Character Is Power

[Thompson, Darryl]

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Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for November 25
Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org
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Character Is Power

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in
hope of the glory of God. Rom. 5:1, 2.

Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character
is an easy matter. A noble, all-round character is not inherited. It
does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by
individual effort through the merits and grace and Christ. God gives the
talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by
hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged
against hereditary tendencies. We shall have to criticize ourselves
closely, and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected. . .
. 

A character formed according to the divine likeness is the only treasure
that we can take from this world to the next. Those who are under the
instruction of Christ in this world will take every divine attainment
with them to the heavenly mansions. . . . 


The heavenly intelligences will work with the human agent who seeks with
determined faith that perfection of character which will reach out to
perfection in action. To everyone engaged in this work Christ says, I am
at your right hand to help you.

As the will of man cooperates with the will of God, it becomes
omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in
His strength. All His biddings are enablings.

Character is power. The silent witness of a true, unselfish, godly life
carries an almost irresistible influence. By revealing in our own life
the character of Christ we cooperate with Him in the work of saving
souls. It is only by revealing in our life His character that we can
cooperate with Him. And the wider the sphere of our influence, the more
good we may do. When those who profess to serve God follow Christ's
example, practicing the principles of the law in their daily life; when
every act bears witness that they love God supremely and their neighbor
as themselves, then will the church have power to move the world. . . . 

We know not what results a day, an hour, or a moment may determine, and
never should we begin the day without committing our ways to our
heavenly Father. . . . When unconsciously we are in danger of exerting a
wrong influence, the angels will be by our side, prompting us to a
better course, choosing our words for us, and influencing our actions.
Thus our influence may be a silent, unconscious, but mighty power in
drawing others to Christ and the heavenly world.

>From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 308, 309.