November 11

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE

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
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​Memorize this Verse: (Cover the verse text and using just the first letters of each word try to recite the entire passage.)
13. T H N T T Y B S A I C T M B G I F W W N S Y T B T A T Y A A B W W T T A M A W T E T Y M B A T B I

Notes on verse:

To try and explain this scripture, I’m going to start by quoting (James 1:13-15), then explain those scriptures in detail.

Verse 13: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”

The same Greek word that is translated “trials” is also translated “temptation” here. James’ point is that every difficult circumstance that enters a believer’s life can either strengthen him if he obeys God and remains confident in His care, or become a solicitation to evil if the believer chooses instead to doubt God and disobey His Word. God cannot be tempted. God by His holy nature has no capacity for evil, or vulnerability to it. Nor does He Himself tempt anyone. God purposes trials to occur and in them He allows temptation to happen, but He has promised not to allow more than believers can endure and never without a way to escape. They must choose whether to take the escape God provides or to give in.

Verse 14: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

“Drawn away”: This Greek word was used to describe wild game being lured into traps. Just as animals can be drawn to their deaths by attractive baits, temptation promises people something good, which is harmful. “His own lust” refers to the strong desire of the human soul to enjoy or acquire something to fulfill the flesh. Man’s fallen nature has the propensity to strongly desire whatever sin will satisfy it. “His own” desires the individual nature of lust, it is different for each person as a result of inherited tendencies, environment, upbringing and personal choices. The Greek grammar also indicates that these “desires” are the direct agent or cause of one’s sinning. “Enticed” is a fishing term that means “to capture” or “to catch with bait”. It is a parallel to “drawn away.”

Verse 15: “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Sin is not merely a spontaneous act, but the result of a process. The Greek words for “has conceived” and “brings forth” liken the process to physical conception and birth. Thus, James personifies temptation and shows that it can follow a similar sequence and produce sin with all its deadly results. While sin does not result in spiritual death for the believer, it can lead to physical death.

Those who turn to the Holy Spirit when going through various temptations, will be given the power to resist Satan’s deceit. But, there can be no doubt as to following the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Believers must learn to trust God’s leading in all things without fear or doubt so that our faith is strengthened. That’s the reason God allows us to go through various trials and tribulations.

Another excellent scripture for those suffering from an unexpected loss and begins to question God as to why appears in (2 Cor. 1).

2 Cor. 1:3-4: “Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;” “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

In other words, when someone is going through such heartbreaking trials such as the loss of a loved one, those who have been through those same trials may be used of God to bring comfort to those who are suffering. And I might add, that we won’t always understand why some things happen, but we should never doubt that God is with us and is mourning with us as we go through those times.

TODAY'S BIBLE READING

November 11
Today's Bible Reading Plan selections can be found below. If you don't have a Bible with you, just click the references to read each passage online:

Old Testament
Ezekiel 29-30  —  8.0 minutes
Job 10  —  4.5 minutes

New Testament
John 10:1-10  —  2.5 minutes
1 John 2:12-17  —  2.0 minutes

Total Average Read Time — 17.0 minutes