CHANNELS OF LIGHT by A. L. Hollenbeck

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 7, 1900

CHANNELS OF LIGHT.

By A. L. Hollenbeck

A. L. HOLLENBECK.

It is absolutely necessary to our spiritual welfare that we obtain an experience in faith, in prayer, and in rejoicing in the love of God. Unless we obtain this experience, our moral courage will be enfeebled, and our religion will degenerate into a heartless form. Instead of being faithful to the high responsibilities God has bestowed upon us as his human agents, many are following the unholy promptings of their nature. We may receive the Holy Spirit, and be faithful to the end; or we may be careless and indifferent, and finally be lost.

Salvation flows to us through the channel of faith. If we are faithful,—faith-full,—the channel is established between God and us, and no power on earth can check the daily flow of saving grace to us. We will then be no more of this world, but we will be in this world channels of light, through which God can communicate to others the light of his sacred truth. There are many faithless ones, who have not an experimental knowledge of the truth, and who wait to be carried forward by the faith of others. Only those whose life and character are in harmony with God’s great standard of righteousness will ever feel the sanctifying power of the truth on their own souls. We have the warnings and corrections God has given his people in past ages, and in addition, the great light that is now shining across our pathway. Notwithstanding all this, many who profess to know Christ do the works they should avoid, and neglect the requirements God has given them to observe. This is because the heart is still carnal.

To obtain an experience in living faith, earnest, persevering prayer is necessary. Those who are true and loyal to God will not murmur and complain when trials and afflictions come; but they will daily heed the Saviour’s injunction, “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Every follower of Christ who would be saved, must endure the refining process, not to be consumed, but to be purified. If we were left to follow our own ways, we should be led to destruction. The Lord knows that in order to save us it is necessary for him to communicate to us his own ideas, his own thoughts, which always lead toward heaven. When temptations come in, and we come close to the Lord in earnest prayer for his help and guidance, he will give us the strength that always has victory in it for every humble, trusting follower of his.

An experience in genuine faith and earnest prayer will always lead the soul to rejoice in the love of God. Only those who rejoice in the Lord here can ever join with the angels in songs of rejoicing in the home of the redeemed. When the converting power of God is experienced in the hearts of the individual members of our churches, and they shall arise and put on the beautiful garments of salvation, then shall the church of God shine, and many from all nations shall see the light, and shall come to the brightness of her rising. We should rejoice now, and all the time, because of God’s wonderful love to us, and because his truth is soon to triumph most gloriously.

Those who receive the Holy Spirit will “have faith in God,” will “pray without ceasing,” and will “rejoice evermore.” To this end, brethren, “receive ye the Holy Ghost.”