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Safety Only in Obedience, November 21
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them
that do evil.
1 Peter 3:12
.
No man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer. Especially
should we entreat the Lord for wisdom to understand His Word. Here
are revealed the wiles of the tempter, and the means by which he may
be successfully resisted. Satan is an expert in quoting Scripture, placing
his own interpretation upon passages, by which he hopes to cause us to
stumble. We should study the Bible with humility of heart, never losing
sight of our dependence upon God. While we must constantly guard
against the devices of Satan, we should pray in faith continually, “Lead
us not into temptation.”
When Balaam, allured by the promise of rich rewards, practiced
enchantments against Israel, and by sacrifices to the Lord sought to
invoke a curse upon His people, the Spirit of God forbade the evil which
he longed to pronounce, and Balaam was forced to exclaim: “How shall
I curse, whom God hath not cursed?”
Numbers 23:8
....
The people of Israel were at this time loyal to God; and so long
as they continued in obedience to His law, no power in earth or hell
could prevail against them. But the curse which Balaam had not been
permitted to pronounce against God’s people, he finally succeeded in
bringing upon them by seducing them into sin. When they transgressed
God’s commandments, then they separated themselves from Him, and
they were left to feel the power of the destroyer.
Satan is well aware that the weakest soul who abides in Christ is
more than a match for the hosts of darkness.... Only in humble reliance
upon God, and obedience to all His commandments, can we be secure.
Let none deceive themselves with the belief that God will pardon
and bless them while they are trampling upon one of His requirements.
The willful commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of
the Spirit, and separates the soul from God.
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