20/12/09

Tempting or testing, God always gives us a chance

1 Corinthians 10:13 - There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


Once I had taken this topic at one of my Bible sessions and although it was a very simple topic, I had a long discussion till the people in the session got to the understanding of it. I do not how I would be able to take it in today's short mail.

In Hebrew it is the word 'nacah' < 5254 > which is translated as sometimes tested and sometimes tempted. Now if the word tempted and tested is the same then why in the New Testament it is clearly given as one is associated with God and the other not.

Understand this although the matter is the same but the purpose of it is what is associated with God or not with God. When God tempts or tests He does it to build us and to prosper us but does not do it to destroy us. This is the reason why the Bible says God does not tempt with evil.

All the people in the Bible were put under trial or test including Jesus. This is necessary because all have to prove their sonship in the Lord or in simple terms overcome the flesh (carnal nature).

Do not think any one of us will not be tested or tempted ever. Each and every one of us which have to undergo it what matters is the more we abide by the Lord then the less we will face being tempted with evil. Because the more the hand of God is over us the less Satan has the chance to get us. Jesus had to be broken down for Satan to tempt Him, that is the reason the Spirit of God lead Him to the desert and lead Him to fast for 40 days without food or water before He could be bought to a stage of being tempted. By this Jesus proved He had overcome the flesh not by the fasting but by overcoming the temptation. It is due to the grace available through Jesus Christ that we are mostly kept away from it.

People at many times think punishment or suffering is testing. The difference between testing and suffering is one builds and the other just destroys. So if we are suffering over a long period and do not see a way out then we should not consider it testing but should look into our lives for the wrong decisions or ways we have done or are following.

Even if we are tempted or tested, for building by the Lord or with evil by Satan; in both situations the Lord provides an escape route so that we do not fail. We are also not allowed more than what we can bear.

So whatever level of testing and tempting we are under, we need to lookout for that escape route; there may be one or may be many but that depends on God's grace, but surely there will be at least one. Thus we will never be able to tell God 'You did not give me a chance'.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord God, You love us and want us to be with You. But the way we are we will die if we come before your presence. To make us worthy to come before we need to overcome our flesh, therefore You build us by putting us to the test. It is by your grace which we have received through Lord Jesus Christ, that we are kept away from it as much as possible. Lord may this grace always be abundant over us. Even in times when we reject this grace in our flesh help us to see that escape route and receive your strength that we do not get consumed...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Genesis 22:1-2
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Matthew 4:1-11
1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

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

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