e-votional
a message to encourage and uplift from College Heights Baptist Church
Wednesday April 1, 2009
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Tough Life-Big God, is still available. You can email us if you would like to reserve a copy (or copies), or just pick some up on whenever the church is open. Hopefully, Tough Life, Big God Volume 2 will be ready today!!!
Also, you can check out my blogs at www.docdeer.wordpress.com and www.rekindledliving.wordpress.com (our recent series on the Church and our studies in Amos are posted here). Each one is different, but both have things you might find helpful in your walk with God.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]‘ – Matthew 6:13, NASB
Have you ever gotten directions from someone who didn’t know where they were going? If you have, then you know what it’s like to faithfully follow a set of instructions, only to end up at the wrong place with very little idea of how to correct it. It’s a very frustrating moment. As Jesus finishes up His lesson on prayer, He encourages His followers to avoid temptation and evil (or literally, “the evil one”). He encourages us to get our directions from the One who knows where we need to be, and knows the best way to get us there.
Thus, He teaches us to turn to God for direction and guidance. Jesus phrases His request in a rather unorthodox way. It’s important that we understand that when Jesus asks the Father “not to lead us into temptation,” He is not saying that God leads us into evil. The Bible is clear that God does not tempt us. James says, ”Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (James 1:13-15, NASB).
God is too good to lead us into evil. And, if we are honest, we know that we don’t need God’s help finding it. We are pretty good at that on our own. Rather, Jesus is teaching us that we need help avoiding it. We need help getting out of it if we are already there. Paul reminds us that God doesn’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle. If temptation is present, so is a way to escape it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
What we really need is a new set of directions and a new way to get where we are going. If we follow our own instincts and desires, we will end up far from where we should be. We’ll end up lost and in despair. If, on the other hand, we follow the leading of God, He keeps us from temptation. He delivers us from the evil one. He protects us from ourselves. It’s always a good idea to get directions from the One who knows where to go.
Pastor Darrell
