July 28

Read: I Peter 5:8-11

But the God of all grace… after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you (I Peter 5:10).

God Wants Me To Be Strong

God’s work of entire sanctification is not to exempt us from the lifelong process of building character but rather to better equip us for it. The Father did not spare His only Son from temptation. The Bible tells us, “In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren.., he himself hath suffered being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18). If God did not spare His Son, I dare not ask to be excused. God wants me to be strong, and I want His will to be done in me.

God’s purpose is to allow enough trial to test me to the limit. But He promises enough grace to prevent me from breaking at that limit. Does your temptation seem severe? It always does, or it would not be a temptation. But God has a purpose in that testing. “After that ye have suffered a while,” He intends to “make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Our scripture portrays clearly the three persons present in the temptations of a child of God. There is our “adversary the devil,” who is always seeking to destroy us. There is the child of God, who is to do two things: (1) recognize that his temptations are the same kind that other Christians have and (2) resist the devil, standing firm in his faith. Finally, there is always present with us in every temptation “the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus.”

Prayer For Today

Father in heaven, quickly show me Your )lace in every hour of temptation. At an altar of consecration I once said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” That is still my consecration today. Give me courage to do the right. Let me know that You are near. Make me a stronger Christian when You have brought me past my hour of anguish.