THE FAMILY ALTAR

August 19.

"Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to

man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted

above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make

a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Cor. 10:12-13.

Our God is indeed a faithful God. He warns us in this lesson

against two great dangers that threaten our faith and eternal

happiness. The first is the danger of carnal security. God knows

how deceitful above all things our poor heart is. In days of spir-

itual peace, when we are free from heavy crosses and affliction,

we are so apt to forget to watch and pray that we fall not in the

temptation besetting us. Therefore let us heed the warning of

our faithful God and never relax in our watchful prayer: "Lead

us not into temptation." — The second danger threatening us is

despondency. The devil is a past-master at the art of deception.

When we are enduring long and great trials, he assails us with

the thought: "Your affliction is beyond human endurance; you

are being tempted above that you are able to bear. What is the

use of suffering or fighting any longer?" But let us not listen

to the liar and murderer from the beginning, as our Lord Jesus

calls him. (John 8.) Let us seek and find refuge with our faith-

ful God, who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to Him.

He has numbered the very hairs of our head and cannot and will

not let us be tempted above that we are able to bear. He will

either lessen the affliction or increase our strength, that we may

be able to bear it. With every temptation He permits to come

upon us He, in His saving mercy, has already provided for our

deliverance. Let us trust Him, fight the good fight, and we shall

see that "all things work together for good to them that love God."