“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

On the front of a T-shirt was a biblical quotation; “Lead us not into temptation”. On the back was a humorous response, “I can find it all by myself”. I’m sure you can relate. It is so easy to find temptation; it’s all around us. We don’t have to search too long or hard to find it. Usually, temptation finds us.

No one is so spiritual that temptation cannot get the best of him or her. It can happen to anyone and we need to take extreme precautions. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says it clearly, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” We can overcome temptation because God is able. He is able to make a way out of it or at least help us to face it and bear it. God’s hand is on the thermostat. Sometimes, we have to ask Him to turn the temperature down by asking God to, “lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil” (Luke 11:4).

We must also take our part in the temptations of life and “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). If it looks like smoke and if it smells like smoke, it is smoke and there is fire attached to it. If it appears to be a temptation, stay away from it before you get burned. When we dwell on the temptation there is an almost certainty we will fall into the snare that comes with it.

Bro Larry