The Hour of Temptation
Part II
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
I highly encourage anyone who has not heard the 'introduction' to this series,
that you listen to part I  before you get into this one!
Review:  We have looked into the simple fact that the Laodicean church age is the age that contains the hour of temptation.  The Philadelphian church age was spared that temptation - and I am sure it is based on their works - I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 3:8

Well, think what you may, but you must know that we ARE ALREADY IN the hour of temptation - even if we try to pattern our walk after the Philadelphian church folks, we must accept the hard truth that we are IN that hour!  As we do try to walk that Philadelphian pattern, don't get mad at God if you don't get the Philadelphian 'blessings.'  We have not been kept from the hour of temptation - we are in it!

God's simple advice to us reiterates the truth about being IN the hour of temptation -  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 3:18.  See - there is your temptation - your trial - and THAT is how we get the gold for our judgment seat today!

Note: Understanding the times (I Chronicles 12:32) should give us a boost of encouragement as well as giving us a 'headsup' on how to handle these days.  We ought not be frustrated and unsure of the what and why things are the way they are.
II Corinthians 4:8-11  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

The verses before those ought to give us the encouragement we will need during these times...
II Corinthians 4:6,7  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

It's not about us - it's about Him!

Galatians 2:19,20  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Jesus Christ is our only source of victory
in this hour temptation!
True Faith Gives a True Victory!

I consider this one my most important sermon series since the Greater Commission or the Garden Series...  This series is by far the most practical sermon series I have ever done - if we could just get ahold of this one for these times, we would truly understand why life is what it is today - temptation and trial everywhere we go!

THEN - WE CAN TRULY KNOW HOW BEST TO TRAIN OUR CHILDREN...
...WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES!!

In part I, we looked at how Eve handled temptation and how the Israelites handled their DAY of temptation in the church of the wilderness.   We also saw that Jesus was tempted by the Pharisees in the gospels; and finally, we saw that the disciples were told how to deal with temptation themselves.

Today, part II, let us look deeper into those temptations that Jesus Christ went through as he was continually being tempted by the Pharisees as well as from the devil himself!

In part III we will see some specific direction from Paul TO US amongst our detailed life of temptation and what we can and should to 'earn that gold!'

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15

The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness
Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:1-13

For a few details as applied to the following verses in the sermon, listen to the audio.
Here are the key verses that were brought out with some extra commentary...

Luke 4:1-13
verse 2 - he hungered.  (a perfect situation for enticement from the tempter - the devil!)
verses 4,4 - temptation number one!  Lust of the flesh!
verses 5-8 - temptation number two!  Lust of the eyes!
verses 9-12 - temptation number three!  Pride of life!

The Lord responded to those temptations with Scripture!

(He also had the joy set before Him - His affection was set on things above - He was able to say 'NO!')

verse 13 - the devil left - for a season, anyway!

Matthew 4:11 - the angels then ministered unto him!

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 2:15,16

Jesus and the Temptations from the Pharisees
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law:
that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Romans 3:19
Reference
Temptation
How Jesus dealt with the situation!
Matthew 16:1
 sign from heaven 2-4 - rebuked them / answered / left them
Matthew 19:3
 divorce & remarriage 4-9 - answered / rebuked them / final authority given to 'scriptures' / disciples participation added
Matthew 22:18
 tribute to Caesar or not 10-22 - perceived their wickedness / rebuked them / called them hypocrites
Matthew 22:35,36
 great commandment 37-40,46 - (after answering Sadducees) answered the group / shut their mouths from that day forth
Luke 11;16
 sign from heaven 17-28 - knew their thoughts (KJB) / put down a heckler by magnifying the word of God
Luke 20:19,23
 tribute to Caesar or not 23-26 - perceived their craftiness ; shut them up
Mark 8:11
 sign from heaven 12-13 - 'sighed' / answered them / left the area 
Mark 10:2
 divorce & remarriage 3-12 - answered them / reminded them of the Scriptures / preached about their hard heart
Mark 12:14
 tribute to Caesar or not 15-17 - He knew their hypocrisy / challenged them for tempting Him / answered them 
John 8:1-6
 adultery situation 6-11 - soft answer convicted them & turned them away
Mark 12:28
 great commandment 29-34 - answered him / it was an honest question / He knew the scribe was 'interested' in the truth

 
We can certainly learn how to handle the tempters in our life
by seeing how Jesus handled His, eh!

1.  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,
2.  and make not provision for the flesh,
to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Romans 13:14
3.  We must STOP, put forth the SCRIPTURAL ANSWER,
then MOVE ON AWAY from our temptations and trials!

We are to walk in the Spirit...
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

...and therein lies our conflict!

Romans 7-24  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Someday soon, we will be gone of the Hour of Temptation!
Some Day!

But Until Then...

My heart can sing when I pause to remember,
A heartache here is but a stepping stone.
Along a trail, that's winding always upward,
this troubled world, is not my final home.

Refrain
But until then, my heart will go on singing,
Until then, with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

2
The things of earth will dim and loose there value,
If we recall they're borrowed for awhile;
And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble,
Remember there, will only bring a smile.

Refrain
But until then, my heart will go on singing,
Until then, with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.


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