"You belong to a family who possess minds not well balanced, gloomy and depressed, affected by surroundings, and susceptible to influences. Unless you cultivate a cheerful, happy, grateful frame of mind, Satan will eventually lead you captive at his will. You can be a help, a strength to the church where you reside, if you will obey the instructions of the Lord and not move by feeling, but be controlled by principle. Never allow censure to escape your lips, for it is like desolating hail to those around you. Let cheerful, happy, loving words fall from your lips. 1T 704.1"
"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."
Both passages connect a cheerful heart with a positive outward expression and a sorrowful heart with a negative impact. The EGW passage expands on the practical implications of cultivating a cheerful mindset.
"And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."
The EGW passage directly references the idea of being 'led captive at his will' by Satan, which is a clear echo of 2 Timothy 2:26, which speaks of being 'taken captive by him at his will.'
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7 speaks of a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, contrasting with a spirit of fear. EGW speaks of a family with unbalanced minds susceptible to negative influences and the need to cultivate a cheerful and grateful mind to avoid being led captive by Satan. Both passages contrast a positive, healthy mental state with a negative, fearful one.
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."
Both passages highlight the power of words. The EGW passage emphasizes the destructive nature of censure and the positive impact of cheerful words, aligning with the proverb's assertion that 'death and life are in the power of the tongue.'
"Neither give place to the devil."
The EGW passage warns against susceptibility to negative influences that can lead to being 'captive at his will' by Satan. This aligns with the principle in Ephesians 4:27, which advises believers not to 'give place to the devil,' suggesting a similar warning against allowing Satan influence.
"faith, when if they have any, it is dead, for it is not sustained by works. “Faith if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Few have that genuine faith which works by love and purifies the soul. But all who are accounted worthy of everlasting life must obtain a moral fitness for the same. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” This is the work before you, and you have none too much time if you engage in the work with all your soul. 1T 704.3"
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
EGW directly quotes James 2:17.
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
EGW directly quotes 1 John 3:2.
"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."
EGW directly quotes 1 John 3:3.