Digging For Truth

Work at cross purposes

   Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .

       w o r k    a t    c r o s s    p u r p o s e s         (  2  RELATED  PHRSES )   

        The  phrase  'work at cross purposes'  appears  1x  time in the writings of EGW                       page NOT on Original site                 Related phrases:    working at cross purposes  ( below )   - -   unity of purpose  (  )

   These are not the words of Sister White, but the words of the Lord, and His messenger has given them to me to give to you. God calls upon you to no longer work at cross purposes with Him. Much instruction was given in regard to men claiming to be Christian when they are revealing the attributes of Satan, counteracting in spirit, word, and action the advancement of truth, and are surely following the path where Satan is leading them. In their hardness of heart they have grasped authority which in no way belongs to them, and which they should not exercise. Saith the great Teacher, "I will overturn, overturn, overturn." Men say in Battle Creek, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we"' but they are using common fire. Their hearts are not softened and subdued by the grace of God.   {13MR 222.2}

 

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    In these words the Lord has clearly defined the road to the city of God; but the great apostate has changed the signpost, setting up a false one — a spurious sabbath. He says: “I will work at cross purposes with God. I will empower my delegate, the man of sin, to take down God’s memorial, the seventh-day Sabbath. Thus will I show the world that the day sanctified and blessed by God has been changed. That day shall not live in the minds of the people. I will obliterate the memory of it. I will place in its stead a day bearing not the credentials of heaven, a day that can not be a sign between God and his people. I will lead the people who accept this day, to place upon it the sanctify that God placed upon the seventh day. Through my vicegerent I will exalt myself. The first day shall be extolled, and the Protestant world shall receive this spurious sabbath as genuine. Through the non-observance of the Sabbath God instituted, I will bring his law into contempt. The words, ‘A sign between me and you throughout your generations,’ I will make to serve on the side of my sabbath. Thus the world will become mine. I will be ruler of the earth, prince of the world. I will so control the minds under my power that God’s Sabbath shall be an object of contempt. A sign? I will make the observance of the seventh day a sign of disloyalty to the authorities of earth. Human laws shall be made so stringent that men and women will not dare to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. For fear of wanting food and clothing, they will join with the world in transgressing God’s law; and the earth will be wholly under my dominion.”  { RH April 17, 1900, par. 4 }
 

    During the Christian dispensation, the great enemy of man’s happiness has made the Sabbath of the fourth commandment an object of special attack. Satan says, “I will work at cross purposes with God. I will empower my followers to set aside God’s memorial, the seventh-day Sabbath. Thus I will show the world that the day sanctified and blessed by God has been changed. That day shall not live in the minds of the people. I will obliterate the memory of it. I will place in its stead a day that does not bear the credentials of God, a day that cannot be a sign between God and His people. I will lead those who accept this day to place upon it the sanctity that God placed upon the seventh day. { PK 183.3}  Read entire Chapter 14

 

    The great enemy of man’s happiness has made the Sabbath of the fourth commandment an object of special attack. Satan says, “I will work at cross purposes with God. I will set aside God’s memorial, the seventh-day Sabbath. I will show the world that the day sanctified by God has been changed. I will obliterate the memory of it. I will place in its stead a day that does not bear the credentials of God, a day that cannot be a sign between God and His people. Through my vicegerent, I will exalt myself. The first day will be extolled, and the Protestant world will receive this spurious sabbath as genuine. I will be the prince of this world. I will so control minds that God’s Sabbath shall be a special object of contempt. A sign? I will make the observance of the seventh day a sign of disloyalty to the authorities of earth. Human laws will be made so stringent that men and women will not dare to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. For fear of being without food and clothing, they will join the world in transgressing God’s law. The earth will be wholly under my dominion.” Through setting up a false sabbath, the enemy thought “to change times and laws.” But has he really succeeded in changing God’s law? He who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, has declared of the seventh-day Sabbath: “It is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations.” “It is a sign ... forever.” Exodus 31:13, 17. The changed signpost is pointing the wrong way, but God has not changed. He is just as jealous for His law now as in the days of Ahab and Elijah. { SS 97.2 } 

 

   I know by the burden which is rolled upon me, that many who are officiating in our schools need themselves to learn in the school of Christ his meekness, his tender dealing with the erring, his compassion and love. Until they are melted over and the dross separated from the character, they will work at cross purposes. I am deeply grieved in my heart, for serious results in unwise dealings have followed, more serious then many are willing to admit to their own conscience or to God. Self is so large in many, ever striving for the mastery. There are those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ who have never died to self. They have never fallen on the Rock and been broken, Until this shall be, they will live unto self, and if they die as they are, it is forever too late for their wrongs to be righted. I love their souls. Jesus loves their souls, and he will do a good work for them, if they will humble themselves under his mighty hand, repent and be converted, surrender every day to God. It must be a constant daily surrender. We must be minute men and women, ever on guard over self, and watching to improve every opportunity to do good and only good for the souls for whom Christ has given his life to make them his own. When the human agents deal with these souls in a hard spirit, they grieve the heart of Christ, and put him to open shame, for they misrepresent in their own character the character of Christ, Said one, "thy gentleness hath made me great." I pray to our heavenly Father that all connected with our schools may be in Christ as the branch is united to the living vine.  {SpM 146.2}
 
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                   w o r k i n g    a t    c r o s s    p u r p o s e s                                 

     

  My brother, Uriah Smith, whom I have loved and respected in the Lord, you have been working at cross purposes with God, practicing upon yourself deceptions which, if you continue as you have done, will be succeeded with deceptions and delusions which will end in irrevocable separation from God. He calls you. Clear the king’s highway, remove the stumbling blocks out of the path, dare not to do a surface work here, for others have looked to you and followed your example far more than they have looked to God and sought his counsel. They will go no farther than you will go. Confess your mistakes; confess fully; leave not a stone unturned. The true counsellor is expostulating with you and entreats you that you cheat not your soul of eternal happiness. There is one thing that you may seek with all your powers. He points you upward, and would have your thoughts in heaven from whence comes your hope, and your daily supplies. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” While the Lord Jesus shows us the vast confederacy of evil we must meet, for principalities  ( page 794 ) and powers are arrayed against us, he tells us we struggle for an invisible world. The whole universe of heaven are watching the conflict, and if our eyes could be opened we would see angels in the ranks for the Holy Spirit is promised to all who fight manfully the battles of the Lord. There are soldiers engaged in the battle who are not perfect, compassed with infirmities, falling into sin, ignorant, and needing instruction at every step; but to feel their need, to sense their poverty is essential before they can be helped. When they fall upon the Rock and are broken then the everlasting arms are around the helpless. Heavenly agencies are employed to do their work, fit them as vessels of honor, overpowering the enemies, piercing the cloud and shadow of Satanic agencies. The heavenly instrumentalities surround them with an element of light, — even the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. The Captain of the Lord’s host leads them to the field of battle with these words, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. A conqueror stands at your head, victory is sure.”   { 1888 793.2 }   Read entire article

 

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   Many who claim to be Christians are working at cross-purposes with God. Many are waiting for some great work to be brought to them. Daily they lose opportunities for showing their faithfulness to God; daily they fail of discharging with whole-heartedness the little duties of life, which seem to them uninteresting. While waiting for some great work in which they may exercise their supposedly great talents, and thus satisfy their ambitious longings, their life passes away. { YI August 20, 1903, par. 7 }

 

   It is the purpose of God that His children shall blend in unity. Do they not expect to live together in the same heaven? Is Christ divided against Himself? Will He give His people success before they sweep away the rubbish of evil surmising and discord, before the laborers, with unity of purpose, devote heart and mind and strength to the work so holy in God’s sight? Union brings strength; disunion, weakness. United with one another, working together in harmony for the salvation of men, we shall indeed be “laborers together with God.” Those who refuse to work in harmony greatly dishonor God. The enemy of souls delights to see them working at cross purposes with one another. Such ones need to cultivate brotherly love and tenderness of heart. If they could draw aside the curtain veiling the future and see the result of their disunion they would surely be led to repent. { 3TT 244.1} 
 
   It is the purpose of God that His children shall blend in unity. Do they not expect to live together in the same heaven? Is Christ divided against Himself? Will He give His people success before they sweep away the rubbish of evil surmising and discord, before the laborers, with unity of purpose, devote heart and mind and strength to the work so holy in God’s sight? Union brings strength; disunion, weakness. United with one another, working together in harmony for the salvation of men, we shall indeed be “laborers together with God.” Those who refuse to work in harmony greatly dishonor God. The enemy of souls delights to see them working at cross purposes with one another. Such ones need to cultivate brotherly love and tenderness of heart. If they could draw aside the curtain veiling the future and see the result of their disunion they would surely be led to repent. { CCh 43.1} 

 

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