TEMPTATION

“And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley” (1 Chron. 14:13 KJV).

When the Philistines heard that David had become king over Israel, they attacked Israel. Our verse speaks of one of those attacks. The attack is a good picture of the work of temptation. There is the persistency of temptation, the plentifulness of temptation, the perception of temptation, and the place of temptation.

Persistency of temptation - “Yet again.” Though they were defeated in the previous attack (1 Chron. 14:9-12), the Philistines returned to attack again. This is the case with temptation. We may defeat a temptation, but it will be back to work on us again and again. Evil does not give up quickly; therefore, we must be persistent in keeping up our guard against evil and in battling evil.

Plentifulness of temptation - “Spread themselves.” Like the Philistines, temptations spread themselves throughout every area of our life. No matter where we are or what we are doing, temptation will show up in some form. However, the plentifulness of temptation does not mean we must give in to temptation. As David sought God’s help against the Philistines, so we can seek God’s help to overcome temptation.

Perception of temptation - “Spread themselves.” The Hebrew word here means to spread out, to expand. The Philistines tried to make it appear that they were more in number than they really were. This clever ploy was designed to cause the Israelites to grovel There are times when the temptation is so intense that surrender seem like the only way out. But we do not need to yield; like David, we need to seek God’s help.

Place of temptation -“Spread themselves abroad in the valley.” The valley here speaks of our down times. Temptation often hit us the hardest when we are discouraged, in despair, and depressed. Temptation comes at us when we are in the valleys, when we are down and have lost heart. Yet, like David we need to keep our focus on God.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“We may face situations beyond our reserves but never beyond God’s resources!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Devout

In Luke 2:25 we read, “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him" (NKJV).

Devout is the Greek word eulabes (εὐλαβής = yoo-lab-ace'). It is made up of two words: “eu” which means well, and “lambano” which means to receive, take hold. Thus the word means circumspect, careful, devout, God-fearing, reverent, worshipful, godly. It means a person who handle spiritual matters carefully. It means reverence for God, being pious. Literally, eulabes means taking hold of well, hence cautious, reverent, devout, pious.

In the Septuagint, eulabes means devout, pious, reverent. Further, eulabes is almost always used of reverence directed toward God. This reverence concerns separation from ritual defilement in the Old Testament (Lev. 15:31), and it is often associated with awe or fear of God. In the New Testament eulabes is reserved for describing religious reverence, godliness, or piety. It carries the idea of God-fearing.

In context, Simeon was eagerly waiting and the idea being portrayed is one of daily, continual delight. Thus Simeon was not only “just and devout,” he displayed a general attitude of patient, persistent expectation and anticipation as he waited for the Messiah.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – That He would be the rejected cornerstone (Psalm 118:22-23)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 21:42

Bible Facts

Reproduction explained (Gen. 1:27-28; 2:24; Mark 10:6-8). While evolution has no mechanism to explain how male and female reproductive organs evolved at the same time, the Bible says that f rom the beginning God made them male and female in order to propagate the human race and animal kinds.

Bible Quiz

What tribe was King David from?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: Who placed his own brothers in jail for 3 days? Joseph (Gen. 42:17).

That’s in the Bible

"Woe is me”

“Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!” (Psalm 120:5 NKJV).

Here in Psalm 120:5, David is lamenting his troubles and gloom by exclaiming “woe is me.” Throughout the Gospels, Jesus proclaimed “Woe unto you” when speaking unto the wicked and the Pharisees. “Woe unto you,” of course, means calamity and doom is on the way.

Did You Know – Christian History

Ira David Sankey was born on August 28, 1840 in Edinburg, Pennsylvania. He was an American gospel singer and composer, associated with evangelist Dwight L. Moody. Converted at age 16, Sankey was known as “The Sweet Singer of Methodism.”

Sankey was in Chicago to attend a convention. He had heard of Dwight L. Moody’s evangelistic work and wanted to see the great soul winner for himself. During the service, Moody asked someone to select a song. Sankey started to sing Cowper’s hymn, “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood.” The crowd enthusiastically picked up the tune. Later, Moody asked Sankey, “What work are you in?” Sankey said he worked for the IRS. “Well, you’ll just have to give it up,” said Moody. “I’ve been praying eight years for someone like you,” Moody told him. Several months later, Sankey joined Moody. Moody preached and Sankey sang; they led hundreds of thousands to Christ.

While touring Britain, Sankey saw a poem he liked in a Scottish newspaper. He tore it out, and read it to Moody. Moody didn’t seem interested so Sankey tucked it into his pocket. When Moody asked for a closing hymn the next evening, the Holy Spirit prompted Sankey to use the poem in his pocket. Although he had composed no music for it, he pulled it out and made up the melody on the spot, half-singing and half-speaking the words. It was on this day, May 21, 1874 that the world first heard “The Ninety and Nine,” a song written by Elizabeth Clephane in 1868 and based on Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep. The response was overwhelming. Moody himself came down afterward with tears in his eyes and asked where Sankey had found the wonderful song!

Sankey wrote several hymns and songs, and composed and arranged music for many more. He collaborated with Philip Bliss and later with James McGranahan and George Stebbins. He also worked with Fanny Crosby, one of the most prolific hymn writers. Crosby became Sankey’s friend and music-making partner. Sankey died on August 13, 1908 at his home in Brooklyn, New York. He was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. In 1979 - 80, the Gospel Music Association recognized Sankey’s immense contributions to gospel music by listing him in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

A Little Humor

There was a preacher that with every situation he would have a verse to go with that situation. Well one day the preacher was walking down the road singing with two boys behind him. Then a fly went into his mouth and one of the boys said, “Bet he can’t find a verse to that.” Then the preacher said, “He was a stranger and I took him in.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Is temptation knocking? Let Jesus get the door!”