March 20

Happy would devils be, and happy would wordly potentates be, if at the judgment they could appear in the garb of some poor slave to receive their sentence. On that day, all their titles and dignity and riches will be read no longer for their honor, but for their eternal shame and damnation.

I do not doubt-- nor should you-- that Satan's power makes it harder to gain heaven. If the devil is so mighty and the way to heaven so crowded with his mischief-makers, then surely it will cost us something before we can display our banners on the walls of the new Jerusalem. If you see someone taking a long, treacherous journey alone and unprotected, you conclude he expects no thieves on the road and you might well question his wisdom. Many pretenders to Christianity travel in a similar fashion. They tell you they are on their way to heaven, yet they show little inclination to travel in the company of the saints-- as if they had no need of fellowship on the journey! Most of them go unfortified, without anything even resembling armor. Others brandish some vain, flighty hopes of the mercy of God, without so much as a single Scripture for ammunition. Such "hope" is a rusty pistol and will fly in the fool's face when he tries to use it.

These men, many of whom are highly successful by the world's standards, never got their earthly fortunes with so little effort as they expect to get to heaven. They know from experience that fortunes are not won while sleeping, nor are families provided for by standing around with their hands in their pockets. The farther along the road to success, the more crooks there are who will try to cheat you. And the closer the Christian gets to heaven, the more there are who will try to cheat his soul and steal his crown of glory if they can. Mark this well: You can never defend yourself alone against Satan; nor with Satan, against God. But align yourself with Christ, and you will be delivered from both self and Satan.

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