"All things work together for good to them that love God." Heaven's
blessings and hell's venom, angels' smiles and Satan's frowns, comforts of
grace and spiritual wickedness, good and ill, love and hatred, all work
good to those who have union with God. It is the battle that disciplines
and makes strong and brave the warrior, and not the victory. We are
exhorted to "endure hardness as a good soldier." There are some things to
endure along the Christian way. James says, "Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation." Temptations are outward influences acting upon our
natural emotions and passions to induce the will to act contrary to the
law of grace to satisfy self. We need not expect to be free from
temptations; therefore let us settle it that we will endure them. It is
really a blessed thing to endure them. You may think it would be a blessed
thing to be free from them, but such would not be the case. It is more
blessed to endure them. Temptations will never cease to attack the soul as
long as it inhabits this "muddy vesture of decay." Be brave, O soul, and
endure temptations.
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