Family Religion
89
I saw that the enemy would either contend for the usefulness or
the life of the godly, and will try to mar their peace as long as they live
in this world. But his power is limited. He may cause the furnace to
be heated, but Jesus and angels will watch the trusting Christian, that
nothing may be consumed but the dross. The fire kindled by Satan
can have no power to destroy or hurt the true metal. It is important
to close every door possible, against the entrance of Satan. It is the
privilege of every family to so live that Satan cannot take advantage of
anything they may say or do, to tear each other down. Every member
of the family should bear in mind that all have just as much as they
can do to resist our wily foe, and with earnest prayers and unyielding
faith, they must rely upon the merits of the blood of Christ, and claim
his saving strength. The powers of darkness gather about the soul and
shut Jesus from our sight, and at times we can only wait in sorrow and
amazement until the cloud passes over. These seasons are sometimes
terrible. Hope seems to fail, and despair seizes upon us. In these
dreadful hours we must learn to trust, to depend on the sole merits
of the atonement, and in all our helpless unworthiness cast ourselves
upon the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. We shall never
perish while we do this—never! When light shines on our pathway,
it is no great thing to be strong in the strength of grace. But to wait
patiently in hope, when all is dark, when clouds envelope us, requires
faith and submission which causes our will to be swallowed up in the
will of God. We are too quickly discouraged, and earnestly cry for
the trial to be removed from us; when we should plead for patience to
endure, and grace to overcome.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. We can have the
salvation of God in our families, but we must believe for it, live for
it, and have a continual, abiding, faith and trust in God. We must
subdue a hasty temper, and control our words; and in this we shall
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gain great victories. Unless we control our words and temper, we are
slaves to Satan. We are in subjection to him. He leads us captive. All
this jangling, and unpleasant, impatient, fretful, words, are an offering
presented to his Satanic majesty. And it is a costly offering, more
costly than any offering we can make to God, for it destroys the peace
and happiness of whole families, destroys health, and is eventually the
cause of forfeiting an eternal life of happiness. The restraint God’s
word imposes upon us is for our own interest. It increases the happiness