Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
F O L L O W T H E I R O W N I N C L I N A T I O N ( 3 RELATED PHRASES )
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The phrase 'follow their own inclination' appears 14 times in the published writings of EGW See page on Original site Related Phrase: human inclination ( 3 )
| Men and women, in the face of the most positive commands of God, will follow their own inclination, and then dare to pray over the matter, to prevail upon God to consent to allow them to go contrary to his expressed will. God is not pleased with such prayers. Satan comes to their side, as he did to Eve in Eden, and impresses them, and they have an exercise of mind, and this they relate as a most wonderful experience which the Lord has given them. A true experience will be in perfect harmony with natural and divine law. False experience will array itself against science and the principles of Jehovah. The religious world is covered with a pall of moral darkness. Superstition and bigotry control the minds of men and women, and blind their judgment, so that they do not discern their duty to their fellow-men, and their duty to yield unquestioned obedience to the will of God. { RH July 27, 1886, par. 5 }
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Every act, however small, has its place in the great drama of life. Consider that the desire for a single gratification of appetite introduced sin into our world, with its terrible consequences. Unhallowed marriages of the sons of God with the daughters of men resulted in apostasy which ended in the destruction of the world by a flood. The most trifling act of self-indulgence has resulted in great revolutions. This is the case now. There are very few who are circumspect. Like the children of Israel, they will not take heed to words of counsel, but follow their own inclination. They unite with a worldly element in attending gatherings where they will be brought into notice, and thus lead the way and others follow. What has been done once will be done again by themselves and many others. Every step these take makes a lasting impression, not only on their own consciences and habits, but upon those of others. This consideration gives awful dignity to human life. { 5T 93.1} { PH117 78.3 }
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| God has been testing His people. He allowed the testimony concerning dress to become silent, that our sisters might follow their own inclination and thus develop the real pride existing in their hearts. It was to prevent the present state of worldliness that the reform dress was recommended. Many scorned the idea that this dress was necessary to preserve them from following the fashions; but the Lord has permitted them to prove that pride was cherished in their hearts, and that this was just what they would do. It is now shown that they needed the restriction which the reform dress imposed. { 4T 639.3} See dress reform
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| If parents would feel that it is a solemn duty enjoined upon them of God to educate their children for usefulness in this life; if they would adorn the inner temple of the souls of their sons and daughters for the immortal life, we should see a great change in society for the better. There would not then be manifest so great indifference to practical godliness, and it would not be so difficult to arouse the moral sensibilities of children to understand the claims that God has upon them. But parents become more and more careless in the education of their children in the useful branches. Many parents allow their children to form wrong habits and to follow their own inclination, and fail to impress upon their minds the danger of their doing this, and the necessity of their being controlled by principle. { FE 32.1} . { 3T 147.1}
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| Christian parents, will you not for Christ’s sake examine your desires, your aims for your children, and see if they will bear the test of God’s law? The most essential education is that which will teach them the love and the fear of God. Your efforts to train your children should be earnest and persevering. You should seek to develop each portion of their nature, physical, mental, and moral, that they may have well-balanced characters. If you leave your children to follow their own inclination and desires, you cannot expect that they will have stability of principle, and be able to resist evil. The physical, the mental, and the moral nature must be cultivated and developed by patient training, coupled with the grace of God; in this way virtuous principles will be established. { RH June 24, 1890, par. 12 }
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| Men and women, in the face of the most positive commands of God, will follow their own inclination, and then dare to pray over the matter, to prevail upon God to consent to allow them to go contrary to His expressed will. God is not pleased with such prayers. Satan comes to their side, as he did to Eve in Eden, and impresses them, and they have an exercise of mind, and this they relate as a most wonderful experience which the Lord has given them.— ( The Review and Herald, July 27, 1886.) { Pr 262.3 }
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| In the face of the most positive commands of God, men will follow their own inclination, and then dare to pray over the matter, and endeavor to prevail upon God to allow them to go contrary to his expressed will. They have exercises of mind which they consider a most wonderful experience which God has given them; but God is not pleased with such prayers, and it is not God who gives them the “wonderful experience.” True experience will be in perfect harmony with natural and divine law; but a false experience will array itself against the principles of science and the precepts of Jehovah. Superstition and bigotry control the minds of many and blind their judgment, so that they do not discern their duty to their fellow-men nor to yield unquestioned obedience to the will of God. { SW September 1, 1908, par. 5 }
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| Oh, my brethren, put on the whole armor of God, and move with wisdom and intelligence. Do not work weeks and months to bring around a condition of things that will bind you hand and foot so that you cannot engage in the warfare as bold soldiers of Jesus Christ, and then mourn and complain because your circumstances are such that you cannot give yourselves wholly to the work. It is not God who lays upon you this burden. He has given you reason, and he wants you to use it. He would not have you arrange things at home so that when you go out to labor your minds will be continually upon your families. Before you make any move with reference to your families, he would have you consider carefully whether you are piling up burdens that will hinder you from engaging in his work. I have felt sad as I have heard different individuals tell how difficult it was for them to give themselves to the work of God. They do not like to consider the steps that they have taken to place themselves in this position. If God should work a miracle to bring them out of this position, they would go right to work to bring about another similar state of things. Such do not feel the necessity of counseling with God; they prefer to follow their own inclination and judgment. { HS 128.3 }
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| those who follow their own inclination |
| God charged Eli with honoring his sons above the Lord. Eli had permitted the offering appointed by God as a blessing to Israel to be made a thing of abhorrence, rather than bring his sons to shame for their impious and abominable practices. Those who follow their own inclination, in blind affection for their children, indulging them in the gratification of their selfish desires, and do not bring to bear the authority of God to rebuke sin and correct evil, make it manifest that they are honoring their wicked children more than they honor God. They are more anxious to shield their reputation than to glorify God; more desirous to please their children than to please the Lord and to keep His service from every appearance of evil. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 578.1 Read entire chapter 56
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| God held Eli responsible for the actions of his sons, and charged him with honoring his sons above the Lord. Eli had permitted the offering appointed of God, as a blessing to Israel, to be made a thing of abhorrence, rather than bring his sons to shame for their impious and abominable practices. Those who follow their own inclination in blind affection for their children, indulging them in the gratifications of their selfish desires, and do not bring to bear the authority of God to rebuke sin and correct evil, which is corrupting other souls, make it manifest that they are honoring their wicked children more than they honor God. They are more anxious to shield their reputation than to glorify God; more desirous to please their children than to please God and to keep his service from every appearance of evil. { ST April 6, 1888, par. 11 }
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Those who follow their own inclination, in blind affection for their children, indulging them in the gratification of their selfish desires, and do not bring to bear the authority of God to rebuke sin and correct evil, make it manifest that they are honoring their wicked children more than they honor God. They are more anxious to shield their reputation than to glorify God, more desirous to please their children than to please the Lord.... { CG 235.3}
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