ntleness,
or yieldingness] be known unto all men. The LORD is at hand." Not
your power of resistance of evil, and of "maintaining your own
rights;" but your spirit of yieldingness, believing that the LORD
will maintain for you all that is really for your good; and that in
any case, He is at hand, and will soon abundantly reward fidelity to
His command. And lastly, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto GOD. And the peace of GOD, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through CHRIST JESUS."

How is it that believers so often fail to enjoy this promised
blessing? Is it not that we fail to be anxious for nothing, and to
bring everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving before
GOD? We may bring nine difficulties out of ten to Him, and try to
manage the tenth ourselves, and that one little difficulty, like a
small leak that runs the vessel dry, is fatal to the whole; like a
small breach in a city wall, it gives entrance to the power of the
foe. But if we fulfil the conditions, He is certainly faithful, and
instead of our having to keep our hearts and minds--our affections
and thoughts--we shall find them kept for us. The peace, which we can
neither make nor keep, will itself, as a garrison, keep and protect
us, and the cares and worries will strive to enter in vain.

THE TESTING OF JOB

Reverting to the history of Job: the great accuser, having no fault
to find with his character or life, insinuates that it is all the
result of selfishness. "Doth Job fear GOD for nought." Indeed, he did
not, as Satan well knew! Nor has anyone, before or since, ever feared
GOD for nought. There is no service which pays so well as the service
of our HEAVENLY MASTER; there is none so royally rewarded. Satan was
making a true assertion, but the insinuation he connected with it,
that it was for the sake of this reward that Job served GOD, was not
true.

To vindicate the character of Job himself in the sight of the angels
of GOD, as well as of the evil spirits, Satan is permitted to test
Job, and take away all those treasures for the sake of which alone
Satan imagined, or pretended to imagine, that Job was serving GOD.
"All that he hath," said GOD, "is in thy power; only upon himself put
not forth thine hand."

SATAN'S MALIGNITY.

And soon Satan showed the malignity of his character by bringing
disaster after disast