"But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." - 1st Corinthians 10:13 -Isn't it comforting to know that these words still ring as true for us today as the day they were first written? Though we may feel overwhelmed by situations, no matter what obstacle or temptation may cross our path, even though we may not be able to overcome it ourselves, if we ask for a guiding hand we will find that God is ready and available not only to help us through temptation but to bring us fully through it. There's nothing we can't overcome.
I read these verses to the youth group tonight and I posed them this question--how many of you would be willing to say that there are some temptations we can't resist. Many of them, along with myself, raised their hands; and they were right. No matter how much we want to fully be in control and in power of our lives, there are some things we are aren't strong enough to face ourselves.
"Christ is not weak in his dealings with you: he is a mighty power among you. Although he died on the cross in weakness, he now lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak, but we live in him and have God's power" - 2nd Corinthians 13:3 -Unlike our friends (however well intentioned they are), whom we run to in tough times, Christ knows our situation exactly; he's knows what it is to feel vulnerable in the human sense. He's felt what we feel! But he is also there with his mighty power to help us when we get to the point of decision as to what will be our reaction to a given temptation. If we confide in Him, His answer will be mighty enough to squelch the temptaion everytime. Hope this encourages you as much as it does me. Until tomorrow...
