Words to Students -- Cooranbong
I am glad to see
so many students here this morning. Students, you may have the best and wisest
teachers to be found in our world, but they cannot make your heart ready to
receive the Lord. You must do this work for yourself. Your
teachers cannot think for you or act for you. The question each student
should ask himself is, Am I determined to develop a character which God can
approve? You may give yourselves up to float with the current, or you may
struggle bravely onward and still onward. Ask yourselves, How can I conduct
myself so that I shall be approved by God? The approval of God is worth more
than all else in our world. If you will set your mark high, if you will make
the most of your opportunities and privileges, wherever you are, whatever your
position, you will be given strength and courage to persevere. You will not be
wanting in bright, keen ideas. We have the precious Word of God to give us
encouragement, and if we are determined to keep ever before us the fear of
God--the beginning of wisdom--we shall be learners in the school of
Christ. {1SAT 312.1}
You may set for yourselves a low standard. You may cling to
cheap, common ideas. But if you do this, you will leave the school cheap and
common. You may make up your mind that while in school you have not a moment to
lose, that this is a time large with important results; and that therefore you
must improve every opportunity presented to you. Doing this, you will go from
school purer and holier for your stay.
{1SAT 312.2}
What may come in
a few months from now is impossible to say. You may never have another
opportunity to attend the school in Cooranbong. But now,
-313-
just now, at the very beginning of this school year, seek
God with the whole heart, and He will be found of you. Our God watches over the
children of men. And the angels of light--thousands upon thousands of
them--what are they doing? What is their work? "Are they not all ministering spirits,
sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" [Hebrews
1:14]. Constantly the battle between the army of Christ and the army
of Satan is going on. The angels of God are round about us as a wall of fire.
We need them, for Satan is always seeking to cast his hellish shadow between us
and God. But God's angels press back the powers of darkness; Satan cannot hurt
us if we trust in the Lord. {1SAT
312.3}
God has a church
in the world, and this church is nearer to His heart than anything else in this
earth. He holds communication with His church. He gives individuals ability and
talents, and imparts to them of His Spirit, that they may be the guardians of
His church, to watch over the interests of His people. These are His stewards,
and He has placed some of them in this school, to watch over the youth who may
attend. Students, when you see that they have a kindly interest in you, respond
to it for Christ's sake. Place yourselves on the right side. Be determined that
you will not be found under the black banner of the prince of darkness, that
you will fight under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. {1SAT 313.1}
Christ has given
you talents, and these talents He expects you to improve. To one He gives ten
talents, to another five, and to another one. He gives to each according to his
several ability. If the man with one talent will improve that talent to the
utmost of his ability, he will be given other talents. To these, as they are
faithfully improved, will be added others. Thus the talents continually increase.
But supposing a man
-314-
has only one talent and gains only one? If his work has been
in proportion to his ability, he will be just as surely rewarded as the man who
gains a larger number of talents. {1SAT
313.2}
Those who make
the most of their opportunities, who place themselves in right relation with
God, will be rewarded even as was Daniel. We read of him, "Daniel purposed
in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's
meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested the prince of
the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into
favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. And the prince of the
eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king; . . . for why should he see
your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye
make me endanger my head to the king" [Daniel 1:8-10]. "Prove thy
servants, I beseech thee, ten days," Daniel said, "and let them give
us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon
before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the [portion of
the] king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to
them in this matter, and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days their
countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which
did eat the portion of the king's meat" [verses 12-15]. {1SAT 314.1}
God gave Daniel
and his companions "knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days
that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs
brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them; . . .
and in all matters of wisdom and understanding, . . . he found them ten times
better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm"
[verses 17-20].
-315- {1SAT 314.2}
Babylon was at
this time the greatest kingdom in the world. God permitted Daniel and his
companions to be taken captive that they might take to the king and nobles of
Babylon the knowledge of Him, the only true God, the Creator of the heavens and
the earth. {1SAT 315.1}
God brought
Daniel into favor with the prince of the eunuchs because he behaved himself. He
kept before him the fear of the Lord. His companions never saw in his life
anything that would lead them astray. Those who had charge over him loved him
because he carried with him the fragrance of a Christlike disposition. You may
say, But I have not a good disposition. If in the past your disposition has
been bad, now is the time to seek to make it good. The term is just about to commence.
Begin now to obtain the victory over self. God will help you. {1SAT 315.2}
No one need place
himself where he is out of touch with everybody else, where he fancies that no
one will care, no matter what he does or says. Students, each one of you has a
different disposition, a different mind. The work of your teachers is
necessarily very hard. You can make it harder by giving way to selfishness. You
may help them by working together in harmony.
{1SAT 315.3}
God cooperates with human effort. Daniel might have said, Of course, I
must eat as the king commands. But instead, he resolved to obey God, and God
began at once to help him. So when you are determined that you will obey the
divine command, God will cooperate with you, making you witnesses of which
heaven approves. Christ says, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect" [Matthew 5:48]. This is your work
--to gain perfection of character.
Set your mark high, and then be determined to reach it.
If a fellow-student asks you to go contrary to the rules
-316-
of the school, answer him with a decided No. Say, I will
have no part in this matter. The fear of God is before me. I love God, and I
will keep His commandments. Act in this way, and you will receive brain-power.
God will strengthen you as He strengthened Daniel. {1SAT 315.4}
I want to begin
to do my talking at the beginning of the school year, because as I shall speak
to you from time to time, I do not want you to feel that I have heard of your
wrong course, and am hitting at you. I want to stand right by your side. I want
to help every one of you. I present you before God in my prayers. I want you to
take hold with me. How? "Let him take hold of my strength," God says,
"that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me"
[Isaiah 27:5]. Daniel not only made peace with God, in making peace with God he
made peace with one who knew not God. {1SAT
316.1}
Help your
fellow-students to cooperate with God. Help them to cooperate with the prayers
which I have heard rising in their behalf. As God's people bow before Him, they
pray that His angels may watch over the students in this school. {1SAT 316.2}
Students, you
know not in what position you may be placed. God may use you as He used Daniel
to take the knowledge of the truth to the mighty of the earth. It rests with
you to say whether you will have knowledge and skill. God can give you skill in
all your learning. He can help you to adapt yourselves to the line of study you
shall take up. Place yourselves in right relation to God. Make this your first
interest. Gather up right principles, noble principles,
uplifting principles. Then when visitors come to the school, they will be
impressed that the students are receiving the right education. God desires you
to be witnesses for Him. He desires you to draw in right lines. As you do this,
he will give you skill and wisdom and
-317-
understanding. You will advance step
by step, for God does not want you to stand still. He wants you to run in the
way of His commandments, constantly moving forward and upward. {1SAT 316.3}
God is connected
with the threads of our existence. He knows every thought of the heart, every
action of the life. Then strive to live in harmony with Him. Seek to reach a
high standard. Your teachers will help you, heavenly angels will help you, and,
more than that, Christ will help you. The Prince of life is more interested
than anyone else in your salvation. You can do Him honor by showing that you
appreciate what He has done for you. You can glorify Him and make the angels
glad by revealing in your life that He has not died in vain. Be determined that
opposite your names in the books of heaven shall be written the word,
Overcomer. Then all discontent and unhappiness will vanish. Your hearts will be
filled with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.--Ms. 13, 1900. ("Words to
Students." Feb. 2, 1900.) (MR 900.4)
{1SAT 317.1}
Characteristics
of Successful Students
A successful
student is not necessarily the most intelligent individual in the class.
— They attend class regularly
and on time.
|
- They do extra credit
assignments when they are available.
|
-Their assignments are done
neatly. They take the time to produce a final product that looks good,
and reflects of a care and pride in their work.
|
-If they feel they need extra
help, they let their teacher know.
|
- They turn in all
assignments.
|
- They pay attention in class
and are courteous and polite.
|
- They speak up in class.
|
- They learn to identify what
needs to be studied in greatest detail.
|
- They set short-term and
long-term goals.
|
- They see their teachers
before and after class.
|
- They learn to schedule
enough for homework.
|
- They enjoy being successful
students.
|
— If they do have to miss
classes, they find out what they missed and make sure they understand all
that was covered.
|
- They know they are
responsible for their own success.
|
|
——— Dr. James L. Warner
|
