Video Ministries

Redeeming the Time

Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give
thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, . . . redeeming the time,
because the days are evil. Eph. 5:14-16.

We are living in the most solemn period of this world's history. The destiny
of earth's teeming multitudes is about to be decided. . . . We need to be
guided by the Spirit of truth. . . .

Many are deceived as to their true condition before God. They congratulate
themselves upon the wrong acts which they do not commit, and forget to
enumerate the good and noble deeds which God requires of them, but which
they have neglected to perform. It is not enough that they are trees in the
garden of God. They are to answer His expectation by bearing fruit. He holds
them accountable for their failure to accomplish all the good which they
could have done, through His grace strengthening them. In the books of
heaven they are registered as cumberers of the ground. Yet the case of even
this class is not utterly hopeless. With those who have slighted God's mercy
and abused His grace, the heart of long-suffering love yet pleads.
"Wherefore . . . awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, . . .
redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:14-16).

When the testing time shall come, those who have made God's Word their rule
of life will be revealed. In summer there is no noticeable difference
between evergreens and other trees; but when the blasts of winter come, the
evergreens remain unchanged, while other trees are stripped of their
foliage. So the falsehearted professor may not now be distinguished from the
real Christian, but the time is just upon us when the difference will be
apparent. Let opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway,
let persecution be kindled, and the halfhearted and hypocritical will waver
and yield the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, his
faith stronger, his hope brighter, than in days of prosperity.

Says the psalmist: "Thy testimonies are my meditation." "Through thy
precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way" (Ps. 119:99,
104).

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom." "He shall be as a tree planted by
the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see
when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in
the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit" (Prov. 3:13;
Jer. 17:8) (The Great Controversy, pp. 601, 602).

Not by its name, but by its fruit, is the value of a tree determined (The
Desire of Ages, p. 107).

>From Lift Him Up - Page 354

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