made an excuse to refuse entrance to an applicant. When Elijah
came to the widow of Sarepta, she shared her morsel with the prophet of
God, and he wrought a miracle, and caused that in that act of making a
home for his servant, and sharing her morsel with him, she herself was
sustained, and her life and that of her son preserved. Thus will it prove
in the case of many, if they do this cheerfully, for the glory of God.
Some plead their poor health—they would love to do if they had
strength. Such have so long shut themselves up to themselves, and
thought so much of their own poor feelings, and talked so much of
their sufferings, trials, and afflictions, that it is their present truth. They
can think of no one but self, however much others may be in need of
sympathy and assistance. You who are suffering with poor health, there
is a remedy for you. If thou clothe the naked, and bring the poor that
are cast out to thy house, and deal thy bread to the hungry, “then shall
thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth
speedily.” Doing good is an excellent remedy for disease. Those who
engage in the work are invited to call upon God, and He has pledged
Himself to answer them. Their soul shall be satisfied in drought, and
they shall be like a watered garden, whose waters fail not.
Wake up, brethren and sisters. Do not be afraid of good works. “Let
us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we
faint not.” Do not wait to be told your duty. Open your eyes and see who
are around you; make yourselves acquainted with the helpless, afflicted,
and needy. Hide not yourselves from them, and seek not to shut out their
needs. Who gives the proofs mentioned in James, of possessing pure
religion, untainted with selfishness or corruption? Who are anxious to
do all in their power to aid in the great plan of salvation?
29
I am acquainted with a widow who has two small children to support,
wholly by the use of her needle. She looks pale and careworn. All
through the hard winter she has struggled to sustain herself and her
children. She has received a little help, but who would feel any lack if a
still greater interest were manifested in this case? Here are her two boys,
aged about nine and eleven years, who need homes. Who are willing to
give them homes for Christ’s sake? The mother should be released from
this care and close confinement to her needle. These boys are in a village,
their only guardian their hard-working mother. They need to be taught
how to work as their age will admit. They need to be patiently, kindly,
lovingly instructed. Some may say: “Oh, yes, I would take them and
teach them how to work.” But they should not lose sight of other things
which these children need besides being taught to work. They need to
be instructed how they shall develop good Christian character. They
want love and affection, they need to be fitted to become useful here,
and finally to be prepared for heaven. Disrobe yourselves of selfishness,
and see if there are not many whom you can help and bless with your
homes, your sympathy, your love, and in pointing them to the Lamb of
God, who taketh away the sins of the world. Do you wish to make any
sacrifice to save souls? Jesus, the dear Saviour, is preparing a home for
you; and why will not you in your turn prepare a home for those who
need it, and in thus doing imitate the example of your Master? If you are
not willing to do this, when you shall feel that you need a habitation in
the heavens, none will be awarded you. For Christ declares: “Inasmuch
as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me.” You that
have been selfish, studying your own ease and advantage all your life,
your hours of probation are fast closing. What are you doing to redeem
your life of selfishness and uselessness? Wake up! wake up!
30
As you regard your eternal interest, arouse yourselves, and begin to
sow good seed. That which you sow, you shall also reap. The harvest
is coming—the great reaping time, when we shall reap what we have
sown. There will be no failure in the crop; the harvest is sure. Now is
the sowing time. Now make efforts to be rich in good works, “ready
to distribute, willing to communicate,” laying up in store for yourselves
a good foundation against the time to come, that ye “may lay hold on
eternal life.” I implore you, my brethren in every place, rid yourselves
of your icy coldness. Encourage in yourselves a love of hospitality, a
love to help those who need help.
You may say you have been taken in and have bestowed your
means upon those unworthy of your charity, and therefore have become
discouraged in trying to help the needy. I present Jesus before you. He
came to save fallen man, to bring salvation to His own nation; but they
would not accept Him. They treated His mercy with insult and contempt,
and at length they put to death Him who came for the purpose of giving
them life. Did our Lord turn from the fallen race because of this? Though
your efforts for good have been unsuccessful ninety-nine times, and you
received only insult, reproach, and hate, yet if the one-hundredth time
proves a success, and one soul is saved, oh, what a victory is achieved!
One soul wrenched from Satan’s grasp, one soul benefited, one soul
encouraged. This will a thousand times repay you for all your efforts.
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
To you will Jesus say: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” Should we not gladly
do all we can to imitate the life of our divine Lord? Many shrink at the
idea of making any sacrifice for others’ good. They are not willing to
suffer for the sake of helping others. They flatter themselves that it is not
required of them to disadvantage themselves for the benefit of others. To