s drinking,
other things he puts into his mouth, his dress, the use and care of his
body, his recreations, his reading, his conversation, his use of money,
his use of time, his life plans and his daily plans, his social
engagements; and regarding each ask plainly the question--what is the
_motive_ that _controls_ me in this? Is it my own preference or
enjoyment? Or, is it to please and honor Jesus? Let him further go
through the list of his business methods, his friendships, the various
organizations he belongs to, with the same question. If he will do
thorough work he will probably have some stiff fighting on hand both at
the start and afterwards. Many a life would thereby be radically
changed. For example, I know a christian storekeeper who has on his
shelves a certain article bearing the label of a tonic medicine, but he
knows perfectly well, as does anyone who stops to think about it, that
the stuff back of the label is one form of an intoxicant. There can be
no question of what the Master would say about it. But it brings a good
profit. And his money-fevered self asserts its mastery and carries the
day. And the man tightly grips the profits, while Satan chuckles with
unholy glee, and souls are being damned by this christian man's aid.
Certainly there can be none of the power of God in such a life. Let us
rather speak the truth and say that this man is exerting a positive
power for Satan and for hell.

All this is included in these few simple words, "let him deny himself."
Is there still a fixed purpose to follow Jesus without regard to what it
may cost us, or where the keen edge of separation may cut in?

The Battle of the Forks.

Here is a forking of the road. I bring this whole company up to this
dividing, and therefore deciding, point. Let each choose his own road
deliberately, prayerfully, with open eyes. This road to the left has as
its law, yielding to self; saying "yes" to the desires and demands of
self; with some modifications possibly, here and there, for I am talking
to professing christian people. Yes to Jesus _sometimes_, but at _other_
times, when it suits circumstances and inclinations better to do
otherwise--well, a pushing of the troublesome question aside. And that
means a decided yes to self, with as positive a negative to Jesus'
desires implied thereby. That is the left-hand fork.

This right-hand road knows only one law to which exception is never
made, namely: _Yes to Jesus_, everywhere,