View source for Strangle and suffocate it!'

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<p>&quot;O Israel, <strong>you have destroyed yourself!</strong><br />
  But in Me is your help.&quot; Hosea 13:9<br />
  <br />
  Is not this a true charge? Does not your conscience <br />
  agree with it, as a well founded accusation? Have you <br />
  not willingly with your eyes open, run into some sin, <br />
  which, <strong>but for God's mercy and upholding hand</strong>, <br />
  would have proved your certain destruction? Have you <br />
  not stood upon the very brink of some deep pit, down <br />
  into which one more step would have plunged you?<br />
  <br />
  As you realize the evils of your heart, you see what <br />
  a marvel it is, that grace is kept alive in your bosom! <br />
  You see yourself surrounded on every side with that <br />
  which would inevitably destroy it—but for the mighty<br />
  power of God! <br />
  <br />
  You look back and wonder how the life of God in your <br />
  soul has been preserved so many years. Sometimes you <br />
  have been sunk into such carnality. You have felt such <br />
  emptiness of all good, and such proneness to all evil,<br />
  that you wonder how you have not been swallowed up, <br />
  overcome, and carried away into the pit of destruction!<br />
  <br />
  David said, &quot;I am as a wonder to many.&quot; But you can <br />
  say, &quot;<strong>I am a wonder to myself!</strong>&quot; The world, the devil, <br />
  and your own evil heart, have been for years all aiming <br />
  to destroy the precious life of God in your soul—all <br />
  stretching out their hands to <strong>strangle and suffocate it!</strong><br />
  <br />
  And yet, in His mysterious wisdom, unspeakable grace, <br />
  and tender compassion, He has kept the holy principle <br />
  alive in your soul. <br />
  <br />
  O, the mystery of redeeming love! <br />
  <br />
  <strong>O, the blessedness of preserving grace! </strong>We <br />
  have been preserved, upheld, and kept by the <br />
  power of God through faith unto salvation!<br />
  <br />
  &quot;O Lord, You have kept me alive, that I should<br />
  not go down to the pit!&quot; Psalm 30:3<br />
  <br />
  &quot;He has preserved our lives and kept our<br />
  feet from slipping!&quot; Psalm 66:9<br />
  <br />
  &quot;Hold me up, and I shall be safe!&quot; Psalm 119:117
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