Good Morning Friends,
“These things happened to them as examples and
were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has
come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he
will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1
Corinthians 10:11-13)
The temptations are strong. Paul lists several
that the people of Israel gave in to time and again: idolatry, sexual
immorality, testing the Lord, and grumbling. We face those same temptations,
and like the Israelites, most of us give in to them time and again. How can we overcome those sins and learn to
say “no” to the temptations?
One way is to be reminded of the example of the
Israelites. The story of their sins is written down for our good. As we read
and study about their lives, we see the disaster that they brought on to
themselves when they gave in to the temptations.
Another way is to realize the danger of the
temptations. We do ourselves a disservice when we think we are beyond the place
where temptation can trouble us. No matter how mature we become, temptations
are still there and they are still strong.
Realize you are not alone in the battle with
temptation. You don’t face any temptations that are unique to you. Every human
who is alive now faces similar temptations and every human already dead faced
similar temptations when they lived.
Look to the Lord when you are tempted. He
promises the temptations will not be more than you can handle. He promises to
provide an escape route from every temptation. Look to Him for strength and
keep your eyes open for the way of escape.
His, by Grace, Steve
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