The Hour of Temptation
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Revelation 3:10
Part I - Introduction
We ought to know that the peace of God that passeth all understanding and our hope from the comfort of the scriptures, etc. all comes from not only having the 'knowledge' of the Book, but in the 'understanding' as well.  Then, the real joy comes when we start to exhibit some "wisdom", amen!

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6

Diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God
Exodus 15:6

Let's look at "temptation" in the light of Revelation 3:10!
In other words, let's rightly divide "temptation."
Rev 3:10 Tribulation?  No!
This reference to the "hour" of temptation can not be a reference to the Tribulation. Why not?
1) there was still the Laodicean church age to come...
2) the Laodicean age is an age of trial and temptation; the tribulation is a punishment, a spanking - it is the final 'result' of continued disobedience to the words of God!  The tribulation is no 'trial' - it is not a 'test!'  God is done with His attempts at trying to get folks and trying folks (Jews, especially) in order for them to turn to Him!  Proverbs 1:24-33 He has tried - He will now give them just what they want - to do it without Him!

Temptation Defined
The act of tempting; enticement to evil by arguments, by flattery, or by the offer of some real or apparent good; That which is presented to the mind as an inducement to evil.  Solicitation of the passions; enticements to evil proceeding from the prospect of pleasure or advantage.  Testing and trial

The Laodicean church age is that hour of temptation!
Revelation 3:14-22

The Blessed Church Age is not today!
In the Philadelphian church age, early America was blessed!  Revelation 3:7-13.  God opened doors and man could not even close them!  Can we even 'imagine' such a thing, today?  There are pastors who truly believe this is happening today as their church grows in number, but it is dying according to the Book, so we must know that we can not claim TO us the verses to the Philadelphians!  Read some early American history - TRUTHFUL history, that is.  It was a blessed time, for sure!

We can not return to that Philadelphian Era expecting God to open doors, etc.

We are in that "hour of temptation" today!

Have you noticed?  We are in the midst of temptations daily!  TRIALS  -  daily!

That is, if you are seeking to live a godly life according to the King James Bible; that is, if you are seeking to 'do church' the 'rightly divided way and if you don't want to give in to the temptations of the hour!  Otherwise, you probably have no clue that anything is wrong - you probably think things are going fine.  "My wife is happy, my kids are happy, and that makes me happy, so God must be happy with us all, as well!"

The Philadelphians didn't have these temptations / trials that we have today.
They were spared from them, just as God promised in 3:10

After these next few sermons on The Hour of Temptation, you should:
1) have a better knowledge AND understanding of the times!
2) have a better peace and comfort knowing AND understanding the times!
3) know a little better on how to talk to folks (your own children!!!) about all this stuff!
4) know a little better on how to walk to please God in this hour!
5) know what to expect from your local church and what you can do to help it!
6) appreciate even more about God's grace and mercy in our lives today!

In other words, you may be able to exhibit some "wisdom" about how to live these days as a Bible Believing Christian!
But will folks/family/kids actually STOP, LOOK and LISTEN?

Let us all turn to I Chronicles 12:23-40 and see how the children of Israel were prepared for war.  The ones I am interested today in are in verse 32.   And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

And note that in verse 40 (after reading all those above verses) and you will see that at their 'potluck' (vs 39,40) there was joy in Israel!  Oh! for that joy again amongst Bible Believers and their local churches.  Not an "entertainment produced hypocrisy of happiness and family fun," but a true joy being a member of a prepared 'army" being preached to and learning the truth about this hour of temptation in our daily lives.

Some day soon, eh!  Revelation 19:14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

We must understand this war and exhibit wisdom in how to fight it!

The Devil is preparing for his final fling against the Lord! Revelation 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.   And I am beginning to think that either most parents either don't know how to keep their children from becoming soldiers of the devil, or that they don't really care - maybe they still just don't believe it yet!

Gotta keep those kiddies fat, busy and happy, ya know???!!!

Rightly Divided Temptation

We can just see that world is suffering in the hour of temptation...
as is America;
as are the states;
as is the workplace;
as is the local church;
as is the home;
as are we personally!

But... the body of Christ is as pure, clean, sinless and blameless still!!!
No apostasy - no hour of temptation!
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 14:17

Genesis is one piece of bread, James is the other piece - the meat in the middle is Paul's teachings!
That will be in part II!
JAMES - the temptation process:

We should know that we can't do James directly as it is not TO us; but we can sure learn from what he says about sin and temptation!

James 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  And yes that is a true statement!   Paul teaches us the same thing. Romans 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

But James also says, 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

When we 'blow' a temptation and 'give in,' it doesn't have to mean that we don't love God; nor do we lose our physical life; nor do we even lose our spiritual life!  We can lose fellowship, joy, inheritance, etc. and quench the Spirit, etc. but we receive no crown of life as a result of any temptations being endured.  It is most certainly is a thrill to get a victory over a trial and temptation, no doubt, but no crown of life is involved here for us today.

However, James does teach us about the process!  James 1:14,15  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

James
Every man is tempted...
Drawn away of his own lust!
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
I John 2:16
Enticed
Lust Conceived
Sin
Death
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23
 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Romans 5:12
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Romans 7:9

Genesis
Let's learn from Eve in she gave in to temptation!
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, (lust of the flesh)
and that it was pleasant to the eyes, (lust of the eyes)
and a tree to be desired to make one wise, (lust of life)
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

What's in the middle?  Well, before we get to the meat, we must touch on some tomatoes and pickles, etc.
Let's first take a fast look at temptation in the Old Testament!
Wilderness Journey was the DAY of temptation (Hebrews 3:8)
They were NOT to tempt the Lord, or they would suffer great consequences... (like James was talking about, eh!)
Exodus 17:2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink.  And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me?  wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
Psalm 78:56  Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
Psalm 78:18  And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Psalm 78:41  Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

They saw GREAT temptations...
Deuteronomy 29:2,3  And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land;  The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:
Deuteronomy 7:19   The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.

But Christians today tend to look at temptation like the way it was presented in the Old Testament.!
WRONG!  That is what rightly dividing is all about, eh!
Now, on to the Gospels!
Matthew 16:1  The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Matthew 19:3  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
Matthew 22:18  But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
Matthew 22:35  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Mark 8:11  And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
Mark 10:2  And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
Mark 12:15  Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
Luke 11:16  And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
Luke 20:23  But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
Acts 5:9,10   Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.  Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

To the disciples:
Matthew 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mark 14:38   Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Luke 22:40,46  And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

So far, as good as this stuff is,
none of this applies to us personally!  Remember, Rightly Dividing the truth, right?
On to part II for how Jesus dealt with temptation.  We also look to see not only HOW Paul dealt with temptation, but what he says to us about temptation. Then, part III will deal with specific temptations that we receive in our workplace, in our local church, in our home and in our personal walk!
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