Satan tempts, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify if possible.)

“Satan tempts, and then he tempts a man to think it is no temptation.” -- William Bridge

“You cannot prevent the birds from flying in the air over your head, but you can certainly prevent them from building a nest in your hair.” -- Attributed to Martin Luther

“You are a lot worse than you think you are.” -- Jack Miller

“In those temptations that arise from our own hearts, we are never without fault” -- Richard Gilpin

“Temptation may even be a blessing to a man when it reveals to him his weakness and drives him to the almighty Savior.” -- F. B. Meyer

“It isn’t biblically accurate to say that temptation is only sinful when we yield to it.” -- Kyle Borg

“Christ’s temptations were all of them sinless, but very many of the temptations of fallen man are sinful: that is, they are the hankering and solicitation of forbidden and wicked desire. The desire to steal, to commit adultery, to murder, is sinful, and whoever is tempted by it to the act of theft, or adultery, or murder, is sinfully tempted.” -- W. G. T. Shedd

“And in nothing the sinfulness of sin appears more than this, that it hides all it can, the knowledge of itself.” -- Richard Sibbes

“When such a temptation comes from without, it is unto the soul an indifferent thing, neither good nor evil, unless it be consented unto; but the very proposal from within, it being the soul’s own act, is its sin.” -- John Owen

“The eye...is the broker between the heart and all wicked lusts that be in the world.” --  Lancelot Andrewes

Temptation

Titled simply “Temptation” by William Cowper in Olney Hymns

1. The billows swell, the winds are high,
Clouds overcast my wintry sky;
Out of the depths to thee I call,
My fears are great, my strength is small.

2. O Lord! the pilot’s part perform,
And guide and guard me through the storm;
Defend me from each threat’ning ill,
Control the waves, say, “Peace, be still!”

3. Amidst the roaring of the sea,
My soul still hangs her hope on thee;
Thy constant love, thy faithful care,
Is all that saves me from despair.

4. Dangers of every shape and name,
Attend the followers of the Lamb,
Who leave the world’s deceitful shore,
And leave it to return no more.

5. Though tempest-tossed, and half a wreck,
My Saviour through the floods I seek;
Let neither winds nor stormy main
Force back my shattered bark again.

William Cowper (1731-1800)
Olney Hymns, 1779

An expected end, by J. C. Philpot

"Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off." Proverbs 23:17-18

The Lord is here addressing himself to a soul labouring under temptation, and passing through peculiar exercises; and this is the exhortation that he gives it: "Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long;" watching his hand, submitting to his will, committing everything into his care and keeping; not hardening your heart against him, but looking up to him, and worshipping him with godly fear; "for surely there is an end." You may be tempted, exercised, and surrounded with difficulties, and see no outlet; but "surely there is an end;" and, when the end comes, it will make all plain and clear. This quiet submission, this watching and waiting, a man can never be brought to unless he has seen an end to all perfection; an end of his own strength, wisdom, and righteousness. To sit still is the hardest thing a man can do. To lie passive at God's footstool when all things seem to be against us; to have a rough path to walk in, to be surrounded with difficulties, and yet to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, watching his hand, desiring to submit to his will, seeking only that wisdom which cometh from above, and trusting that he will make the way straight; not putting our hand to the work, but leaving it all to the Lord—how strange, how mysterious a path! And yet it is the only one that brings solid peace to a Christian; "for surely there is an end." Whatever sorrows and troubles a man may have to wade through, there will surely be an end of them. If we try to get ourselves out of perplexities, we are like a person trying to unravel a tangled skein of silk by pulling it forcibly; the more it is pulled, the more entangled it gets, and the faster the knots become. So if we are plunged into any trial, providential or spiritual, and we attempt to extricate ourselves by main force, by kicking and rebelling, we only get more entangled. The Lord, then, to encourage us to wait patiently upon him till he shall appear, says, "Surely there is an end." This is the universal testimony of the Scripture, that the Lord appears and delivers, when there is none shut up or left; and the experience of the saints agrees with the testimony of the written word: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

J. C. Philpot - 1802-1869

Temptation

"Lead me not into temptation...I'll usually find the way there all by myself." (copied)

Tempted in all points, yet without sin

Man in his bent towards evil is in perfect contrast to the GOD of heaven and earth who will not so much as look upon sin (see Hab.1:13) for “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Gen 6:5)

We see this contrast most evidently when we look upon the LORD JESUS CHRIST who came into the world born of a woman just like every other man who has been born in time. HE “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15) In fact, HE “did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:” (1Pe 2:22). The reason that HE committed no sin was that HE had no corruptible nature. HE said to HIS disciples, “for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” (John 14:30)

The prince of this world has no power at all against HIM who is without a sin nature. It is impossible that HE should in any way be tainted with the corruption of any sin. The LORD JESUS was free from sin in every aspect except that HE willingly and effectively bore the penalty and guilt of our sin on Calvary’s cross. HE who was totally without sin “became” sin for us, HE who could not be blamed for our sin, took our blame and nailed it to HIS cross, setting us forever free from any condemnation. What a glorious SAVIOR!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.’ (Eph 1:3-7)

-- by Mike McInnis, O’Brien, FL, Shreveport Grace Church bulletin, July 27