How to handle temptation

ANNOUNCEMENTS

· Youth Group – we will meeting only about once a month through June and July.

· Louise’s community group – sign-up today so I have time to order you a book!

· Prep them for my Summer Vacation

· GRADUATION GIFTS (Bibles to come for High school grads)

INTRODUCTION/THE WHY

REVIEW

o James is addressing those who would rather TALK than WALK their way to heaven.

o James 1:3 (ESV) 3 for you know that the testing of your faithproduces steadfastness [endurance/perseverance].

§ Allow your trials to be used for a greater purpose!

o James 1:5–11 (ESV) 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

§ Learning who God really is and what he’s truly like—and reminding ourselves of it regularly—is the key to it all!

TODAY

HOW TO HANDLE TEMPTATION AND BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE!

Examples of Temptation:

SCRIPTURE

James 1:13–27 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

WHAT DOES GOD/JAMES MEAN?

How do you handle temptation?

1. Resist Temptation (v. 13)

· James 1:13 (NLT) 13 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.

· IVPBBC NT: God clearly “tested” people in the Bible and later Jewish literature (Gen 22:1 “take your son, your ony son”; Deut 8:2 “heart”; 13:3 “heart and soul”; Judg 2:22), but he never tested them in the sense that is implied here: seeking for them to fail instead of persevere (i.e. God tests hearts BUT DOES NOT TEMPT)

· The True Nature of Temptation in Humanity (1:13–15)

o Desire (v. 14) > Sin (v. 15a) > Death (v. 15b)

o The “beloved” are not to be deceived (v. 16)

o The solution is to consider who God is: From above, the Father of lights, bringer of truth, and creator (vv. 17-18)

· James 4:7 (NLT) 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

2. Receive the implanted Word (v. 21)

· James 1:21 (NLT) 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

· This requires a readiness to listen…” quick to hear and slow to speak, slow to anger” (v. 19)

· Anger of man is not conducive to the righteousness of God (v. 20)

3. Be a RESPONSIBLE DOER of the Word (v. 22)

· James 1:22 (NLT) 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

· There is a responsibility for those who have heard to now DO

· v. 23 Looking at your face in a mirror: In the ANE they did not have mirrors so they would easily forget what they looked like…the mirrors they had also were not like our mirrors

o THE POINT IS TO KEEP COMING BACK TO GOD’S WORD TO LISTEN AND DO…IT TAKES WORK!

Conclusion

· How to handle temptation…allow…THE WORD OF GOD to CHANGE YOU!