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Teaching Us To Think (Part Three): Proving God's Will

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

As God tests His people, He desires that they test and prove His Laws to demonstrate that they invariably work, to prove these principles by following them.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Sermon by Ryan McClure

It is solely God's prerogative to test and to prove, while Satan's function is to tempt, to trip up, and to destroy. God tests but does not tempt.

Limiting the Holy One of Israel (Part One)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God has self-imposed limitations when we go against His commands, testing His patience, purposely limiting Him by our faithlessness, robbing ourselves of blessings.

Are You an Israelite?

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Most of ancient Israel, because of their hardened hearts, did not please God. We must reflect on the the ways they stumbled so we can walk differently.

Decide Now How You Will Respond!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God's chosen saints should realize that while Satan designs temptations to exploit human weakness, Almighty God allows trials to perfect faith and prove loyalty. Consequently, every temptation provides a choice between life or death, blessing or curse. In James 1:13-15, we learn that dealing with temptation is a process, beginning with raw desire, resulting either in resistance and growth or in sin and death. God sets limits on the work of Satan, the accuser, as seen in the positive conclusion of Job's trials. We see a massive contrast between Adam and Eve's failure and Christ's victory. While Eve gave in to the lust of the eyes, Jesus overcame Satan's threefold test—hunger, faith, and power by prayer, fasting, God's Spirit, and Scripture, proving that yielding to legitimate desires becomes sin if pursued outside the will of Almighty God. While temptation is universal, it is not irresistible; no one is ever forced to yield. Furthermore, God promises to provide strength and a way to escape (I Corinthians 10:13). While society excuses sin as weakness or disease, Scripture contends that responsibility rests on the individual. Scripture provides examples of both failure and faithfulness. Failures include Lot, Achan, the rich young ruler (overtaken by greed and materialism), Saul, Absalom, Herod (overtaken by ambition), Peter (overtaken by self-preservation), and Israel (by idolatry). But victories include Job's endurance, Joseph's purity, David's restraint, and Christ's resistance. Temptation reveals whether our hearts will trust God or surrender to selfish desires. We can resist temptation only through deliberate preparation, guarding our hearts, setting boundaries, relying on God's spirit, and clinging to His Word. With God's strength, His chosen saints can endure, resist, and gain eternal life.

Numbers (Part Two): Graves in the Wilderness

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

If we, like Israel of old, choose to sin, we will receive the same consequence. Two thirds of the book of Numbers emphasizes that if we sin, we die.

The Doctrine of Israel (Part Three): A Cycle of Rebellion

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Israel consistently cycles through God's deliverance, apostasy through idolatry and immorality, God's chastening, national repentance, then deliverance again.

Don't Grow Weary While Doing Good

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

When facing the character-building tests God provides, we may become weary, forgetting that these trials are necessary for God to test what is in our hearts.

Debate

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Bible takes a very dim view of argument, debate, discord, and strife. In all matters of contention, we must strive to put ourselves above the fray.