temptations!!

... Heaviness through manifold temptations.

our pastor has been gong through the Lord's Prayer in our sermon series these last few weeks.  today happen to be the 6th petition "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."  and then, when i opening my bible software for my daily devotions (bibleworks will pop up a daily devotion from whichever book i choose) and the theme for my devotions today was temptations!!  i have already stated that repetition always means i need to perk up, pay attention and listen.... so i am sharing that with you all as well.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 1 Peter 1:6
we are going to be tempted, stretched, and worried over by temptations. none of us are immune, not even our Savior.  He was tempted after 40 days in the desert (let's see who can claim that sort of trial??).  He was extremely hungry and Satan jumped straight into tempting Him as the Son of God to just make some bread to eat. 
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12
first off, as children of God and Christ followers, we have been warned by Jesus Himself that we are going to be tried in this world.  we should also remember that when God says something will happen, it happens.  so the temptations and trials will come.  peter along with the first chapter of james lets us know that trials and temptations are for our good and quite necessary in the sanctification process.  also, in the times of trial, our weaknesses become plain, don't they?  today (sunday) i suffered one of my very rare migraines.  it hit me just as we were walking out the door for church and just got worse as we got back home.  i suffered terribly throughout the afternoon with my head throbbing, my tummy rolling around, and my spirit very low!!  yep, i would say it was a state of physical and emotional weakness, wouldn't you??  but i tell you what i do know, that in that state of weakness, my Lord came to me when i cried out to Him.  He did not remove the trial from me, but came along side me, i could feel His presence, and i was able to glorify Him and rejoice that i even had someone like the almighty God to share in my sufferings.  i found comfort that i was not being scourged with whips, i was not having thorns shoved into my forehead, and i was certainly not being nailed to a cross to slowly suffocate and die.  Christ physically suffered for my sins, and He allowed me to feel peace in my suffering by His obvious presence.


For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.  Hebrews 2:18
this is a hard concept to accept, but when Christ walked on earth, He was fully man and fully God.  His body got weak and tired.  remember in the gospels when He had been teaching all day and afterwards got into a boat to get to the other shore, He was so exhausted, He fell asleep and slept through the beginning of a major storm!  a storm so bad that the seasoned fishermen in the boat with Him were terrified.  His body was so human that in the garden before His betrayal, His stress level was so high that the physician Luke records that He was sweating blood.  Jesus understands our human frailties.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
our Heavenly Father loves us beyond our human capability to measure out such love.  the bible tells us that while we were still God's sinful enemies... He sent His son to die for our sins.  as our Father, He does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle.  He knew when my headache was getting to the point that i felt like buckling and railing against God for His providential choice of my suffering for hours with a major migraine.  He didn't give me a trial that was unheard of by human standards.  He also have me grace in the postnatal medication i still have on hand, He granted me a husband who willingly stepped in where my children are concerned, and even massaged my throbbing head when i needed it.  but as i have already stated, God allowed me a measure of grace when i could feel His presence during my suffering.  He gave me prayer, which the bible tells us is effectual.  i could petition the Creator and knew He was with me.  that alone makes my suffering subside.  may God be that for you as well :-)
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