Sunday, August 22, 2010

classic Saturday

Yep, classic Saturday on Sunday again. Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471) is this week's featured devotional author and the topic addressed is "temptation" from the classic The Imitation of Christ.

"As long as we live in the world we cannot escape temptations and tribulations. As it is written in Job, 'Our life on this earth is warfare.'"

"Temptations can be useful to us even though they seem to cause us nothing but pain. They are useful because they can make us humble, they can cleanse us, and they can teach us. All of the saints passed through times of temptation and tribulation, and they used them to make progress in the spiritual life. Those who did not deal with temptations successfully fell to the wayside."

"If we merely turn away from temptation outwardly and do not strike at the root, we will make very little progress. In fact, you will find that the temptations will return more quickly and powerfully, and you will feel even worse. Little by little, through patient endurance of spirit (with the help of God), you will win a better victory than by your own determination."

"I want to teach you the way of peace and true liberty. There are four things you must do. First, strive to do another's will rather than your own. Second, choose always to have less than more. Third, seek the lower places in life, dying to the need to be recognized and important. Fourth, always and in everything, desire that the will of God may be completely fulfilled in you. The person who tries this will be treading the frontiers of peace and rest."



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