Flirt or Flee?

Daily Reading: James 1

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. (James 1.13-15)

Devotional Thought: James dealt with a persistent fact about temptation: it is tempting to blame God for it!  "After all," the reasoning may go, "God is sovereign over everything, so if I am being tempted, it must be his doing!"  Such reasoning would also be tempted to take the next step: "If the temptation is from God, then it must not be wrong for me to succumb to it."

James said, “Not so fast.”

God sent his Son to die on the cross for our sins.  Why would he tempt us to do the very thing that necessitated the death of his Son?  Jesus came to set us free from sin; God doesn’t want us to fall prey to it!

Temptation to sin comes when our inward desires are coupled with the outward stimulant.  That’s why it is so important to avoid the outward stimulant.  I once had a preacher counsel me: “Pray that the temptation to sin and the occasion to sin do not come at the same time.”

Surrendering to temptation yields sin.  Sin yields death.  That’s why Jesus said, "Lead us not into temptation," and "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation."   And remember this: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10.13). 

Don 't flirt with - rather flee from - temptation!

Prayer: Our Father in heaven... Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 49.16-20

16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.

17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.

18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—

19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.

20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.