If you struggle with sin (and we all do), then I am sure you have wished that God would just make the temptations stop. You are acutely aware of the weakness of your flesh and it would be far easier to not be tempted at all rather than to have to resist your flesh and discipline it. We pray “Our Father who art in heaven…lead us not into temptation.” And our Father certainly doesn’t lead us into temptation. But we live in a sinful world bearing sinful flesh. Temptation will come. We would be foolish to imagine that we could live in this life without the constant allure of evil. However, that is not an excuse to indulge sin. In Christ, we have died to sin. Why would we return to it? Rather, God gives us weapons and armor to resist the sly attacks of Satan. He has given you His Word. He has told you to call upon Him in every trouble. He has given you the oil of the Holy Spirit that you might be refreshed in the true faith. He gives you the wheat of Holy Communion that your weary soul might be strengthened to resist. By these the great mercy of your Lord is assured to you and the way of escape is set before you so that you may not only endure temptation but gain the victory over it. Let us gather and receive these divine aids from God so that temptation may not overcome us and lead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. I look forward to seeing you this coming Lord’s Day and being refreshed in the Word of God.
Pastor Ulmer
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