To a Sanitarium Physician--
My Dear Brother: I have just received your
letters. I see that you are having a close battle financially.
I am so glad that you can heed the encouragement in the words:
"Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace
with Me; and he shall make peace with Me." Isaiah 27:5.
Let us have faith in God. Let us put our trust in Him. He understands
all about the situation in which we are placed, and He will work
in our behalf. He is honored when we trust in Him, bringing to
Him all our perplexities. "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My
name," Christ says, "that will I do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son." John 14:13. God's appointments
and grants in our behalf are without limit. The throne of grace
itself is occupied by One who permits us to call Him Father.
"God so loved the world, that He gave
His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Jehovah
did not deem the plan of salvation complete while invested only
with His love. He has placed at His altar an Advocate clothed
in our nature. As our Intercessor, Christ's office work is to
introduce us to God as His sons and daughters. He intercedes
in behalf of those who receive Him. With His own blood He has
paid their ransom. By virtue of His merits He gives them power
to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly
King. And the Father demonstrates His infinite love for Christ
by receiving and welcoming Christ's friends as His friends. He
is satisfied with the atonement made. He is glorified
by the incarnation, the life, death, and mediation
of His Son.
In Christ's name our petitions ascend to
the Father. He intercedes in our behalf, and the Father lays
open all the treasures of His grace for our appropriation, for
us to enjoy and impart to others. "Ask in My name,"
Christ says. I do not say that I will pray the Father for you;
for the Father Himself loveth you. Make use of My name. This
will give your prayers efficiency, and the Father will give you
the riches of His grace. Wherefore ask, and ye shall receive,
that your joy may be full."
Christ is the connecting link between God
and man. He has promised His personal intercession. He places
the whole virtue of His righteousness on the side of the suppliant.
He pleads for man, and man, in need of divine help, pleads for
himself in the presence of God, using the influence of the One
who gave His life for the life of the world. As we acknowledge
before God our appreciation of Christ's merits, fragrance is
given to our intercessions. As we approach God through the virtue
of the Redeemer's merits, Christ places us close by His side,
encircling us with His human arm, while with His divine arm He
grasps the throne of the Infinite. He puts His merits, as sweet
incense, in the censer in our hands, in order to encourage our
petitions. He promises to hear and answer our supplications.
Yes, Christ has become the medium of prayer
between man and God. He has also become the medium of blessing
between God and man. He has united divinity with humanity. Men
are to co-operate with Him for the salvation of their own souls,
and then make earnest, persevering efforts to save those who
are ready to die.
We must all work now, while the day lasts;
for the night cometh, in which no man can work. I am of good
courage in the Lord. There are
times when I am shown distinctly that there exists in our churches
a state of things that will not help but hinder souls. Then I
have hours, and sometimes days, of intense anguish. Many of those
who have a knowledge of the truth do not obey the words of God.
Their influence is no better than the influence of worldlings.
They talk like the world and act like the world. Oh, how my heart
aches as I think of how the Saviour is put to shame by their
un-Christlike behavior! But after the agony is past, I feel like
working harder than ever to restore the poor souls, that they
may reveal the image of God.
Pray, yes, pray with unshaken faith and
trust. The Angel of the covenant, even our Lord Jesus Christ,
is the Mediator who secures the acceptance of the prayers of
His believing ones.