The Process Of Temptation
Not a Sunday to beat Fathers up – but to speak to them, to encourage them to become better men for God.
Alexander MacLaren, in a sermon entitled Faith Tested and Crowned, distinguished between being tempted and being tested or tried. He said that, "the former word conveys the idea of appealing to the worst part of man, with the wish that he may yield and do the wrong. The latter means an appeal to the better part of man, with the desire that he should stand. Temptation says, 'Do this pleasant thing; do not be hindered by the fact that it is wrong.' Trial or proving says, 'Do this right and noble thing; do not be hindered by the fact that it is painful.' The one is a sweet, beguiling melody, breathing soft indulgence and relaxation over the soul; the other is a peeling trumpet-call to high achievements."
Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us; God tests us to bring out the best in us.
It is a common temptation of Satan to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer when our enjoyment is gone; as if it were of no use to read the scriptures when we do not enjoy them, and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer. The truth is that, in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying. The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.
n George Muller in A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller. Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 5.
YOU PUT THE DEVIL OUT BUT YOU LET HIM LEAVE HIS BAGS!!!
You got out of a bad relationship because it was bad, but you are still resentful, and angry. (You let the devil leave his bags)
You got out of financial debt, but you still can't control the desire to spend on frivolous things. (You let the devil leave his bags)
You got out of a bad habit or addiction, but you still long to try it just one more time. (You let the devil leave his bags)
You said, I forgive you, but you can't seem to forget and have peace with that person. (You let the devil leave his bags)
You told your mate that it was over, but you still continue to call.
(You let the devil leave his bags)
You got out of that horribly oppressive job, but you're still trying to sabotage the company after you've left. (You let the devil leave his bags)
You cut off the affair with that married man/woman, but you still lust after him/her.
(you let the devil leave his bags)
You broke off your relationship with that hurtful, abusive person, but you are suspicious and distrusting of every new person you meet.
(you let the devil leave his bags)
You decided to let go of the past hurts from growing up in an unstable family environment, yet you believe you are unworthy of love from others and you refuse to get attached to anyone.
(you let the devil leave his bags)
WHEN YOU PUT THE DEVIL OUT; MAKE SURE HE TAKES HIS BAGS, TOO!
Our problem is an internal one – we own it – we were born with it. There is something in us that makes us vulnerable. These areas of weakness may change with the passing of time but I am convinced that the devil knows where we are likely to fall.
Why is it so difficult to admit that I have a problem? There will always be those areas where we will have to give special attention and to guard – that part of us that tends to respond to particular temptations.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love 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 pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. [1]
Our vulnerability to temptation is directly proportional to our proximity to God. The “drawing away may be totally unrelated to the temptation. In order to make us more vulnerable we must first be drawn away. James says that we are drawn away by our own lusts.
How are we drawn away? Where does the distance come from when we are vulnerable to sin?
q Busyness
q Disconnecting from the body. Sometimes people do this out of a sense of self-righteousness – they have been wronged or they have an agenda of their own that is more spiritual and so they do their own thing
q Leaning on the arms of personal resourcefulness. He wants us to need Him – He delights in meeting our needs.
q
In order for sin to be manifested there has to be “conception” of desire and an “object” of that desire. They have to come together.
Recognize that the best among us have weaknesses that will forever need to be guarded. Spiritual maturity comes when a person realizes what they are and takes steps to guard themselves.
You must violently resist the tides of the world. Violently give up all that holds you back from God. Violently turn your will over to God to do His will alone.
n Francois Fenelon in The Seeking Heart. Christianity Today, Vol. 39, no. 13.
Watching you grow up
taught me
that time moves many ways at once:
fast and slow,
forward
and backward,
bitter and sweet.
At times
it seemed as if
I looked away for a moment,
and you were grown.
Other times
nothing much seemed to happen
for y e a r s ...
School, summer, another calendar
filled with the b l u r of events
that made up family life.
And one day,
while I wasn't looking,
in the blink of an eye,
you just jumped the fence into manhood --
an adult with a life completely your own.
What a mystery it is.
What a man you are.
And what gratitude I feel
for the privilege of watching you grow,
helping when I could,
and simply being a part of your life,
marvelous son of mine.
----
[1]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (1 Jn 2:15-17). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.