In Christ - Romans 6 part 3

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin

that grace might increase? May it never be!

How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Or do you not know that all of us who have been

baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

Therefore, having been buried with Him

through baptism into death, in order that

as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,

so we too might walk in newness of life.

Foir if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death,

certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection,

knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him,

that our body of sin might be done away with,

that we should no longer be slaves to sin;

for he who has died is freed from sin.

Now if we have died with Christ,

we believe that we shall also live with Him,

knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead,

is never to die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.

For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all;

but the life that He lives, He lives to God."

(Romans 6:1-10)

Matthew Henry in dealing with our having been baptized into Christ states, “In general, we are dead to sin. Our baptism signifies our cutting off from the kingdom of sin. We are dead to sin by our union with Christ, in and by whom it is killed. All this is in vain if we persist in sin; we return to that to which we were dead, like walking ghosts. For he that is dead is freed from sin (vs 7); he that is dead to it is freed from the rule and dominion of it. Now shall we be such fools as to return to that slavery from which we are discharged?”

Surely I am often a fool. How I pray that God would grant all of us vision to see sin for what it is and to see Christ for who He is. Vision to see the reality of what Christ has accomplished for us and strength and power to walk and live in light of that accomplishment.

Christians, we are declared to be "in Christ." We have been buried with Him through baptism into death. We have been raised with Christ from the dead through the glory of the Father. Oh, please take these two truths to heart. God tells us they are a reality and we need His grace and mercy to live in light of this reality even though our sight is often so dim. In Christ - through our baptism/union with Him, we are dead to sin and alive to God.

Henry gives 2 points underneath this idea of our being baptized into Jesus Christ.

1. “Our conformity to the death of Christ obliges us to die unto sin.” Verse 6 tells us "that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin." Quoting Mr. Henry again, “The death of the cross was a slow death; but it was a sure death. Such is the mortification of sin in believers. The crucifying of Christ for us has an influence upon the crucifying of sin in us.” (We all need to remember that this is a slow work and not expect things to just be gone, over and done with. That's hard for teh perfectionist that still dwells in me!)

Verse 8 tells us that "we have died with Christ." Henry writes, “Baptism signifies and seals our union with Christ, so that we are dead with Him and engaged to have no more to do with sin than He had.”

Verse 4 reminds us that "we have been buried with Him through baptisim into death." “Our conformity is complete. We are in profession quite cut off from all commerce and communion with sin. Thus must we be, as Christ was, separate from sin and sinners. We are sealed to be the Lord’s, therefore to be cut off from sin. As Christ was buried, that He might rise again to a new and more heavenly life, so we are in baptism buried, that we may rise again to a new life of faith and love.” (Matthew Henry)


2. “Our conformity to the resurrection of Christ obliges us to rise again to newness of life. Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. Now in baptism we are obliged to conform to that pattern… Conversion is the first resurrection from the death of sin to the life of righteousness.”

Notice two things regarding Christ's resurrection from the dead that should encourage us in our struggle to overcome the slavery of sin.

a. Christ rose to die no more. "Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him" (vs 9). “Over Christ death has no more dominion; He was dead indeed, but He is alive, and so alive that He lives for evermore. Thus we must rise from the grave of sin never again to return to it."

b. Christ rose to live to God. "For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God." (vs 10). Pay close attention to these words, they are convicting. “He rose to live a heavenly life. He rose again to leave the world. Thus we must rise to live to God; this is what He calls the newness of life. We are to live by other rules, with other aims than we have done before. A life devoted to God is a new life; before, self was the chief and highest end, but now God.”

Dead to sin. Alive to Christ. Buried with Him in baptism. Raised with Him to newness of life. I cannot do this apart from Christ. I CAN do this because of Christ. O LORD – how greatly we need your mercy. How clearly we need your death and resurrection. Thank you for dying the death I deserved and for crushing the grave of sin through your resurrection power. Make me to love you and know the reality of my union with You - my Savior and my Lord!

United,

Lori

Dead and Alive- Romans 6 part 2

(This morning's post may be a bit different than some of the others. I have truly done a "cut and paste" job from my journal of several mornings back. Interspersed between my comments are some prayers that naturally flowed from my conviction by the word. I thought about re-wording the post and deleting the prayers, but decided to give you a bit of a glimpse into my heart.)

"Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:11-13)

"Consider yourselves to be dead to sin." Matthew Henry points out 5 things regarding this issue of mortification that are found in Romans 6. I will quote him at length.

1. We must live no longer in sin. (vs 2) Though there are none that live without sin, yet there are those that do not live in sin.

2. The body of sin must be destroyed (vs 6). The corruption that dwells in us is the body of sin. This is the root to which the axe must be laid. We must not only cease from the acts of sin, but we must get vicious habits and inclinations weakened and destroyed that henceforth we should sever sin. It is the body of sin that sways the scepter, destroy this, and the yoke is broken.

3. We must be dead indeed unto sin (vs 11). As the death of the oppressor is a release, so much more is the death of the oppressed. Thus must we be dead to sin, fulfill its will no more. He that is dead is separated from his former company. Death makes a mighty change; such a change doth sanctification make in the soul, it cuts off all correspondence with sin.

**4. Sin must not reign in our mortal bodies, that we should obey it (vs12). Though sin may remain as an outlaw, yet let it not reign as a king. Let it not make laws, so that we should obey it. Though we may be sometimes overtaken and overcome by it, yet let us never be obedient to it. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you may obey its lusts. Sin lies very much in the gratifying of the body. And there is a reason implied in the phrase your mortal body. It was sin that made our bodies mortal, and therefore do not yield obedience to such an enemy.

5. We must not yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness (vs 13). The members of the body are made use of by the corrupt nature as tools, but we must not consent to that abuse. One sin begets another; it is like the letting forth of water, therefore leave it before it be meddled with. The members of the body may perhaps be forced to be instruments of sin; but do not yield them to be so, do not consent to it.

LORD Jesus – You, through Your obedience, have justified me by faith. Through You, the love of God has been poured out within my heart through the Holy Spirit whom You have given. In my helplessness Christ died for me. You have demonstrated Your great love for me through His death. His blood has saved me from the wrath of God and has reconciled me, vile enemy that I was, to You. Grace abounds to me, a sinner. Let not sin abound as well. My sin is great - Your grace is greater. Make me to die to sin. Make me to hate with a holy passion. Make me to flee from every inkling of it and to avoid every appearance of it. Make me to be honest in my struggle with it. Let me not be proud or fearful of being seen as a sinner but make me to be forthright regarding my frailties and even more forthright regarding the God who rescues me from them. Help me to mortify the flesh – not only the outward physical manifestations of the flesh - but also the heart and mind manifestations of it. Grant me grace in this area of mortification for You have commanded me to be holy as You are holy. Equip me, in Christ, to walk in Your will for my life! I am needful of my own crucifixion. Through the power of Your own crucifixion have mercy on me a sinner.

Mortification is the put off. I must die to sin and self. Vivification is the put on. I must live to Christ. I must walk in the newness of life. I am not simply to break the old habits of sin. No, I must replace the habits with new habits of righteousness. Die and then walk!



[Lord – You have put me in Christ. You have united me with Him. You have grafted me into His body. You have purchased me with His blood. You have adopted me as Your daughter. You have taken my heart of stone and given me a heart of flesh. You have made me a new creature in Christ. Would You make me to live in the reality of those things. Make me to live to Christ. Grant me to walk in the newness of life! Enable me, by the power of your atonement to not simply attempt to stop the struggle with sin but to take hold of the obedience that you have prepared beforehand for me - that I might walk in it.]


Henry states, “Newness of life supposes newness of heart. There is no way to make the stream sweet but by making the spring so.” He goes on to say, “Walk by new rules. Make a new choice of the way. Choose new paths to walk in, new leaders to walk after, new companions to walk with.”



[Lord - Make me to walk in Your Word, to walk on Your path, to submit to Your Lordship and to surround myself with iron sharpening friends. Protect me from the counsel of the wicked, the path of sinners, and the seat of scoffers. Make me to delight in Your law and to meditate on it day and night. Firmly plant me like a tree by the streams of Your living water. Let me yield fruit in season, keep my leaf from withering, and make me to prosper in those things which will bring You pleasure and glory.]


Vivification – I am alive to God in Christ Jesus! Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, BUT alive to God in Christ Jesus (vs 11). But, what does it mean to be alive? Henry points out that it is “to converse with God, to have a regard to Him, a delight in Him.”



[Lord – make me to seek You wholeheartedly. Make me to invest in You with my thinking and actions. Make me to pursue You first as I pursue family, friends, and the lost. May Your glory be the silver thread that runs through all my thoughts and actions. Be my all in all. Make my thinking to become praying. Make my musing to become meditation. Make me to delight in You and to see Your hand in all areas of my life. Encompass my every thought, word and deed. Make my conscience tender when I am beginning to wander into the valley of the shadow of death. Convict me of my transgressions and of my omissions. Let me see when I am living as a slave to sin and am failing in the command to be alive in You. In my failures grant me mercy and strength. Let me recognize my sinful steps that I might turn from my paths and walk in Yours. Whatever I do, make me to do it all for the glory of God! Whether I eat or drink may it all be lived to You. From this text I also note that I can ONLY be alive to God in Christ Jesus. Oh, how I am seeing that more and more – and yet will I ever see it enough?! Christ alone is the fountain from which this living can flow. I cannot do it myself. Again I am confronted with how desperately I need my Savior. Truly “there is no living to God but through Him. He is the Mediator and there is no intercourse between sinful souls and a holy God, but by the mediation of the Lord Jesus. In living to God, Christ is all in all.” Blessed Christ – my Savior and the Shepherd of my weak and weary soul – be my all in all.]


Verse 13 continues with the fleshing out of this putting on of living to Christ. “And do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; BUT present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” We are to present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead.



We are to "present" – that is an action. It is something I must do and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Strengthen me O my Lord!



We are to yield ourselves as instruments of righteousness to God. Henry states, “Not yield your estates to Him, but yield yourselves to Him; nothing less than your whole selves. Not only submit to Him, but comply with Him; be always ready to serve Him. Yield yourselves to Him as wax to the seal, to take any impression, to be, and have, and do, what He pleases.” Lord -Make me to yield and conform me to Christ.


We are to present ourselves to Him and we are to present ourselves ALIVE to Him. “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…. But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Eph 2).



“To yield a dead carcass to a living God is not to please Him, but to mock Him.” He has made me alive – why would I flee back to the land of death and decay?! Oh foolish ones that we are– may God save us from ourselves!



[Lord - help me by the mercies of God, to present my body as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is my spiritual service of worship. Let me not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Lord – that is Your will for me. Make your will a reality in me!]


Here is a final note from Mr. Henry, “The surest evidence of our spiritual life is the dedication of ourselves to God. It is to yield our members as instruments of righteousness to God. The members of our bodies, when withdrawn from the service of sin, are not to lie idle, but to be made use of in the service of God. The body must be always ready to serve the soul in the service of God. Thus (vs 19) present your members as slaves to righteousness resulting in sanctification. Let them be under the conduct and at the command of the righteous law of God. Let them be under righteousness resulting in sanctification, which intimates growth, and progress, and ground obtained. As every sinful act confirms the sinful habit, and makes the nature more and more prone to sin, so every gracious act confirms the gracious habit. One duty fits us for another; and the more we do the more we may do for God.”


[Lord – help me to consider myself alive to God IN Christ Jesus! Through Him, let me present myself to You. Let me, in my entirety, live as an instrument of righteousness. Make me to walk. Make me to serve. Make me to love. Make me encourage. Make me to mortify the flesh and live to You. Sanctify me and fit me to do my duty.]

God Forbid - Romans 6:1-2

“What shall we say then?

Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?

May it never be!” (Romans 6:1-2)

Romans chapter 6 begins with a question. It's a question that connects it to Romans chapter 5. Paul asks, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?” In the proceeding verses Paul has just proclaimed that Christ is the One who will make us righteous through His perfect life and sacrificial death. He has trumpeted the fact that we have “been justified by faith” and “have peace with God through Jesus Christ.” Precious promises of justification and reconciliation resound in every verse. Romans 5 ends with “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” It is in response to this stated reality that Romans 6 begins. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?"

How prone we are to take advantage of gracious people and of gracious offers. How prone we are to attempt to take advantage of our gracious God. “Oh, grace abounds – let me belly up to some more sin!! It’ll make grace all the more glorious!” Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is onto us and he knocks the question off of our tongues before we can even fully form it!

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be!” Literally it is rendered – “God forbid!!” Presumptuous sin won’t make grace any grander. Instead it makes grace look cheap and cheap grace is not true grace. Cheap grace decieves us, only true grace can save us!

No, saving grace is costly, it cost Christ His life and with His life He bought us. We are not our own, we were bought with a price. Presuming sin spits in the face of saving grace. Is this not another of Satan’s lies to see us enslaved to our lusts? “Oh God is so gracious – go on and give in – Don't worry about it. He’ll forgive you.” To this lie may we, with Paul say “God forbid!”

Romans 6 holds forth the practical antidote for our prevailing problem. It offers us a put off/put on for presumptuous, increasing sin. Put to death the flesh - put off! Walk in newness of life - put on! The old timers referred to these things as mortification and vivification. Basically, it boils down to die to self and live to Christ. I suppose the question is - who am I living for? My flesh, my desires, my lusts, my wants, my supposed needs - or Christ?

Verse 2 declares that we have “died to sin.” What does that look like? Face it, in this life we will never be sinless. If for even a moment you are thinking that you are sinless or will be sinless then please pause and see that even now the sins of pride and self-deception have mastery over you. “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:8). So, we'll never be sinless, yet we have died to sin. What?

True, in this life we will never be sinless; however, there is a difference between my life as a lost sinner and my life as a redeemed sinner. Sin ruled me before I was put into Christ. It was my lord. It ruled my every action, word, and thought. Since then it still remains but it does not reign!

Sin was once a master that controlled me it is now a tyrant that pursues me. It hunts me down as a hound of hell and fights to overthrow me. Praise Christ it is a defeated tyrant. Its days are numbered and it will not follow me into eternity. Thanks be to God for Christ who has secured sin’s destruction and has granted us victory over its stalking! Our “old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” I am no longer a slave. I am a son! And my omnipotent Father will not let His child fully fall!! SDG!

There is much more that could be said, but I will pause here for today. The fountain that flows from this chapter is deep and wide and it gushes forth freely. Realizing that, I’d rather take my time to sip and savor than to gulp and gorge and miss the true and lasting benefit. This morning, more than anything, may we walk away knowing that true saving faith is not a license to continue in sin. No! God forbid! Instead, it is an enabling of us to cease from sin. It is dying to sin and living to God and it is all of His free and abounding grace. "How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"

Dying,
Lori

A Second Stage of the Detour - Overview of Romans 1-5

Over the past few weeks, certain circumstances have caused me to truly recognize just how weak my own strength is, how feeble my own understanding is, and how desperately necessary it is for me to have a solid knowledge of the gospel – which is the power of God for salvation.

As I’ve shared, God is dealing with Lori right now in a pretty major way. He is humbling me and is making me to see just how truly needy I am. It would seem that, in His mercy, He is re-creating and refining me. To think that the High King of heaven and earth would care enough to take the time to make little old me more like Him is beyond amazing. But, that is what the Father does for His children. He doesn’t leave us in our sin. He doesn’t leave us to toy with things that aren’t good for us. He does whatever is necessary to make us holy and humble.

While traveling through this current wilderness the one thing that has been made abundantly clear to me is just how much I need Jesus. Sure, I’ve known that for 20 years but it is really hitting home with me right now. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Apart from Me you can do NOTHING!” Let that word resonate for a minute – NOTHING! Yet Paul encourages us with the fact that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” What a contrast! Apart from Him – nothing. Through Him - all things!

My moral strength is not enough to enable me to earn my way to God - I can’t be good enough for “there is no one good, no not one.” My mental strength is not enough to enable me to think my way to God – I can’t be smart enough for “a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” My physical strength is too weak, even on its best days, to reach heaven and holiness.

Recognizing these things, by the mercy of God, I find myself echoing the words of Solomon in prayerful meditation. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones.”

I am seeing that I can do nothing of any eternal worth on my own and am seeing my need to do all things through Christ. "Apart from Me you can do nothing. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It is in the gospel that being "in Christ" and doing "through Christ" is realized. In light of that my mind has turned to the book of gospel rich Romans – specifically Romans 6-8. Through Paul’s words I am learning to lean more on Christ and His finished work rather than on my own labors and understandings. Bearing my own yoke wears me out. In taking up His yoke I find rest for my weary soul. (Mt 11:28-30)

Taking a quick survey through Paul’s great letter to the Roman Christians I am struck at the logical nature and purposeful flow of this epistle. After a brief greeting to his fellow believers Paul in chapter 1 verse 16 begins the doctrinal portion of the book with these words:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16)

Paul unashamedly acknowledges that the gospel is what is needed by all. It is the power of God for salvation. He proclaims that truth right off the bat, for it is of first importance, and then he goes on to spend the remainder of the book fleshing out this glorious, powerful gospel for us - what it is and what it does.

Allow me to give an incredibly quick overview of the first 5 chapters in order to set the stage for what is so near and dear to my heart at the moment.

In Romans 1 Paul declares that clearly there is a God. He speaks of the general revelation of God as it is seen in creation and how that creative revelation is sufficient to leave us all “without excuse” regarding the fact that He exists. Creation bespeaks a Creator, it points to the reality of God and yet it also leaves us (because of our sinful state) under the "wrath of God." I thought it interesting that Romans 1 points out that in the special revelation of the gospel "the righteousness of God is revealed" but that in creation (apart from the gospel) "the wrath of God is revealed." It is the gospel alone that sets us free therefore, it is gospel power that all men so desperately need.

By nature we all “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” and left to ourselves we will always “exchange the truth of God for a lie, and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator.” Natural revelation leaves us knowing that there is a God but still stuck practicing the things as are “worthy of death.” It leaves us with enough knowledge to justly damn us but without power to get free of that justice. Without the special revelation of the gospel, we are in a mess!

In Romans 2 Paul declares that this clearly revealed God who will judge us for our sins is an impartial judge who must deal with sin. Continuing with the closing thoughts of chapter one he writes: “therefore you are without excuse, every man of you…and we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.” It then goes on to point us to the character of our Creator God. It speaks of “His kindness, forbearance and patience.” And how those attributes should lead us to repentance. Apart from the Spirit's regenerating application of the gospel to our hearts and minds though, they don't. Our sinful, stubborn hearts continue to store up wrath for the righteous Day of Judgment. Left to ourselves, we are still in a mess, for God will “render to every man according to his deeds” and as Isaiah reminds us even our most righteous deeds are but filthy rags fit only for the fire.

Paul testifies that “There is no partiality with God.” We have all failed the test of perfection and He will not and can not grade on a curve. He will not wink at our sin and grant us a “get out of jail free pass.” No, this Judge cannot be bought or bribed. He is the holy and impartial God who “will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.” This is the God before whom we must stand. Clothed in our own skin, trapped in our own sin, we will never be able to stand.

In Romans 3 Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells us a bit more about ourselves. He declares us to be sinners and shows us that God is right and fair to judge us. So often I hear people speaking as though God's calling us on the carpet for our transgressions is unfair. No, my friends – God’s condemnation of our sin IS what is FAIR. And might I suggest that we don’t want God to treat us fairly – we want Him to treat us in mercy. As the Puritans have said "anything this side of hell is pure grace."

Hear from Romans 3 that which is the true assessment of ALL people:

“Both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin; as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is no one who does good, there is not even one….By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified…. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3, selected verses)

Romans 3 doesn't candy coat a thing but candidly sheds light on the reality of our natural condition. We are sinners - all of us. The hole we've dug is deep and we are dead in sin at the bottom of it. We cannot help ourselves. Being dead we don't even realize that we need help. However, a light begins to shine upon this hopeless backdrop and it is the light of Christ.

Yes we have sinned – all of us – and we can do NOTHING to fix the problem. But God has done what we could not. He has done EVERYTHING to fix the problem. The sinless Christ came and gave Himself “as a propitiation” for our sins. Christ came as the atoning sacrifice on our behalf! God didn’t wink at sin He bore it Himself. God didn’t grant us a “get out of jail free pass” He went there in our place.

Again I turn to the prophet Isaiah “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried…. He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening of our well-being fell upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”
See the words of Isaiah 53 unfold in Romans 3 - “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Through the active and passive obedience of Christ, this impartial and holy Judge is both just (in the fact that sin is punished) and the justifier (in that He Himself bore the punishment for all those who would believe). See how the picture is changing. See how the power of the gospel is being unveiled with each stroke of Paul’s pen.

In Romans 4, he reminds us that this powerful gospel is not a new thing. It was alive and well in the Old Testament. It was the same gospel by which Abraham was saved. “For what does the Scripture say? And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Paul speaks of this same truth in Galatians 3 when he writes “Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness…. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham…” Romans 4 shows us the continuity of all of Scripture. The Bible is one unified book. It is the story of God’s glorious redemption of His people from the dawn of time through the consummation of the ages.

Romans 4 shows us the trustworthiness of this Bible that proclaims these precious promises. Christ – "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" - was prophesied from the very first book (Genesis 3:15) and He continues to be prophetically portrayed throughout the Old Testament and gloriously revealed throughout the New! We may be “fully assured that what He has promised He was able also to perform.” (Rom 4:21). The chapter ends with a clear description of Christ’s work – “He was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”

Then we come to Romans 5 which begins with a glorious “therefore” – “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words, because of that which Romans 4 has just declared - that Christ was delivered up for our sins and raised for our justification -we don't have to face the judgment due to God's enemies. No, we can have peace with God. We are in a mess – Christ has cleaned it up.

Don't take my word for it, hear our God's Word on it:

“For while we were still helpless at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…. God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

The book of Romans is giving me a fresh view of this powerful gospel that has saved me from my sin. Over the next few days/weeks I’ll be sharing some of the gospel anchors that are holding me firm, steadying me, and giving me such strong comfort in the midst of sin’s battle. Particularly the anchors my soul has found in chapters 6-8. How I pray that you also will find hope, fortification, and comfort in these truths.

May we not be “ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” May we instead, find a humble boldness to hold forth this glorious gospel to the lost (as it was held forth to us) and may we see the necessity of meditating daily on it as the redeemed.

Being renewed daily by the gospel's power,

Lori

Again - Matthew 4 part 5

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to him, ‘All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Begone Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and serve Him only.’ Then the devil left Him; and behold angels came and began to minister to Him.” (Matthew 4:8-10)

Two "thens" and an "again". This third temptation begins with the word "again." “Again the devil…” He just won’t relent!! Again and again and again. Our enemy doesn’t give up easily. He seeks to wear us out and break us down. Have you ever found yourself in the midst of an "again" where your testing is concerned? I certainly have.

Satan is persistent. The amazing thing is that the one whom he is relentlessly pursuing in Matthew 4 is Christ. Clearly the devil had neither seen nor sensed ANYTHING in Christ that even appeared to be an Achilles’ heel in the midst of these temptations. The devil is dogged in his determination to bring about a fall. We should not be surprised with the “agains” that seem to be continually crossing our paths. Satan knows that we are frail and fragile. We are much, much easier prey than the omnipotent King whom he pursues in these verses.

Christ has blamelessly withstood two attempts of the wicked one. Here comes number three. Henry states, “The worst temptation was reserved for the last. Whatever temptation we have been assaulted by, still we must prepare for worse.” We need God's gracious intervention to make us able to stand firm in the midst of the “agains”. We need His mercy and His strength for we are not Christ. No, we are so weak and are vulnerable to these fainting spells. When you've been through fiery battles, the thought of another one, the thought of a worse one can be terrifying. Lord -Help us to trust You to know best what we need most – even if that includes another “again” – even if that includes a worse “again.”

Here is how the again plays out. "The devil took Him to a very high mountain…” – Obviously the pinnacle of the temple wasn’t a high enough place to make Christ fall so Satan seeks to take Him higher still. Again, the “again” is worse. Our enemy will go to whatever heights or depths he deems necessary to destroy us. Greater pride – falser humility – unfounded guilt – ungrounded security. I cannot trust anything that he says. I can believe nothing that he shows. His perspective is completely skewed. The only safe and sure mountain is Mt. Zion. Lord, help me to see from the heights of your mountain and none other!

The devil took Him to a very high mountain “and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world….” The absolute audacity of our adversary. Stop and think about it. As if he could show anything new or unknown to the Omniscient One! Christ created this world. “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him. And he is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Col 1:14-17). Jesus knew what was out there – He made it! Oh, the wonder of Christ as the suffering servant. “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrow He carried.” He put up with all of this foolishness on our behalf. In active obedience He went up on the mountain with the Devil that we would be able to withstand the fiery darts of the Devil.

Satan took our Lord to a very high mountain to show Him all the kingdoms of the world “and their glory…” Here is audacity take two! And their glory? You’ve got to be kidding me – Christ IS their glory. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever.” (Ro 11:36).

LORD – as I read these words I am reminded how easily we can seek our own glory. Please set our eyes, our minds, our affections on You alone. May your glory be our highest end and chief delight. Humble us and make our love for You greater than our love for any other things. Help mus to seek first your righteousness. Help us to, whatever we do, "to do all things for the glory of God." Make our delight to be in the law of the Lord and make us to meditate in it day and night. Make our “one thing” seeking and knowing You and let us dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of our life. Let us behold the beauty of the Lord and let us meditate in Your temple. Oh my God – this is my heart’s desire for myself and for my friends. Grant it to be so. If the horrible place of "again" will lead us there then praise Your holy name for that difficult place.

The devil takes Christ to the high mountain and once there “he said to Him, 'all these things will I give You…'” What could anyone give to Christ that has not first come from His hand? What could anyone offer to Him that He does not already own? “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Ps 50:10). Satan is a liar and a deceiver and he desires to trap and trick us with his false words.

Lord – grant us to hear the voice of our Shepherd and not the voice of the wolf who seeks to drag us away. “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (Jm 1:17). “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Ph 4:19). Where else would I look? What other fount would I seek to drink from? What other bread would I feast upon? MY God shall supply all my needs. MY God is sweeter than the honeycomb. MY God is fairer than all the lilies of the field. “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And beside Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever… The nearness of God is my good; I have made the LORD God my refuge that I may tell of all Thy works!” (Ps 73:25-28.)

Why does Satan toss out these supposedly tantalizing morsels? To drive Christ to the most heinous of sin. "All these things I will give you if You fall down and worship me….” – What a wretched and hideous temptation. Worship him? The horrible pride of our adversary. How he longs to be God and how he longs to have us serve him. Henry says: “What temptation could be more hideous or more black? The best of saints may be tempted to the worst of sins. This is their affliction, but while there is no consent to it, nor approbation of it, it is not their sin.”

Is this not at the heart of the matter of every temptation we face. Our doubting of God will lead to our worshipping of Satan. Perhaps not in a purposeful, planned or even outwardly apparent way, but in a discreet and subtle way. Does the devil care whether we believe in him or not? Not in the least. His greatest desire is that we would forsake the worship of our God and live as practical atheists and therefore be useless in His kingdom.

Do not listen to him. Do not allow your eyes to gaze upon the poisonous morsels he dangles before you. Doubt not what your God has said. Set your face as flint. Be aware of the trap he has tossed before your feet. Have NO other gods before Him – not even the god of my own reason.

LORD – You who own the cattle on a thousand hills – You are the God who owns our minds and our hearts and our wills. Almighty King seize them and subdue them for Your glory alone. Set our thoughts upon You. Cast our thoughts away from him. Let us worship You with wholeheartedness. Let our thoughts dwell upon You. Make us to shout joyfully to the Lord, to serve Him with gladness, to come before Him with joyful singing. Make us to KNOW that the Lord Himself is God; and that it is He who made us and not we ourselves. Make us to KNOW that we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Make us to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Make us to give thanks and bless His name. For He is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is to all generations.” AMEN.

And what will be the result of this answered prayer? May it be the same result of Christ's faithful response to Satan. Hear the response of our Lord to the prowling lion who seeks our destruction. “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Begone Satan!...” -Satan had attempted to draw Christ to worship him rather than the Father. In both of the previous temptations Jesus answered him with the Word – “It is written.” Here He goes a bit farther and boldly commands Satan to “begone!”

Why? Because there is no playing around with worship. Henry states that Jesus responds with “abhorrence and detestation; Get thee hence, Satan. It appears abominable at the first sight, and therefore is immediately rejected. While Satan tempted Christ to do Himself a mischief, by casting Himself down, though He yielded not, yet He heard it; but now that the temptation flies in the face of God, He cannot bear it; Get thee hence, Satan. It is good to be peremptory in resisting temptation, and to stop our ears to Satan’s charms.” May we see our temptations as abominable and may we be quick to call Satan the spade that he is.

The sin here is great. To be tempted to turn from God, to be tempted to worship anything in God's place (including thinking we are worshipping nothing in His place) is the greatest of blasphemies. It brings meaninglessness to our life for we have abandoned our chief and highest end – to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

The Lord Jesus boldly told Satan to “begone!” when he pressed our Savior to worship him. In and of ourselves, we do not have the strength to cast off Satan. We don't even have the strength to cast off the lusts of our won hearts. Be reminded from James 1: “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.”) Our only hope in all our temptation is to be in Christ. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Ph 4:13)

Christ, in identical fashion to the other 2 temptations uses to Word of God to fell the enemy of God- “…for it is written…” No magic powers. No omnipotent shows of strength. He unsheathes the Sword of the Spirit. May “it is written” be our mantra.

What was written? “…You shall worship the LORD your God and serve Him only.” – Lord help us and have mercy. As Calvin has said, our hearts are idol factories. We are no better than the Israelites in their captivity. Left to ourselves, we will worship the creature rather than the Creator. There is nothing in any of us that is exempt from this sin. If we think we don't fall into this camp then Satan has already begun to deceive us. Make us worshippers of You. Make us to worship in Spirit and in truth. Make us to smash the asherah in our hearts and minds. Let us not give Your glory to another. Let us not be conformed to this world in thought, word, or deed but let us “be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may be able to prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Let us not think more highly of ourselves that we ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” LORD – enable us, conquer us, subdue our renegade thoughts and bring them into subjection to your own. In our weakness give us strength to obey. In our fear give us courage to follow. In our sin give us grace to overcome. O LORD our God – help us to worship and serve You only. AMEN.

The result - “…Then the devil left Him…” – The battle ended. The devil fled. “Resist the devil and he will flee.” “He will yield, if we keep our ground. The devil, though an enemy of all the saints is a conquered enemy. The Captain of our salvation has defeated and disarmed him; we have nothing to do but to pursue the victory.”

In Christ – and nowhere else – we have victory over this vile foe. O God – glue us to Christ. Seal us to Him, hide us in Him, unite us to Him. Apart from Him we are undone. In our own power we are undone. Let us know that we are grafted into the body of Christ.

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit…. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abie in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.”
(John 15:1-5)

Christ stood. Satan fled. "And behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” How beautiful. Make it to be so in our lives. The angels that came and ministered mercy to You, the sinless one, in Your temptation – would you grant that they might minister grace to us, the sinful ones in our own.

Henry says on this final verse, “As there is a world of wicked, malicious spirits that fight against Christ and His church, and all particular believers, so there is a world of holy, blessed spirits engaged and employed for them.” He goes on to say, “Though God may suffer His people to be brought into wants and straits, yet He will take effectual care for their supply, and will rather send angels to feed them, than see them perish.”

I don't know if any of you can empathize, but I feel like I've been living in Matthew 4 recently. I'm not certain, in the things that I'm facing, what is Satan and what is self. But I acknowledge that even if there is an enemy attack that the greatest enemy is my own heart. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications ,thefts, false witness, slanders.” (Mt 15:19). May God the Father, through Christ the Son, and with the sword of the Spirit grant us the grace to slay the dragon within. May He enable and embolden us to fight our own Apollyon. And may He help us to recognize His divine and good sovereignty in whatever we are facing – we are “led up by the Spirit”.

Don't make light of the wiles of the devil. Satan is real and at times we are“to be tempted by the devil.” May God help us to be strong in the midst of the current circumstances of life that might make us more vulnerable to temptation – “after He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights.” May we not doubt His Word – “if you are the Son of God.” May we stand on God's promises and rightly yield the Sword He has given us – “it is written.” Let us seek His face to provide the way of escape and not create our own – “command that these stones be turned into bread.” Let us not put the LORD our God to the test in our trials and arrogantly assume that He will guard us regardless of what we do or of how we respond – “He will give His angels charge concerning You.” Let us recognize that there may and will be “agains." May we not be fearful of what lies ahead and let us not believe the devil’s lies. May God help us to shut our eyes and our minds to the things that he “shows.” May we worship the LORD our God and serve Him only. In Christ, we are enabled to resist the devil and to resist the lusts of our own selfish hearts. As we resist the devil he will flee from us and as he does, may we flee to Christ where we will find peace and rest for our weary sould. Our sin is great, God's grace is greater.

Tempted, tried, and often failing,
Lori

Test Number Two - Matthew 4 part 4

“Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.’’ Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the LORD your God to the test.’” (Mt 4:5-7)

Here comes temptation number 2. Satan is an unrelenting adversary. He continues to pursue his prey. Once again there is a "then." The devil doesn’t give up easily but stalks with a perseverance that is so much greater than our own perseverance for righteousness. He seems to weary not. We seem to weary so easily. Lord – please grant us Your strength forwe have none of our own.

Again, the "then." As I look at this second "then" I’m reminded of the former “then” found in verse 1. That “then” referred back to the devil’s tempting of Christ after His baptism. Satan made the most of every opportunity. When Christ was hungry he tempted Him with food. Now, after Christ has boldly proclaimed His confidence in His Father's Word and willingness to wait upon His Father's way, Satan tosses out another “then”.

Henry says, “In general, finding Christ so confident of His Father’s care of him, in point of nourishment, Satan endeavors to draw Him to presume upon that care in point of safety. Nor are any extremes more dangerous than those of despair and presumption, especially in the affairs of our souls. Some who have obtained a persuasion that Christ is able and willing to save them from their sins, are then tempted to presume that He will save them in their sins.” Lord - let us not presume.

Let me walk you through the other sections of this verse.

First, “…the devil took Him ….” Again, thinking back to verse 1, I am reminded that while the devil took Him that it was still the Spirit that led Him. God is the great first cause and He is causing all things (even the temptations of the evil one) to work together for the good of those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:28)

Secondly, the devil took Him “…into the holy city…” Henry reminds us that “there is no city on earth so holy as to exempt and secure us from the Devil and his temptations. The holy city is the place where he does, with the greatest advantage and success, tempt men to pride and presumption; but (blessed be God) into the Jerusalem above, that holy city, no unclean thing shall enter; there we shall be for ever out of temptation.” The only safe holy place is in the cleft of the Rock. Lord- please help me to flee to the Holy one that I might find safety in the battle that rages around me.

Thirdly, the devil “…had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple…” “How subtle Satan was, in the choice of the place for his temptations. Here, he fixes Christ on a public place in Jerusalem, a populous city, and the joy of the whole earth. He fixes Him upon the temple, one of the wonders of the world, continually gazed upon with admiration by some one or other. There He might make Himself remarkable, and prove Himself the Son of God; not, in the obscurities of the wilderness, but before the multitudes.” (Matthew Henry). Lord - please guard us from pride which goeth before a fall.


Fourthly, the devil “… said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God…” Once again, the questioning of the Word is sounded. Is this lie of the devil not at the heart of every temptation? Satan continually seeks to plant the seeds of doubt as to the trustworthiness of the Word. How persistent he is in this regard. Lord - stop our ears to his lying whispers and build up our confidence in Your written truth.

Fifthly, the devil says “…thrown Yourself down…” Mr. Henry powerfully points out that “the devil could NOT cast Him down. The power of Satan is a limited power; hitherto he shall come and no further.” The devil can only persuade, he cannot compel; he can but say, 'Cast thyself down;' he cannot cast us down. Therefore, let us not hurt ourselves, and then, blessed be God, no one else can hurt us.” Lord – please protect me from me! Self is a great enemy.

Sixthly, Satan says “…for it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.’” The enemy of all righteouness takes and twists the righteous Word of God.

Matthew Henry holds forth a sobering truth. He says, “Satan backed this motion with a scripture; 'For it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee.' But is Saul also among the prophets? Is Satan so well versed in Scirpture, as to be able to quote it so readily? It seems, he is. Note, It is possible for a man to have his head full of scripture-notions, and his mouth full of scripture-expressions, while his heart is full of reigning enmity to God and all goodness.”

We need to examine ourselves. Do we know and use the Word of God? If so, to what purpose. Do we use it to twist and try to get our way as did the devil or do we use it because we love it and we long to live our lives in accordance with it? If the former we need to repent and flee to Christ. If the latter we need to not grow weary in well-doing.

Satan tempts. Christ responds and Christ corrects. "Jesus said to him, 'On the other hand…'” - Jesus is about to straighten that which Satan has twisted. “On the contrary Satan – You are wrong!” "On the other hand" needs to become our mantra and our first response to Satan's whispers. In Christ's strength we need to call the father of lies by his name and we need to portray his actions by their true colors.

The best way to do that is to hold his counterfeit use of the Word of God up to the proper use of the Word of God. Jesus says “…it is written, ‘You shall not put the LORD your God to the test.” Notice that “the devil’s abusing of Scripture did not prevent Christ from using it.” Christ rightly applies the Word of God in order to extinguish the fiery darts of the wicked one. We need to use our sword. We need to not fear using it because the enemy has misued it. When he whispers a twisting of the Word go and pick up the Word. Don't allow him to take the Truth out of its context and condemn you with crooked lies. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be fully equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16). Don't take the devil at his word about the Word - go to the Word and see what it says. Let the Spirit of Christ, through the Word of Christ teach you, reprove you, correct you, train you, and fully equip you. "It is written" is the one certain thing that will expose Satan's lies and make him flee.

Lord –Lead us by your Spirit into humility and far, far from the pinacle of pride. Let us trust your word and doubt the devil's and even our own. Let us lean on Your everlasting arms as our certain support. Enable us to use our sword and let us not fear using it due to the enemy’s twisted abuses of it. This one who whispers so cunningly in our ears is the enemy who so desperately does NOT want us to unsheathe it. In our being tested may we not test you but submit to Your wise and Fatherly disposals. Grant us mercy and grace in the battle and thank you for Christ who has won the victory for us.

Trusting my God with the testing,

Lori

Answers for the 1st Test - Matthew 4 part 3

"But He answered him and said, 'It is written, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

Yesterday we looked at 4 schemes and devices that our enemy uses to tempt us to doubt. They were the things Satan interwoved into Christ's first temptation. They are the things he regularly attempts to weave in ours.

1) He seeks to make us doubt God's goodness and care for us.

2) He seeks to have us doubt God's Word.

3) He seeks to have us doubt our adoption in Christ.

4) He seeks to have us do things in our own strength.

Satan tried, tested, and tempted our LORD. Christ overcame. Matthew Henry points out how He did it. He did it with the Word! It's remarkable to me that the omnipotent Christ - God incarnate - didn't use any divine power to defeat the devil. No, He used the Word. That's the same weapon we need to use. It's the only offensive weapon in the enitre armor of God, and Christ in Matthew 4 is giving us a sword lesson.

I will rely heavily on Matthew Henry's notes this morning. They were rich and succinct and they encouraged my soul.


First of all, “Christ refused to comply." Satan attempts to sow the seeds of doubt and strives to seduce our LORD to make His own way rather than seeking the Father's way. Jesus would not command these stones to be made bread, not because He could not but because He would not. And why would he not? Hear Mr. Henry's assessment:


“At first view, the thing appears justifiable enough, and the truth is, the more plausible a temptation is, and the greater appearance there is of good in it, the more dangerous it is. Christ would not do anything that:

1. Looked like questioning the truth of the voice He heard from heaven.
2. Looked like distrusting His Father’s care for Him.
3. Looked like setting himself up His own carver.
4. Looked like gratifying Satan, by doing a thing at his motion.”


OUCH!! He avoided even the appearance of evil. (I'm going to excuse myself for a moment and crawl into some sackloth and ashes!) Friends, does that not pierce you? It does me.


LORD God, You must help me in this area. My flesh, heart and mind continually fail me. Not only do I have the appearance, but far too often I have the actions of questioning, distrusting, carving, and gratifying. Forgive me! Set my face as flint that I will not even appear to question Your voice of truth. Set my face as flint that I will not even appear to distrust Your kind Fatherly disposal towards me. Set my face as flint that I will not seek to take the reigns from You and be my own course designer. Set my face as flint that I will not grant one iota of satisfaction to my enemy. Lord – gird me up. Uphold me by Your righteous right hand in these areas. Build me upon the Rock that these stormy winds will not tear down the edifice which You have begun to build. Grant me the grace that alone is able to make me stand firm unto the end.


Secondly, Mr. Henry points out that “Christ would not comply with it but He was ready to reply to it. He answered and said 'It is written'. He put honor upon the Scripture, and He set us an example, He appealed to what was written in the law. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, the only offensive weapon in all the Christian armoury.” May I ask, how's your sword? Is it sharp from proper use or is it dull from no use? Do you even know where it is? Find it! Take it up! Wield it well! Hide it in your heart that it will be ever ready for use.

Remember what this precious Word declares about itself:

• “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word.” (Ps 119:9)

• “Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.” (Ps 119:11)

• “Jesus said to him, 'It is written…. Then the devil left Him, and behold angels came and began to minister to Him.'” (Mt 4:10)

“As in our greatest abundance we must not think to live without God, so in our greatest straits we must learn to live upon God. It is better to live poorly upon the fruits of God’s goodness, than to live plentifully upon the products of our own sin.”

Father – help me to stand upon Your Word. Make me to flee to Your revelation and not to my own reason. My thoughts are muddled by the noetic effect of sin. My feelings are false. My heart is desperately wicked. My righteousness is as filthy rags. My God You are altogether lovely. You are thrice holy. You are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in Your being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. You do not lie and Your Word is truth. Help me to stand on its promises and live by its precepts. Eternal God – do not only help me to stand but lift me up and cause me to stand. Tune my ears to hear Your voice in Your Word. Shut my ears to the lies of the enemy. Your sheep know Your voice. Your children love Your word. It is written. I will listen.

Praying for grace to pass the first test,

Lori

Tempted to Doubt - Matthew 4 Part 2

[The past few days I've been posting some random notes regarding this necessary detour that God has me on. He's re-routing me a bit in order to re-create me a lot. I'm really being humbled, in a good way right now. Today's note is a bit long but it has been needful to me personally. Four doubting temptations are uncovered in these verses. They are uncovered that we might be aware of them and that we might be made able to deal with them. I pray they will be even half as helpful to you as they have been to me. If so, Soli Deo Gloria!]

“And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (vs 1-4)

In my last post I looked simply at verse 1. The gist of it: Led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. God is sovereign - even in testing. Job's trial begins with God saying "Have you considered my servant Job." Christ's trial begins with "He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness." My testing begins with the ordained wisdom of my Father leading me into a place where I can be refined. Where He leads us we can be certain He will care for us. In that reality there is much comfort!

Today I jump into the first of the three temptations that Christ faced. I'll begin with a reminder from Matthew Henry about Satan's ultimate purpose in tempting our Lord and Savior:

“That which Satan aimed at, in all his temptations, was to bring Christ to sin against God, and so to render Him forever incapable of being a Sacrifice for the sin of others.”

Good news - Satan failed. Christ didn’t sin. He didn't "tank." He stood firm. Christ was the perfect, all-sufficient Sacrifice. He is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. He is the Lamb who has taken away my sins. He is the victorious, risen King who has crushed Satan fulfilling the promise of Genesis 3:15 - "He shall crush you on the head." He is the Christ through whom I can do all things! Again - what comfort!

Through Christ’s active and passive obedience I am able to walk through this personal temptation and the many more that will come in His strength. I do not walk in my own. Clothed in Christ there is victory. Satan failed to render Christ as an un-useful sacrifice, yet he still seeks to render us as un-useful servants. [Lord God – please have mercy on us and, in Christ, let us be useful for You and for Your Kingdom. ]

Henry points out four things that Satan sought to do in the midst of Christ’s temptation. These are some of the stones he tosses upon our path in order to trip us along the way as well. See if these look and sound familiar to you. They certainly do to me.

1. Satan seeks to have us doubt God’s goodness and care for us. "After he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He became hungry."

Satan cunningly came to Christ and took His current circumstances as a catalyst for the temptation he was about to hold forth. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days. He was hungry “and therefore Satan's motion seemed very proper, to turn stones into bread for His necessary support. Want and poverty are a great temptation to discontent and unbelief.” Hear those last 11 words again: "Want and poverty are a great temptation to discontent and unbelief." Beware!!

The devil wants us to doubt God's goodness and care for us. "If He really loved you He wouldn't allow you to go through this." "If He was truly good he wouldn't withold this from you." Thomas Brooks, in his wonderful book "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices,"narrates this fiery dart in this way: Satan says, “Do you not see how Providence crosses your prayers, and crosses your desires, your tears, your hopes, your endeavours? Surely if God's love were towards you, if His soul did delight and take pleasure in you, He would not deal thus with you.” Satan seeks to make us doubt God's goodness and care based on our circumstances. Seeds of doubt are planted. Get them out of the garden at any cost. Destroy the seeds. Uproot the weeds. The only fruit they will produce will be rotten and deadly.

Beloved, we must remember that in God's economy our desires and dreams may NEED to be crossed for our greater good. God knows best what we need most and He is working ALL things together for our good and for His glory. Things are not always as they seem. Will I view the character of God from the finite perch of my circumstances or will I view all things from the infinite perch of His Word. One of my favorite quotes from dear old Brooks is this:

“As the waters lifted up Noah’s ark nearer heaven, and as all the stones that were about Stephen’s ears did but knock him the closer to Christ, the cornerstone, so all the strange rugged providences that we meet with, they shall raise us nearer heaven, and knock us nearer to Christ, that precious Cornerstone.”

Life is hard, very hard at times. "Want and poverty," doubt and despair, these things may tempt us, yet there is never an excuse for sin - never! Don't listen to the whispers of the enemy who seeks to destroy you by tempting you to doubt the character of your God. Listen to your God "with whom it is impossible to lie"!

There is never a reason to seek "unlawful means" to grant us relief or escape from our unhappy circumstances. I need to be reminded of that. It is so easy to simply want to bail at any cost in order to be freed from current bondage, discomfort and pain. Short-cuts don’t ever lead to pleasant places in God’s economy! Short-cuts lead to dead ends! “Those, therefore who are reduced to straits, have need to double their guard; it is better to starve to death than to live and thrive by sin.” (Matthew Henry)

[LORD God- I would beg you to not let me nor any of your precious saints shortcut our trials under the pretence of necessity. “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” You are faithful Lord - ever faithful! O, help us to see and believe with the eyes of faith, for the eyes of our flesh regularly fail us. You will not push us too far. Let us not fall too short. Please preserve us to endure by Your way of escape and not conjure up our own. At times, my flesh longs to find its own way quickly out of this – yet, at the same time my heart and soul long to not shortcut this trial! Once again I am face to face with the realization of just how absolutely weak and helpless I am and of how real spiritual warfare is. Lord, “let endurance have its perfect result.” Make me to endure, make my friends to endure – MAKE us for we cannot make ourselves!]

2. Satan seeks to have us doubt God’s Word. "If You are the Son of God."

Look at the wicked wiles of our adversary in attempting to tear down and discredit the very Word of the Living and True God. That fiend and foe of all the blood-bought saints desires nothing more than to remove the sword of the Spirit from our hand and render us useless, hopeless, and utterly despondent. He has succeeded for a time with me in that regard, but – by grace through faith I set my face like flint in opposition to His lying schemes.

God declared loudly, boldly, and unmistakably to Christ at His baptism, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Satan sought to discredit those words and called into question what God has said : “IF you are the Son of God, then…” If, if, if! These are the same blasphemous twistings that he used with Adam and Eve in order to bring all sin and misery into this world – including this sin and misery that I am currently in the middle of. This is how the devil works. Be aware of his schemes.

In the very beginning upon coming to Eve, that crafty and beguiling serpent deviously and deceptively said to her, “Indeed, has God said…” He seeks to have her question the Word of God. Once again, I set my face as flint and shout from the highest mountain and proclaim from the lowest valley "YES God has said and YES Lori will believe the God of truth and not the mortal enemy of God’s elect." Stand with me dear friends in standing up to him and in calling him the liar that he is! The devil is a "murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.... He is a liar and the father of lies" (Jn 8:44). Who will we trust the father of lies or the God who cannot lie?

Beloved, Satan’s greatest scheme is to undermine the Word of God. If we distrust it, if we doubt it then he has won the battle for we are without chart to guide us, without anchor to hold us firm, and without weapon to defend us. Hold fast to your sword dear friends. God's Word is a lamp unto your feet and the light unto your path. Let it shine on your current circumstances. Stand firm and resist the devil's schemes!

3. Satan seeks to have us doubt our adoption in Christ. "If you are the son of God."

Allow me to get really personal. I was adopted, physically, about 40 years ago. My parents went through all of the legal necessities to make me their child. I appreciate their sacrifice. However, four years ago they disowned me. I don't know why - they have been unwilling to talk with me. What I do know is that after 36 years they bailed. They walked out of my life completely. They quit being my parents and cast me aside to be an orphan once again. It would seem that their adoption of me was conditional and they have by their words and actions nullified it.

At times I fear that my thoughts have drifted into a comparison of them with Him. There is NO true comparison. God has adopted me at the cost of His own Son. God does not change. God is holy and without sin. He is not capricious. He is “compassionate and gracious slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindess and truth. [He] keeps lovingkindness for thousands, [He] forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.” (Ex 34). He will "not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance." (Ps 94:14).

When I find myself doubting whether I am a daughter of the King it is always because, at that moment, I am allowing my own “feelings and thoughts” to be the arbiter of truth. Satan has me doubt my sonship. What greater or more despairing dart could he hurl our way? May God enable us to trust that we are His children based on His declaration not on our discouragements. We were, by nature, children of wrath. Christians, we are, by adoption, children of God.

• "He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will." (Eph 1:5)

• "But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying 'Abba! Father!' Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir." (Gal 4:5-7)

Satan longs to rob us of the assurance of our sonship. Once again he lies - he is only and always lying. Who's voice will we listen to?

4. Satan seeks to have us do things in our own strength rather than rely on our God. "Command that these stones to become bread."

He seeks to have Christ doubt the Father's character, doubt the Father's Word, and doubt that the Father is truly His Father. If he can make us doubt these things then he can make us turn from seeking our Father's hand of help to attempting to provide our own. Notice his challenge to Christ. "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." He surely doesn't encourage Jesus to utter the words of the Lord's prayer - "give us this day our daily bread." He certainly does not encourage Christ with the words of James - "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow." He most assuredly does not point Him, by way of reminder, too the fact that "my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

No! Satan hates the truth and His desire is that we would not turn to our Father for help and seek the good gifts that come from Him. Satan desires not that we would ask God for our needs but that we would attempt to seize them by our own force. "Just turn the stones into bread your self. You don't need Him. He doesn't really care. Even if He did care, can He really provide what you want and need? Don't wait around for Him. Do it yourself."

Has he gotten you with this one? I have to confess that he's gotten me. Do you ever struggle with prayer? Are you more likely to hit your knees when there is a need or to hit the ground running in order to try and fix the problem? Which of the two is your immediate, first response? (Both are necessary for while the Bible tells us to pray "give us this day our daily bread" it also reminds us that "if a man will not work neither let him eat.") Both are necessary but action without asking is relying on ourselves rather than on our God.

Dear friends, know that "The devil is for nothing that is humbling, but everything that is assuring” (Matthew Henry). Satan wants us to be proud - yet "pride goeth before a fall." Satan wants us to be independent - yet "in Him we live and move and have our being". Satan wants us to throw off the Creator creature distinction and live as though we were gods. May I challenge us to return briefly to the garden and hear Satan's wicked words:

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Indeed has God said, "You shall not eat from any tree of the garden"?' And the woman said to the serpent, 'From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, "You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die."' And the serpent saith to the woman, 'You shall not die!! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God.'"

There it is! Satan's scheme is that we would doubt God's goodness, doubt His word, doubt our sonship and trust in our own wisdom and strength. He would have us be like God. He would have us be a god unto ourselves. He cares not if we worship him, he only cares that we worship not our Maker. Have we fallen for His tricks?

O my God – I would ask that You would humble me. Make me to know and trust Your character and Your providence in my life. Make me to know and love Your Word and let it be my only rule of faith and life. Make me to own my adoption in Christ and walk as is befitting a child of the King. Make me to persevere in prayer and not seek to win this battle in my own strength. I cannot even properly yield the sword of the Spirit without the help of the Spirit and must confess that I have done just that very thing far too many times. Make me to be humble, strip me of my pride. But O, LORD my God, please do so in tender mercy for if You do not I am utterly and completely undone . “A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish.” (Is 42) AMEN and AMEN!

Dying to discouraging doubts,

Lori

Led By the Spirit / Tempted By the Devil - Matthew 4:1

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted by the devil.”

(Matthew 4:1)

I sat down a few days ago to work my way through Matthew 4 at the encouragement of a dear friend who has been holding up my arms in this battle. (Friends are a blessing - particularly those who love us enough to be willing to wound us and then help us heal.) She had landed, providentially, in Matthew 4 at the very same moment that I had landed, providentially, in the middle of this fire storm. Isn't God good?! She emailed me and said "When you have a chance pick up your Bible, read Matthew 4 and look at Matthew Henry's comments on it." I took her advice and God blessed me greatly for so doing.

Honestly, I thought I'd buzz through the whole thing in one sitting. I've read these words at least 50 times. I know the story. I know the struggle. I know the solution. This shouldn't take long. Nope! Wrong! Think again!

I hit verse 1 and it absolutely flooded over me. I had to camp out on this spot for a while. Things were flying by at break neck speed and God was both encouraging me and reproving me from this verse. It was exactly what I needed at the moment and I, in God's mercy, was able to drink deeply from these 17 words. Don't doubt the inspired nature of Christ's Word. Don't doubt that every jot and tittle is written with divine purpose. These words began dividing bone and marrow in me at just the right time. Soli Deo Gloria!

Here's what struck me. In my time meditating on this verse I literally took one section at a time to dwell on and pray on. I will lay it out in the same manner here.

Matthew 4 begins with this one word. “Then…” - Mr. Henry says:

“Immediately after the heavens were opened to Him (Jesus), and immediately after the Spirit descended on Him, the next news we hear of Him is that He is tempted; for then He is best able to grapple with the temptation. Great privileges, and special tokens of divine favor, will not secure us from being tempted. Nay, after great honors are put upon us, we must expect something that is humbling. God usually prepares His people for temptation before He calls them to it.”

Henry goes on to say: “When He was baptized, then He was tempted. After we have been admitted into communion with God, we must expect to be set upon by Satan. The enriched soul must double its guard. The devil has a particular spite at useful persons, who are not only good, but given to do good.”

Looking into my heart right now and looking back at my past few weeks, I’m not sure just how applicable the last sentence is to Lori Sealy. I am not sensing my usefulness at the moment and clearly see that I am not "good" ("There is no one good, no not one."). That's not false humility, that's just the plain and simple truth! Yet, I recognize that I have been clothed in the goodness of Christ and my heart longs to be used by God. Therefore these things have been applied to me and are true of me by grace. He has made me good and He mercifully allows me to be useful.

God has been so gracious this year to give me a renewed hunger for Him. (That's how this whole silly blog thing got started.) My heartfelt prayer at the beginning of 2009 was “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to meditate in His temple.” (Ps 27). It's still my heartfelt prayer, it really is. God has been preparing me these past few months for these past few weeks. I can't imagine having faced these difficult things without the sweet time of communion I've had with Him prior to them. He is indeed merciful and He indeed ordains all our steps.

For these past few months worship has been precious, the preaching has been piercing, my time in the Word has been richer than ever. Honestly, my hungering and thirsting for righteousness has been incomparable to any other time in my 20 year walk with Christ. “Then”… Boom! this current battle came. My times are in His hands. All of our "thens" are ordained. In mercy He fits us for the fight that He, for divine purposes allows. I am thankful for the days before this "then" and I am thankful for His presence (even when I've questioned it) in the midst of this "then".

The immediate word after "then" is “…Jesus…” In this text it was JESUS who faced this temptation. The SINLESS Christ faced temptation. How much more likely is the sinFULL Lori liable to face temptation?! I absolutely recognize that in these past weeks I have failed and fallen miserably in my trials– I think I’ve seen my frailties more clearly than I ever have - ever. Yet, isn't it good to know that temptation does not necessarily equate with sin. Recognize that Christ was tempted, yet Christ was without sin.

Henry reminds us that “temptations if not yielded to are not sins, they are afflictions only.” These past few weeks, as throughout my life, temptations have fallen into both categories. I have sinned in my temptation and I have been sanctifyingly afflicted in my temptations. The latter only and absolutely by sovereign grace. I am reminded of James’ words:

“Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”

The other thing I am particularly aware of in this biblical accounting of Jesus being tempted is the FACT that I have a high priest who understands my frailties and who in His own active obedience has granted me victory over my own struggles. I cannot begin to put human words on the glory, beauty, and majesty of that theme! I fall to the words of the Living and True God:

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Now, I have to tell you that I had never, until this period of digging in the Word, seen the encouragement of God for us to come boldly before the throne for mercy being tied into its context of Jesus our high priest. This rocked my personal world!! Context counts.

"Draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" is connected to He who endured temptation without sin. Christ's active obedience in the midst of temptation is the foundation upon which our bold prayers can be built. This beautiful passage begins with with “Let us therefore” – in other words, because of the fact that Christ endured and overcame temptation in "all things" we are to BOLDLY draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. Here is the rubber of Christ's imputed perfect life meeting the road of my prayer life. It's time to get bold! It's time to draw near! It's time to be confident in my petitions that I might find mercy and grace in my time of need! Lord - remove the callouses from my heart and form some callouses on my knees!!

The third phrase after "Then Jesus" is “…was led up by the Spirit…” Wow! What a comforting phrase! I have not been through this trial and I am not still going through this trial apart from the hand of my God. Remember that precious prophet's words : “O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name; for Thou hast worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” (Is 25:1). God was sovereign in the temptation of Christ. He is sovereign in the temptations of Lori. He is sovereign in your temptations as well!

Mr. Henry remarks that, “whithersoever God leads us, we may know He will go along with us, and bring us off more than conquerors.” Oh, I will exalt Him and give thanks and praise to His name for HIS faithfulness to me in these dark days and the dark days that will most certainly come again in this life. “For the LORD will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance.” (Ps 94:14)

Fourthly, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit... into the wilderness…” You know, the wilderness can be both good and bad. It is good to be alone with our God and to be in a place of utter dependence upon Him. Quiet time is precious time and we not ignore it. However, it seems that it is often in the wilderness that the enemy so shrewdly deals with us.

The wilderness is sometimes a barren wasteland. At times our hearts are like deserts and Satan, sin and self pursue us in that dry and thirsty land. The Devil looks for our Achile's heel and that is where he loves to strike. How good to know that "He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world." What a comfort to know that He will make my barren places fruitful and my deserts to flow with streams of living water. Lord – you’ve promised to make all things beautiful in Your time. Would you do that with me?! Yes! You will – for so you have said and it is impossible for You to lie! Let me not despise the wilderness but delight in the priviledge of pruning.

Fifthly, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…to be tempted…” Temptation comes! God sustains! Temptation does not mean we are forsaken by God – it may be a very sign of the fact that we are chosen by God. (Hear that O doubting one!) It was the Spirit of God who led the Son of God into the wilderness. “If good people are brought low, if they want friends and succours, this may comfort them, that their Master Himself was in like manner exercised. A man may want bread, and yet be a favorite of heaven, and under the conduct of the Spirit” (Matthew Henry).

I am not forsaken simply because I am forlorn! Remember, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and god is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor 10:13)

Sixthly, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted… by the devil.” I don’t know what has really gone on these past few days. I really, really don’t. Much of what I have faced has been beyond category for me. I'm not a mystical gal. I don't get into looking for demons in every corner. Yet, I know they are real and that they are enemies of the elect. I cannot deny that the Bible itself speaks of them and of their roaring, devouring, destroying nature. Satan and his minions are the total epitomy of evil. There is no restraining grace in them. They are absolute depravity and they seek to steal, kill and destroy. Satan is the father of lies and in him there is NO truth. His whispers can temporarily deafen us to the still, small voice of the Spirit as it comes to us in the Word. The devil is a real enemy and I am foolish to ignore him as though he did not exist! The devil is a liar and I am foolish to listen to his whispers!

There’s no need for me to speculate at whatever the source of my current battle is – self, sin, Satan – the answer remains the same. The answer is Christ in us enabling His Word to be used by us. "He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world." May we fling ourselves fully into the arms of the Omnipotently Strong Savior of sinners.

Here's the whole kit-n-kaboodle - “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Wherever we are, if we are His, we find ourselves there by divine appointment. Whatever we face His strength is made perfect in our weakness and His grace is sufficient to carry us through. May we all flee to Christ in our darkest and in our brightest hours.

Lord I simply ask that You would make me to KNOW you through this temptation. Use this affliction to make me more like you and less like me. I praise You and take great comfort in Your sovereignty in this and in all things. There are no maverick molecules in this universe, including the molecules of trial, testing, and temptation. You are Lord of the "thens." You are working all things together for the good of those who love You and are the called according to Your purpose. Thank you for being my God and for calling me to be Your child. Amen and Amen! SDG!

Led, Tempted, and being Delivered,

Lori

A Slight Detour

So, Lori disappeared for several days. (I'm not sure if anyone even noticed.) I'm back, sort of.

God, in His perfect wisdom has been doing (and is still doing) some remodeling on me. I've actually taken a short break from Isaiah to dig a little deeper into a few other passages that are particularly relevent to some things I'm facing at the moment.


You know, there are times in our walk with Christ where He, for His good and righteous reasons, has to "burn" us a bit in order to refine us. I've been hanging out in the furnace.

The Westminster Confession of Faith sums things up well in its chapter on the Providence of God. It says:

"The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave, for a season, His own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and, to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends."

I'm slap dab in the midst of one of those seasons. God is humbling me and causing me to see, more and more, just how desperately needy I am of His imputed righteousness, how corrupt and decietful my natural heart is, and how utterly dependent I am upon Him for His support. It's not a fun place. The fire hurts - alot. I won't pretend it doesn't. My stubborn sinful heart finds itself fighting against the faithful flames of sanctification rather than simply submitting to them. I'm often foolish! How thankful I am that "He who began the good work in me will carry it on to the day of completion!" And that I am not my own but have been bought with a price.


The past few weeks have been ANYTHING but easy. In all honesty, of all the things I've faced in my life, these past few weeks are probably the toughest. But don't feel sorry for me - it's an important place for me to be. God knows best what I need most and in His parental care for me He is doing what is necessary to make me, -His child- more like Him - my Father. That's good!

Over the next few days (sporadically) I'm going to post some notes from Matthew 4 (the temptation of Christ) and from Romans 6-8 (the beautiful descriptions of dying to sin and living to righteousness, the conflict of the two natures, and the glories of Romans 8 - no condemnation in Christ, the ordo salutis, all things working together for good, preservation of the saints, etc.). These things have been a balm to my currently storm surged soul. The Word is good and it is good for us to be afflicted if the affliction drives us to know the Word better and own It more.


God has been teaching me much, personally, from these passages and I hope that, if anyone is even ever looking at this page, that these biblical truths will grant you comfort in your own afflictions as well.


I don't know what anyone else may be specifically facing at the moment but I do know that "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Cor 10:13).


Friends, we are not freaks of nature, weirdos, unique or all alone in the various temptations that are falling upon us - we are sinners, we are human - these trials we face are "common to man." 1 Corinthians 10:13 offers us such hope in our temptations and trials.

While in the midst of them we may be recognizing just how faithless we are when left to ourselves (I certainly am). But there is such comfort in knowing that it is not our faithfulness that will allow us to make it through, it is HIS faithfulness. And oh how great is His faithfulness. "Morning by morning new mercies I see!"

God will not allow us to be cast off, tossed away, or throne aside in the midst of our trials. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able for we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens us." It is not in our own strength that we wage war with the enemy - it is in Christ's strength and Christ does NOT ever lose!!

God will provide the way of escape for His tried, tested and tempted little ones. Over the past few weeks my flesh, at times, has looked for a shortcut out of this wilderness I am in. Short cuts don't bring about sanctifying results, they ultimately just make the trial last longer and cause us to miss out on the spiritual benefits that perseverance bring.

As for me, I am waiting patiently - by His grace - for His way out. If you think about it pray for me that I will not waste this trial but use it wisely, love my Lord and Savior all the more because of it, and be a more humble servant in my King's service. I have prayed for revival for years and am now asking God that He might be granting it to begin in my own heart.


More increasingly aware of my need for His glorious grace,

Lori