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
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 16 October 2012
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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DON'T
LET US YIELD TO TEMPTATION
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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
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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
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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
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