What’s Happening?   Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:12 - 13

“If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so you can endure.”  

There was an old popular phrase that came from a television series with Flip Wilson, where he stated something like it is not my fault, ‘the devil made me do it.’ Truth be told, we are living in a day of evil, in a world trying to squeeze us into its ways of thinking, believing and acting. But today’s tells us ‘What’s Happening?’, when as God’s children we face temptation and testing. Even if the devil himself were to tempt us, God will give us the victory as we look up to Jesus in faith believing.

First of all, we must realize that no matter how long we may have been walking on this pathway of faith that we are still human, prone to the same kinds of temptations and failures as anyone and everyone else. It is true that pride comes before the fall. You will remember Lucifer in a perfect heaven rose up and in his own confidence said that he would be as the Most High God, and as a result, not only was he cast down to earth and hades, but one third of the angels in heaven fell in that rebellion.

So when we are tempted, we must not trust in our own devices, but rather in the strength and power that God will provide in the riches of His mercy and grace. He has given us the armor of God with which we are to stand our ground, and as we commit our ways to the Lord, even under the most alluring temptations, God will be faithful to His Word.

Each time that we are tempted, God will show us a way out in order that we do not give in to the temptation. If we have fallen and given in, we are not to wallow in our failure and certainly not commit to living in sin, but we are to pick ourselves up, confess our sins to the Lord and walk in the light even as He is in the light with our heads lifted high and shoulders squared back in the victory that is ours through Jesus Christ our living and loving Lord.  

Remember my sister and brother that Jesus endured every kind of temptation that we will ever face, and even more, yet He was without sin. Therefore, He can fully understand and right now is ever interceding for us when we are undergoing trials and temptations. When we commit our ways fully to the Lord, even if these circumstances and situations do not change, God will give us the grace to stand and show us the way out and up, higher in His love, mercy and grace. We can encourage one another with these words!  

Prayer My heavenly Father how I thank-You for the great faithfulness You have promised that the fact that Jesus is ever interceding for me as I follow Thee. Help me in my times of testing and trial to be looking unto Jesus and encouraging others to do the same. I pray in His holy name. Amen.  

Memory Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:24 “____ will _____ this _______, for he who calls you is faithful.”