COUNSEL ABOUT TEMPTATION

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13 NKJV).

This verse is one of the best texts on temptation in the Bible. It speaks of the commonness of temptation, the control of temptation, and the conquering of temptation.

Commonness of temptation – “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.” Temptation is not an unusual experience, and our temptations are not unusual compared to the temptation of others. So, when tempted, let’s not feel that we are weaker than others or that we are suffering more than others. Temptation is a common experience to all. It is not sin to be tempted; the sin is in yielding. However, while temptation is common, we should not let yielding be a common experience.

Control of temptation – “But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” We need not be defeated by temptation. God will not allow a temptation to come to us that is too much for us to defeat. This means that we can never blame God for our failures in our encounters with temptation. If we are defeated by temptation, it is our own fault; God will never allow us to be tempted with a stronger temptation than we can defeat. How gracious it is of God to so control our temptations that they will never be too strong for us to defeat.

Conquering of temptation – “But with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” In every temptation, God provides a way of victory, a way of escape. That way of escape may be nothing more than a sanctified and firm “no.” It may simply be to leave a certain place, to turn the eyes away from unholy scenes, or to put down a bad book or magazine. Yielding to temptation means refusing the way of escape. The door of escape is always there; we just need to look for it. And when we find it, we need to head for it with great speed lest we be overcome by temptation

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Ability to resist temptation is directly proportionate to your submission to God!”

Edwin (Ed) Louis Cole (1922–2002)

Pastor, Evangelist, Author, Missionary, Founder of the Christian Men’s Network    

Word Study

Filled

In 1 Cor. 4:8 we read, “You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you” (NASB).

“Filled” is the Greek word korénnymi (κορέννυμι = kor-en'-noo-mee), and it means satiate, fill, to be content. In classical Greek, korénnymi also means to satiate and in the passive voice, it means get enough of, be satisfied with, have all one wants of something, to have one’s fill or to overeat. Korénnymi does not occur in the Septuagint and appears only twice in the New Testament, here in 1 Cor. 4:8, and in Acts 27:38 after the passengers on the ship in the storm had “eaten enough.” Here in 1 Cor. 4:8, the apostle Paul is using the word figuratively when he said to the Corinthians that they were “already filled,” acting as if they did not need any more spiritual food.

Did You Know…

During times of battle, trees were cut down to use in the siege. However, the Israelites were forbidden by God from cutting down fruit trees since they could provide food (Deut. 20:19-20).

Bible Quiz

Why was it to the benefit of the disciples for the Lord Jesus to leave them?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

How many years did king Nebuchadnezzar lived in the fields away from his palace and people? 7 years (Dan. 4:32).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus, judging the world in righteousness prefigured (Psalm 9:7-8; cf. Acts 17:31)

"But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness” (Psalm 9:7-8 NJKV).

In context, the Psalmist David is drawing a contrast between changing man and the unchanging God. While all is change and disturbance upon earth, the unchanged and unchangeable Eternal God continues, constantly seated in majesty in heaven. And He shall judge the world with righteousness; He shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. In fact, He has prepared His throne for judgment, the day of judgment is set, and the identity of the judge is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, there is coming a day in which God will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed (cf. John 5:22-27). The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ showed God’s approval of Him and qualified Him as judge (Acts 17:31). With the raising of the Lord Jesus from the dead, a decisive turning point has taken place in redemptive history: now everyone must repent or face God’s just judgment. He will not be influenced by partiality; He will show no favoritism; He will not be bribed. He will do exact justice to all.

Did You Know – Christian History

A newly discovered letter from the Roman church reveals a pivotal moment in Christian theology. There is a woman walking up the Roman Road hugging a secret, her name was Phoebe. Hidden beneath her robe was the future of Christian theology for she was carrying with her a letter to the church in Rome that would spell out, like no other document ever written, the implications and significance of the gospel. Out of need, the apostle Paul had turned to her. While in Corinth he had written a letter to the distant Roman church, but he needed someone to get that letter to them since there was no postal service. He had to find someone to carry the letter. As British Baptist Preacher Frank William Boreham points out, “Paul could write the letter but at that time could not carry it. Phoebe could not have written the letter, but she could carry it.”

We do not know much about Phoebe. The apostle Paul mentions her just once in (Rom. 16:1-2): “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.” The name “Phoebe” means bright and radiant, and from Paul’s comments about her it seems that those words characterized her personality and her Christian life. Phoebe, as well as two other early Christian women, Dorcas and Lydia are remembered and honored. All three shared one pre-eminent quality: they helped others. And as Christians, we do need one another. Dorcas was known for her assistance to the poor. She was so highly regarded, that when she died, the saints of Joppa appealed to the apostle Peter. He prayed over her, and God raised her from the dead. Lydia was a seller of purple cloth. After the apostle Paul shared the gospel with her, Lydia and her entire household were baptized, his first converts in Europe. She then insisted that both Luke and the apostle Paul stay at her house. Her prosperous home became the original church at Philippi. As these three individuals of the New Testament show, middle class women were already beginning to play an important role in the Christian world.

This remarkable story sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of early Christian women, including Phoebe, Dorcas, and Lydia, whose selfless acts paved the way for the Church’s growth.

A Little Humor

The church is struck by lightning but the insurance company refuses to pay for damages incurred because there is a specific disclaimer for “Acts of God.” The pastor then goes to each household and ask for donation to rebuild the church. One farmer protested, “I’m sorry, but I cannot give money to somebody who sets His own house on fire.”   

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“What Part of “Thou Shalt Not...” didn't you understand? – God!”