Brethren, the Lord is coming, and we need to bend every energy to the work before us. We must not only give discourses in the desk, but minister out of the desk. We must be a savor of life unto life in our conversation and deportment. Watchmen upon the walls of Zion, God calls upon you to give yourselves wholly to the work. It is impossible for any man to answer the purpose of God unless he gives his whole soul, mind, and being to God, deciding that he will practice what he preaches, showing himself to be a faithful, devout Christian, a partaker with Christ of his sufferings. The servants of God should pray as never before, Lord, "open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." "Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise." {RH, January 21, 1890 par. 1}
We lose much by not diligently searching the Scriptures for precious gems of truth. We should study the word of God more earnestly. "Therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away by the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Jesus is measuring the characters of those who profess to be his followers. He is going from congregation to congregation, from church to church, measuring the worshipers. He follows those who claim to be the sons and daughters of God, to take their measurement in business transactions, in trade, in all the affairs of life. His under-shepherds are bearing heavy responsibilities; for by virtue of their office they are to be representatives of Christ, representatives of the sanctifying power of the truth. The under-shepherds may sleep, they may fail to rightly divide the word of truth, they may fail to point the flock to the pastures provided for them. Instead of being a light to the world, they may be walking in darkness. They may stumble upon the dark mountains of unbelief. But the True Shepherd, he that keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep. If the candlestick is held by unfaithful men, if it gives a flickering light that grows dim and dies out, there is One who sees, One who declares, "I know thy works." {RH, January 21, 1890 par. 2}
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