COMMENTS
What a work we realize to be before us, and what necessity for sobriety, vigilance, steadfastness! It is a life work, a life battle against a mighty foe entrenched in our flesh. The powers without are strong indeed, but the civil war within is by far the most to be dreaded. If we become in any measure intoxicated with the spirit of the world; if we give way to self-gratification, love of ease, pleasure, a little indulgence of any of the old disposition of envy, malice, pride, vainglory, vaunting of self, headiness, high-mindedness, wrath, strife, or any such thing—even a little, oh, how great is the peril to which we are exposed!
The influence of the world, the flesh and the Adversary tends to fill us with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life. The attitude of watchfulness is necessary, if such an overcharging is to be prevented. Let us therefore be wakeful, alert, incredulous and studious as to ourselves, our thoughts, motives, words, acts, surroundings and the influences operating upon us, to avoid being overcharged. The overcharged one will surely fail of gaining the reward that is for the diligent and faithful only.
REPRINTS
Rom. 13:11, 13; 1 Thes. 5:6-8; 1 Pet. 4:7; 5:8, 9; Matt. 13:12-15, 22; 25:13; 26:41; Luke 8:14; 1 Cor. 16:13; Rev. 3:2, 3; 16:15; Luke 12:40.
