1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,200 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the. 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,720 Everlasting mercies which? Sent you to us, O Christ, the 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,880 light of the world and the life of all. 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,920 Give us wisdom by your law and enlighten our impulses by Your 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,920 knowledge. Sanctify our souls by your 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,760 truth, and grant that we may be obedient to your words and may 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,760 fulfil Your commandments at every hour. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,920 O You who enlightens the rational with the knowledge of 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,480 Your greatness, do enlight, O my. 11 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,760 Lord, our thoughts. That we may meditate upon Your 12 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:39,080 holy and divine Scriptures at all times, O Lord of all, Father 13 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,240 and Son. And Holy Spirit forever. 14 00:00:42,040 --> 00:01:06,040 Amen. One very common experience we 15 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:12,440 will and we all share and admit that it is intensified during 16 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,160 fasting. During this period of Lent of 17 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:21,880 fasting is temptation. Now why did I say during fast or 18 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,720 during the time of Lent? The great fast and during any 19 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,880 fasting is number one? Because Adam and Eve, our first 20 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,280 parents were tempted while fasting. 21 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,560 Genesis chapter 3 verse three we read. 22 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:40,600 But of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the 23 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:46,400 garden, God has said, you shall not eat of it, said Eve. 24 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:53,920 To the Satan or to the serpent. So our biological fathers were 25 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,480 tempted while they were abstaining. 26 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,440 Always remember fasting meanings means abstaining. 27 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:05,000 They didn't eat Christ praise and glory be to his name. 28 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:09,199 In Matthew chapter 4 verses 2:00 and 3:00 and also in the Gospel 29 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:14,600 of Luke fasted and Luke comments that he did not eat for 40 days 30 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,520 and 40 nights. Then the tempter Satan 31 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:28,280 approached him to tempt him. So 2 We who are Adam like by 32 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:33,400 nature, and Christ like by grace, must prepare and accept 33 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,960 the attacks of the tempter, as we too have entered our 34 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:43,640 wilderness fasting. If you are not enduring 35 00:02:43,640 --> 00:02:48,880 temptation, it is because of one or two reasons. 36 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:54,600 Either you are complete in faith and deeds and have overcome the 37 00:02:54,600 --> 00:03:00,000 tempter that is Satan, or you are in compliance in faith and 38 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:05,560 deeds with the tempter himself. But for those who are struggling 39 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:11,800 while fasting, if you're struggling with temptation, do 40 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,840 not fret, Don't worry, don't throw in the towel, but be 41 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,400 encouraged. Actually be joyous and count it 42 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,960 your blessings. Take it as a blessing. 43 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:30,280 Now you may be asking what, what or is it what or why? 44 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:37,520 Well, remember, we or you are by nature a human being. 45 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:42,240 You're an Adamite created by God in his image and his likeness. 46 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,520 Whom? Lucifer, Isaiah chapter 14 verse 47 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:54,800 12, the fallen Angel Lucifer or in the Aramaic shut the version 48 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:00,800 wailer at dawn. That is Satan himself despises, 49 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,560 he despises you, he despises us. We're Alamites. 50 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,320 We're created by God in his image and his like in likeness 51 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:16,920 and also we or you are Christ like by nature Christ whom the 52 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:23,680 tempter had the audacity to dare to tempt and try to cause to 53 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:31,080 concede to his temptation. An alarming yet encouraging 54 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:40,000 verse in Luke chapter 23 verse 31 is this Jesus says for if 55 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,640 they that is the Romans who did what they did to Jesus Christ 56 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:51,160 for if they are doing these things which with Greenwood, 57 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,400 what will happen with the dried wood. 58 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:58,960 Now let's put it in the fasting perspective. 59 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:07,840 If Christ, that green tree, that ever flourishing and everlasting 60 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:13,600 and continuous and ever living on account of His divinity, who 61 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:18,200 was laden with fruits, bearing much fruits of His teachings 62 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:25,240 which nourished everyone, He was treated how He was by Satan, 63 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:31,960 what will He not do to you and I who are barren of holiness, of 64 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,080 righteousness and are so fruitless? 65 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:39,920 What will He do to us? He tempted Jesus Christ our 66 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:45,000 Lord, our Savior, the Son of man, the Son of God, God 67 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,840 Incarnate. He tempted him. 68 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,160 What will he do to you and I? We say in Assyrian, he will play 69 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,680 football with us or tennis or basketball. 70 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,920 What are we going to call it? He will play havoc with us, 71 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,520 beloved, especially during fasting, because that's what 72 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,960 we're talking about. So yes, let's rejoice and take 73 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:13,800 courage being tempted and learn from them, beloved, understand 74 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,840 them, fathom them, learn what from them. 75 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:25,120 Again, since we are being tempted, we are also tried or we 76 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:32,160 are tested by God during Satan's temptations, not God's 77 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:33,760 temptations. And we're going to read the 78 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:35,440 verse which we've quoted many times. 79 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:40,520 But as a refresher, when we are tempted by Satan, we are tested 80 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,920 by God as well. So during that time, let's 81 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:49,240 rejoice, let's not fret, but let's bear the burden of the 82 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,920 temptations. However, bear them not through 83 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,400 your own strength, knowledge and wisdom. 84 00:06:55,400 --> 00:07:01,960 Know our ability, but bear them through the grace of God, the 85 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:06,040 strength that God will give us through by his grace and mercy 86 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:11,760 graciously in one Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13, we read no 87 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:15,120 temptation has has come upon you. 88 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,800 No temptation has come upon you except that of the children of 89 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,040 men. That is temptations are owing to 90 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,280 the weakness of the flesh because the flesh is weak. 91 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:30,800 The flesh has the desires. Temptations come upon those evil 92 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,240 desires. Now that's why Jesus took on our 93 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,320 flesh. Praise and glory be to his name. 94 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:41,080 He took on the weakness of our not that he is weak, not that he 95 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:42,880 is evil hastily. No, no, no. 96 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:49,680 But he took on this weak, excuse me, defiled and fruitless flesh 97 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,960 that was overcome by Satan and the temptation in the Garden of 98 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:58,840 Eden to overcome Satan through his obedience. 99 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,120 So no temptation has come upon you except that of the children 100 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,280 of men. That means that means you know 101 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:09,360 human beings. But God, see, God is faithful, 102 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,320 not men. Not men. 103 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:16,200 That's why we need to seek God's grace and to give us strength to 104 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:18,320 overcome these temptations. Not men. 105 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,720 It is God's assistance we need to ask and to pray for. 106 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,760 Lord help me, Lord, grant me the prudence. 107 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:31,160 Lord, grant me the alertness to be awake, to be watchful during 108 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:37,240 these times, and to be to be awake and to understand and to 109 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:41,840 choose and to be prudent to know what is the temptation of Satan. 110 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,520 And the verse goes on to say, God is faithful who shall not 111 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:52,040 allow you to be tempted more than whatever you are able, but 112 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,720 shall make an exit for your temptation so that you can 113 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,200 endure. God will find a way for you, not 114 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,920 you. So this is the problem. 115 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,800 We try to overcome our temptations through our own 116 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,520 knowledge and understanding and strength. 117 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:13,000 No, no, no, God will find a way. God will find the exit. 118 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:17,680 God will find the way that you will exit your temptation so 119 00:09:17,680 --> 00:09:21,280 that you can endure them. So endure them because knowing 120 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,880 that God will, will, will, will, will, there will come a time 121 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,080 where God will help you to exit those temptations. 122 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:34,840 Our ability to bear our temptations comes from the grace 123 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:39,920 of God, beloved, which we obtained by asking him now, not 124 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,840 asking him according to our will, according to our 125 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,400 understanding and our knowledge. No, no, no, according to his 126 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,680 will, His timing. See, Saint Paul had a 127 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:54,400 temptation. Saint Paul had a had a struggle 128 00:09:54,680 --> 00:09:59,160 from the enemy which is Satan in Second Corinthians chapter 12 129 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:06,600 verse 9, God's answer to Saint Paul who three times constantly 130 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:10,760 requested for the removal of the thorn in his flesh. 131 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,760 Now you know, I, I heard, I heard once someone was preaching 132 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:20,120 and if you pray to the Lord and you do not receive, you do not 133 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:26,240 have faith. What Saint Paul, who wrote 2/3 134 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:30,560 of the Bible of the New Testament three times, asked God 135 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:33,560 to take that thorn away from his flesh three times. 136 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:39,080 So he did not have faith because God did not cure him. 137 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:43,520 No, no, no. But God replied to him, my grace 138 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,760 is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness. 139 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,640 So if someone says to you, are you asking and you're not 140 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,320 receiving, you don't have faith, you say no, no, no, no, no. 141 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,440 You can't judge my faith. You don't know because it could 142 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,680 be God's grace that is sufficient for me. 143 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:04,800 And God could be using me for his power to be perfected in my 144 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,840 weakness. So if there is no removal of 145 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:15,160 temptations, no ease, God may be showing His strength through 146 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,200 you. God may be perfecting His 147 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:24,320 strength through you to show that you can do through God and 148 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:29,360 to persevere and not grumble when we are tempted. 149 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,520 Let us also keep in mind, beloved, the reason for our 150 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,080 temptations. See, we forget this. 151 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:43,720 We, we, we sometimes overlook and sometimes we, you know, we 152 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:48,640 ignore it, purposely ignore it. No, no, no, the reason for our 153 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:52,840 temptation as state stated by Saint James in chapter 1 verse 154 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:57,360 14. We are tempted from our own 155 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:04,880 desires and lusts and we are seduced our own desires and our 156 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:08,440 lusts, evil desires and our lusts, which are our weaknesses, 157 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:14,280 our foolishness and our desires. Let's identify our desires and 158 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,320 lusts that subdue us to sin. Why? 159 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:22,360 Because these are the target point for Satan to shoot his 160 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:29,240 flaming arrows. Be aware one man's desires and 161 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,800 lusts become Satan's target for his flaming arrows of 162 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,680 temptation. Now you may be thinking, you may 163 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:39,640 be saying, you may be whispering, you may be 164 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,680 grumbling, you may be screaming, I don't know. 165 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:45,680 You may be you may be asking father, what if I failed? 166 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:51,200 What if I have conceded and giving given into my temptation 167 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:59,480 cause of my evil, weakness and foolishness and Foley do I go 168 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,400 and visit in and out? Do I go? 169 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:07,240 Straight to Namino or patrol or craving kebabs and it's done. 170 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:13,000 Throwing my my towel and go back to my normal eating and normal, 171 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,840 you know, daily routine and don't worry about fast and do I 172 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,520 break my fast? You know, I said in the Assyrian 173 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:25,040 section, sometimes we so ponder on things that are truly 174 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,360 irrelevant, specially the food factor. 175 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,400 Yeah, there are times when we've we've witnessed that, you know, 176 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:35,800 you accidentally eat something that have some dairy products 177 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:39,880 and then and then someone will say, oh, there was butter in 178 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:41,920 there. Like what have you done? 179 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,400 Like relax, relax. OK. 180 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:46,480 Not what goes in a man defiles a man. 181 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,400 It's what come out what comes out of a man defiles a man. 182 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,800 Now, I don't mean that we don't fast from food. 183 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,560 We spoke about this last last episode, right? 184 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,920 No, you don't throw in the towel because you had a speck of 185 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,000 butter or or cheese or what have you. 186 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:05,040 No, don't throw in the towel because you conceded to your 187 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:09,840 temptation, because you took your eyes of the grace of God, 188 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:15,000 because you, you, you, you, you put down your, your shield of 189 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:19,400 protection and you put down your guard in front of Satan the 190 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,240 tempter and you fell. No, no, get up. 191 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,920 Pick up and continue where you left. 192 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,520 Continue where you left off. Learning from your mistake and 193 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:34,640 Foley. Learn from it because you are 194 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,160 weak now. Don't take for granted and don't 195 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:42,920 take lightly because I I continue to concede in my 196 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,080 weaknesses and my temptation and I say no. 197 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,600 Don't take it lightly, but learn from it. 198 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,360 Why? Why did I concede? 199 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,000 What was the cause of me to concede? 200 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,760 It was a best friend. Well, cut off that best friend 201 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,520 is a family friend. Cut off that family friend. 202 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:06,280 Not hate and have nothing to do. No, cut it off if it was a 203 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:10,120 specific place, cut off that specific place. 204 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,080 Jesus instructs and and commands. 205 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:19,240 If your eye causes you to sin, gadget out and it's not only 206 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:23,800 seeing things. No, the church fathers say that 207 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,880 and comment that this eye could also mean a very special person, 208 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:34,240 a very special friend, a very special relative family friend. 209 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:39,120 No, cut that person out. Cut that place out and then 210 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:43,440 continue to toil and struggle and soldier on. 211 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:47,720 Continue, beloved, continue to enter the narrow gate. 212 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:52,120 Enter. Strive to enter the narrow gate. 213 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,040 Continue. Don't give up. 214 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,200 Why? Because Jesus, who took on our 215 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,960 flesh. Now what does that mean again? 216 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:06,600 Took on that putrid flesh, that sinful evil desired flesh, took 217 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:12,560 it on, was born with it, then faced Satan and hammered Satan, 218 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:18,160 put Satan to naughty to nil, hammered Satan with these 219 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,400 temptations, took it into the baptism, by the way, he took it 220 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,920 in the waters of baptism to cleanse it and hammered Satan 221 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:30,200 with it. And then started to preach and 222 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:34,720 give hope to flesh to US one more time, and then took it up 223 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,000 on the cross and nailed it to the cross. 224 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:43,400 This Jesus Christ is not a Lord who awaits to condemn, to be had 225 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:47,240 to hang. No, no, he doesn't do that. 226 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:51,160 He's a merciful, gracious Jesus Christ. 227 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,680 Why does he not wait to condemn, to behead, and to hang? 228 00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:02,480 Because he understands He has been there and overcome that. 229 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:09,280 Not been there and done that. No has the He has been there and 230 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:12,280 overcome that. Now there is a verse that is 231 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,359 probably coming to mind of those who read their Holy Scriptures. 232 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:19,920 Yes, Hebrews chapter 4 verses 15 to 16. 233 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:27,920 We do not have a high priest. A side note for those who teach 234 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:34,560 and argue that there is no more priesthood, well #1 nothing that 235 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:38,040 is God's and is of Jesus Christ ends. 236 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,080 It's eternal. This priesthood is eternal. 237 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:46,000 So if Jesus is the high priest and he is, if he is the high 238 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,960 priest, which priest is the the height of what priesthood? 239 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,200 The priesthood that is now in the Apostolic churches. 240 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:53,360 Amen. God bless you. 241 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,760 Let's go on. So for he, for we do not have a 242 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:03,560 high priest who cannot suffer or sympathize with our weakness, 243 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:10,960 but one who was tempted in all things like we are. 244 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,240 So you're going through a temptation and you've dropped 245 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:18,920 the ball and you've conceded to your temptation and have sinned. 246 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:23,920 Well, Jesus was tempted in all things like you are. 247 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:26,840 Take heart, guy, Come on, come on. 248 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:30,280 How beautiful is this? You should be now if you feel 249 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,560 gloomy because you know you've during this time again, you've 250 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:37,200 felt you should get up now and praise the Lord and say, Oh my 251 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,000 God, thank you, Lord God, thank you. 252 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:44,560 Yes, you were tempted in all things like I am, but you did 253 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,760 not sin. You're apart from sin. 254 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,160 You are. You are perfect. 255 00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:54,960 So we have a high priest who sympathizes with us because he 256 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:58,320 was tempted, but he did not sin. And then Saint Paul says, here 257 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,080 it is. This is what you do if you ask 258 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,720 the question, what do I do if I sin and if I drop the ball, if 259 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,640 I've, if I've done something that I shouldn't during, during 260 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:07,640 Lent? This is what Paul is saying. 261 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:13,160 Let's come, therefore, publicly to the throne of His grace. 262 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,960 Come out, cry it out. I'm going to go back to the 263 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:21,160 throne of the grace of Jesus Christ, the mercy of Jesus 264 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:22,160 Christ. Why? 265 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:27,000 So that I receive that mercy and that I shall find grace to help 266 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,240 in a time of suffering. I'm suffering now, and there is 267 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,520 the grace. I have now been comforted. 268 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,360 Lord, You were tempted. You know what I'm going through, 269 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,720 but you didn't sin. Forgive me, Lord. 270 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:43,320 Forgive me, Lord, grant me the strength to to learn from why I 271 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:47,760 have come where I am, to learn why I've defiled myself, and 272 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:51,320 grant me the strength to continue to trust in You and not 273 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:56,080 to go back to my vomit like a dog who returns back to his 274 00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:00,200 vomit. You shall find grace. 275 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,080 That is the power to overcome temptation. 276 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:07,840 By grace, beloved. I want to share with you Saint 277 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,080 John Chrysostom on some of his homilies and writings on 278 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,600 fasting. He writes yes, for therefore you 279 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,840 took up arms. You've taken up arms where from 280 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:21,520 the time of baptism you receive the Holy Spirit. 281 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:27,080 You have been enlisted in the army of God from the time of 282 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,080 your baptism. Yes, for therefore you took up 283 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:33,480 arms not to be idle, but to fight. 284 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:35,800 Meaning there's going to be a competition. 285 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,840 Satan is going to attempt not only during fasting, but we're 286 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,200 talking about the length. Remember last week's program, 287 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,920 not only the 40 days or the seven weeks, no, this got to 288 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,800 continue your, your war. War is going to your battles, 289 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:53,440 going to continue, not to be idle, but to fight for this 290 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,800 cause. Neither that God, neither does 291 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:01,040 God hinder the temptations as they come on you. 292 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,680 He won't, at times He won't stop these temptations. 293 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,320 He will allow the temptations to come to you. 294 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,920 Why? First, to teach you that you 295 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:16,120 have become much stronger when you overcome that evil habit, 296 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:20,240 that demon that is within you, whether it's gambling, 297 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:27,360 pornographic, sexual immorality, homosexuality, you know, fraud, 298 00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:33,000 extortion, gossip, cussing, drunk hardness, whatever it is, 299 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:38,800 drugs, whatever it is, when you overcome them, you are stronger. 300 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,200 Because through those temptations God has strengthened 301 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:48,160 you. 2nd that you may continue modest, neither be exalted even 302 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,840 by the greatness of your gifts. He writes the temptations having 303 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,080 power to repress you. So you go through temptations. 304 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,600 When you go through that temptation and you sometimes 305 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,440 stumble and fall, that's God telling you you're not perfect 306 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,080 yet. Don't take on the world. 307 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,320 Just because you've read 2 pages of the scriptures and three 308 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,600 verses from the Gospel of John, the divine Gospel of John, 309 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,400 doesn't mean you are a macho spiritual man. 310 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:17,920 You got to be careful. You got to continue to fight 311 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,880 because Satan is going to continue to tempt you and God 312 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:23,320 will allow that to strengthen you and to humble you. 313 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,440 So through our temptations, we are humbled. 314 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,280 When I am tempted, I must be humbled and say, Lord, I need 315 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:32,360 you, Lord, forgive me, Lord, at your feet. 316 00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:37,480 And he goes on to say, third, in order that the wicked demon who 317 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:41,240 is for a while doubtful about your desertion, your abandonment 318 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:44,040 of him, which he thinks, no, no, you know what this guy's is? 319 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:46,560 This is my he's, he's, he's on my side. 320 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,520 This guy is mine. But through temptation, when he 321 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:55,320 thinks that you are his, by the standard of temptations, may be 322 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:59,600 well assured that you have utterly forsaken and fallen from 323 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,720 Him. Through your temptations, you're 324 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:06,720 overcoming the temptations. By the grace of God, Satan knows 325 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,600 that you have fallen from him. You have forsaken him. 326 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:15,200 You are not his property. You are the property of Jesus 327 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,960 Christ who brought you by his blood. 328 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:23,360 Fourthly, that you may in this way be made stronger and better 329 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,920 tempered, toughened than any still through temptation. 330 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:32,480 When you overcome, you become even stronger to continue to 331 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:37,120 fight the battle, to continue to take on the fiery flames, the 332 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:41,760 the, the, the the fiery arrows, flaming arrows of Satan, to 333 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:46,440 continue to stand steadfast even if you fall, even if you fall. 334 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:50,800 And lastly, that you may obtain a a clear demonstration of the 335 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,720 treasures, that is the eternal life entrusted to you. 336 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:01,280 Yes, our prayers should be as taught by Jesus Christ. 337 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:06,520 Do not lead us into trials that come from the temptations, but 338 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:11,680 if you do, Lord, deliver me from the defeat, the pleasure and 339 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:18,280 satisfaction of the evil. 1 Saint Ephrem the Assyrian writes 340 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:26,240 To men that are just and upright temptations become helps, think 341 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:28,720 about that. To people, let me put it this 342 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,600 way. To those that are just and 343 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,880 upright temptations become helps. 344 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,800 Think about it, beloved. So join me in beseeching the 345 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:47,160 Lord and saying Lead me not into trials, but deliver me from the 346 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,360 evil 10. Gracious Lord God, praise and 347 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:53,000 glory be to your name now and at all times and forever. 348 00:24:53,680 --> 00:25:22,130 Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's 349 00:25:22,130 --> 00:25:24,450 message. Please don't forget to rate and 350 00:25:24,450 --> 00:25:27,690 review this podcast and share with your friends and family for 351 00:25:27,690 --> 00:25:29,890 any future topics. 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