Verse of the Day 8/27

Through the Bible - Psalms 134-137, 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

 

Good morning,

 

Yesterday we considered the vanity of "chasing the wind", being caught up in the rat race and the accumulation of "stuff".  A few words from Steve Green's song stayed in my mind, "and hearts deceived can only know a chasing of the wind".  How is it that we get caught up in vain pursuits how is it that we are deceived?

 

The enemy knows our individual weaknesses and preys upon us with temptations that can lead us astray and garner our thoughts and attention, even our hearts, if we're not careful.

But thankfully, we do not have to succumb to this.  God's Word tells us that He will always provide a way out, an escape out of trap being set for us.

 

Today's verses come from yesterday's New Testament reading.  Paul first cautions us against being too self confident then gives us confidence in Christ who can deliver us from the snares with a way out.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (Amplified Bible) Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin].

¹³For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

I like what the Amplified Bible says at the end, that this "way out" means more than just an escape, it is deliverance to a landing place.  What good would it be to be rescued from an island where you've been marooned, be picked up by a plane, but have no place to land?

 

We can have "strong confidence" that He provides that landing place, it is a place of refuge and can be found when we seek Him in His Word.

 

Proverbs 14:26 (New King James Version)  In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
      And His children will have a place of refuge.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

 

1 Corinthians 10:6-12

 ⁶ These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, ⁷ or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, "The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry." ⁸ And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.

 ⁹ Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. ¹⁰ And don't grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. ¹¹ These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.

 ¹² If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. ¹³ The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.