Friday, July 19, 2013

Grace in Christ 5


Horatio Palmer wrote one of the most well known hymns on the topic of temptation. “Yield Not to Temptation” has now been sung by churches for over 150 years.  The message is still as vital today as when it was first composed.  The world, the flesh and the devil surround us and increasingly intrude in our lives.  Still, we have a Savior who was tempted in all ways such as we and was yet without sin. 

Matthew and Luke record the wilderness temptation of Jesus.  Following His baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.  There He fasted and prayed for 40 days and was then tempted by devil in the areas of lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.  For our sake He endured the sore trial of fasting and for our salvation He remained steadfast in temptation.

Palmer charges us to follow in this same frame of life.  “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin; each victory will help you some other to win; fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue, look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.”  In subsequent verses Palmer warns the believer to avoid those places and situations that lead to temptation.  He also constantly points the believer to the help he will only find in Jesus Christ.  “Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.” 

The night in which He was betrayed Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray that they might not enter into temptation.  That advice has not changed in two thousand years.  Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” That prayer has not changed for His people for two thousand years either.  We look to Him who has overcome.  We flee from the temptations that are clearly seen.  We have a victor, a great Champion in Jesus Christ who has overcome and will help us to overcome.  God’s grace is poured out to us in times of temptation to resist if we will.  His throne of grace is open to us in time of temptation and need.  It is a throne of grace we need to avail ourselves of more and more that we might reveal the grace of our Savior to world more clearly each day. 
 
 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

 
Visit my website, www.davidccraig.net, for inspiring Christian books. 

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