The Cares Of
This World
Christ specified
the things that
are dangerous to
the soul. As
recorded by Mark
He mentions the
cares of this
world, the
deceitfulness of
riches, and the
lusts of other
things. . . .
"The
cares of this
world." No class
is free from the
temptation to
worldly care. To
the poor, toil
and deprivation
and the fear of
want bring
perplexities and
burdens. To the
rich come fear
of loss and a
multitude of
anxious cares. .
. . They do not
trust to His
constant care.
Christ cannot
carry their
burden, because
they do not cast
it upon Him.
Therefore the
cares of life,
which should
drive them to
the Savior for
help and
comfort,
separate them
from Him.
Many who might
be fruitful in
God’s service
become bent on
acquiring
wealth. Their
whole energy is
absorbed in
business
enterprises, and
they feel
obliged to
neglect things
of a spiritual
nature. Thus
they separate
themselves from
God. We are
enjoined in the
Scriptures to be
“not slothful in
business.”
Romans 12:11. We
are to labor
that we may
impart to him
who needs.
Christians must
work, they must
engage in
business, and
they can do this
without
committing sin.
But many become
so absorbed in
business that
they have no
time for prayer,
no time for the
study of the
Bible, no time
to seek and
serve God. At
times the
longings of the
soul go out for
holiness and
heaven; but
there is no time
to turn aside
from the din of
the world to
listen to the
majestic and
authoritative
utterances of
the Spirit of
God. The things
of eternity are
made subordinate, the
things of the
world supreme.
It is impossible
for the seed of
the word to
bring forth
fruit; for the
life of the soul
is given to
nourish the
thorns of
worldliness. . .
.
The Seed Of The
World Is Choked
With Thorns
"The
deceitfulness of
riches.” The
love of riches
has an
infatuating,
deceptive power.
Too often those
who possess
worldly treasure
forget that it
is God who gives
them power to
get wealth. They
say, “My power
and the might of
mine hand hath
gotten me this
wealth.”
Deuteronomy
8:17. Their
riches, instead
of awakening
gratitude to
God, lead to the
exaltation of
self. They lose
the sense of
their dependence
upon God and
their obligation
to their fellow
men. Instead of
regarding wealth
as a talent to
be employed for
the glory of God
and the
uplifting of
humanity, they
look upon it as
a means of
serving
themselves.
Instead of
developing in
man the
attributes of
God, riches thus
used are
developing in
him the
attributes of
Satan. The seed
of the word is
choked with
thorns."And
pleasures of
this life.”
There is danger
in amusement
that is sought
merely for
self-gratification.
All habits of
indulgence that
weaken the
physical powers,
that becloud the
mind, or that
benumb the
spiritual
perceptions, are
“fleshly lusts,
which war
against the
soul.” 1 Peter
2:11.
"And
the lusts of
other things.”
These are not
necessarily
things sinful in
themselves, but
something that
is made first
instead of the
kingdom of God.
Whatever
attracts the
mind from God,
whatever draws
the affections
away from
Christ, is an
enemy to the
soul.
When the mind is
youthful and
vigorous and
susceptible of
rapid
development,
there is great
temptation to be
ambitious for
self, to serve
self. If worldly
schemes are
successful,
there is an
inclination to
continue in a
line that
deadens
conscience, and
prevents a
correct estimate
as to what
constitutes real
excellence of
character. When
circumstances
favor this
development,
growth will be
seen in a
direction
prohibited by
the word of God.
It Should Be
Their Study To
Surround The
Youth With Right
Influences
In this
formative period
of their
children’s life,
the
responsibility
of parents is
very great. It
should be their
study to
surround the
youth with right
influences,
influences that
will give them
correct views of
life and its
true success.
Instead of this,
how many parents
make it their
first object to
secure for their
children worldly
prosperity. All
their
associations are
chosen with
reference to
this object.
Many parents
make their home
in some large
city, and
introduce their
children into
fashionable
society. They
surround them
with influences
that encourage
worldliness and
pride. In this
atmosphere the
mind and soul
are dwarfed. The
high and noble
aims of life are
lost sight of.
The privilege of
being sons of
God, heirs of
eternity, is
bartered for
worldly gain.
Many parents
seek to promote
the happiness of
their children
by gratifying
their love of
amusement. They
allow them to
engage in
sports, and to
attend parties
of pleasure, and
provide them
with money to
use freely in
display and
self-gratification.
The more the
desire for
pleasure is
indulged, the
stronger it
becomes. The
interest of
these youth is
more and more
absorbed in
amusement, until
they come to
look upon it as
the great object
of life. They
form habits of
idleness and
self-indulgence
that make it
almost
impossible for
them ever to
become steadfast
Christians.
Even the church,
which should be
the pillar and
ground of the
truth, is found
encouraging the
selfish love of
pleasure. When
money is to be
raised for
religious
purposes, to
what means do
many churches
resort? To
bazaars,
suppers, fancy
fairs, even to
lotteries, and
like devices.
Often the place
set apart for
God’s worship is
desecrated by
feasting and
drinking,
buying, selling,
and merrymaking.
Respect for the
house of God and
reverence for
His worship are
lessened in the
minds of the
youth. The
barriers of
self-restraint
are weakened.
Selfishness,
appetite, the
love of display,
are appealed to,
and they
strengthen as
they are
indulged.
God's people who
profess to
believe present
truth are not in
a waiting,
watching
position. They
are increasing
in riches and
are laying up
their treasures
upon the earth.
They are
becoming rich in
worldly things,
but not rich
toward God. They
do not believe
in the shortness
of time; they do
not believe that
the end of all
things is at
hand, that
Christ is at the
door. They may
profess much
faith; but they
deceive their
own souls, for
they will act
out all the
faith that they
really possess.
Their works show
the character of
their faith and
testify to those
around them that
the coming of
Christ is not to
be in this
generation.
According to
their faith will
be their works.
Their
preparations are
being made to
remain in this
world. They are
adding house
to house, and
land to land,
and are citizens
of this world.
The Many
Holidays
Encourage
Idleness
The pursuit of
pleasure and
amusement
centers in the
cities. Many
parents who
choose a city
home for their
children,
thinking to give
them greater
advantages, meet
with
disappointment,
and too late
repent their
terrible
mistake. The
cities of today
are fast
becoming like
Sodom and
Gomorrah. The
many holidays
encourage
idleness. The
exciting
sports—theatergoing,
horse racing,
gambling,
liquor-drinking,
television,
video games,
pornography
and
reveling—stimulate
every passion to
intense
activity. The
youth are swept
away by the
popular current.
Those who learn
to love
amusement for
its own sake
open the door to
a flood of
temptations.
They give
themselves up to
social gaiety
and thoughtless
mirth, and their
intercourse with
pleasure lovers
has an
intoxicating
effect upon the
mind. They are
led on from one
form of
dissipation to
another, until
they lose both
the desire and
the capacity for
a life of
usefulness.
Their religious
aspirations are
chilled; their
spiritual life
is darkened. All
the nobler
faculties of the
soul, all that
link man with
the spiritual
world, are
debased.
It is true that
some may see
their folly and
repent. God may
pardon them. But
they have
wounded their
own souls, and
brought upon
themselves a
lifelong peril.
The power of
discernment,
which ought ever
to be kept keen
and sensitive to
distinguish
between right
and wrong, is in
a great measure
destroyed. They
are not quick to
recognize the
guiding voice of
the Holy Spirit,
or to discern
the devices of
Satan. Too often
in time of
danger they fall
under
temptation, and
are led away
from God. The
end of their
pleasure-loving
life is ruin for
this world and
for the world to
come.
Cares, riches,
pleasures, all
are used by
Satan in playing
the game of life
for the human
soul. The
warning is
given, “Love not
the world,
neither the
things that are
in the world. If
any man love the
world, the love
of the Father is
not in him. For
all that is in
the world, the
lust of the
flesh, and the
lust of the
eyes, and the
pride of life,
is not of the
Father, but is
of the world.” 1
John 2:15, 16.
He who reads the
hearts of men as
an open book
says, “Take heed
to yourselves,
lest at any time
your hearts be
overcharged with
surfeiting and
drunkenness and
cares of this
life.” Luke
21:34. And the
apostle Paul by
the Holy Spirit
writes, “They
that will be
rich fall into
temptation and a
snare, and into
many foolish and
hurtful lusts,
which drown men
in destruction
and perdition.
For the love of
money is the
root of all
evil; which,
while some
coveted after,
they have erred
from the faith,
and pierced
themselves
through with
many sorrows.” 1
Timothy 6:9, 10.
The Garden Of
The Heart Must
Be Cultivated
Throughout the
parable of the sower, Christ
represents the
different
results of the
sowing as
depending upon
the soil. In
every case the
sower and the
seed are the
same. Thus He
teaches that if
the word of God
fails of
accomplishing
its work in our
hearts and
lives, the
reason is to be
found in
ourselves. But
the result is
not beyond our
control. True,
we cannot change
ourselves; but
the power of
choice is ours,
and it rests
with us to
determine what
we will become.
The wayside, the
stony-ground,
the
thorny-ground
hearers need not
remain such. The
Spirit of God is
ever seeking to
break the spell
of infatuation
that holds men
absorbed in
worldly things,
and to awaken a
desire for the
imperishable
treasure. It is
by resisting the
Spirit that men
become
inattentive to
or neglectful of
God’s word. They
are themselves
responsible for
the hardness of
heart that
prevents the
good seed from
taking root, and
for the evil
growths that
check its
development.
The garden of
the heart must
be cultivated.
The soil must be
broken up by
deep repentance
for sin.
Poisonous,
Satanic plants
must be
uprooted. The
soil once
overgrown by
thorns can be
reclaimed only
by diligent
labor. So the
evil tendencies
of the natural
heart can be
overcome only by
earnest effort
in the name and
strength of
Jesus. The Lord
bids us by His
prophet, “Break
up your fallow
ground, and sow
not among
thorns.” “Sow to
yourselves in
righteousness;
reap in mercy.” Jeremiah
4:3; Hosea
10:12. This work
He desires to
accomplish for
us, and He asks
us to co-operate
with Him.
Preparing For Eternity
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