@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Be Ready for Temptation

There’s not a person on earth who has not been tempted. Even Jesus, the only perfect man, was tempted to sin by the devil. Temptations will come to us all, so it makes sense to be prepared for them. How do we do that? Whilst there are numerous things that may be helpful, one stands head and shoulders above the rest, and it is to endeavour to keep our eyes upon Jesus. Writing to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Firstly, he’s telling them that they are not unusual. The temptations they face are ‘common to man’. Secondly, he’s reminding them that God will not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear, and that when temptation comes, He will make a ‘way of escape’ for them. In other words, their best choice is to stay close to God, for it is His direction and guidance that will be crucial in their temptation response. God will always provide you with a way through temptation, today, tomorrow, and the rest of your life on earth, but don’t think that it will always happen automatically. If we’re not listening to Jesus, we may not hear His vital guidance. Be ready!