Don't be hooked!

Who doesn’t love a good fish story, and that is what they are oftentimes “story.” Well tonight we are looking at not being deceived and James words of admonition, education and edification for glorification.

Think about this for just a minute, who loves to fish? Fishing is deception, don’t get hooked by it. Fishing or phishing is very common today, in our society there is advertising deception, do this and get this, buy this and have this, and the list could go on. But in our passage today there are some great truths we can learn about deception so it is revealed and it dealt with and it does not hinder you from what God wants for you.

James 1:4 NASB95

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Complete and lacking nothing.

Don’t be deceived: God does not tempt

Have you ever heard “God is tempting me!” Well that is contrary to what the scripture says, so let’s look at what God does say, what God does.

James 1:13–14 NASB95

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

James 1:15–16 NASB95

15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

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We need to understand temptation (Gen3:12-14; 1Jn2:15-16)

We need to understand the source of temptation (Jm1:14; 2Cor2:11; Eph2:2)

We need to understand the power of temptation (Gal3:1)

We need to understand the way to have victory over temptation (Jm4:7-8; 2Cor10:5)

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We need to understand temptation (Gen3:12-14; 1Jn2:15-16)

Temptation may not have been there in the beginning but God allowed temptation to happen.

We need to understand the power of temptation (Gal3:1)

Genesis 3:12–13 NASB95

12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

We need to understand the way to have victory over temptation (Jm4:7-8; 2Cor10:5)

Genesis 3:14 NASB95

14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life;

Temptation that lead to sin, Adam blames God for the woman, the woman blames the serpent, and look at the result.

It makes me think of what John had to say

1 John 2:15–16 NASB95

15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

May we remember that God does not tempt; that would be contrary to the Word and contrary to His nature.

1 John 2:17 NASB95

17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

We need to understand temptation (Gen3:12-14; 1Jn2:15-16)

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We need to understand the source of temptation (Jm1:14; 2Cor2:11; Eph2:2)

As you just read some of the source of temptation, let me give you some more proof of the source.

James 1:14 NASB95

14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

It comes from within, it deception that is put into action. Temptation can be a lure (to try to attract you) it can be a snare (something hidden but catches you) and both can lead you away.

It starts with desire (or look at a couple of other verrsions on what it says)

James 1:14 ISV

14 Instead, each person is tempted by his own desire, being lured and trapped by it.

Own lust

James 1:14 NASB95

14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

own evil desire

James 1:14 NIV

14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

(lure of sin slide here)

So from desire, it lures to action (conception of sin)

From action to birth (of sin)

From birth to death (because of sin)

We need to understand temptation (Gen3:12-14)

We need to understand the source of temptation (Jm1:14; 2Cor2:11; Eph2:2)

We need to understand the power of temptation (Gal3:1)

We need to understand the way to have victory over temptation (Jm4:7-8; 2Cor10:5)

2 Corinthians 2:11 NASB95

11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

We need to understand the way to have victory over temptation (Jm4:7-8; 2Cor10:5)

Temptation, deception come from Satan, they are his schemes for he is the Father of lies (deception)

John 8:44 NASB95

44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

and the prince of the power of the air

Ephesians 2:2 NASB95

2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

not only the power of the air, but the spirit that is working in the sons of disobedience, and there is a certain power available to him now that can be very deceptive to the Christian

We need to understand temptation (Gen3:12-14)

We need to understand the source of temptation (Jm1:14; 2Cor2:11; Eph2:2)

We need to understand the power of temptation (Gal3:1)

We need to understand the way to have victory over temptation (Jm4:7-8; 2Cor10:5)

Galatians 3:1 NASB95

1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

Or in the NLT look at what it says.

Galatians 3:1 NLT

1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross.

Don’t underestimate the power of Satan, the temptation of sin that wants to lure you away from the truth.

We need to understand temptation (Gen3:12-14)

We need to understand the source of temptation (Jm1:14; 2Cor2:11; Eph2:2)

We need to understand the power of temptation (Gal3:1)

We need to understand the way to have victory over temptation (Jm4:7-8; 2Cor10:5)

Here is a touch of how to have victory over the lure, the snare, the temptation of sin.

James 4:7–8 NASB95

7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

In short, Submit, resist, draw near, cleanse, purify and be single minded (expand on this 2-3 minutes)

Don’t be deceived: All good things come from above

Best way to not be deceived, not be hooked is to the know truth (Jm1:17-18)

James 1:17–18 NASB95

17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

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Good and perfect gifts like salvation (Tit2:11), Holy Spirit (Act2:4), Eternal life (Jn3:16), life full (Jn10:10)

Good and perfect gifts birthed by the Word of truth (Jn1:1-3; Jn1:14) spoken from the beginning (Gen1:1-3)

Good and perfect gifts because you were made in His Image (Gen1:26-27)

Good and perfect gifts made available through Jesus (Jn14:6)

Good and perfect gifts so you could be set free (Jn8:32)

Good and perfect gifts born of imperishable seed (1Pt1:22-23)

Good and perfect gifts so you can be transformed (Rom12:1-2)

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There are a lot of good gifts, good gifts that come from above where they are originated.

Good and perfect gifts like salvation (Tit2:11), Holy Spirit (Act2:4), Eternal life (Jn3:16), life full (Jn10:10)

Titus 2:11 NASB95

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

Good and perfect gifts birthed by the Word of truth (Jn1:1-3; Jn1:14) spoken from the beginning (Gen1:1-2)

(expand on the other passages, paraphrase them)

Good and perfect gifts because you were made in His Image (Gen1:26-27)

Good and perfect gifts made available through Jesus (Jn14:6)

Good and perfect gifts like salvation (Tit2:11), Holy Spirit (Act2:4), Eternal life (Jn3:16), life full (Jn10:10)

Good and perfect gifts birthed by the Word of truth (Jn1:1-3; Jn1:14) spoken from the beginning (Gen1:1-3)

Good and perfect gifts so you could be set free (Jn8:22)

Good and perfect gifts born of imperishable seed (1Pt1:22-23)

Genesis 1:1–2 NASB95

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Good and perfect gifts made available through Jesus (Jn14:6)

Good and perfect gifts so you can be transformed (Rom12:1-2)

Genesis 1:3 NASB95

3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

Good and perfect gifts so you could be set free (Jn8:22)

(expand on the others, just paraphrase them)

Good and perfect gifts like salvation (Tit2:11), Holy Spirit (Act2:4), Eternal life (Jn3:16), life full (Jn10:10)

Good and perfect gifts born of imperishable seed (1Pt1:22-23)

Good and perfect gifts so you can be transformed (Rom12:1-2)

Good and perfect gifts birthed by the Word of truth (Jn1:1-3; Jn1:14) spoken from the beginning (Gen1:1-2)

Good and perfect gifts because you were made in His Image (Gen1:26-27)

Genesis 1:26–27 NASB95

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Good and perfect gifts made available through Jesus (Jn14:6)

Good and perfect gifts so you could be set free (Jn8:22)

John 14:6 NASB95

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.