December 2, 2001 Volume 2 Number 48
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The Conquest Over
Temptation 2 No Temptation Insurmountable 1 Cor 10:13-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. No temptation is insurmountable because God is faithful. Paul writes in 1 Thess 5:23-24, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” He also writes, “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thes 3:3). This is our source of security. If we look only to ourselves we will fall. If one depends on the faithfulness of God we will be secure and we will succeed. If man uses the proper means, resists temptations, seeks God’s assistance, and depends on His promises, he will be successful. It is God who provides the means by which we can be delivered. Peter writes, “then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment” (2 Pet 2:9). We must put forth the effort to escape. How To Escape First of all and most basic we must avoid temptation. In Proverbs 1:10-15 the writer warns us to keep our feet from their (way of the sinner) path. In The 4th Proverb verses 14-15 we read, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on.” Other passages such as 1Thes 5:22 tell us to “Abstain from every form of evil.” If we willingly approach and engage in sin, we cannot overcome. We can also escape by conquering the devil. Yes! Conquering the Devil. Jesus was able to do this. When tempted in the wilderness after fasting for 40 days and nights he was able to deflect each fiery dart (Eph 6:16) of the devil. Verse 11 of Mt 4 reads, “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” Like Jesus we must resist. James tells us in Ch. 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Peter writes in 1Pet 5:7-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” We too can withstand the fiery darts of the devil if we array ourselves in the whole armor of God. If too will have the same weapon that Jesus had; IT IS WRITTEN. Some Points To Be Guarded
Temptation is not sin---yielding is sin. We should have the courage of Joseph (Gen 39:7-12). "Each victory will help us some other to win.” James writes of the person who succeeds in overcoming temptation. James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
Preachers who SEE
the urgency of preaching Preachers who SPEAK
against sin Preachers who SEEK a
"Thus Saith the Lord" as their message Preachers who STAY with
the truth even though some may not like it Preachers who STAND with
the good and not the evil Preachers who SEND forth
the message: "Prepare to Meet Thy God" Attitude of Gratitude... I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have. Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or ... I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free. Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or ... I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste. Today I can grumble about my health or ... I can rejoice that I am alive. Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or ...I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born. Today I can cry because roses have thorns or ... I can celebrate that thorns have roses. Today I can mourn my lack of friends or ... I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships. Today I can whine because I have to go to work or ... I can shout for joy because I have a job to do. Today I can complain because I have to go to school or ... eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge. Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because God has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul. Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have! Have a GREAT DAY ... unless you have other plans! ISLAM
BEING MISREPRESENTED AS A
PEACEFUL RELIGION NOTE: Following is a "Letter to the Editor" of the PADUCAH SUN. I do not know David Cassidy. I do not know what sort of "minister" he is. It is not very likely that he is a New Testament Christian. However, from my own very limited exposure to Islam, I found his thoughts were well expressed and right on target. Please pay particular attention to the conclusion he draws which I have placed in all capital letters below. I submit it for your consideration… ~David Lemmons from LemmonsAid Islam is being misrepresented by our political leaders. In an understandable and praiseworthy effort to distinguish peaceful Moslems, many of whom are patriotic Americans, from the terrorists that perpetrated the terrible events of Sept. 11, many officials are describing the religion of Islam as "peaceful." It most assuredly is not.Islam, which means "peace" or "surrender," is a religion founded on and advanced by violence. Numerous Koranic references endorse the use of violence against opponents of Islam. But more significantly, the history of Islam denies the claim it may seek to make as a religion of peace. From the violent "wars
of apostasy" in the wake of Mohammed's death, to the unflinching
determination of Hamas to exterminate the Jews and drive them from what is
perceived to be Islamic holy land, the slaughter has been immense. Only
the battle of Tours in 733 A.D. stopped the advance of Islam into Europe,
securing the future freedom of that continent. Apart from that dramatic
triumph, Europe would I have been a minister
among Islamic people in Europe as well as the Middle East, and my
brother-in-law is Iranian, raised under the Shah In my own experience I have seen Moslems who convert to Christianity savagely beaten, and those who served as Christian workers in countries dominated by Islam know terrible persecution, including being burned alive while churches are regularly looted and destroyed. these are not isolated incidents led by extremists. SIMPLY PUT, WHERE ISLAM IS IN THE MINORITY IT BEHAVES AS A LAMB, BUT WHEN ISLAM DOMINATES A REGION OR COUNTRY, IT IS A FEROCIOUS LION THAT SEEKS TO DESTROY PERSONAL LIBERTY, FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE, AND THE FREE MARKET OF IDEAS. It tolerates no competition. It brooks no resistance. Most Moslems in America are indeed peaceful, but Islam is not a peaceful religion. We want it to enjoy the same freedom of expression that all religions are regularly afforded in our republic. But those who call it what it isn't do a disservice to those who have already paid with their blood the price of Islam's true nature. They also confuse those whose knowledge of religion is somewhat sketchy, imagining wrongly that Allah is the same as Yahweh. Yahweh is most assuredly not like Allah as he is described in the Koran. Let Islam be seen for what it truly is and truly offers: a religion of oppressions, offering only fear. If we are indeed "One Nation Under God," that God is most assuredly not Allah. Those who worship that god may do so freely, but that idol should not enjoy the endorsement of our officials. The Spirit Expressly
Says ... Is God's Church Invisible? Bible students generally admit:
Is the Bible church an invisible, nebulous sort of thing? Not at all. We read that the church in Antioch assembled on a regular basis (Acts 11:26). We see officers being appointed in the congregations of Lystra, lconium, and Antioch. Naming these cities, Acts 14:21-23 says they "ordained elders in every church." The organization was on the congregational level. Thus the New Testament church was undenominational and was organized into congregations. This being true, a local church should endeavor to follow the Bible pattern, and thus be nothing more or less than Christ's church in their community, independent of all denominational organizations and free of all man-made creeds. Each person should set himself to seek out the Bible church and become a part of it. Remember, "Seek and you shall find" (Matthew 7:7b). Food For Thought Only when we realize that what I am today is because of the choices we made yesterday will we take responsibility to make right choices today. Honesty is the first
building block in laying the foundation of character, It's better to be the best learned than the most learned... We
hope you find this bulletin useful in your Bible study. 2
Sam 22:31
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