after Sabbath, and
Sabbath after Sabbath the church members
come to the house of God with no words to tell
of blessings received because of blessings
imparted. They have not worked during the
week to carry out the instruction given them
on the Sabbath. So long as church members
make no effort to give to others the help given
them, great spiritual feebleness must result.
{7T 18.3}
I saw that the remnant were not prepared for
what is coming upon the earth. Stupidity, like
lethargy, seemed to hang upon the minds of
most of those who profess to believe that we
are having the last message. My accompanying
angel cried out with awful solemnity, "Get
ready! get ready! get ready! for the fierce anger
of the Lord is soon to come. His wrath is to be
poured out, unmixed with mercy, and ye are
not ready. Rend the heart, and not the garment.
A great work must be done for the remnant.
Many of them are dwelling upon little trials."
Said the angel, "Legions of evil angels are
around you, and are trying to press in their
awful darkness, that ye may be ensnared and
taken. Ye suffer your minds to be diverted too
readily from the work of preparation and the all-
important truths for these last days. And ye
dwell upon little trials and go into minute
particulars of little difficulties to explain them to
the satisfaction of this one or that."
Conversation has been protracted for hours
between the parties concerned, and not only
has their time been wasted, but the servants of
God are held to listen to them, when the hearts
of both parties are unsubdued by grace. If pride
and selfishness were laid aside, five minutes
would remove most difficulties.
Angels have been grieved and God displeased
by the hours which have been spent in
justifying self. I saw that God will not bow
down and listen to long justifications, and He
does not want His servants to do so, and thus
precious time be wasted that should be spent
in showing transgressors the error of their
ways and pulling souls out of the fire. {EW
119.1}
I saw that God's people are on the enchanted
ground, and that some have lost nearly all
sense of the shortness of time and the worth
of the soul. Pride has crept in among
Sabbathkeepers-pride of dress and
appearance. Said the angel, "Sabbathkeepers
will have to die to self, die to pride and love of
approbation." {EW 120.1}
Truth, saving truth, must be given to the starving
people who are in darkness. I saw that many
prayed for God to humble them; but if God should
answer their prayers, it would be by terrible things
in righteousness. It was their duty to humble
themselves. I saw that if self-exaltation was
suffered to come in, it would surely lead souls
astray, and if not overcome would prove their ruin.
When one begins to get lifted up in his own eyes
and thinks he can do something, the Spirit of God
is withdrawn, and he goes on in his own strength
until he is overthrown. I saw that one saint, if he
were right, could move the arm of God; but a
multitude together, if they were wrong, would be
weak and could effect nothing. {EW 120.2}
Many have unsubdued, unhumbled hearts, and
think more of their own little grievances and trials
than of the souls of sinners. If they had the glory of
God in view, they would feel for perishing souls
around them; and as they realized their perilous
situation, would take hold with energy, exercising
faith in God, and hold up the hands of His servants,
that they might boldly, yet in love, declare the truth
and warn souls to lay hold upon it before the sweet
voice of mercy should die away. Said the angel,
"Those who profess His name are not ready." I saw
that the seven last plagues were coming upon the
shelterless heads of the wicked; and then those
who have stood in their way will hear the bitter
reproaches of sinners, and their hearts will faint
within them. {EW 120.3}
In reviewing our past history, having traveled
over every step of advance to our present
standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what
the Lord has wrought, I am filled with
astonishment, and with confidence in Christ as
leader. We have nothing to fear for the future,
except as we shall forget the way the Lord has
led us, and His teaching in our past history. {LS
196.2}
The greatest help that can be given
our people is to teach them to work for
God, and to depend on Him, not on the
ministers. Let them learn to work as
Christ worked. Let them join His army
of workers and do faithful service for
Him. {7T 19.1}
There are times when it is fitting for our
ministers to give on the Sabbath, in our
churches, short discourses, full of the life
and love of Christ. But the church
members are not to expect a sermon
every Sabbath. {7T 19.2}
Let us remember that we are pilgrims and strangers on
this earth, seeking a better country, even a heavenly.
Let us work with such earnestness, such devotion,
that sinners will be drawn to Christ. Those who have
united with the Lord in the covenant of service are
under bonds to unite with Him in the great, grand work
of soul saving. Let church members, during the week,
act their part faithfully, and on the Sabbath relate their
experience. The meeting will then be as meat in due
season, bringing to all present new life and fresh
vigor. When God's people see the great need of
working as Christ worked for the conversion of
sinners, the testimonies borne by them in the Sabbath
service will be filled with power. With joy they will tell
of the precious experience they have gained in
working for others. {7T 19.3}
Our ministers are not to spend their time
laboring for those who have already
accepted the truth. With Christ's love
burning in their hearts, they are to go
forth to win sinners to the Saviour.
Beside all waters they are to sow the
seeds of truth. Place after place is to be
visited; church after church is to be
raised up. Those who take their stand for
the truth are to be organized into
churches, and then the minister is to
pass on to other equally important fields.
{7T 19.4}
Just as soon as a church is organized, let the
minister set the members at work. They will need to
be taught how to labor successfully. Let the
minister devote more of his time to educating than
to preaching. Let him teach the people how to give
to others the knowledge they have received. While
the new converts should be taught to ask counsel
from those more experienced in the work, they
should also be taught not to put the minister in the
place of God. Ministers are but human beings, men
compassed with infirmities. Christ is the One to
whom we are to look for guidance. "The Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, . . . full of grace
and truth." "And of His fullness have all we
received, and grace for grace." John 1:14,16. {7T
20.1}
The power of the gospel is to come upon the
companies raised up, fitting them for service.
Some of the new converts will be so filled
with the power of God that they will at once
enter the work. They will labor so diligently
that they will have neither time nor
disposition to weaken the hands of their
brethren by unkind criticism. Their one desire
will be to carry the truth to the regions
beyond. {7T 20.2}
 The Lord has presented before me the work
that must be done in our cities. The believers in
these cities can work for God in the
neighborhood of their homes. They are to labor
quietly and in humility, carrying with them
wherever they go the atmosphere of heaven. If
they keep self out of sight, pointing always to
Christ, the power of their influence will be felt.
{7T 20.3}
It is not the Lord's purpose that ministers should be
left to do the greatest part of the work of sowing the
seeds of truth. Men who are not called to the
ministry are to be encouraged to labor for the Master
according to their several ability. Hundreds of men
and women now idle could do acceptable service.
By carrying the truth into the homes of their friends
and neighbors, they could do a great work for the
Master. God is no respecter of persons. He will use
humble, devoted Christians, even if they have not
received so thorough an education as some others.
Let such ones engage in service for Him by doing
house-to-house work. Sitting by the fireside, they
can-- if humble, discreet, and godly--do more to
meet the real needs of families than could an
ordained minister. {7T 21.2}
Why do not believers feel a deeper, more
earnest concern for those who are out of
Christ? Why do not two or three meet together
and plead with God for the salvation of some
special one, and then for still another? In our
churches let companies be formed for service.
Let different ones unite in labor as fishers of
men. Let them seek to gather souls from the
corruption of the world into the saving purity of
Christ's love. {7T 21.3}
The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian
effort has been presented to me by One who cannot err. If
there is a large number in the church, let the members be
formed into small companies, to work not only for the church
members, but for unbelievers. If in one place there are only
two or three who know the truth, let them form themselves
into a band of workers. Let them keep their bond of union
unbroken, pressing together in love and unity, encouraging
one another to advance, each gaining courage and strength
from the assistance of the others. Let them reveal Christlike
forbearance and patience, speaking no hasty words, using
the talent of speech to build one another up in the most holy
faith. Let them labor in Christlike love for those outside the
fold, forgetting self in their endeavor to help others. As they
work and pray in Christ's name, their numbers will increase;
for the Saviour says: "If two of you shall agree on earth as
touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for
them of My Father which is in heaven." Matthew 18:19. {7T
Our people have received great light, yet
much of the ministerial force has been spent
on the churches, teaching those who should
be teachers; enlightening those who should
be "the light of the world;" watering those
from whom should flow rivers of living water;
enriching those who might be mines of
precious truth; repeating the gospel invitation
to those who, scattered to the uttermost parts
of the earth, should be giving the message of
heaven to those who have not heard; feeding
those who should be in the highways and
byways giving the call: "Come; for all things
are now ready." {7T 24.2}
God's people are called upon to rally without
delay under the bloodstained banner of Christ
Jesus. Unceasingly they are to continue their
warfare against the enemy, pressing the battle
even to the gates. And everyone who is added to
the ranks by conversion is to be assigned his
post of duty. Everyone should be willing to be or
to do anything in this warfare. When church
members put forth earnest efforts to advance the
message, they will live in the joy of the Lord and
will meet with success. Triumph always follows
decided effort. {7T 30.1}
FUNNY ?
Funny how a $100 "looks" so big when you
take it to church, but so small when you take it
to the mall.

Funny how long it takes to serve God for an

hour, but how quickly a team plays 60 minutes
of basketball.

Funny how long a couple of hours spent at

church are, but how short they are when
watching a movie.
Funny how we can't think of anything to say
when we pray, but don't have difficulty thinking
of things to talk about to a friend.

Funny how we get thrilled when a baseball

game goes into extra innings, but we complain
when a sermon is longer than the regular time.

Funny how hard it is to read a chapter in the

Bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a
best selling novel.

Funny how people want to get a front seat at

any game or concert, but scramble to get a
back seat at church services.
Funny how we need 2 or 3 weeks advance notice to
fit a church event into our schedule, but can adjust
our schedule for other events at the last moment.

Funny how hard it is for people to learn a simple

gospel well enough to tell others, but how simple it
is for the same people
to understand and repeat gossip.

Funny how we believe what the newspaper say, but

question what the Bible says.

Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided

they do not have to believe, or think, or say, or do
anything.
Funny how you can send a thousand 'jokes'
through e-mail and they spread like wildfire,
but when you start sending messages
regarding the Lord, people think twice about
sharing

FUNNY, ISN'T IT?