On Wednesday, 8/12/09, at 7:30 P.M., we will have ALL CHURCH PRAYER NIGHT. We'll begin with some worship, and then pray for our church, community, and nation. 
The Men's Breakfast is scheduled for Saturday, 8/15/09, at 8:00 A.M. We'll meet in the Children's Church area. Please bring a breakfast item and your Bibles!
Text: I Corinthians 10:13 (KJV) "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
Many people have been taught that God screens out all trials, tests, and temptations that we would not be able to handle. This does not jibe with other scripture passages. For example, I Timothy 6:9-12 tells us that those who seek to be rich fall into temptation. Money in itself is not evil. It's the love of money that drives men into greed and covetousness. They open themselves up to temptation. There are poor people, who love money, and rich people, who do not.
II Timothy 2:22 instructs young Timothy to flee youthful lusts. I Corinthias 6:18 & 10:15 tell us to flee idolatry. Why are we told to flee these temptations if we can handle them?
What is the right view of I Corinthians 10:13? The word "temptation" is from the Greek word "peirasmos," which means any outside source that appeals to a weakness in your flesh. Some people are tempted by laziness, eating too much food, addictions, etc. The temptations we face are common.
The word "escape" comes from the compound Greek word "ekbasis," which means "out" and "walk." This means we leave it and flee it. If we hang around where we know we'll be tempted, there's a good chance we'll give in to the temptation.
Another temptation we face is to doubt God. Are we ever given too much to handle? Yes. Think of Moses and the Children of Israel with the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian Army behind them. There was nothing they could do to save themselves, but God made a way through the Red Sea and destroyed the army.
We are not promised an exemption from insurmountable temptations, just an escape route from the temptations that are too much for us to handle. God is greater than our problems.
To hear the message in its entirety, visit our website. You can listen via the sermon player, download it to your MP3, or podcast it. If you're vacationing in the area or need a church home, we're located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Rte. 611), Warrington, PA. The church phone number is (215) 343-7686. We'd love to meet you. :)
Angel Garrett's concert is Saturday, August 8, 2009, from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. at:
Christian Pentecostal Church
971 Clinton Avenue
Irvington, NJ 07111
Tickets can be purchased through Zoe or directly from Angel's website.
Angel will also be leading worship here at Zoe on Sunday, August 16th. Come out and be blessed.
At 7:30 P.M., 8/5/09, Pastor Steve picks up the God's Boot Camp series, while the Youth Meet over in the Children's Church area.
Friday, 8/7/09, is Men's Night Out. An email will be sent with details. If you're not on the email list, call the church office at 215-343-7686.
Just because we're supposed to be reigning in life doesn't mean we are actually doing so. Yesterday, Pastor Stephen Hecht talked about what to do when negative circumstances pile on top of us.
After the Israelites made things right with God and defeated Ai, they are faced with a decision. A group of travelers appear in worn-out shoes and clothing, carrying moldy provisions. They claim they're from a distant country and want to make a covenant with the Israelites. Joshua didn't inquire of the Lord and fell for their deception. In fact, they were people of the land, Gibeonites.
With the covenant in place, Joshua tells them it will be honored, but they will be slaves. The Gibeonites are happy to be alive and agree. Meanwhile, five other kings in the area are mad at the Gibeonites and attack them. They call Joshua to assist them. He does so swiftly, and ends up defeating the five kings. Because he gave his word and kept it, God helped him defeat his enemies. Scripture tells us more of them died from a hailstorm than from the Israelite swords.
Things seem to go bad all at once. The refrigerator dies, followed by several other major appliances. You lose your job right after purchasing a new car. This is not the time to back down or be afraid.
The Gibeonites told Joshua they planned their elaborate deception because they were fearful of the Israelites. Meanwhile, the Israelites were afraid of the inhabitants of the land. They were still seeing themselves as grasshoppers. When circumstances pile up on you, it's a sure sign the enemy is afraid of your faith. He sees God moving on your behalf and counterattacks.
To hear the entire message, check out the website sermon player or download it to your MP3 player. Podcasting is also available. If you're vacationing in the area or looking for a church home, you're always welcome at Zoe Christian Fellowship. We're located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Rte. 611), Warrington, PA. The church phone is
215- 343-7686.
