Temptation

“Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:13-14)

Ouch!  This is hard to comprehend and even harder to practice. I cannot “pass the buck” when it comes to my sin because God by nature is holy and there is nothing in His holiness that would cause Him to find sin appealing. God, as a holy and loving Father, does not use evil to try and trip me up even though He allows trials to be a part of my life.

God is not the promoter of that which is repugnant to His very nature. The original source of evil and temptation is our very heart. The combustible matter is within us, though the flame may be blown up by some outward causes (Matthew Henry).

As a believer in Christ, I must not allow myself to be lured away from the things of God by that which is evil, sensual, or worldly. If I am to persist and remain long-term in the path which God has for me, I must keep myself from being beguiled by the things of this world which prove deceptive and seek to entrap.

I cannot overcome temptation on my own; I have a nature within me passed down from my first parents which entices me and causes me to covet things that will lead to my sin and ultimate disgrace.  

Thankfully, I have a Savior who is able to take away my disgrace through His saving grace. It is this Savior who reminds me to be dependent upon the Father in all things. He reminds me to seek after the Father’s will and the Father’s kingdom. He intends for me to call upon the One who can keep me seeking Him rather than seeking sin. My Savior knows that I am weak and that my temptations must be prayed against.  My Savior knows that I must be kept from circumstances that cause me to fall rather than stand, and walk, and run…triumphantly, victoriously, free from entanglement, and not overly weighed down.

May I lean on and toward and with Him as He leads me and guides me all along the way…

Endurance

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12)

I want to have staying power in my life and ministry to the glory and praise of God. I want to persist and remain faithful even when shadows fall, doubts crowd in, and things just get difficult. I want to be victorious. I want to win. I want to contend, fight, succeed, and overcome, not be overcome. I want to be a reaper for His cause and His kingdom.

Like the Jews of old, I desire that God’s kingdom would reign, that His redemption would flourish, and that His Messiah would provide deliverance (Matthew Henry on the Lord’s Prayer).  I desire to be obedient and do what God would have me to do rather than what I would have me to do.  I will fall short of winning and perseverance if I focus too much or too long on myself and my own whims and wishes rather than on the Father’s will.

God would not have me be mean, petty, small, or greedy when under His power and control, I can be both openhanded and bighearted.  The One who has been so generous with me wants me to be generous with others. The One who has lavished His love upon me through the giving of His Son, calls me to be lavish in my love toward others.

In order to triumph in Christ I must withstand temptations from without (pressures to sin and fail) and temptations from within (my own tendencies toward sin and failure).

 I am still seeking to arrive; in fact, I envision several construction zones yet ahead of me…I am thankful for the example and fidelity of those who have sojourned ahead of me…I am grateful not to walk the path alone.

Return

“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead. Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.” (Joel 2:13)

                                                             

In walking with the Lord from week to week, I am reminded just how gracious and compassionate He is! How wonderful for me that He is filled with unfailing love!  His love is abundant, extravagant, and steadfast. How glad I am to read of His patience and slowness with me, because I am slow with Him.  I’m slow in turning from my selfishness and often slow in crying out. I’m slow to change my clothes and even more slow to change my life.

God desires more from me than just external, momentary change. He wants more from His people and calls them to wake up! In Scripture and in modern life, He is willing to go to great lengths to get people’s attention. If He has to, He will send calamity and catastrophe; He will allow for punishment and plague even though that is not His first choice or primary modus operandi.

He wants to relent from His purpose of punishment and have pity on those He loves. He does not want for His people to be an object of scorn among the nations of the earth. He yearns for a true returning to Him which encompasses more than just outward shows of action...

In Jesus, God made that which was an object of punishment an article of grace. Jesus gave up His life for me and now He calls me daily, truly, sincerely, and completely to live and give up my life for Him. Repentance is something more than just mourning clothes and temporary tears; it’s a vital part of a verifiable, on-going, lasting transformation made possible by a love which is merciful and suffers long.

Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

Boldness

“I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.” (Isaiah 45:19)

I praise the Lord today for His otherness. I thank Him for all the things which set Him apart from everything else I might be tempted to worship or run after.

I thank Him today for His bold promises. I thank Him for the beauty of creation and the continued message of the cross. How glad I am that He doesn’t just speak in secret and mumble under His breath. His is a voice of proclamation, not a voice of obscurities and hidden or unknown intent.

He wants to be found by His people. What a comfort and encouragement is this! He encourages people to seek Him while He may be found and call upon Him while He is near. He doesn’t ask people to seek Him in vain. He doesn’t desire for them to end with nothing in places of nothingness. He is a God who is trustworthy; He is the One who both speaks and embodies Truth.

He is a God of order who is Sovereign over the created order.

He is the One who brought light out of darkness

He doesn’t desire chaos and formlessness; He desires to fashion, mold, and shape.

He is a God of righteousness and justice.

His word is truth and His declarations are upright.

I desire that I would follow this God of boldness boldly and listen as He openly declares His purposes and salvation.

As He communicates with His people, I endeavor to listen, obey, and be led by Him…

Praise Him as the Almighty Keeper of bold and enduring promises!