DON'T LET US YIELD TO TEMPTATION

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Hi all,

Trials and temptations are the topic for today’s meditation. Trials are inevitable. The temptation arises from whether or not you are willing to pass through the trial. Satan usually tempts us to avoid the trial.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 16 October 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	DON'T LET US YIELD TO TEMPTATION
We are approaching the end of Jesus’ model prayer. Here He refers to temptation. He knew very well what He was facing. He knew He was destined for the cross. He knew He would be tempted to avoid that which He would have to endure to the very end. We know that He did. We need to distinguish immediately between a trial and a temptation. Trials in life are inevitable. They are as certain as the fact that until Jesus returns, death will eventually call for us. A trial is almost anything we must endure. For example a music examination. Perhaps a dentist appointment? Perhaps an operation in the hospital? For Christians, it could be being thrown to the lions or being burned at the stake. This was the trial many had to endure. There may have been an associated temptation. To deny their faith in Jesus Christ. In many cases if they chose to deny Jesus, they would be set free. That would be an enormous temptation. The book of Hebrews focuses on this. If a Christian was a Jewish convert, by denying Christ publically in the synagogue, he/she would be received back into Judaism and would no longer be persecuted. Some did this. Others did not and suffered accordingly. Certainly the temptation to apostatise was huge. It could mean avoiding persecution for the whole family. Many chose to go through the trial of being persecuted rather than fall into the temptation of remaining faithful to Jesus. When people ask me what I would have done in those circumstances, I confess that I really don’t know. Part of me wants to pretend to be willing to endure to the end. The other part reminds me that under these circumstances, I’m still a coward. God alone knows what I would do! Paul in his first letter to Corinth speaks about temptation. He wrote, 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Cor. 10:13 NLT It’s comforting to know that even under such terrible circumstances; the Lord will be faithful to us. I won’t be expected to endure the unendurable. He will show a way out. That way may well be martyrdom. Others have passed through being martyred for they faith. I’m not more special than they were. The same is true for my wife and children. My way out of may be martyrdom. What if it’s martyrdom, not only for me, but for my family? Am I ready for that? It’s a very brave man who can say in advance that he would choose martyrdom. The answer may be easy for me alone. But for wife and children as well? That’s a horse of a different colour. Can I face the prospect of my wife and children being thrown to the lions or burned at the stake? What will I do? What would you do? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			13 And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.] Matthew 6:13 NLT 26 Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. Proverbs 28:26 TNIV 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. James 1:13-15 NLT 17 The Lord says, "Get away from unbelievers. Separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with anything unclean. Then I will welcome you." 2 Corinthians 6:17 GW 10 Then Lot looked in the direction of Zoar as far as he could see. He saw that the whole Jordan Plain was well-watered like the LORD'S garden or like Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 Lot chose the whole Jordan Plain for himself. He moved toward the east. They each went their own way, 13 (The people who lived in Sodom were very wicked. They committed terrible sins against the LORD.) Genesis 13:10-11 & 13 GW 7 But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. 9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. 2 Peter 2:7 & 9 NLT 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4 NIV	Temptations come, temptations go; our God is not the cause. Most of them originate within our human flaws. They’re accentuated by the devil and his wiles. If he can deceive you, he’ll wipe away your smile. A prayer about temptation was common among Jews. “Do not lead me into sin”, is what they’d sometime use. “Not into transgression; nor in iniquity. Do not let sin’s power, overshadow me. Such a mighty onslaught perhaps would make me sink; So keep me safe, Almighty God, from what I do or think.” But there are some temptations, we simply can’t avoid. Even though they irritate and make us feel annoyed. Sometimes they are useful and we must overcome. They must not destroy us; or to their power, succumb. There are some temptations which we must all endure. Hard and disagreeable, designed to make us pure. Perhaps in an affliction, the type Job underwent. Where Satan was permitted to test his real intent. God loosed the reins of Satan, to test and try His man; To show that Job was “righteous” was actually God’s plan! He may “withdraw His presence”, to demonstrate His grace, And show that you can overcome the problems which you face. He also lets false prophets arise among His folk, To see if we will tolerate their rough and heavy yolk. But even in these trials, we know that He is near. That we can still depend on Him and there is naught to fear. Such trials are essential. Through all of them we grow, In grace and perseverance, so all of us will know, That we’ll continue faithful and watchful unto prayer. Following the Master, regardless when or where. Then there are temptations Satan often brings; Testing our ability to stay beneath God’s wings. Tempting us with evil and prompting us to lie. Filling us with doubts and fears; to quit and go awry. Putting thoughts of blasphemy and evil in our head. He’ll continue trying this until we are all dead. But if we resist him, we know that he will flee! And through Jesus Christ the Lord we will have victory! Jim Strickland – Written 16th October 2012