EVIL THOUGHTS by Asa Smith

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Oct 5, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 39.

EVIL THOUGHTS.

By Asa Smith

BY ASA SMITH.

While “Christian” was passing through the “valley of the shadow of death,” one of the evil ones stepped up behind him and whispered many evil thoughts which he verily supposed proceeded from his own mind. It troubled him very much to think he would have such thoughts. He would have avoided them if he could, but he had not the discretion to stop his ears or to know from whence such suggestions came.

Many Christians to-day are troubled very much in the same manner with wrong and foolish thoughts. The evil one suggests many things to the mind which find no sanction or sympathy in the heart.

Circumstances often suggest thoughts which might never have entered the mind. We can not prevent suggestions entering the mind, but we need not retain them. Some one has said, “We can not hinder the birds from flying about our heads, but we can prevent their building nests in our hair.” If the evil suggestions find no approval in our hearts, it is evident that they come from without. The sin is not in what comes from without but that which comes from within (Matt. 15:18, 19), prompted by our own evil desires. Satan wants to discourage us, so when we have temptations we may know that he fears he will lose a subject. The best way is to keep our eyes on Jesus.

When Satan comes with his temptations just quote to him 2 Cor. 12:9 and 1 Cor. 10:13.