p. 3 | TWO POWERS by C. A. Smith

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 8, 1899

TWO POWERS.

By C. A. Smith

IN all the world, no matter what our circumstances, there are but two spiritual powers with which we come in contact,—Satan and the Spirit of God,—but they exert their influence in very different ways.

Satan rarely comes tempting us openly to commit sin. He never says, "Do this to please me." O, no! But he entices us to please ourselves. With deceptive art he covers the sin with the tinsel of pleasure, and comes to us urging: "Do this to please yourself. Just see the pleasure and the good you will get from it." Too often the sons of men try the temptations; but they find the promised good like the apples of Sodom, which in the eating turn to bitterness.

The other power, the Spirit of God, calls upon us, "Do this to please Me;" but to every soul that accepts the plea God will bring good, and only good, as the result. God's promises are full and complete, and they are ever verified to the trusting soul; for He does not use deception in His dealings with us.

Reader, now is the time to choose which master we will serve. Now is the time to choose, for eternity is upon us. Intensity is taking hold of every earthly element, and the Spirit of God is giving new life and power to His children. Will you choose to please yourself, or will you yield yourself and your sins to Christ? If you yield to Him, Christ will "dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." Eph. 3:17-19. C. A. SMITH.