"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Sunday, May 19th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 5:56:33, May 18th 2013 - modgudur - I guess the child is anti-gun control since Obama went to all that trouble ... [Read More]
- 9:27:41, May 16th 2013 - caal girl - Nice outfit on you. I loved some of the dresses but am holding my breath ... [Read More]
- 2:03:34, May 14th 2013 - - Thanks for sharing the trip with us! ... [Read More]
- 4:12:01, May 9th 2013 - Amanda Ziebell - Wow! Thanks to the Fillmore County Journal for this kind story. For a ... [Read More]
- 11:47:30, May 7th 2013 - EW - ramble.....ramble.....ramble..... ... [Read More]
- 10:25:25, May 7th 2013 - Thunder6 - Great article! I love to see the Youth of Fillmore County receiveing acco ... [Read More]
- 6:52:10, May 6th 2013 - Jason Sethre, Publisher of Fillmore County Journal & Olmsted County Journal - Maryh, ... [Read More]
- 7:29:56, May 5th 2013 - maryh - Where are OCJ's available for pickup...other than at the new office? ... [Read More]
- 2:41:47, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, I just looked up Senate File 796 and in it there are said p ... [Read More]
- 2:22:20, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, how do you come up with $1.1 billion that trout fishing bri ... [Read More]
At It Again?
Fri, Jul 23rd, 2010
Posted in Faith & Worship
Posted in Faith & Worship
Comments
"When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." Luke 4:13 NIV
You can hear people talk about church scandals. "What is the matter with those people?" The focus is on the hypocrisy of a person claiming to be a follower of the moral code set down by God in the Bible and yet doing something different. Do you think the devil picks out individuals like pastors, priests, Sunday School teachers, church council members and the like for extra temptation? Why wouldn't he? The devil chose the weakest moments in Jesus' life to approach him with the most difficult of temptations. If the devil can get a church leader to commit a public sin, then the whole church will look bad. People will tend to dismiss everyone in the church and their beliefs because of the leader. Even worse, people dismiss the seriousness of their own offenses before God.
The truth is all people sin. God's judgment day is also coming when, "he will reward each person according to what he has done (Matthew 16:27 NIV)." There will be nothing secret or hidden on that day. No one will escape and the agony of hell is real.
The good news is that Jesus overcame each temptation of the devil with the Word of God. Jesus was innocent of sin and paid for the sins of the world. That fact should never be used to excuse the failure of believers to resist temptation. Instead Jesus provides the hope for the sinner who seeks to live a new way of life. God has provided a way to forgive. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)." See you in church!
Submitted by Paul Ibisch, pastor emeritus and adjunct professor of religious studies at Viterbo University, telephone 608-799-0990.
You can hear people talk about church scandals. "What is the matter with those people?" The focus is on the hypocrisy of a person claiming to be a follower of the moral code set down by God in the Bible and yet doing something different. Do you think the devil picks out individuals like pastors, priests, Sunday School teachers, church council members and the like for extra temptation? Why wouldn't he? The devil chose the weakest moments in Jesus' life to approach him with the most difficult of temptations. If the devil can get a church leader to commit a public sin, then the whole church will look bad. People will tend to dismiss everyone in the church and their beliefs because of the leader. Even worse, people dismiss the seriousness of their own offenses before God.
The truth is all people sin. God's judgment day is also coming when, "he will reward each person according to what he has done (Matthew 16:27 NIV)." There will be nothing secret or hidden on that day. No one will escape and the agony of hell is real.
The good news is that Jesus overcame each temptation of the devil with the Word of God. Jesus was innocent of sin and paid for the sins of the world. That fact should never be used to excuse the failure of believers to resist temptation. Instead Jesus provides the hope for the sinner who seeks to live a new way of life. God has provided a way to forgive. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)." See you in church!
Submitted by Paul Ibisch, pastor emeritus and adjunct professor of religious studies at Viterbo University, telephone 608-799-0990.