Video Ministries

Let the Church Arise and Shine

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon
thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness
the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen
upon thee. Isa. 60:1, 2.

Jealousy caused the first death in our world. . . . All selfishness comes
from Satan. Human beings belong to one great family, the family of God. They
are to respect and love one another. They are not to speak words which wound
and bruise. No one is to be unfair in his dealings, causing his
fellow-beings to lose confidence in him. Selfishness and injustice bring
unhappiness. Under their baleful influence men lose the sense of what it
means to love one another as Christ loves us.

All are to work in love and unity, looking to God as the great center. Love
for Christ is the principle which unites man to his fellowmen. . . .

The opposite of allegiance to God is seen in the world today. Every kingdom,
every province, every family, has a desire to make itself a center. Men long
to rule over their fellowmen. . . . Self is the mainspring of action. . . .

The Lord calls upon His people to put far from them every stumbling block.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit. To unite man with God and with his
fellowmen, to restore to human beings the benevolence lost through sin--this
is the glory of the gospel. Let the church arise and shine; for her light
has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon her. Let the members
strive earnestly to obtain the victory over self (manuscript 78, 1901).

The religion of Christ means more than the forgiveness of sin; it means
taking away our sins, and filling the vacuum with the graces of the Holy
Spirit. It means divine illumination, rejoicing in God. It means a heart
emptied of self, and blessed with the abiding presence of Christ. When
Christ reigns in the soul, there is purity, freedom from sin. The glory, the
fullness, the completeness of the gospel plan is fulfilled in the life. The
acceptance of the Saviour brings a glow of perfect peace, perfect love,
perfect assurance. The beauty and fragrance of the character of Christ
revealed in the life testifies that God has indeed sent His Son into the
world to be its Saviour. . . .

The revelation of His own glory in the form of humanity will bring heaven so
near to men that the beauty adorning the inner temple will be seen in every
soul in whom the Saviour dwells. Men will be captivated by the glory of an
abiding Christ. And in currents of praise and thanksgiving from the many
souls thus won to God, glory will flow back to the great Giver (Christ's
Object Lessons, pp. 419, 420).

>From Lift Him Up - Page 292

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