When Temptations Come

 N. T. #62 "When Temptations Come"

May 4, 2023

Matthew 6-Part 8

And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. (Matt. 6:13, NLT)

LET IT GLOW

At our wedding, some 50 years ago, my cousin sang The Lord's Prayer while we knelt together at the prayer bench praying. God has blessed, protected, and provided for us throughout those years. How faithful He is! As I have been reading through this chapter on how Jesus instructed us to pray, I often sing it. 

Temptation has a strong pull on all of us. We seek our own way and react with yielding.

Temptation means adversity; entice; to test; experience of evil. 

The King James Version reads, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. (verse 13)

James 1:13-14 says, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

So God does not entice us to sin, nor test us with whatever is sinful. What is the source of our temptations? Satan and our own lusts are the sources. We read earlier about the 3 ways Satan tempted Jesus-physical desires (bread after fasting 40 days), power by proving Jesus is the Son of God, all-powerful, pride (have all kingdoms if He worshiped Satan.) Jesus resisted those temptations by quoting Scriptures. So should we.

I like how the New Living Translation has this verse-don't let us yield to temptation. We need rescuing from the evil one who tempts us. He is a liar, deceiver, and evil one. 

Maybe we should say, "Leave us not in temptation." It does not mean to keep us out of it, but when we are in it, do not leave us there. (McGee)

LET IT GROW

Sweets is my temptation, except for chocolate goodies. I don't like chocolate, so it does not tempt me to eat it, whether a cake, pie, or candy. But set me an apple pie or cherry cheesecake or a blueberry donut  in front of me and I will yield, as I did this last week. (Then the pounds come back on and I look like a donut. Ugh!.) You may have different temptations than mine. We have a Savior who forgives sin. However, we want to please our Jesus by not sinning, yielding to temptation. I fall short so much. Sometimes we need to turn our back on the temptation and run like Joseph did.I just need to learn to say "NO!."

Satan is smarter than us and has centuries of experience ruining human lives. so ask God to keep you from getting into situations that detour you from the kingdom road. Pray that He would deliver you from temptations that you're not ready to handle. (Tony Evans)

All Christians struggle with temptation, so we should not think that we are alone. Sometimes it is so suttle that we don't even realize what is happening to us. 

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 says, Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

God will help us resist temptation when we ask Him. Knowing when to run to God and away from the situation that tempts us to sin is our solution. My problem is I don't have a strong enough desire to loose the weight by not eating those goodies. If I did, then I would turn to God for help in turning away from it.

LET IT GO

Father, may Your will be done in all of us and in our hearts.

Help us love You more that the sin.

Keep us on the narrow road and our thoughts pure and holy.

At the cross I surrender my life.

I owe all to You, Jesus.