For Thought and Meditation - Tuesday, November 16

[Pine Baron]

Good morning all. Well, this is one message that I admit to struggling with. Guilty as charged. Have a safe and blessed day.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - Pastor Greg Laurie
Resisting Ourselves

"Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away."
—James 1:14

When my son Jonathan was very young, I found him playing video games one morning when he was supposed to be doing his homework. With the controller in his hand and a guilty expression on his face, he told me, “Dad, I couldn’t resist myself.”

He didn’t say that he couldn’t resist the video games or the temptation to play video games. Rather, he said that he couldn’t resist himself. And I thought that was about the most accurate description of temptation I’ve heard.

After we fall into temptation, we like to say the Devil made us do it or that someone entrapped us or a certain situation just happened, and therefore we had no control over the circumstances. But God never will give us more than we can handle or allow us to be tempted above our capacity to resist.

The Bible tells us, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT).

Scripture clearly says that temptation does not come from God. James wrote, “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else” (James 1:13 NLT).

Instead, James says that “temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away” (verse 14 NLT). We play a key role in our own temptation. Now, clearly the Devil will work in concert with the flesh and this world to bring us down, but we have to cooperate.

Yet when temptation comes to us as Christians, we do not fight for victory. Rather, we fight from victory. In other words, we rest in the finished work that Christ has accomplished for us on the cross.

[USMC87]

A great much needed lesson today, Amen!

[Wayne Smith]

Something to think about - If I don't want it, it's not tempting. The want is in me, the object of my desire is innocent. Yes, temptation is a major issue, but it is an internal one, not an external one. In part, for me, it was consciously avoiding the opportunity to be tempted.

All too often we tease ourselves with temptation. We let ourselves imagine the object, let ourselves imagine having it, all the while telling ourselves we would never do it. That's not what James says - if we tease ourselves we will eventually do what ever it is.

If I understand the need to avoid the opportunity to be tempted I understand the the issue is in me and not out there. As long as I can locate the issue outside of myself I can avoid doing anything about it, once I see it in myself I can do something about it.

[dverna]

Great message. Temptation is ever present and we must deal with it. Heck, we have enterprises created to push temptation on us.

Plastic surgeons do far more breast enhancements and tummy tucks than reconstructive work. Women do not have these procedures done to bring their husbands/boyfriends closer to God. They want men to lust after them....they want to tempt men...and a few want to tempt other women. They will not accept how God created them but want something "better". AND IT WORKS!

I have heard Christian men talk about the boob job their wife has had...and comment on another mans wife who has been "improved". And those comments are not those one would use to describe a fine piece of art.