Consider it pure JOY

 "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you can become mature and complete, lacking nothing."


When you understand why our Father allows "seasons" of temptation, then you are able to endure for the joy set before you.


Our Lord was made perfect through the things He suffered. He suffered being tempted, just like you are suffering. He learned obedience through the things He suffered, just like you are learning that you do not have to yield to the impulse, but by faith you can cry out with loud cries and tears to the One who can save you from death (from sinning).



Tribulation works endurance, endurance produces experience, and experience results in hope. Hope is a quality of faith in God like Abraham who hoped against hope and became the father of many nations because he believed God had power to do what He had promised despite the deadness of Sarah's womb and his own aging decreped body.

We grow stronger by "resistance". How can you expect to grow strong without having to "resist" temptation and "resisting" the devil? The first part of our Lord's adult ministry was enduring 40 days of temptation. From them He returned to Galilee in the "power of the Spirit."


May this become the same result for you. May you become strengthened in your spirit through resisting the devil who will flee from you when he realizes that he is only helping make you stronger instead of weaker.

Stand firm, draw near to God and Satan will realize that his strategy is backfiring. He will then leave you and wait for another opportunity when you your guard is down.

The above was a note that Alan sent to a friend, who was stuggling with temptations of past addictions. Addictions or not, we all are tempted to leave the path of Pure devotion of Christ. 

Pictured above: Marcus' (my grandson) first taste of veggies.  He likes them now...endurance paid off for Angela (my daughter:).

Temptation is like a winter torrent, difficult to cross. Some, then, being most skillful swimmers, pass over, not being overwhelmed beneath temptations, nor swept down by them at all, while others who are not such, entering into them, sink in them. As, for example, Judas, entering into the temptation of covetness, swam not through it, but, sinking beneath it, was choked both in body and spirit. Peter entered into the temptation of the denial, but having entered it, he was not overwhelmed by it, but manfully swimming through it he was delivered. ~St. Cyril


. "Do not grudge the Hand that is moulding the still too shapeless image within you. It is growing more beautiful, though you see it not, and every touch of temptation may add to its perfection."~Henry Drummond

All our difficulties are only platforms for the manifestations of His grace, power and love.
 - Hudson Taylor