Help in Resisting Temptation

Revelation 3:10 - 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.

All heaven is interested in the work going on in this world, which is to prepare men and women for the future, immortal life. It is God's plan that human agencies shall have the high honor of acting as co-workers with Jesus Christ in the salvation of souls. . . . They should look upon the work of God as sacred and holy, and should bring to Him, every day, offerings of joy and gratitude, in return for the power of His grace, by which they are enabled to make advancement in the divine life. . . .

It is not necessary that anyone should yield to the temptations of Satan and thus violate his conscience and grieve the Holy Spirit. Every provision has been made in the Word of God whereby all may have divine help in their endeavors to overcome.

In the religious life of every soul who is finally victorious there will be scenes of terrible perplexity and trial; but his knowledge of the Scriptures will enable him to bring to mind the encouraging promises of God, which will comfort his heart and strengthen his faith in the power of the Mighty One. He reads: . . . . "that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. . . "(1 Peter 1:7). The trial of faith is more precious than gold. All should learn that this is a part of the discipline in the school of Christ, which is essential to purify and refine them from the dross of earthliness. . . .

Summon all your powers to look up, not down at your difficulties; then you will never faint by the way. You will soon see Jesus behind the cloud, reaching out His hand to help you; and all you have to do is to give Him your hand in simple faith and let Him lead you. . . . A great name among men is as letters traced in sand, but a spotless character will endure to all eternity. God gives you intelligence and a reasoning mind, whereby you may grasp His promises; and Jesus is ready to help you in forming a strong, symmetrical character.

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In The Blessed Hope

Avalee

Where Sins May Be Blotted Out

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Isa. 43:25

Some seem to feel that they must be on probation, and must prove to the Lord that they are reformed, before they can claim
His blessing. But they may claim the blessing of God even now. They must have His grace, the spirit of Christ, to help their
infirmities, or they cannot resist evil. Jesus loves to have us come to Him just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent. We may
come with all our weakness, our folly, our sinfulness, and fall at His feet in penitence. It is His glory to encircle us in the arms of His love and to bind up our wounds, to cleanse us from all impurity.

Here is where thousands fail; they do not believe that Jesus pardons them personally, individually. They do not take God at His word. It is the privilege of all who comply with the conditions to know for themselves that pardon is freely extended for every sin. Put away the suspicion that God's promises are not meant for you. They are for every repentant transgressor. Strength and grace have been provided through Christ to be brought by ministering angels to every believing soul. None are so sinful that they cannot find strength, purity, and
righteousness in Jesus, who died for them. He is waiting to strip them of their garments stained and polluted with sin, and
to put upon them the white robes of righteousness; He bids them live and not die. . . .

With the rich promises of the Bible before you, can you give place to doubt? Can you believe that when the poor sinner longs
to return, longs to forsake his sins, the Lord sternly withholds him from coming to His feet in repentance? Away with such
thoughts! Nothing can hurt your own soul more than to entertain such a conception of our heavenly Father. He hates sin, but He
loves the sinner. . . . As you read the promises, remember they are the expression of unutterable love and pity. The great heart of Infinite Love is drawn toward the sinner with boundless compassion. . . . He wants to restore His moral image in man. As
you draw near to Him with confession and repentance, He will draw near to you with mercy and forgiveness.

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In The Blessed Hope

Avalee

Where We Find Deliverance from Sin

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Col. 1: 13, 14

The Prince of heaven has placed man in an exalted position. His life has been valued at the cost of Calvary's cross. . . .
From the depths of sin's degradation, we may be exalted to become heirs with Christ, the sons of God, and kings and priests unto the Most High. . . .

When Christ bowed on the banks of Jordan, after His baptism, the heavens, were opened, and the Spirit descended in the form of a dove, like burnished gold, and encircled Him with its glory; and the voice of God from the highest heaven was heard, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" Matt. 3: 17. The prayer of Christ in man's behalf opened the gates of heaven, and the Father had responded, accepting the petition for the fallen race. Jesus prayed as our substitute and surety, and now the human family may find access to the Father through the merits of His well- beloved Son. . . . Jesus is "the
way, the truth, and the life" John 14: 6. The gate of heaven has been left ajar, and the radiance from the throne of God
shines into the hearts of those who love Him.

The word that was spoken to Jesus at the Jordan. . . .embraces humanity. God spoke to Jesus as our representative. With all our sins and weaknesses, we are not cast aside as worthless. . . . The glory that rested upon Christ is a pledge of the love of God for us. It tells us of the power of prayer--
how the human voice may reach the ear of God, and our petition find acceptance in the courts of heaven. By sin, earth was cut
off from heaven, and alienated from its communion; but Jesus has connected it again with the sphere of glory. His love has
encircled man, and reached the highest heaven. The light which fell from the open portals upon the head of our Saviour will
fall upon us as we pray for help to resist temptation. The voice which spoke to Jesus says to every believing soul, This is My
beloved child, in whom I am well pleased. . . . Our Redeemer has opened the way so that the most sinful, the most needy, . . .may find access to the Father. All may have a home in the mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare.

From God's Amazing Grace

In The Blessed Hope

2 Chron. 33:12
When he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

"In the world ye shall have tribulation" (John 16:33), says Christ; but in Me ye shall have peace. The trials to which Christians are subjected in sorrow, adversity, and reproach are the means appointed of God to separate the chaff from the wheat. Our pride, selfishness, evil passions, and love of worldly pleasure must all be overcome; therefore God sends us afflictions to test and prove us, and show us that these evils exist in our characters. We must overcome through His strength and grace, that we may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. "For our light affliction," says Paul, "which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:17, 18). Afflictions, crosses, temptations, adversity, and our varied trials are God's workmen to refine us, sanctify us, and fit us for the heavenly garner.

Many of your afflictions have been visited upon you, in the wisdom of God, to bring you closer to the throne of grace. He softens and subdues His children by sorrows and trials. This world is God's workshop, where He fashions us for the courts of heaven. He uses the planing knife upon our quivering hearts until the roughness and irregularities are removed and we are fitted for our proper places in the heavenly building. Through tribulation and distress the Christian becomes purified and strengthened, and develops a character after the model that Christ has given.

Let the afflictions which pain us so grievously become instructive lessons, teaching us to press forward toward the mark of the prize of our high calling in Christ. Let us be encouraged by the thought that the Lord is soon to come. Let this hope gladden our hearts.

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In The Blessed Hope

Avalee