Counsels for the Church - Ellen G. White

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frivolous and exciting tales, and even that class of books called religious novels--books in which the author attaches to his story a moral lesson--are a curse to the readers. Religious sentiments may be woven all through a storybook, but, in most cases, Satan is but clothed in angel-robes, the more effectively to deceive and allure. None are so confirmed in right principles, none so secure from temptation, that they are safe in reading these stories. The readers of fiction are indulging an evil that destroys spirituality, eclipsing the beauty of the sacred page. It creates an unhealthy excitement, fevers the imagination, unfits the mind for usefulness, weans the soul from prayer, and disqualifies it for any spiritual exercise. God has endowed many of our youth with superior capabilities; but too often they have enervated their powers, confused and enfeebled their minds, so that for years they have made no growth in grace or in a knowledge of the reasons of our faith, because of their unwise choice of reading. Those who are looking for the Lord soon to come, looking for that wondrous change, when "this corruptible shall put on incorruption," should in this probationary time be standing upon a higher plane of action. My dear young friends, question your own experience as to the influence of exciting stories. Can you, after such reading, open the Bible and read with interest the words of life? Do you not find the Book of God uninteresting? The charm of that love story is upon the mind, destroying its healthy tone, and making it impossible for you to fix the attention upon the important, solemn truths that concern your eternal welfare. Resolutely discard all trashy reading. It will not strengthen your spirituality, but will introduce into the mind sentiments that pervert the imagination, causing you to think less of Jesus and to dwell less upon His precious lessons. Keep the mind free from everything that would lead it in a wrong direction. Do not encumber it with trashy stories, which impart no 203
strength to the mental powers. The thoughts are of the same character as the food provided for the mind. Reading That Destroys the Soul With the immense tide of printed matter constantly pouring from the press, old and young form the habit of reading hastily and superficially, and the mind loses its power of connected and vigorous thought. Furthermore, a large share of the periodicals and books that, like the frogs of Egypt, are overspreading the land, are not merely commonplace, idle, and enervating, but unclean and degrading. Their effect is not merely to intoxicate and ruin the mind, but to corrupt and destroy the soul In the education of children and youth, fairy tales, myths, and fictitious stories are now given a large place. Books of this character are used in schools, and they are to be found in many homes. How can Christian parents permit their children to use books so filled with falsehood? When the children ask the meaning of stories so contrary to the teaching of their parents, the answer is that the stories are not true; but this does not do away with the evil results of their use. The ideas presented in these books mislead the children. They impart false views of life and beget and foster a desire for the unreal. The widespread use of such books at this time is one of the cunning devices of Satan. He is seeking to divert the minds of old and young from the great work of character building. He means that our children and youth shall be swept away by the soul-destroying deceptions with which he is filling the world. Therefore he seeks to divert their minds from the word of God and thus prevent them from obtaining a knowledge of those truths that would be their safeguard. Never should books containing a perversion of truth be placed in the 204
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COUNSELS FOR THE CHURCH Ellen G. Wh
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those who have waited so long for i
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people, “the children of light”
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Chapter 1 A Vision of the Reward of
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shouted, "Alleluia!" as they recogn
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the glories of the place. I noticed
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Chapter 2 The Time of The End We ar
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There are not many, even among educ
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persecutions of the past are blende
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Chapter 3 Prepare to Meet the Lord
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their lives with the lives of other
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sweetness of the communion with sai
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fellowship. Let us not allow the en
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character, yet fails of realizing t
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elieving that Jesus is a living Sav
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Repentance, as well as forgiveness,
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which is altogether unlike Christ,
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enevolence. The Jews did not admire
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example of Christian boldness and f
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earnestness, then, should we seek G
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ascended to heaven, there to interc
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By faith look upon the crowns laid
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Israel, these are a sacred trust to
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Every believer should be wholeheart
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Witnessing by Moving Into New Local
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Practical Manifestation of Religion
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Chapter 8 "Here Am I, Lord, Send Me
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We see large churches gathered in d
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of God were coming upon the earth,
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cheerful, grateful Christians, led
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een lost because of this. In every
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sent a special message from heaven
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God has ordained the canvassing wor
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Chapter 10 Belief in a Personal God
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God at any time except as He is rev
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God's Individual Interests in His C
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Chapter 11 Christians to Represent
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today; watch and pray for today; ob
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In heaven none will think of self,
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Chapter 12 In the World but Not of
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are dealing with false weights and
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his agents, and works through them
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government for the control of the s
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children in the nurture and admonit
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mothers to bring their own minds up
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lived then were not without teacher
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which others were corrected and if
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attention to the words of inspirati
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They rise up with bitter feelings a
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testimony borne, and some do harm b
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God has given sufficient evidence,
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Unity Must Precede the Outpouring o
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The Holy Spirit Will Abide Unto the
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Chapter 16 Keep Clear God's Connect
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grave. Intoxicating Wine The wine t
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through them to the coming generati
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Because of these results, many supp
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this life will affect our eternal i
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impairs the moral sense, and tends
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accomplish this most desirable work
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Those who have become fully establi
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Chapter 18 The Choosing of a Husban
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not only use all her own earnings,
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Love is a plant of heavenly growth,
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contemplate marriage, they should p
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love for truth and purity and goodn
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lead a daughter away from duty, who
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Chapter 19 Marry Not an Unbeliever
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The character of the unbelieving ma
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imitation he should say frankly: "I
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God should be placed above every ea
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The Scriptures state that both Jesu
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careful study to the following inst
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Chapter 21 A Happy, Successful Part
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husband, the husband promising to l
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Those who regard the marriage relat
Page 153 and 154: as they were previous to the Flood,
Page 155 and 156: knows, too, that in no way can he b
Page 157 and 158: It is not pure, holy love which lea
Page 159 and 160: Chapter 23 The Mother and Her Child
Page 161 and 162: and gloom. Her mental and moral hea
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Page 165 and 166: considerations than the happiness a
Page 167 and 168: Chapter 24 The Christian Father and
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Page 171 and 172: Never, never are you to show a tyra
Page 173 and 174: upon his soul. He should be determi
Page 175 and 176: Chapter 25 The Christian Home In ch
Page 177 and 178: e occupied as a sleeping room unles
Page 179 and 180: Chapter 26 Spiritual Influence in t
Page 181 and 182: without ceasing," in everything, by
Page 183 and 184: Chapter 27 Finance in the Home The
Page 185 and 186: You must see that one should not ma
Page 187 and 188: youth who has physical strength to
Page 189 and 190: Chapter 28 Family Activities During
Page 191 and 192: occasion of honoring the child, as
Page 193 and 194: thoroughly considered. Every youth
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Page 199 and 200: The young generally conduct themsel
Page 201 and 202: Chapter 30 The Avenues to the Mind
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Page 207 and 208: for those who indulge in such readi
Page 209 and 210: Chapter 32 Music The art of sacred
Page 211 and 212: Chapter 33 Criticism and Its Effect
Page 213 and 214: own salvation. If I co-operate with
Page 215 and 216: All have defects of character, and
Page 217 and 218: spiritual eyesight, they would at o
Page 219 and 220: throne of God. The Lord is testing
Page 221 and 222: interesting, is simplicity in dress
Page 223 and 224: suit, to be worn when attending ser
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Page 227 and 228: There are some around you who have
Page 229 and 230: Reach out for Higher Spiritual Atta
Page 231 and 232: Isaac by his side. He sees before h
Page 233 and 234: and ornaments for display. The mind
Page 235 and 236: Chapter 36 The Proper Discipline an
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Page 239 and 240: The Danger of Too Severe Training T
Page 241 and 242: will and temper of her child, and b
Page 243 and 244: and fretting because everything doe
Page 245 and 246: Do Not Neglect the Wants of the Min
Page 247 and 248: cared. And think you that God takes
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Page 251 and 252: Parents' Need of More Divine Guidan
Page 253 and 254: command to "rise up before the hoar
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conforming to customs, practices, a
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established in different countries
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estraint. Here the children learn l
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ability; for their efforts will ten
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And even greater is the power of th
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provided, that they may have a comp
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after healthful labor, and they wil
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fullest extent. The precepts and pr
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guard the youth from Satan's device
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so prominent that it is like a city
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violated law. We must answer to God
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eform has its place in the work of
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sluggishly. The waste, poisonous ma
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Unclean, neglected corners in the h
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each person should choose from it t
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Far too much sugar is ordinarily us
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day. After disposing of one meal, t
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God is not honored when the body is
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might have done had they not debase
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Upon their settlement in Canaan, th
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intended to serve. Never, under any
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vigorous health can be enjoyed, wit
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Chapter 42 Faithfulness in Health R
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premature death. Let the individual
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It is reported by some that I have
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Teach the people that it is better
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into connection with the masses. Sh
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Chapter 43 The Church on Earth God
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your heartfelt response testify tha
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when he asks, "What wilt Thou have
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Chapter 44 Church Organization Some
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should win converts to the gospel.
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churches. Not all, however, were pl
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their part to place the business of
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Chapter 45 The House of God To the
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should be no waiting. If there are
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The delicate and susceptible minds
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Dress So That God Is the Subject of
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Romans 15:1. Mild measures, soft an
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Human beings are Christ's property,
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appeals of his brethren. As he sees
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emain upon the books of heaven, unc
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an offense this sin is. 338
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loyal subjects and transgressors. F
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about, and gathered it [the manna],
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God's presence through the cares of
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devote a portion of time to appropr
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invigorated by the truth of God, be
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is drawn between him and the world.
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if it is convenient for him to do s
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are observing the Sabbath. Angels w
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just the work that man needs, for i
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cursed. God's claim is first; every
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of God, He has purposely arranged f
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equired in addition to the tenth of
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Paul lays down a rule for giving to
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cause of God are the most prosperou
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should labor with him kindly but pl
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The Spirit of Self-denial and Sacri
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Chapter 49 The Christian Attitude T
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There is no question in regard to t
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than they did before. God suffers H
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Chapter 50 Christians in All the Wo
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salvation of our fellow men. Will y
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"Get up, Brother Howland," he said.
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Never was he more determined than n
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manifestations of the power of God.
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How intensely earnest, then, would
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Chapter 52 Baptism The ordinances o
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seeking to ensnare, entice, and dec
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you." Matthew 7:7. 394
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who can read the heart? Who can dis
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which strengthens by self-serving,
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A Reminder of Christ's Second Comin
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the death of Christ could make His
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Conditions of Answered Prayer But o
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In prayer for the sick it should be
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utter words of encouragement or cou
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Chapter 55 The Medical Work Medical
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message of soul healing. The Pionee
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The Lord has declared that the educ
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Chapter 56 Relations With Those Not
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the results we shall see if we ente
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The government under which Jesus li
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Excitement Concerning Politics Thos
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We should remember that the world w
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given His people the work of making
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his host fall back, well knowing th
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plainly presented the fact that it
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enlightened by the Holy Spirit may
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employ the power of mind over mind
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y day the wonderful works of God, t
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against him. We must put on the who
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the truth read the testimony given
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They rely upon their own merits, ex
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the civilization of the twentieth c
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Chapter 61 The Coming Crisis As the
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God covers His glory when He comes
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movement is now making its way in d
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not cease until Jesus comes. As nev
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They seemed indifferent and careles
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18:7, 8; Revelation 14:14, 15.] I h
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ground. Men have confederated to op
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and be regarded as a Christian, and
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professed to be waiting for Christ.
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hold fast our faith, not allowing d
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Chapter 64 Christ Our Great High Pr
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services of the Day of Atonement--t
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Chapter 65 Joshua and the Angel If
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Even their best and most acceptable
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garments, their defective character
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Chapter 66 "Behold, I Come Quickly"
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is before us. Let ministers and lay
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desire that ye faint not" because o
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great recompense of reward. For ye
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Counsels for the Church - Ellen G. White

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