We hear much talk about faith. We want faith that amounts to something. What we need is faith that works. And how does it work? By love. And what does it do? It purifies, sanctifies, the soul. As we look to the cross erected on Calvary, love takes possession of the soul. It brings the will of man into subjection to God. “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” These words are from the lips of the divine Teacher, and He further promises, “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless” (John 14:15–18).
Do you believe it? I do, and I believe it because I have the evidence in me, the sure promise of One who is Truth. I have no right to be comfortless in this world, for it [this world] needs light. Neither have you. All should be where they can lay hold of Him by living faith. When Christ was upon earth, the people flocked to Him and were comforted in His presence. After He ascended, He fulfilled His promise. He sends the Comforter to be with every believing, obedient child, wherever he may be.
We ought to be the most happy people in the world, because He is all in all to us. He has told us He would be a counselor, guide, strength, support and a tender, sympathizing friend. He is everything we need, the first, last, and best in everything. We want to praise Him in the morning, at noon, and at night; ever having the door of our hearts open and inviting Jesus to come and there abide. “If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23). …
There is work for everyone to do for Jesus. How many take into account the record of our works kept in the books in heaven? How many feel the responsibility of perishing souls? How many come into close connection with Jesus and sense the need of forming a perfect character after the likeness of Christ? This character is not to be dropped upon you by and by from heaven, but it is to be developed here. …
The present time is our day, our opportunity to work. We are not to live for self. It is of the highest consequence to us that we improve our opportunities and privileges to be honored as laborers together with God. Time is precious, and should be filled with earnest work, the worker constantly improving.
Jesus knew our danger. He tells us in John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.” He ordains that you individually shall bear fruit.
Do you walk humbly before Him? Have you a cherishing of inward sins, heartburnings against any? Are you seeking God with all your heart? Now, we can bear to be separated from everything else but the Spirit of God. We want the inspiration of the cross, making us to fall helpless, and the Lord will lift us up. Christ prayed not that His followers should be taken out of the world, but that they might be kept from the evil that is in the world. We can go through the world as did Enoch. The world was then no more favorable for the formation of Christian character than it is in our time. …
Will you not from this very day try to represent Christ to the world? You will have a refuge. You will be sunny Christians. We have been gloomy long enough. Had we not better come out of the cave, stand with God, and we will have Christ with us so that we can talk of redemption as did the disciples when they had been with Jesus and learned of Him.
Carry the light of Jesus. Carry it to your neighbors. When we bring Christ into our experience, there will be a loving of one another, there will be an unlocking of the hardest hearts. God can take a worm and thrash a mountain. If we humble ourselves and have His converting power every moment, His righteousness will be our covering. “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward” (Isaiah 58:8). Sermons and Talks, Vol. 2, 93–98