There is no temptation that we could ever experience that is not common to every person on this earth (1 Corinthians 10:13). Even Jesus experienced every temptation that pressures us; however, He submitted to God, resisted the devil, and He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15; James 4:7-10).
God uses temptations to teach us the evils of sin, the lack of true satisfaction we receive from it, and the greater need we have for a daily walk in Jesus’ presence. If we avail our self of His aid, God delivers us from temptation by His grace (Matthew 6:13). He always hears our cries, and He is close to us at all times (Psalm 34:17).
Temptations come from demonic sources, the world, and/or our flesh; but they do not harm us unless we heed their allurement. The first thought that enters our mind is the temptation, but the sin only arises if we entertain that thought and follow it into transgressing against God’s perfect plans for us.
Like the deer that longs for a cool drink from the brook, we long to enjoy the presence of the Lord in its fullness (Psalm 42:1). The first step to accessing this intimate union is as easy as
A-B-C:
· Accept that we are a sinner
· Believe that Jesus died and rose again to save us and to transform us into His image
· Call on Him to save us.
Once we are saved from Hell’s eternal damnation, and we enter a union with Christ by His Spirit, we start a systematic study of God’s Word through our daily prayer and Bible reading, partaking in group Bible studies throughout the week, and worshipping with God’s Saints on Sunday morning as we learn from our Pastor’s Biblical teachings.
We learn to walk in the Spirit each moment of the day, by examples in God’s Word and the example of other Saints in our current life. This allows us to develop the habit of following the peace of God in our Spirit (Philippians 4:7; Colossian 3:15). Our soul thirsts for God so we can know Him more intimately, to walk in His Spirit, and to live with Him throughout eternity (Psalm 42:2)
Prayer:
Father God, our soul longs for a personal relationship with You. Our heart and body cry out for Your intervention in our life (Psalm 84:2). You always give us a way to escape every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). You are our strength, our continual guide, and our help in any times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Remind us to take heed when we lose our peace while making any decision.
We seek You early while it is still called today, we seek Your counsel for each moment of our day, we soak up Your presence like a dry sponge soaks up water (Psalm 63:1-2). We long for a more intimate union with You, as we learn to walk in Your Spirit throughout our day. We praise You with every breath we breathe, and we look forward to spending eternity in Your presence.
Thought for the Day:
Even in times of natural disasters, rampant deviant behavior, unsettling circumstances all around us, and a vast departure from the principles of God’s Word, we cling to our hope in Him, our trust of Him, and our faith in His faithfulness.
- Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Psalm 31:24, 39:7
