Day of the Lord at Hand
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the Spirit’s voice is scarcely heard. No man can tell how far he may go
in sin when once he yields himself to the power of the great deceiver.
Satan entered into Judas Iscariot and induced him to betray his Lord.
Satan led Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Ghost. Those who
are not wholly consecrated to God may be led to do the work of Satan,
while yet they flatter themselves that they are in the service of Christ.
Brethren and sisters, I entreat you to “examine yourselves, whether
ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” To maintain the warmth
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and purity of Christian love requires a constant supply of the grace of
Christ. Have you employed every means that your “love may abound
yet more and more,” “that ye may approve things that are excellent,”
and be filled with the fruits of righteousness “which are by Jesus Christ,
unto the glory and praise of God”?
Many who should stand firm for righteousness and truth have
manifested weakness and indecision that have encouraged the assaults
of Satan. Those who fail to grow in grace, not seeking to reach the
highest standard in divine attainments, will be overcome.
This world is to the Christian a land of strangers and enemies.
Unless he shall take for his defense the divine panoply and wield the
sword of the Spirit he will become the prey of the powers of darkness.
The faith of all will be tested. All will be tried as gold is tried in the
fire.
The church is composed of imperfect, erring men and women, who
call for the continual exercise of charity and forbearance. But there has
been a long period of general lukewarmness; a worldly spirit coming
into the church has been followed by alienation, faultfinding, malice,
strife, and iniquity.
Should there be less sermonizing by men who are unconsecrated
in heart and life, and were more time devoted to humbling the soul
before God, then might we hope that the Lord would appear to your
help and heal your backslidings. Much of the preaching of late begets
a false security. Important interests in the cause of God cannot be
wisely managed by those who have had so little real connection with
God as some of our ministers have had. To entrust the work to such
men is like setting children to manage great vessels at sea. Those who
are destitute of heavenly wisdom, destitute of living power with God,
are not competent to steer the gospel ship amid icebergs and tempests.
The church is passing through severe conflicts, but in her peril many