Today's Reading:O.T. - 1 Samuel 3 - 5
N.T. - 1 Corinthians 10:1-22
Focus Verses: 1 Cor.10:12-13
12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No 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.
Insight:
The history of Israel recorded in the Old Testament, the history of the Church, and even the history of our own lives should serve as constant reminders of how easy it is to fall if you begin to have a false sense of confidence in self. Complacency leads to carelessness. We must be on guard against temptation. No temptation is unique, but rather "common" to all people. Temptation can be aggressive - it "seizes" upon people. But in the face of every temptation, God is faithful, protecting us from temptations that are too great for us to face, giving us strength, and providing a way of escape.
Response and Action:
I must be honest about my vulnerability to temptation. Everybody faces temptation, and I must be on guard against it. I do not need to fear temptation, because God will protect me and strengthen me. When I am tempted, I must look to God for strength and look for the escape he is providing. When I see a way of escape, I must act immediately to take hold of it.
Thank you, O God, for your faithfulness to protect me from temptation I cannot endure. Thank you for the strength and deliverance you provide when I face the temptations I can face with your help. Strengthen me and lead me to live a life that brings glory to you. Blessed be the Lord who daily bears our burdens. Through Christ Jesus, who lives are reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Proverbs: 22:5
"In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them."
Resources:
Temptation
by Tom L. Eisenman
