Strong in His Strength, February 21

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Romans 6:12.TDG 60.1

Be constantly learning of Jesus, constantly increasing in faith and growing in grace and the knowledge of the truth. We are doing a great work, and the Lord is our Helper, the Lord is our Shield. He will not leave nor forsake us. Angels of God are engaged in this work of proclaiming the message of warning for the world. Of ourselves we can do nothing. We are as weak as water without the Spirit of the Lord. Our strength is in hiding in Jesus. Let Christ appear as the One altogether lovely, and the chief among ten thousand.TDG 60.2

Again, I exhort you to take good care of the habitation which God has given you. Let not sin reign in your mortal body, and do not waste the physical powers God has given you, but cherish your strength, putting your whole trust in a perfect Saviour. He wants you to be victorious and wear a jeweled crown at last.TDG 60.3

Heaven, sweet heaven, is the saint's eternal home. We shall rest by and by. Let us then so use our powers as not abusing them, that God may increase and sanctify them and make them of the highest service. May the Lord come very near you, ... and give you a strong influence to beat down error and superstition and the works of Satan.TDG 60.4

We may ask of God great things and He will give them us. We shall be strong in His strength. You will receive opposition from the clergy as you live up to, and present to others, the high standard of the religion of the Bible; contempt and jeering, slander and falsehood will follow you. Your motives, your words, your actions will be misunderstood and misrepresented and condemned. But, if you pursue the work irrespective of the abuse given you, if you do right, if you are kind and patient, humble in spirit, happy in God, you will have influence. You will receive the sympathy of all those who are honest and reasonable.TDG 60.5

Hold forth the Word of life, the tempest of opposition will spend itself by its own fury and will subside. The clamor will die away.... The harmony of truth will be seen and will be felt and will be obeyed by the honest and God-fearing.—Letter 16, February 21, 1879, to Elder J. G. Matteson, pioneer minister in Denmark.TDG 60.6