You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. —Luke 22:28
It is true that Jesus Christ is with us through our temptations, but are we going on with Him through His temptations? Many of us turn back from going on with Jesus from the very moment we have an experience of what He can do. Watch when God changes your circumstances to see whether you are going on with Jesus, or siding with the world, the flesh, and the devil. We wear His name, but are we going on with Him? “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66).
The temptations of Jesus continued throughout His earthly life, and they will continue throughout the life of the Son of God in us. Are we going on with Jesus in the life we are living right now?
We have the idea that we ought to shield ourselves from some of the things God brings around us. May it never be! It is God who engineers our circumstances, and whatever they may be we must see that we face them while continually abiding with Him in His temptations. They are His temptations, not temptations to us, but temptations to the life of the Son of God in us. Jesus Christ’s honor is at stake in our bodily lives. Are we remaining faithful to the Son of God in everything that attacks His life in us?
Are you going on with Jesus? The way goes through Gethsemane, through the city gate, and on “outside the camp” (Hebrews 13:13). The way is lonely and goes on until there is no longer even a trace of a footprint to follow— but only the voice saying, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19).
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September 19, 2016
Journal Entry-JDV
Thank you God for this devotional and the opportunity to live out Your teaching. We did take issue with one of the points made by Chambers: “It is God who engineers our circumstances, and whatever they may be we must see that we face them while continually abiding with Him in His temptations” David and I have been taught that You don’t engineer our difficult circumstances, You just simply allow our corrupt world and the enemy to engineer circumstances that can help shape us to an ultimate good outcome. We’ve been taught by You, that You can see and allow the difficulty we may face but that You will always engineer all things for our good, even when the circumstances seem most severe. Is that right Lord?
And God says….”All things work for the good of those that love the lord… Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and I will make your paths straight. I do not sit high up in heaven and disperse good and bad circumstances on My children. I can only send good things, but when you choose to follow the big four; “to look good, feel good, be right and be in control” instead of surrender to Me, difficulties will ultimately spring up from your corrupt world and/or the enemy. I often allow these difficulties so that you may be shaped and formed like iron in a forge. Whenever difficulties arise, you can look at your circumstances and know that I will engineer all things for your good. Live out of that every day.”