When God entrusts men with responsibilities, He expects them to obey His law. They are to deal justly, realizing that the Lord beholds all their dealings with their fellow men, and that He will punish every unjust, oppressive action. God gives men opportunities to become one with Christ and one with Him. Those who walk in the fear of God, meditating upon His character, will daily become more and more like Christ. Those who choose not to know God will be ostentatious and boastful.
There are many who put on what they think to be great dignity. But in God's sight they are fools. They have not looked into the divine mirror, and they do not know how ridiculous is their pretension in the sight of a holy God. He who looks beneath the surface despises their self-sufficiency. They may hold positions of trust in the church or in the world, but so long as they continue to dishonor their Creator, making themselves the object of worship, they are an offense to Him.
God does not take pleasure in punishing those who walk contrary to Him, giving a false representation of His character. But unless they repent, the time will come when they must reap the sure reward of their course of action. . . .
Those who have entered into a covenant to serve God are to fear lest their lives be such that they will not show the contrast between truth and error. They are not to turn aside to vain visions and human conjectures and flatteries. The lives of the righteous are to put to shame those who refuse to offer their allegiance to God. . . . God calls upon His people to walk before Him in all humility. He would have them reach higher and still higher in spiritual knowledge. He holds out every inducement to lead men to return to their allegiance to Him. . . .
God is seeking to lead men to humble themselves. He tries to guide them to place their feet in the steps of the great Medical Missionary. But the Redeemer is often disappointed and crucified afresh by those professing so much.--Letter 61, Feb. 1, 1904, to "My Brethren Bearing Responsibilities." TDG 40
When we come to Him in faith, every petition enters the heart of God. When we have asked for His blessing, we should believe that we receive it, and thank Him that we have received it. DA 200
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:6-10 (King James Version)