Another blog written by me but half inspired by a wonderful sermon by the ever-wise (i made it up okay?) Pastor Perry! :) I can personally promise you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if you are reading this blog, you have been tempted into sin. But what exactly is temptation? Is it like a trial? No, there is a difference... -Trials are God's tools designed to strengthen us, where as temptations are Satan's tools designed to weaken us. Sin is separation from God, therefore God wants nor has any part of it, so He would not try and lure us into it to see if we take the bait. Temptations may come to us during trials, but the Lord still is not trying to make us sin. 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: 1:14 but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 1:15 Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death. Four Facts About Temptation 1. Temptation is inevitable. (Because it leads to sin, and no human is free of sin. Verse 14 says "...each man is tempted...") 2. Temptation is never directed by God. (Verse 13 says "for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempteth no man...") 3. Temptation is personal. (Notice in verse 14 the words that I have made bold indicate that temptations that come to you are of course going to be something that you could be tempted with.) 4. Temptation has a predictable pattern. (Verse 14 explains the pattern... temptation that is accepted and leads to sin can only lead to one place for 'the wages of sin is death.'") Practical Ways To Handle Temptation 1. Actively counteract temptation, don't tolerate it.... 4:7 Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 2, View temptation through God's eyes, not Satan's. (To God, temptation is a big problem with big consequences, but Satan would have us think the opposite...) 3. FEED YOUR SOUL WITH SCRIPTURE. (A perfect example being Jesus's temptation for forty days and forty nights. No matter what He was tempted with, everyone of His responses began with "It is written,...") 119:9 Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed `thereto' according to thy word. Can You Follow Moses Example? 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 11:25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. |
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