Tag: Word of God

Friday, 11/12/21 – Question: How can I beat temptation?

How can I beat temptation?

We’ve all seen it… the story line of many movies, novels, sagas and serials. Against impossible odds the hero faces battle with the foe… fierce conflict ensues and the hero is almost defeated, but then, with gasping breath he realizes he has carried with him all the while a power to defeat the foe completely! Renewed excitement and sure hope flush through his veins as he wields the talisman, musters the untapped power within, or calls upon a magical or divine source from without. Instantly (or eventually) the foe is utterly (or temporarily) destroyed (or vanquished), and the hero rises triumphant and transformed.

The world, the flesh, and the devil are the foes of every faithful follower of Christ. The first two have fallen to the power of the third and are thus instructed by his tactics. Primary of these tactics is his seductive lying, and primary of these lies are these: “This temptation will last forever.” “You have no power to defeat it.” Or “You may defeat it by longer or harder self-effort, by trying another plan or strategy, or by succumbing to it by a measured and self-controlled degree.”

But these are all lies, part lies, or truth twisted to become lies. He is trying to distract you from that inner power which can truly defeat him: the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Word of God hid in your heart, and the help available from the family of God.

You cannot in your flesh defeat the devil because your flesh nature wants to sin. But within every believer resides another nature, the Holy Spirit of God, and “the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). The promise of God’s Word is this: “Resist the devil… and He will flee…from you” – he will run away in terror of you! As the Word says, “the demons believe… and they tremble in terror.” (James 2:19, NLT).

Hide deep in your heart these truths:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world.” (1 John 2:15).
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16).
“…Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 7:25).
“Put on the full armor of God…” (Eph. 6:11).
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and He will flee from you…” (James 4:7).
“Carry each other’s burdens..” (Gal. 6:2).

Mind & heart focussed upon God, strengthened by the indwelling Holy Spirit, claiming the promises of the Word of God, clothed in the assuring, defending and engaging Armor of God, and supported by the prayers and encouragement of the family of God. These are your spiritual weapons, with you at all times, and striking true terror against your lying foe.

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? …in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 7:31, 37).

Press on…

Got a question? Use the Contact page and send It to me. We’ll search the Word for God’s answer.

Thursday, 10/14/21 – Knowing God’s Will

Knowing God’s Will

God expects us to pray that His Will is done and to understand what His Will is. On these two points scripture is explicit: “…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10); “…do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Eph.5:17).

Understanding the Will of God is not something mystical, or hidden. It begins with relationship – in knowing thoroughly that God is God and you are not! “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10). God is Supreme. He is not a magical genie to have in one’s back pocket! He is to be obeyed, and not questioned.

“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” (Eccl. 5:2).

Micah states the broad strokes of a man’s obligations before his Creator: “What does the LORD require of you?” He asks.“To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8).

To train us in the standards of righteousness God gave us the Law. Then, in Christ, He gave us the means of righteousness through confession, repentance, surrender and the workings of His indwelling Holy Spirit. He gives us also His Word in which much of His Will is made clear to us.

But God is not only a God of justice, rules and punishment! God is also a God of great Love… so much so that He paid a great price to restore us…

“The Lord is… not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9) “[He] wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4)

But that’s not all! God wants you to work with Him to become like Him. In fact, it is God’s Will for us to become set apart… sanctified… holy! “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified…” (1 Thess. 4:3). “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Pet. 1:14-16). And it is God’s Will that our lives be a testimony to others in this world. “It is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.” (1 Pet. 2:15).

Finally, (for now), it is God’s Will that we love Him and one another, that we put to death all sinful pleasures, unashamedly accepting reproach for His Name, and persevere in following Him. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23); “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Heb. 10:36).

Oh! And in keeping with our theme these past few days it is also God’s Will that we be thankful! “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18)

Press on…

Are you interested in being discipled one-on-one in the fundamentals of life in Christ? Or, would you like to begin this journey by turning from your current path and committing your path to Christ? — Use the Contact page and we’ll get you started.

Thursday, 9/16/21 – The Bible: The “Frozen” Sword that Brings Victory!

The Bible: The “Frozen” Sword that Brings Victory!

The Apostle Peter encourages the scattered faithful, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3, NASB). He has provided for us a Hope, “a living hope” as Peter put it, same chapter and verse in his previous letter (I Pet. 1:3). He has given us promises, “great and precious promises” he calls them (2 Pet. 1:4). He has given us the deposit of the Holy Spirit within to teach us, guide us, and when necessary convict us. He has given us one another, “the fellowship of the saints,” the Church and Bride of Christ to encourage us, confirm God’s will in us, hold us in account, and uphold us by prayers. And He has given us prayer itself, an open line to the Father, access His throne and the right to do so with boldness (Heb. 4:16).

He has also given us His Word, created through agency but nonetheless His own — “God-breathed,” as we are soon to see…

The Amplified Bible expands nuances of the Greek within brackets. Though this may make the translation difficult to read it can often be a helpful study resource. It states 2 Timothy 3:16-17 like this…

“All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the [a] man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17, AMP).

In Ephesians we are urged to “put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:13) and a part of this outfit includes its only item of assault, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v.17).

A steeping of oneself in the Word of God is essential to victorious Christian living. The psalmist David confesses to God, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” The incarnate Christ demonstrated its power in the 40 day prequel to his ministry, alone in that wilderness and harassed by the devil. “It is written..,” He cited, three times, effective against three temptations: temptations of flesh, of glory, and of kingdom (Matt. 4:4,6,10).

The Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, which is “alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword,” the sword which “penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow” and “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12).

Believer, seize hold of it well! Like Eleazar “who stood his ground and struck down the Philistines,” let your hand, though it grows tired, be “froze to the sword” till the Lord brings about each “great victory” (2 Sam. 23:10).

Press on…

Are you interested in being discipled one-on-one in the fundamentals of life in Christ? Or, would you like to begin this journey by turning from your current path and committing your path to Christ? — Use the Contact page and we’ll get you started.

Tuesday, 7/13/21 – Pressing on… Knowing from whom you learned

Knowing from whom you learned

“Where’d you hear that,” my wife asks whenever I retell some suspicious sounding bit of data. Generally not one for keeping an ongoing subconscious bibliography of all I’ve learned in my near 70 years I usually can’t recall. But knowing where or from whom you learned the facts you have come to believe is important – especially so when it involves matters of eternity… matters of one’s eternal soul.

Much if what is believed about spiritual things these days has to do with what is socially popular… what is “the latest thing.” The Greeks of Paul’s day were like that. Luke records of the people of Athens, “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.” (Acts 17:21).

I’ve always thought it odd that truth should be found in “the latest thing.” To believe that would mean truth had gone undiscovered from all previous generations. But truth has never been something hidden. Truth is shouting all around us in God’s creation and loving care of it. “The heavens declare the glory of God…” shouted the psalmist (Ps. 19:1). So clear was this revelation that Paul writes,

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:18-20).

You see, God desires that we know truth… that we know Him… that He is welcomed by us to be know by Him, deeply, intimately. He sent us His Son, Christ, to further demonstrate this truth to us, but we turned our backs on the revelations of nature and made every effort to destroy His gift of Son and Saviour!

Moreover He has now left us His Word, not only in Creation, not only in Son, but also in paper and ink. The Word of God, also called the Word of Truth, profitable to us for all things: “…teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Truth is neither hidden nor new. Truth is the Word of God. And when the Word of God is where you learn a thing, you can count on it – for ever!

More tomorrow…

To hear Pastor Andrew’s Sunday message, go to the Facebook page of Lincoln Baptist Church, or link to the livestream from the church website.