Practical Thoughts on Scripture Subjects.
By John Nevins Andrews
WHEN we fail at important points in our experience, if God does not give us up to ruin, he opens the way for us to have a new trial in the matter. Our first trial was designed to enable us to overcome some evil thing, or to discover and supply some serious lack in our Christian character. When we allow Satan to defeat us in these critical moments, we make it a matter of necessity that the trial be in some form repeated. And certainly this consideration ought to prompt us to make most earnest efforts not to fail in the next trial. God is infinitely merciful, yet he cannot be trifled with. He gives opportunity to redeem the past, but he requires us to improve it. If we trifle this away, we shall find that the long-suffering of God does not last forever. If we have made serious failures in the past, what can we do to redeem those errors? This should be our never-ceasing inquiry. The days of our probation are soon to end. What use have we made of the space already granted to us? If the past has been wasted, shall we thus treat the little time yet remaining29to us? If God still calls after us, shall we not be in haste to act in seeking his face? Our Work must be done faithfully. Soon we shall be called to our account; we must meet it just as it is recorded. The record will be according to the facts. We cannot be too careful to have our conduct such as will bear the inspection of the day of God. May the God of Heaven help us to make clean work for the Judgment. THE DECEPTION OF THE DEVIL.
We cannot stand against the power of the devil only in the strength of God. There is no safety for us except to stand with the armor of God girded upon us. Satan will otherwise deceive us with his wiles. We shall mistake the right path and take the wrong. We shall be led into evil even when we think that we are doing right. We shall put darkness for light, and light for darkness. We shall fail to see the proper work to do, and shall do that which we ought not to engage in. We can never sufficiently realize the power of our great foe. We must stand wholly in the strength of God. It is in vain that we go forth to the work unless we have the complete protection of Almighty power. God gives us deep distress that we may be led to see our wrongs and repent. We are made to feel anguish of spirit, that we may realize our sinfulness in the sight of God. Pain is inflicted as a means of arousing us from carnal security. Thank God for anguish of spirit. Now let us act with deep humiliation in making genuine repentance of our sins. We may be sure that God sends our distress in mercy.