1 Thessalonians 3:5 - Pedestals

1 Thessalonians 3:5 "For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain." (ESV)
1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (KJV)
Psalms 9:10 "And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." (ESV)

I sometimes fall into a way of thinking that tends to place the great people of the Bible on a pedestal..........they are given a version of super-hero status...........which includes some thinking like........they weren't like me..........they didn't have to face the temptations........the doubts that I have to face.

Yet in the scripture above, it seems to me that Brother Paul momentarily wavered a bit in trusting that the Lord is in control....that the enemy is nothing when faced by the Lord in all His Glory.

Perhaps not..........perhaps I'm reading into the scripture something that isn't there..........perhaps it was just Paul reaching out to fellow Christians who he missed, and he was just worried about their safety.

Regardless of what Paul's intent was.........it was hard for me to read that scripture above and not recall one of my favorite scriptures from 1 John that I've quoted above.....and then I read tonight what King David sang about. Once the Lord has taken us into the fold, He comes to live within us and will not forsake us who have sought Him.

Don't get me wrong, I don't take the enemy lightly, but I have within me the Spirit of the Living God as my Protector..........who keeps me under His watchful Eye............who is always there when I call out to Him for help.

The battle for my soul was won 2,000 years ago upon a cross on a hill outside Jerusalem.............the enemy would have me think that the battle is still on, but my Lord says otherwise.

I try to do my best not to become complacent..............by wandering off to places I shouldn't be going to...........I've also learned there is only One I need to place on a pedestal because He will never let me down...................His name is Jesus.............and He has come to claim the victory for me.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on December 16, 2003 in post #431. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added April 17, 2006

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