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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
devotion to worldly interests, Satan receives all the homage he asks.
The door is left open for him to enter as he pleases, with his evil train
of impatience, love of self, pride, avarice, overreaching, and his whole
catalogue of evil spirits. Man is charmed and treacherously allured on
to ruin. If we yield ourselves to worldliness of heart and life, Satan is
satisfied.
Christ’s example is before us. He overcame Satan, showing us how
we may also overcome. Christ resisted Satan with scripture. He might
have had recourse to His own divine power, and used His own words;
but He said: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” To the second
temptation He said: “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God.” Christ’s example is before us. If the Sacred Scriptures were
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studied and followed, the Christian would be fortified to meet the wily
foe; but the word of God is neglected, and disaster and defeat follow.
Dear brother, you have neglected to heed the testimonies of warn-
ing given you years ago showing you that the enemy was upon your
track to open before you the charms of this world, urging you to
choose earthly treasure and sacrifice the heavenly reward. Brother E,
you cannot afford to do this; there is too much at stake. “What shall it
profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” You are selling
your soul at a cheap market. You cannot afford to make this great
sacrifice. God has entrusted talents to your stewardship. They are
your means and your influence. He wishes to test and prove you. You
should have lost no time, but should have commenced immediately to
increase your Master’s store. Had you done this, your success would
have been equal to your industry, perseverance, and zeal in applying
the capital placed in your hands; your talents or influence—setting
aside the means which you could have called to your aid—would have
turned many souls from error to truth and righteousness. These souls
would have labored for others, and thus influence and means would
have constantly increased and multiplied in the Master’s cause; and for
the faithful improvement of your talents you would have heard from
the Master the most gracious words that shall ever fall upon the ear:
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou
into the joy of thy Lord.”