“Arise, Shine”
God says to His people, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:1. Why, then, do they feel so little burden to plant the standard of truth in new places? Why do they not obey the word, “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.” Luke 12:33. Why do they not return to the Lord His own, to be invested in heavenly merchandise? Why is there not a more earnest call for volunteers to enter the whitening harvest-field? Unless more is done than has been done for the cities of America, ministers and people will have a heavy account to settle with the One who has appointed to every man his work.SpTB04 16.2
We repeat the prayer: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10. Are we doing our part to answer that prayer? We profess to believe that the commission which Christ gave to His disciples is given also to us. Are we fulfilling it? May God forgive our terrible neglect in not doing the work that as yet we have scarcely touched with the tips of our fingers. When will this work be done? It makes my heart sick and sore to see such blindness on the part of the people of God.SpTB04 16.3
There are thousands in America perishing in ignorance and sin. And looking afar off to some distant field, those who know the truth are indifferently passing by the needy fields close to them. Christ says, “Go work today in My vineyard.” “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” Matthew 21:28; John 4:35.SpTB04 17.1
Wake up, wake up, my brethren and sisters, and enter the fields in America that have never been worked. After you have given something for foreign fields, do not think your duty done. There is a work to be done in foreign fields, but there is a work to be done in America that is just as important. In the cities of America there are people of almost every language. These need the light that God has given to His church.SpTB04 17.2
The Lord lives and reigns. Soon He will arise in majesty to shake terribly the earth. A special message is now to be borne, a message that will pierce the spiritual darkness and convict and convert souls. “Haste thee, flee for thy life,” is the call to be given to those who are dwelling in sin. We must now be terribly in earnest. We have not a moment to spend in criticism and accusation. Let those who have done this in the past fall on their knees in prayer, and let them beware how they put their words and their plans in the place of God's words and God's plans.—Testimonies for the Church 8:35, 36.SpTB04 17.3
The light of truth is to shine to the ends of the earth. Greater and still greater light is beaming with celestial brightness from the Redeemer's face upon His representatives, to be diffused through the darkness of a benighted world. As laborers together with Him, let us pray for the sanctification of His Spirit, that we may shine more and more brightly.—Testimonies for the Church 8:40.SpTB04 18.1