Temporary or Lasting Treasure Choice is Yours Matt 6:19-21 Oct. 28, 2018

Sermon on the Mount

Temporary or Lasting? Choice is Yours

Matthew 6: 19-21

Introduction

           

            I was watching two programs last Sunday on the National Geographic chanel; one was titled “The Black Pharaohs of Egypt” the other was about Tutankhamen, King Tut -

            The first dealt with Cush and the wealth in gold and silver they had, and the intricate designs on their items of gold and silver. How the Cushites had adopted the gods of Egypt and built pyramids and lavish tombs. They along with the Egyptians buried their dead aith their treasures so that in the afterlife they had their treasures to sustain them.

            Another very interesting point was that the archeologist would find that many of these tombs, no matter how intricate they were built, robbers were still able to enter and steal many of the gold treasures.

            So Jesus tells the people listening to His sermon “Don't lay up treasures for yourselves on earth where moth & rust destroy, & where thieves break in & steal.” (Matthew 6: 19).

A Negative Wisdom

            To the hearers then, He was speaking in terms that were very relevant to them – The futility of amassing wealth & keeping it safe referred to three things:-

            Clothing – In the Middle East it was considered part of a person's wealth. Reason why Achan when came across a garment from Shinar (Babylonia) really beautiful, he was tempted by it and the Scripture tells us that he sinned against the Lord in direct disobedience to Him. (Joshua 7: 21-16).

            Jesus reminds the hearers, and us, that all garments will succumb to the moth, no matter how precious they are, even if they are by Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren. I’ve got a comfortable pull over shirt designed by “Born in Panama” that is well over 25 years old, and it has just about as many moth holes, but it sure is comfortable. Someone thinks I should just throw it away; but I want to hang on to it. Now, hold that thought for later.

                        Rust is a rough translation of a word meaning “eating”; here referring to the action of worms on food that is in storage; food being spoiled. No matter how vast their grain supplies, they will be subject to succumb to rats, mice, worms & vermin.

            Then, gold & silver were never safe. There were no banks or saving & loans, 401K’s, Roth IRA’s, etc. They would bury their treasured items in the walls or in the ground floor. Thieves would come in and dig holes in the walls and would find the gold and precious items. Look at the theft of the treasures of the Pharaoh’s –

            Jesus’ advice can still be valid for us today; actually it is valid for us today. Your treasures can be stolen, easily hacked online, called identity theft.

            On the surface we see the meaning of Jesus’ words – But were there, are there more to His words? Was He condemning wealth? – There isn’t anywhere in Scripture a prohibition of private property, or saving for a rainy day..

            In fact, just the opposite; Proverbs 6:6-8, the parable of the ant. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, ⁸ she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.”

            Paul in 1 Timothy 5:8 tells us that we are to provide for our own, “. . . But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” I like the Spanish translation, infidel, incredulous.

            Also we are to enjoy the good things of life; food, comfort, and not become ascetics, abstaining from all those things.

            Jesus is prohibiting the selfish accumulation of goods. Luke 12:15 in the parable of the rich fool He puts in the following warning—“Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

            The warning is to the rich, but His teaching isn’t just for the wealthy only – He doesn’t say not to lay up money on earth, but “treasures”.

            The word ‘treasures’ is inclusive; it’s not just moneey but those things that many focus their entire satisfaction on, those things that belong just to the world.

            One maybe hasn’t set their minds on the greedy accumulation of great wealth, something else could be a sinful treasure; a home, some property, a Ferrari, or a collection of cars; even your family. It may not be a fixation on wealth, but those other treasures are just as deadly.

            If anything in this world is everything to you, it is an earthly treasure.

            Why does Jesus prohibit the storing of such treasures? They are going to be destroyed; you aren’t going to be able to take them with you. What’s the old saying? You never see a U-Haul trailer behind a hearse. – Everything material is temporal, not eternal. The Pharaoh’s certainly found that out once they died. Not one person in this world will take anything with them – Even Job knew this – “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 1:20-21 –

            There’s also a Spanish Proverb that says “El Sudario no tiene bolsillos”; “There are no pockets in a shroud.”

There is a Positive Side (v20)

            “Lay up treasure for yourselves in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys & thieves de not break in to steal” – Lay-up treasure – just to be clear, Jesus isn’t saying we work for salvation, No! But that believers are rewarded in eternity according to how they lived their lives here on earth.

            Look at 1 Corinthians 3:11-14 -- no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.

            Scripture is silent somewhat on what this “reward” is. That seems to be a good thing; may stop attempts to try and out do another believer so as to get the top prize, reward.

            We could ask how important will our current pursuits be in say 100 zillion years down the road in eternity.

            Our treasures I heaven will be substantially beyond our wildest dreams and they will be eternal, nothing will destroy them. 1 Corinthians 2:9 -- as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.

A saying for Life (v21)

            “. . . for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

            To get all the sweetness out of this verse – heart here means the whole inner person, our total being – Where our treasure is that is where our total being will be.

            We are entwined with our treasure – so far that what happens to our treasure happens to us.

            At the start of the great depression, when the stock market crashed; when businesses and banks failed at the beginning of this century, the great recession – In the 70’s when the Pennsylvania and New York Central R.R. merged becoming the PennCentral R.R., to have it go bankrupt along with five other Rail Road’s, men whose lives were intertwined with their treasures, when it was lost, some took their own lives. What happened to their treasure happened to them. Where their treasure was, there was their heart, their whole being.

            It is okay for us & it is natural for our vocation, education, our home, etc, to occupy a good part of our lives; But Jesus warns us against total complete earth-bound absorption with them.

            We need to ask ourselves – What occupies our thoughts when we have nothing else to do? – Our investments, our position? If so, those are the things we treasure.

            What do we most dread loosing, apart from our loved ones? What are the things we measure others by? (We measure others by the things we treasure) – Their clothing? Their wealth? Their position?

            What is it that we know we can’t be happy without?

            Where your treasure is, there your being is. So, where is your heart? Is it on your earthly treasure?

            If it is, your treasure will suffer attack by moth, rust & thieves, and it will be destroyed.

            The danger is that your heart will become like your treasure – Scottish minister, George McDonald writes – “One day you’ll be compelled to see, no, to feel your heart as God sees it; and to know that the cankered thing, [ulcerated, morally corrupt, (my emphasis)] within you, a prey to the vilest diseases, is indeed the center of your being, your very heart!”

            Or is it set on heavenly treasure? If it is, your treasure then is incorruptible, and so is your heart.

            What are you going to do about it? Jesus has made it clear, we aren’t permanent residents of this world – We are just sojourners. When we admit this, everything falls into place. We are just stewards of al that we have, just caretakers. Our money, our homes, our education, our position, our personalities are to be used for the service of God.

            The worldly man thinks that he owns them all; but the Christian says “I am not the owner of these things. They are on lease to me – they’re not mine – I can’t take them with me.

            I can only use them for the glory of God.

            This isn’t a call for negation & asceticism – we are to enjoy life fully & authentically.

            But we are not to hold tightly to what we have in this world – Whatever possessions & privileges the believer has, they are not his focus.

            As Martin Lloyd jones says, I quote in part – “They do not absorb my life . . . I hold them loosely I am not governed by them; rather do I govern them; and as I do this, I am steadily securing & safely laying up for myself “treasures in heaven.”

Conclusion

            The things of this world, the treasures of this world are here today and as we have seen enough times after a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, a sunami, a traffic accident, they are gone.

            The one who focuses their life on the things of the world, makes those temporal things their god. There are treasures unimaginable that God has prepared for those who love Him. He has provided a way to come to Him and enjoy eternally those things that eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, and that way to those treasures He has prepared is through Jesus His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will never perish, but have eternal life.

            It doesn’t matter who, how big of a sinner you think you have been; Listen God has said that “all have sinned and come short of his glory” there is no one worthy enough to be with Him, that is why He became a man, was born as a man so that He as a perfect man would pay the penalty that all owe, and by just believing in Him, Jesus Christ, your salvation is secured and yu are a new person, a new being in Christ and can enjoy eternity with God the Father………

Question on Fasting Matthew 6: 16-18 Oct 21 2018

Sermon on the Mount & the Banquet

"Question on Fasting"

Matthew 6: 16-18; 9:14-15; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33-35

October 21, 2018

Introduction

            How often have you made a resolution, whether New Years or at any other time, to cut back on something? How about during the season of Lent?

            Regardless it is tough unless you're the strong assiduous or diligent type. But that concerns the flesh, and when that is the case, then it is us who are doing it through our own effort and that then may lead to pride. Look at what I have done. Then you will challenge others to do as you did. Telling them they can do it put your all into it.

            There's truth in that; put your all into it, get motivated, set a goal and reach for it; especially when you have someone alongside motivating, encouraging you.

What About Fasting?

            John Piper calls it a “hunger for homesickness for God”.  I think many may look on fasting in the same manner as they do New Year Resolutions. And we look to see if there are any Scriptural reasons to not fast.

            So I asked if it is a Christian practice required of believers. I grew up having to fast from midnight Saturday until after communion on Sunday. Until the II Ecumenical Council, I also had to fast from meat on Fridays, but you could eat fish. I guess that is how the name Mackerel Snappers was given to Catholics.

            That aside, in the Biblical sense, fasting is abstaining from food and drink for a spiritual reason.- It was an Old Testament practice though commanded for one time of the year and that was with the connection with the Day of Atonement, Yum Kippur. (Leviticus 16:24-31).

            In part from verse 29 - This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; 30 for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord. 31 It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble*[Some versions say “afflict”] your souls; it is a permanent statute.

            The practice of fasting became wide spread; in many situations it was proper as in when the Jews mourned with fasting the decree of Ahasueras (Xerxes) which ordered the genocide of the Jewish people, (Esther 4:1-3).

            Joel called for a fast of the people for repentance, (Joel 1: 13-14). Also you can compare that with Isaiah 58: 6-9; as in all things along with the proper uses, there are abuses – Isaiah 58: 3-5; Jeremiah 14:12.

            By the time of Jesus' ministry the Pharisees had decreed that godly people fast twice a week, on the second day, (Monday) & the fifth day, (Thursday) of the week. Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18:9-14? We read in verse 11 down to 12, “‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. (12) I fast twice a week;

            For them fasting meant mourning; some viewed it is a sacrifice, a mournful offering of one's own flesh to God that would get His attention.

            The overall affect was to view true religion as solemn, joyless and gloomy

            When fasting, the Pharisees would forlorn – some would even whiten their faces to effect an emaciated look, refuse to wash & they would wear their clothes in disarray.

            What they were saying by their actions was that you can't be spiritual unless you're incompatible. Spirituality consisted of doing what you don't want to do & refraining from doing things you want.

Is Fasting for Christians Today?

            There is no compulsory fast in the Scripture, New Testament, required of Christians – Now the Didache, the training for new converts in the 1^st and 2^nd century, does have a section on fasting. Prior to Baptism and also to fast twice a week but not on the days as the “hypocrites” (I assume meaning the Jews) because they fast on the 2^nd and 5^th day of the week, so Christians were too fast on the 4^th and 6^th day (Wednesday & Friday)

            If then there is no compulsory fasting why were the early Christians taught to fast? It seems that though it wasn’t compulsory, the New Testament took it for granted that the children of God would see a need to fast. Matthew 6: 17, “But you, when you fast,” -      

Relation to Presence

            At the banquet in Luke 5:34-35 when the disciples of our Lord were criticized for not fasting, Jesus answered them saying “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?  But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

            You can’t make the guest fast while the bridegroom is with them --- This answer was packed with meaning for the Jewish listeners.

            Wedding feasts lasted for a week, and the married couple stayed home for the week long party that was one continual celebration. The bride & groom were treated like king & queen and sometimes wore crowns.

            They would be attended by “guests of the groom”; chosen friends & these guests were exempt from all fasting through rabbinical ruling that said those in “attendances on the bridegroom are relieved of all religious observance which would lessen their joy.”

            Jesus made the assertion that His presence justified a feast and that His followers had the privilege & joy of a perpetual feast, wedding party.

            In this circumstance it’s wrong, and really impossible to mourn. The disciples experienced temporary sadness, unhappiness when they failed Jesus, or saw their own sin.

            But when I the presence of Jesus they had relentless joy.

Jesus radiated joy, “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus radiated joy, He was love incarnate, and all people around Him felt His love. His presence evoked a sense of security & well-being. It made His followers aware of their sin; He was holy, His perfect purity was transcendent, yet His presence was also a bath to the soul, He forgave sins.

            He was truth, no deception, not the slightest amount. Jesus was power; lepers were cleansed pure at His word, & storms were made glad at His word.

            Imagine Him standing on the beach in Panama City or Mexico beach’s as the hurricane approached & He says to the storm, “Be still!” And in an instant nano-second the winds and the waves and the entire storm became instantly calm?

            Jesus brought true release from real guilt, liberation from bondage. The disciples had to awaken each day with bounding hope. It was a continual feast in the presence of the Lord Jesus.

            Yet He said that the day was coming when the bridegroom will be taken away and then they will fast in those days. (v35).

That happened at the cross, but the sorrow gave way to joy at the resurrection, the ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

            Let me ask this; was your life, our lives, truly all joy & a continuous feast before coming to Christ? How about afterwards, after becoming a believer? It’s been one continuous joyous feast right?

Why Would we Fast?

            What purpose would there be in fasting now? At the beginning I mentioned what John Piper calls a “Hunger for homesickness for God”. But to be homesick you have to be away from where you were secure, from where you had found your joy.

            How many of you ever feel homesick? Be honest with yourself! People call it nostalgia and some criticize it; I call it homesickness. I’m homesick for the days I remember in Panama when I was four maybe five, it was just my mom and me, she was a single mother. I remember the early days in California; I remember when she met Glenn Richard, who would be my step-dad. I remember a lot of things, some good, some bad.

            Richard Foster, a theologian and writer, in one of his books on spiritual discipline writes that in Matthew 9: 14-15 (compare it with Luke’s version) is the most important text on Christian fasting -

            He says that “Fasting is a physical exclamation point at the end of our pleas to God.” In Jesus’ mind, when He is taken away at the ascension, returns to the Father, there will be fasting –

            The contest of fasting (this fasting) is the longing for the, not yet of the kingdom.

            We plea, ‘Your kingdom come’, ‘Your will be done,” “Give us our daily sustenance each day” . . . ‘Lord, help my weak faith’ Help my doubt . . . Help my loneliness . . .” Help me in this mess I’m in . . . Lord I need you, I long for You, I long for the day You will return, I long for the time I will be with you. . .

            Jesus prayed in the Garden He longed for, He was homesick, for God the Father, John 17:5, Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

            My favorite verse, my favorite assurance that what I feel is from Him, I would think others may feel this also; Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

            There is a default setting we are all programed with, a longing for God. We all have a natural desire for God, whether we know it or not. It’s just unfortunate that there are millions more who reject that desire; they put it aside for whatever reason they have or for no reason at all.

            God will make one aware of what that tug in their heart is, what that longing truly is. Romans 1:20 comes to mind, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse”. - Christian believers are not exempt from these longings these tugs. Christians battle against the “rulers, authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Paraphrasing Eph. 6:12). Christians are not super-beings from Krypton. If there is a Super-Christian that’s immune, then why do have to pray to be protected from evil, from the evil one?

            Pastor Brunson on Hannity the other night and also on Fox news said he went through doubt wondering if God hear his pleas, yet his faith was maintained.

            So we too, the ones who need prayer, I say it that way because I have heard others speak in way that they are strong and never doubt at all –

            But the rest of us, flesh, pray Lord deliver us from evil, from the evil one, and we can put the exclamation mark at the end of our prayer which we made in private between us and the Lord alone, in secret.

            We fast; we put our stomach where our heart is, just to add intensity & expressiveness to our ache, our longing for Jesus; for all the implications of Jesus’ power that isn’t completely realized in our lives; in the lives of others; the aches & suffering in the world. Most of all, I would think, we want to see people saved; even the most harden criminal.

            So there would come a time, as Jesus said, when the disciples would fast, when the bridegroom is taken away – then they would fast.

            When they do He says in Matthew 6: 17, 18 - “anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

            Let’s pray –

Father, You know what is on our hearts, we thank you for letting us know how You want us to talk to you, that You desire to talk to us individually, that, that is why you have placed in our hearts that desire, that urge, that tug that draws us to call on you. You want to talk to us one on one, in secret, making it personal between Father and child.

We thank you, we praise you, our hearts leep and bounce with joy at the sound of your voice in our ears, in our hearts. Your Father is the honor, the glory, the power forever, in the Holy name of Jesus who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God from everlasting to everlasting, Amen & Amen.

Fasting a Homesick for God Oct 19 2018

Yours is the power Forever! Matt 6: 13b

Mateo 6:13 Tuyo es el Reino, La doxologia Oct 12 2018

Talking about climate change & the weather, look at what many are going to have to endure. That doesn't truly capture what is going to happen - From Revelation 16:8-9 -

“Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory."

This judgment increased the sun's intensity. There is a definite article before "men" in the Greek text. The men in view are evidently the people who have the mark of the beast and who worship him .climatic changes will take place resulting in the sun's heat becoming much hotter than normal (cf. Deut. 32:24; Isa. 24:6; 42:25; Mal. 4:1; perhaps the destruction of the ozone layer?). Nevertheless, instead of repenting, the beast-worshippers curse God.

Temptation, A Character Builder Matt 6 13 Oct 7 2018

Sermon on the Mount

“The Lord’s Prayer”

Part 7

<Temptation, A Character Builder>  

Matthew 6: 13; Luke 11:4b

Introduction

            No one, not one person on earth is above falling – There isn’t anyone above yielding to temptation in its multiple varied, diverse forms.

            From the preacher with his top of the line suits, pressed shirts and clean hair cut, showing he has it all together, to the poor homeless beggar are not above succumbing to it.

            There have been countless men and women that have – from well known to those who will never be known who have and will give in to temptations.

            All Christians, all believers, all those born again, need to know how to pray, how to ask Our Heavenly Father for spiritual protection for ourselves.

            This last petition of only one single line, Luke 11: 4b; in Matthew 6:13 a negative part and a positive one stands out strong, and abrupt.

Don’t Lead us into Temptation

            “Lead us not into temptation; does this mean that God our Father is the prime mover behind all temptation? Look at the wording, the Greek word peirasmos is usually translated as temptation. Reading “Lead us no into temptation” could imply that God Himself tempts us. This misunderstanding is strongly rejected in the letter of James, 1:13, in reference to this petition of the Lord’s Prayer – it says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he Himself tempts on one.”

            Joachim Jeremias writes: “the rendering “temptation” does not catch the sense of the concluding petition in its full depth. The Greek word peirasmos can have twofold meaning: 1) temptation, as being misled into sin, (Genesis 3:1-6, the serpent misleading Eve); and 2) trial or testing as of one’s faith or fidelity being put to a test. (Abraham in Genesis chapter 22.)

            In the New Testament, where the word occurs twenty-one times, the meaning “temptation (into sin)” appears only at one passage, 1 Timothy 6:9; “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation . . .”; in all the other passages the reference is to the testing of faith or to God’s fidelity being put to the test.

            Some believe that praying this prayer they will be delivered from all temptations. But Scripture is clear that temptation is an unavoidable part of the human existence. Every Apostle & all the great and not so great saints, live in continual temptation.

The Key

            The key to what “Lead us not into temptation . . .” is the word ‘lead’ which either means don’t ‘bring’ us into temptation or ‘Don’t cause that it happen –(temptation)- which we saw earlier has two meanings, to be misled, deceived, which has as its final goal the causing of sin, or testing of the validity of one’s faith.

            Why would God test you? Tests are given to show what you have learned and to prove to yourself that you’ve got what you learned ingrained in you for future use.

            God doesn’t test us to learn for Himself what you have learned, He knows that already; but for us to know.

            We are to pray that He not allow us to come under the sway of temptation that could over power us & cause us to sin – “Don’t cause that to happen.”

            In old Jewish morning prayers the overall main idea is asking the Lord to preserve the one praying, from temptation, (trials) that would bring the person under its sway & cause them to fall:

“Do not let us be overcome by sin, disobedience or iniquity or trials . . . Do not let the evil inclination rule us . . . rescue us today & everyday from my evil inclination, from an evil friend . . . from the destructive adversary.”

            It’s not praying that we will be spared being tempted at all; we will be exposed to temptation. But we are to pray that we be spared those temptations from Satan, his demons, that we can’t withstand. But again, he won’t spare us from all, 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us “No temptation has overtaken you that isn’t common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with that temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

            In reality, temptation, testing is good for us. It molds us into stronger Christians, builds confidence and trust in the Lord God, the Eternal One.

            In Marine Boot Camp the basic idea was to change an individual and build him into a man filled with confidence in himself and trust in his fellow Marines.

            Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness molded His life & ministry. Satan himself came at Him full force, all guns blazing, with some of the most insidious psycho-spiritual attacks ever made.

            Jesus withstood it all & with the temptation conquered He went on to live a pure less life. Yes I know, He was born sinless, but as a man He was susceptible to being tempted and sinning.

            Three and a half years later He triumphed over temptation as He conquered the impulse to flee from the cross – That impulse to flee had to be heavy on His heart, so much so that that the stress and fear that He suffered ‘hematidrosis’ as recorded by Luke (the physician) in 22: 41-44. Let me read in part from verse 44, “And being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.”

            At times I get the idea when His agony is described that it was something He took it in stride. Not from the record of Luke. But what He went through in the Garden molded Him more for the cross.

            In boot camp, we were told, the training was going to be so tough that Vietnam was going to seem like a walk in the park when we’d get there.

            The letter to the Hebrews bears testimony to the molding effect of those & other sufferings in the earthly life of our Lord.

            Hebrews 2:10 – “. . . For it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation, [Jesus], perfect through suffering.

            He’s been there, done that; so if temptations helped shape the life & ministry of the perfect Christ, how much will they do for us?

            Temptation is necessary for developing our moral character. William Barclay writes that temptation isn’t so much a “penalty of manhood as it is the glory of manhood. It is what makes a man an athlete of God.”

            Martin Luther became stronger fighting the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Conquered temptations knit the fibers of our souls.

            There is an old belief that the strength of a slain enemy passes into the slayer, that, it is said true in regard to a Christian overcoming temptations.

            Scripture urges what is called the long-view; James 1:2-3 tells us to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

            In out times we have had great Christians like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie Ten Boom, Alexander Solzhenitzen, Richard Wurmbrand. Their great trials made them into spiritual giants.

            Charles Spurgeon talks of two men who were condemned to die under Queen Mary. One boasted loudly that he was grounded in his faith that he knew he would never deny Christ. That he longed for the fatal morning like a bride for her wedding.

            The man’s prison companion was a poor trembling, scared soul, even though determined not to deny Christ, was very afraid of the fire. He said he was always afraid of suffering, sensitive to the fact, and was afraid that when he began to burn, the pain would cause him to deny Jesus.

            He urged his friend to pray for him and spent his time weeping over his weakness & crying to God for strength. The other man rebuked him & chided him continually for being so unbelieving & weak.

            When they came to the stake, the man who had been so bold, at the sight of the fire, recanted & went back disgracefully to an apostate’s life.

            While the poor man whose prayer had been, “Lead me not into temptation” stood firm as a rock, praising & magnifying God as he died a cruel death.

            The proper prayer for protection is saturated with the awareness that all of us are profoundly weak and subject to fall.

            There is a clear & present danger in a pious bravado that assumes we all, everyone, are too strong to stumble & fall.

Deliver us From the Evil One

            Some manuscripts say ‘evil’, others say ‘evil one’. Most commentators say that more probably it should read ‘evil one’.

            Praying for spiritual protection understands that the accuser is a real person, not some dark cosmic force.

            Believing in an utterly malignant being behind the universe’s evil is classified by many as medieval foolishness that pictures Satan as some green eyed gnome with clove hoofs who smells like brimstone.

            Helmut Thielicke said in postwar occupied Germany that: “There is a dark mysterious, spellbinding figure at work. Behind the temptation stands the ‘tempter’, behind the lies stands the liar; behind all the dead & bloodshed stands the murderer from the beginning. . . In our days, we have far too much contact with demonic powers.”

            He is not omnipresent but tries to imitate omnipresence by commanding a host of evil spirits, fallen angels, that are the ones who affect the godly and the ungodly, just as God who sends His ministering spirits to care for His elect, those saved.

            2 Corinthians 11: 14-15 says that Satan & his angels disguise themselves as angels of light.

            We don’t have anything to fear when we acknowledge our foes, our enemies’ cosmic power when correctly praying, ‘Deliver us . . .” God can & will deliver us. 

            Martin Luther sang – “The prime of darkness grim, we tremble not for him – His rage we can endure, for lo his doom is sure! One little word shall fell him.”

            This should be part of our daily prayers – “Deliver us from the evil one.”

            Pray always that God place a hedge around you, the saints, His children of this church, their family, their extended family. The assaults of the evil one, by his armies, are incessant & we have to recognize our frailty & our weakness & lean on God’s power, knowing that without it, we will not stand, doesn’t matter how tough you think you are. –Acknowledging that temptation is necessary for our spiritual growth, we must pray that the Lord keep us from those temptations that would destroy us.

            “Lead us not into temptation” we humbly pray to Him that He also deliver us from the evil one, knowing that victory over Satan & his legions can only come through the power of God, as we truly depend on Him.

            Look, even Michael the Archangel didn’t get into a dispute with Satan when contending over the body of Moses but did what? He called on the Lord saying, “The Lord rebuke you.” (Jude 9).

            Being willing to authentically pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” is key to spiritual health.

            It’s part of the ideal pattern, outline, given by our Lord for prayer.

            Do you pray it? Is prayer for deliverance from temptation & the power of the devil part of your everyday prayer life?

            Are you willing to make it so?