God's Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

they are a perfect guide. This Ethiopian was no exception, but rather an example of many who are anxiously seeking for light. “This Ethiopian represented a large class who need to be taught by such missionaries as Philip,—men who will hear the voice of God and go where He sends them. There are many who are reading the Scriptures who cannot understand their true im port. All over the world men and women are looking wistfully to heaven. Prayers and tears and inquiries go up from souls long ing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in.” The Acts of the Apostles , 109.1. Upon these souls the Holy Spirit has done the preliminary work, without which human effort would be fruitless. Once this is accomplished, God’s next step is to select the appropri ate worker as His instrument to explain the gospel truths to the needy one. The only people who can serve in this capacity are those who are willing to be used as missionaries like Phi lip. They must be people who will hear the voice of God, recog nize His specific orders as such, and go where He sends them. They will not accept specific orders from a church-elected mis sionary leader, nor plan their own missionary work and send themselves. By way of contrast, it is helpful to see how the usual proce dures adopted by churches effectively frustrate the work of the Holy Spirit. After the missionary leader has met with those who are willing to work under his guidance, and has assigned their territory, they embark on their mission, usually in pairs. As we have noted they systematically call from house to house, omit ting none. When they find no one at home, these workers note the address and call again later—a commendable thoroughness. Now let us imagine that in one of the homes the missionaries will shortly visit, lives a man upon whom the Holy Spirit is working, but for the time being he is not yet ready to receive the gospel. At this early stage, the convicted one does not under stand his true need, and in the unrest and unbelief in which he The Wrong Method