Good Morning! - 2010.5.28 - 1Corinthians 10:13 - God is Faithful in Temptation

 

Good Morning!

 

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to

 

man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted

 

above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a

 

way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  (1Co 10:13)

 

 

I memorized this verse 56 years ago as part of the Navigators Topical Memory System (108 verses), put together by Dawson Trotman. He founded the Navigators during WWII. The verse was and is a great help to me and since you may be as prone to temptation of various kinds as I, you too may have a great need to memorize it.

 

Get a pack of 3x5 cards and cut them in half (3x2 ½ ).  Write the reference at the top and bottom of the card and repeat the reference before and after the verse. Mark verses in your Bible (make an M and circle it beside the verse. Draw a vertical line beside the verse.) Copy these verses onto cards for future reading and memorizing. Your BIBLE MEMORY BANK.

 

There hath no temptation taken you. Some people think nobody has ever been tempted or tried as they are. "Nobody understands how bad I'm tempted." That's an honest feeling. You may actually feel that way at times. But others have been tempted just as bad as you. But God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to handle. Consider this:

 

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.  (Heb 4:15-16)

 

Come boldly to the throne of grace. The fact that we have a great high priest who was tempted in all points as we are should encourage us to hang tough and pray it through to get help from God. It is encouraging that God has promised to make a way of escape for you.

 

One writer said it like this: "God always makes a way of escape and sometimes the way of escape is the king's highway and a good pair of heels." In other words, let the Devil see your heels—run as hard as you can to get away from the temptation.  That may be true but we know at other times the Bible says: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (Jas 4:7) I had rather watch the devil run as to run myself. And yet there's this little story that plows close to the corn:

 

A little boy was in the pantry. His mother heard a noise because he had taken down the cookie jar. She said, "Willie, where are you?" He answered that he was in the pantry. "What are you doing there?" He said, "I'm fighting temptation." That may not be the best way to fight temptation. He would do better outside the pantry where he can get a better perspective. The teen couple that gets in the back seat of the car to pray for God's help in fighting temptation might do well to first pray for God's wisdom.

 

Jesus said: Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.  (Mar 14:38)

 

The ultimate help in fighting temptation is God, Himself. To get that help we will need to go by His word and way.

 

From the Broadman Hymnal (© 1940) I learned this song before my teen years and I still think it's one of the greatest ever written.

 

Yield Not to Temptation (by Dr. H.R. Palmer, words and music) (A flat) (Sing in F with the men leading and the women singing harmony above them.)

 

Yield not to temptation, For yielding is sin; Each victory will help you Some other to win;

Fight manfully onward, Dark passions subdue; Look ever to Jesus, He'll carry you through.

 

Shun evil companions, Bad language disdain; God's name hold in reverence, Nor take it in vain;

Be thoughtful and earnest, Kind-hearted and true; Look ever to Jesus He'll carry you through.

 

To him that o'ercometh, God giveth a crown; Thro' faith we will conquer, Though often cast down;

He who is our Savior, Our strength will renew; Look ever to Jesus, He'll carry you through.

 

CHORUS

Ask the Savior to help you, Comfort, strengthen , and keep you;

He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. Ω

 

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Good Morning! (EVENING) 2010.05.27 - 1Corinthians 10:31 - Do All To The Glory of God

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1Co 10:31)

NOTE: The blue and underlined words below are alive and link to Bible verses. Rub your cursor over a link and look at the bottom of your screen.

I began thinking about this forty years ago when I read somewhere that Johann Sebastian Bach, the great musician and music writer, wrote all of his music to the glory of God. It followed that I ought to examine my inner reasons for music or preaching or any other Christian activity. Is it for the glory of God or is it for me?

We want to do our best for the glory of God, but that subtle dividing line is there where we may wonder what the audience thought of us as performers. Jesus said of the religious leaders who paraded themselves on street corners and prayed beautiful prayers: "They have their reward." They had better enjoy it now because they won't get any reward for it in the hereafter.

Christian liberty and its relationship to relating to a holy God is a daily challenge. We have a Biblical duty and destiny to be like Him, to be holy because He is holy, while we are still saddled with a corrupt "old man" nature. We also have a new nature given to us at the time of the new birth and this new nature never prompts us to sin against God. These two conflicting natures are in a state of warfare all of our lives. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit indwells each of us as believers. It is not a neat, precise warfare. Our three-fold enemy is the world, the flesh and the devil. And out of that compound setting we are commanded to do everything to the glory of God and to bring every thought unto the captivity of Christ.

"Paul has stated certain great principles that relate to Christian liberty. One of those principles is: All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. Also, all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Now here is another one: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, and whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

"This is the test every believer should apply to his life. Not "should I do this, or should I do that," but "can I do it for the glory of God?" Unfortunately, there are Christians who don't even go to church for the glory of God. They go for some other reason—maybe to criticize or to gossip. With a motive like that it is better to stay at home. Whatever a believer does should be done for the glory of God. That is very important" (McGee).

Whether therefore ye eat or drink – The principle is introduced by the case in hand; eating and drinking the things that had been offered in sacrifice to idols. "Still, however, it contains a general direction that is applicable to eating and drinking at all times; and the phrase "whatsoever ye do" is evidently designed by the apostle to make the direction universal." (Barnes)

Or whatsoever ye do – A principle is established here that covers all the actions and plans of life; there is nothing that is not covered here in principle. The Bible mentions some things by name and everything else is covered by principles. Let all be done to the glory of God.

Jesus laid bare a principal we should heed - How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (John 5:44)

It appears to be a matter of keeping everything in perspective. We are told to honor rightly and we are told that if we suffer with Him we will be glorified together with Him. So the truth does not lie in the idea that we are never to praise each other for a job well-done or to thank people for their gifts and kindness. There is that legitimate area where praise and honor toward one another is in order. But above it all, there is the overriding umbrella of God who gave it all and to Him is the chief praise and for His glory. Ω

Good Morning! - 2010.05.26 - Proverbs 13:15 - The Way of Transgressors is Hard

Good understanding giveth favour (advantage): but the way of transgressors is hard. (Proverbs 13:15)

(NOTE: The blue underlined words below are live hyperlinks to Scripture.)

The book of Proverbs continually contrasts righteousness and wickedness and highlights the end results of these two life conditions. God hates pride, lawlessness and hypocrisy and the twisting of Scripture to suit ourselves. Some of us have a “god” problem; the same problem Satan had: to take the place of God; to exalt ourselves and our opinions above His word.

Man’s problem with God is that God is "too bossy." We must get rid of God. That’s simple enough: either completely deny His existence or remold Him into our image. Create a personal God that suits us.

Sin is transgression of the law of God. Darwin’s theory of evolution was not about science but about getting rid of God. Huxley has admitted it. The main interest of evolution was and is sexual freedom; to behave like barnyard animals. Get rid of God and fornicate to your heart’s content.

The verses preceeding our text say: Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. (Proverbs 13:13-14)

We sin because our basic nature is self-centered. When we get to Heaven we will be rid of our old nature. If that were not so, Heaven would be the moral chaos of the present world. Frankly, I will be very glad to get rid of my old nature that has produced all of my sin. Actually, I’m a moral mess and that’s putting it mildly.

What does God want from us? He makes it clear: "… to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." (Isaiah 66:2)That is the only way we all must come to God if we wish to be accepted of Him. Coming to God in pride is a waste of time. And we dare not despise His Word nor His commandments.

If we study the way people think and live, it does not take a rocket scientist to realize that “good understanding” has a tremendous advantage over the way people are trying to muddle through life making up their own rules. God knows a lot about making roses and everything else in the universe. God also knows a lot about what it takes to have an advantage in this life. It’s really tough on people who decide to live independent of God and His word. It’s like hugging a porcupine. You’re free to do that if you like but you can’t determine the results.

We need to walk with God. The two legs of walking with God are the Word of God and Prayer. The Word of God includes obedience to everything God shows us. Prayer includes worship and thanksgiving. Ω

Good Morning! 2010.05.25 - Ephesians 4:30 - Grieve Not The Holy Spirit

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)

NOTE: The blue, underlined words below are live hyperlinks to Scripture.

The Holy Spirit is a person who can be grieved. If you are a born-again Christian, then the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in your body and lives there. He owns you. Not only does He own you, but He is the one who gives you a peace that passes all understanding or else He withdraws that peace.

What grieves the Holy Spirit? He grieves when He is offended. Paul has just listed many offending things in Ephesians 4:22-32. One of the greatest areas of offense to the Holy Spirit is the thinking we allow and the use of our tongues. That’s why our verse today is placed right in the middle of some messy sins that ought not to be allowed by the Christian. We are expected to be in charge of our tongues and our thinking.

When the Holy Spirit is grieved our fellowship is broken with Him. The Holy Spirit cannot work in your life when you have grieved Him.

Whereby ye are sealed. We can and we often do—grieve the Holy Spirit. Some Christians live with a grieved Holy Spirit and some Christians live with an ungrieved Holy Spirit. We cannot grieve him away. Good or bad, He is locked in us until the day of redemption, the day when we are resurrected and we stand before Him clothed in His righteousness.

HYMN: Wonderful Peace – (key of A flat – beautiful if sung in key of F with men singing melody and women harmony)

Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight, Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm; In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace, Buried deep in the heart of my soul; So secure that no power can mine it away, While the years of eternity roll.

I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace, Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control; For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day, And His glory is flooding my soul.

And me-thinks when I rise to that City of peace,, Where the Author of peace I shall see, That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing, In that heavenly kingdom shall be:

Ah! Soul, are you here without comfort or rest, Marching down the rough pathway of time? Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark; Oh accept this sweet peace so sublime.

CHORUS:

Peace! Peace! Wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above;

Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray, In fathomless billows of love.

Good Morning! 2010.0.24 - Psalm 51:12-13 - Restore Unto Me the Joy of Thy Salvation

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. (Psalm 51:12-13)

NOTE: The blue and underlined words below are live hyperlinks of Scripture.

King David pleads for pardon, that he may promote the glory of God and the conversion of sinners. His plea reminds us of the New Testament exhortation in Hebrews 10:22: Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

No one is more miserable than a born-again Christian in whom the Spirit of God dwells, who is out of fellowship with God. When we begin to walk in our own path, the first thing we sense is a strange loneliness. We miss God. It's unnamed, but like Samson after his hair had been cut, he "wist not that the LORD was departed from him.(Judges 16:20)" The Spirit of God is grieved and He withholds the inner peace. We are still His children and He will deal with us as His children. We become restless and begin to search for something that will fill up the emptiness and uneasiness.

God is patient with us, but His patience is not unending. If we do not take the initiative to repent and draw back into fellowship with Him, there will come a day when He will begin chastisement as an effort to bring us back in fellowship with Himself. Beyond that is the point at which He will cut us off, the sin unto death. In Paul's instructions in partaking of the Lord's Supper, he warned of the sin unto sickness and the sin unto death. He also instructed us that if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged of the Lord. (Please note the blue links that lead to scriptures.)

A good day to you! Let's walk with God and His King Jesus today. Ω