JAMES 1
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
YOUR TO BLAME!
We battle three things every day, the world, the flesh and the devil.
Temptation is all around us, can God take that temptation away?
Well he could, if you want to live in a monastery or on a desert island by yourself, even in those places you would be tempted in one way or another.
No, he doesn’t take away these temptations, he gives us the power to defeat them, with the sword of the spirit in our hands and the holy spirit in our hearts.
If we overcome temptation, we will receive the crown of life, what a reward that is.
God is not the author of temptation; Does he allow us to be tempted? yes, but in those situations, he gives us the strength to overcome it.
Temptation starts slowly, it’s like this:
There is a casino, you have to walk past every day, at first you walk past it, then you gaze into the window, then you go in and look around, then you are gambling, see the progression. Psalm 1 outlines this, we are more and more passive and this leads to sin, bringing forth, not physical death but spiritual death, look at Adam and Eve and look at Samson.
We need to be proactive against temptation, lets go back to our casino scenario, what we need to do, is to find another way so that we don’t walk past that place of temptation.
Many men will say, “oh, I’ve had an affair, with this woman, it’s Gods fault that she came to my office”. If you are tempted in this situation, change jobs, don’t be inactive but proactive.
It’s like porn on your computer, many men blame God or their wives, when in reality, it’s their lust and fornication, get rid of your computer and be accountable to other men. Confess your faults to one other as it says later in James, stop blaming God and everyone else.
These verses in 1 Corinthians 10 sum it up:
13 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.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
God will give you a way of escape, but look at verse 14, you have to flee from idolatry, if you are tempted by some women at work, change jobs, if you are addicted to porn, then be accountable to others, don’t be inactive but proactive against sin, it may start small, but it will mushroom and it gives birth to only one thing and that is death.
Do not err on this point brothers and sisters.
Paul said to Timothy:
Flee also youthfullusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Not only must you flee these lusts, but you must you must follow righteousness and seek God in repentance.
You will overcome and the prize is a crown of life.
God bless you
Keith