“There will always be temptations to sin,” Jesus said one day to his disciples, “but woe to the man who does the tempting. If he were thrown into the sea with a huge rock tied to his neck, he would be far better off than facing the punishment in store for those who harm these little children’s souls. I am warning you!
“Rebuke your brother if he sins, and forgive him if he is sorry. Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him.”
One day the apostles said to the Lord, “We need more faith; tell us how to get it.”
“If your faith were only the size of a mustard seed,” Jesus answered, “it would be large enough to uproot that mulberry tree over there and send it hurtling into the sea! Your command would bring immediate results!
Luke 17:1-6 Living Bible (TLB)
In a world that is filled with things that are designed to be tempting, it is hard to imagine that just a little bit of faith is all we need to be strong enough to resist and make mountains move. Most of us are familiar with Jesus' declaration of the power in a mustard seed of faith. A tiny seed that can grow into a huge tree demonstrates how God can take our little faith in Him and increase it immensely. Just having a little faith in the power of God gives Him the acceptance He requires of us to show how great His faithfulness is.
As we struggle against the temptations in life, we have to remember we are not in the struggle alone. God is a very present help in every circumstance. We will never be tempted more than we can bear. God will not allow it. He will always provide a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). However, the enemy of our souls has used this tactic to try to destroy us from the beginning of time and he will use anyone willing to help him do it. Jesus issues a stern warning to those who do assist the enemy in trying to bring anyone down.
In this passage of Scripture, Jesus speaks about temptation, forgiveness and faith. Our Savior had lots to say in His brief walk through life on this planet and sometimes we fail to connect the dots. It is clear in God's Word that His disciples were totally confused at times! It is not surprising to God that we are often confused as well. We just have to remember that confusion is not from God. We can put it all together if we really give it some thought. We can win the battles we face with temptation and we can learn to forgive those who have hurt us in any way. All we need is just a little faith that God is in total control and He will help us do anything He asks us to do.
Comments