Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom —1 Kings 2:28
Joab withstood the greatest test of his life, remaining absolutely loyal to David by not turning to follow after the fascinating and ambitious Absalom. Yet toward the end of his life he turned to follow after the weak and cowardly Adonijah. Always remain alert to the fact that where one person has turned back is exactly where anyone may be tempted to turn back (see 1 Corinthians 10:11-13 ). You may have just victoriously gone through a great crisis, but now be alert about the things that may appear to be the least likely to tempt you. Beware of thinking that the areas of your life where you have experienced victory in the past are now the least likely to cause you to stumble and fall.
We are apt to say, "It is not at all likely that having been through the greatest crisis of my life I would now turn back to the things of the world." Do not try to predict where the temptation will come; it is the least likely thing that is the real danger. It is in the aftermath of a great spiritual event that the least likely things begin to have an effect. They may not be forceful and dominant, but they are there. And if you are not careful to be forewarned, they will trip you. You have remained true to God under great and intense trials— now beware of the undercurrent. Do not be abnormally examining your inner self, looking forward with dread, but stay alert; keep your memory sharp before God. Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptations will be effective in sapping strength. The Bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones.
". . . kept by the power of God . . ."— that is the only safety. ( 1 Peter 1:5 )
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, . . . she took of its fruit and ate. —Genesis 3:6
Coyotes can't resist a tasty sheep dinner. That's why a number of years ago researchers experimented with about 500 different chemicals to develop a solution to spray on sheep that would make them "coyote proof." A compound that tasted like spicy hot sauce offered the most promise.
Scientists theorized that if the tests were successful, coyotes might lose their taste for sheep. If that were to happen, the temptation that makes coyotes a public nuisance in sheep country would be gone, and man would become the wild dog's best friend.
Sometimes I wonder why God didn't do something like that in the Garden of Eden. Why didn't He make the tree of the knowledge of good and evil bear ugly fruit? Why didn't He surround it with a chain-link fence with barbed wire at the top? Why did God even create the tree in the first place? Part of the answer, I believe, is that temptation to do evil brought Adam and Eve face to face with the ultimate moral question: Would they show confidence in their Creator and lovingly obey Him with all their heart?
We face a similar test every day. What are we going to do? Will we flunk the test? Or will we trust God completely and obey His commands?
Along life's road are obstacles—Our choice becomes a test;Help us, O Lord, to know Your wayThat we may choose what's best.
Every temptation is an opportunity to trust God.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
He who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness. —Mark 3:29
An elderly man thought he had committed the unpardonable sin. Overwhelmed with guilt, he mistakenly thought he had done something that God would not forgive.
Then a question came to his mind: If I am headed for hell, what would I want to do there? He thought, I would want to meet with others for prayer. Immediately he saw the absurdity of his fears. He knew that years earlier he had trusted Christ as his Savior, and he had a desire to know and please God. This was evidence that God's Spirit truly lived in his heart.
Many sensitive Christians fear they have done or said something that is beyond forgiveness. Maybe it was a blasphemous thought that crossed their mind. Even though they confessed it to God, they wonder if they have committed the one sin that God will not forgive.
What is the unpardonable sin? In Mark 3:22-30, we read that religious leaders accused Jesus of performing miracles by the power of Satan. We can't sin that way today, because Jesus isn't physically here on the earth.
The only unforgivable sin is to continually and willfully reject the witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Savior. Nothing but complete rejection of Christ is unpardonable. He graciously forgives all who come to Him.
There are no sins that can't be pardoned,All were paid for on the cross;It's only when the heart is hardenedThat we choose eternal loss. —D. De Haan
Christ's cleansing power can remove the deepest stain of sin