Monday,
August 19, 2019
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 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 1:12-13
Temptation is the seed of sin, and Satan plants
it. We cannot control the thoughts that
enter our minds. However, as Martin
Luther pointed out, though we cannot prevent the birds from circling over us, we can stop
them from nesting in our hair!
Satan may plant the seed as a temptation; growing it to a bumper crop is
our fault!
THE DIRECTION
TEMPTATION TAKES TO BECOME SIN
There are dozens of examples in the Bible of this
pathway – however, David’s sin with Bathsheba is striking. Let’s use that as our roadmap to compare it
with what James is teaching us about the way sin defeats believers.
Desire (James 1:14)
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
David (2 Samuel 11) saw Bathsheba, a very
beautiful, but married woman. God
created desire in us; it’s necessary that we be interested in the opposite sex
if our species is to continue. However,
just like fire, which is a good thing – if you handle it in a way God didn’t
intend, you will suffer the consequences.
Someone once said that lust is what develops with the second
look. First is desire, then…
Decision (James 1:15a)
These desires give birth to sinful actions.
These desires give birth to sinful actions.
Once the decision is made in the heart to abandon what
is known to be right (that which is approved by God), the line is crossed
between Satan’s work, and our receiving sin into our lives. David saw Bathsheba, and it was only a
temptation. The minute he began
inquiring about her, wanting her, (knowing she was married, and therefore outside
of God’s approval), the desire was intensified to lust. There is a play on words in this verse and
verse 13 – desires is like the cravings of a pregnant
woman. They are exceedingly strong, as
any husband and father who has ever made a 2am trip to WalMart for pickles can
tell you! A woman great with child can
exert great control over a man of average intelligence and reasoning. It is that way with our God-given
desires. If Satan places a temptation
before you – something outside of God’s approval – and when you stay,
lingering, wondering, the lure has a hook attached, and you are very close to
being reeled-in! The hand’s disobedience
is only a thought removed from the heart’s disobeying! Desire, Decision, then…
Disobedience (sinful actions)
The word in this text for giving birth is actually a military word; it means take prisoner. The long look created lust; the lust carries you away and you are its prisoner! Satan’s work is successful. He handed off the temptation, you accepted it, and are now running down the field.
The word in this text for giving birth is actually a military word; it means take prisoner. The long look created lust; the lust carries you away and you are its prisoner! Satan’s work is successful. He handed off the temptation, you accepted it, and are now running down the field.
Annie was our
American Pit bulldog/lab mix. She was
only about 65 pounds, but when the bulldog mentality in her took over, she had
the strength of Samson! Our daughter
Carrie and her husband Shannon had a young Rottweiler named Magnum
who outweighed Annie by a ton and a half.
Once when Elizabeth and I stayed at their apartment to dog-sit, I was told to walk the
dogs. Just like an unsuspecting child, I
accepted the leash from that temptress I’ve lived with for over 50 years. Bulldog and bad-dog in tow, I never saw the
lady coming, the one with the two Huskies, the ones Annie really didn’t
like! Magnum decided to join Annie’s
attitude, and when they took off after them I was dragged along like a sack of
dirty laundry. I couldn’t have held them
back with a brigade of Storm Troopers. Now,
the analogy is clear. The leash was offered
to me, and I accepted it. But once I had
the leash it was mine; or so I thought!
Sin is always like that. You
start off thinking, Man, this is
great, I will…then, the hook
sets, and you get dragged along; you get reeled in, scaled and cooked! Desire, Decision, Disobedience, and…
Death! James 1:15b
And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
It’s the payoff!
The payoff for King David’s sexual affair was the blowing-apart of his
family and the kingdom God entrusted to his leadership erupted in civil war. The leash led him to places he never intended
to go! And we don’t have a leg to stand
on either. The Devil SUGGESTS
sin; he cannot MAKE us sin; that is our choice.
For You Today
James has the
last word:
Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer. James 1:14-15(TMNT)
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[1] Title Image:
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©
