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Testimonies for the Church Volume One
The Laodicean Church - page 187
God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart.
Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the
professed people of God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to
overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said the angel: "God will bring His work closer and closer
to test and prove every one of His people." Some are willing to receive one point; but when God brings them to another testing
point, they shrink from it and stand back, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have
opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are
not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and
heed the counsel of the True Witness. If any will not be purified through obeying the truth, and overcome their selfishness, their
pride, and evil passions, the angels of God have the charge: "They are joined to their idols, let them alone," and they pass on
to their work, leaving these with their sinful traits unsubdued, to the control of evil angels. Those who come up to every point,
and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will
receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.
Spiritual Gifts. Volume 2, page 224
If the counsel of the True Witness had been fully heeded, God would have wrought for his people in greater power. The
efforts made since the message has been given have been blessed of God, and many souls have been brought from error and
darkness to rejoice in the truth. I saw that God would prove his people. Patiently Jesus bears with them, and does not spue
them out of his mouth in a moment. Said the angel, "God is weighing his people." If the message had been of as short duration
as many of us supposed, there would have been no time for God's people to develop character. Many moved from feeling, not
from principle and faith, and this solemn, fearful message stirred them. It wrought upon their feelings, excited their fears, but
did not accomplish the work God designed it should. God reads the heart. Lest his people should be deceived in regard to
themselves, he gives them time for the excitement to wear off, and he proves them to see if they will obey the counsel of the
True Witness.
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