May 27
Set apart for Him
Ellen G. White
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." — 1 Corinthians 6:20 · KJV
You have been chosen by Christ. You have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb. Plead before God the efficacy of that blood. Say unto Him: “I am Thine by creation; I am Thine by redemption. I respect human authority, and the advice of my brethren; but I cannot depend wholly upon these. I want Thee, O God, to teach me. I have covenanted with Thee to adopt the divine standard of character, and make Thee my counselor and guide,—a party to every plan of my life; therefore teach me.” Let the glory of the Lord be your first consideration. Repress every desire for worldly distinction, every ambition to secure the first place. Encourage heart purity and holiness, that you may represent the true principles of the gospel. Let every act of your life be sanctified by a holy endeavor to do the Lord's will, that your influence may not lead others into forbidden paths. When God is the leader, His righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.
The Lord says, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” The advice of your own brethren may cause you to swerve from the path which the Lord has marked out for you to walk in; for the minds of men are not always under the control of the Holy Spirit. “Watch” lest your studies shall accumulate to such proportions, and become of such absorbing interest to you, that your mind shall become overburdened, and the desire for godliness be crushed out of your soul. With many students the motive and aim which caused them to enter school have gradually been lost sight of, and an unholy ambition to secure a high class education has led them to sacrifice the truth. Their intense interest to secure a high place among men has caused them to leave the will of their Heavenly Father out of their calculations; but true knowledge leads to holiness of life through the sanctification of the truth.