Mar 19 2022

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.

Cartoons and comic strips have visually portrayed the internal struggle we encounter when we face temptation. It's the proverbial angel on one shoulder and a little devil on the other. As they each whisper their advice, the listener decides which voice is most worthy of listening to.

That illustration, albeit comical, depicts the battle that happens in our minds whenever we are tempted. One of the critical differences, however, is that in reality God will never tempt us.

When temptation is encountered in the Bible, there is always the option to be faithful to God and His commands, or to follow one's own selfish desires.

When we are tempted to sin, the choice we make reflects our character and demonstrates how willing we are to follow God's ways. Temptation is a strong pull toward something that can temporarily fill our hearts when only God can genuinely satisfy our thirsty souls.

No amount of human wisdom or strength is enough to withstand temptation. We need the Lord to empower us to have clarity of mind.

James 1:13 puts to rest any notion that temptation comes from God. The verse makes it clear that He would never try to pull us away from Him and lead us down a path to destruction. Rather, in moments of temptation we can turn to God, knowing that He will strengthen and guide us in His perfect will for our lives.

God, help me to not allow the enemy to influence me with his lies. I know that temptation does not come from you. Please lead me in your truth and prepare my mind to resist when I am tempted. Teach me to listen to your voice and refuse to listen to the voice of the enemy. In Jesus's name, amen.

Mar 18 2022

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. :

In the New Testament we read about Thomas, one of Jesus' disciples. Over time, he has become known as Doubting Thomas for his reaction to Jesus' resurrection.

Thomas wasn't with the other disciples when they saw Jesus after He had come back to life. He heard secondhand when the other disciples shared with him that they had seen the Lord.

Thomas reacted with doubt, asserting that he would believe it when he saw Jesus himself. Eight days later, Jesus appeared to them and showed Thomas His hands and side that had previously been wounded at the time of His death.

Jesus lovingly told a repentant Thomas not to remain faithless, but to believe. (John 20:27)

We read a similar encouragement in this afternoon's verse when Jesus encountered a man who was struggling to have faith. The man replied by asking Jesus to help His unbelief.

God knows how badly we need His help to have strong faith in Him. Doubt is something that all of us struggle with at some stage in life. The first step in combating doubt is asking God to help our unbelief. It can be challenging to trust God when everything seems to be crumbling around us.

But we can be assured that God knows everything that is happening, and we can put all our faith in Him.

Jesus, I choose to believe in you. Often, I struggle to have faith because I can't see what you're doing. But I trust in you, and I know you can give me the confidence and ability to believe. Please take away the doubt and worry in my mind, Jesus, and help me trust you to do the impossible. In your name, amen.


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