Growth

The Way Out

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The Way Out

11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

The lusts the attempt to rule us are not unique. The Scripture says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.” Common. Yet, and I love this, the Scripture says, “God is faithful… he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

The way out.

Most of us don’t want to be shown the way out

of a pastry shop till we have had our croissant.

But let that shop fall in around us, and

we are ready to take cover.

We are ready to be lead out. Maybe.

The experience of temptation is not sin.

Temptation identifies the points at which

we are most vulnerable to live independent of God.

And if you have been brought into the family of Christ Jesus

the promise of God is that He will meet us by

His Spirit

and show us the way out.

But maybe you are not yet convinced

of the enduring joy of living dependent on His grace

and in His love.

Idolatry and the Desire of Evil

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6Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 1 Corinthians 10:6-11

Take note of desire; it would rule us.

As a master, desire compels the idolization of that which is not true and not God.

It promises that our experience will make us free, happy, satisfied, and totally in control.

Yet, our knowledge of the good and the evil has not delivered the liberty promised.

Indulgence of our desires contrary to the ways of God,

presumption upon the grace of God, and

grumbling against God are symptoms of our slavery to desire.

Idolatry is no friend to the soul.

Yet, we know it well; it’s familiar; and we apologize for its failure, rationalizing its occupancy in our affections.

Lust for money, sex, and power

unchecked, will crush our souls.

Finding Examples in the Spiritual History of Israel

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Finding Examples in the Spiritual History of Israel

1For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6Now these things took place as examples for us… 1 Corinthians 10:1-6

How shall the followers of Jesus read the Old Testament?

One, we must read it with a sense of the abiding presence of Christ Jesus.
The spiritual history of Israel was never far from the minds of the Apostles. Paul teaches that Jesus is the spiritual Rock of Israel present, rescuing, leading, forming, correcting, judging and providing for them. When he says that Jesus Christ is the spiritual Rock from which they drank he is alluding to the occasions in the wilderness where God provided for them with water from the rock. The people of God have been gracefully formed as His and gracefully provided the necessities of life.

Two, we must read it as a testimony of God’s ways with His people and we must make adjustments accordingly. Paul says that these people have become examples to us. This requires careful reading in order to locate the “wisdom” available to us. Paul seems to be suggesting that the followers of Jesus gathered as His Church must be asking, “Why was God not pleased with the generation that experienced His power and glory?

Living by Faith

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6So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Yesterday a student shared how she just could not imagine living without sight, without the joy and pleasure of colours. I agree. Yet, the life of following Jesus is to follow One whom we have not seen. Can you imagine following someone you have not seen?

Living by faith is the way of the Christian. It is rooted in our relationship with God who is unseen. Paul describes the courage, the heart and passion, that is generated by the promise of our eternal life with God guaranteed by the Holy Spirit who is with us now. There is a certain tentativeness that accompanies walking in the dark or blindfolded. But Paul wants the followers of Jesus to develop an ease with the ways of faith.

Though we may yearn for the day when our faith becomes sight, we live now with a desire to please God. Living by faith then is occupied with the intent to please God because of the certainty of God’s graceful acceptance of us in Christ. Now we can live “at home” with Him, as indeed we will be “at home” with Him.

Prayer for Friday

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This was very awesome so here’s a prayer for Friday.

I need Thee Every Hour.

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Psalm 131