LURED

Posted on May 21, 2017 in James, Sin, Temptation |

This big boy saw a lure that tricked him into thinking it was delicious.

James 1:13-16 – “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. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”

What’s tempting about fishing lure is that it looks like food to a hungry fish.

What’s enticing about any sinful temptation that it appeals to our own lusts.

Here’s the equation:
TEMPTATION = DESIRE + BAIT

Desire without bait is not temptation.

Bait without desire is also not temptation.

Watch your desires. Bring them under the Lordship of Christ; then you won’t get “hooked”!


AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE

Posted on Feb 24, 2017 in Genesis, Joseph, Temptation |

I’m sure that the train track was first and the houses came later! Why would you build a house that close to a train track? The situation reminds me of a Christian and a temptation. We shouldn’t try to see how close we can get to a temptation without sinning. Instead we should try to get as far away from a temptation as we can!
Joseph did this when Potipher’s wife tried to seduce him. He ran away from her as fast as he could.
May we do the same with our temptations … they are far more more serious than train noise!

Do What It Takes

Posted on Apr 29, 2015 in Holiness, Lordship of Christ, Matthew, Temptation |

Tenting

TENTING: Draping an entire building with huge & heavy tarps so that it can be intensively fumigated.

It must be done to the building which has lots of bugs or pests which are a real problem!

Tenting is a drastic, labour-intensive & expensive measure which is seen as being necessary & worth doing although it is also inconvenient & disruptive.

Jesus taught in Matthew 5:29-30: “And if you’re right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body parish, then for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the the parts of your body perish, then for your whole body to go into hell.”

Jesus was not recommending literal self-mutilation. Nowhere in the New Testament do we read of any committed follower of Christ walking around without a hand or an eye.

The Lord was using a figure of speech: Hyperbole.
He was using intentional exaggeration to emphasize practical point.
And His point was/is – do what ever it takes to avoid sin in your life. Even the drastic and expensive thing.

Some common examples of hyperbole would be:
“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
“I’m so tired I could fall asleep on a clothesline.”
“School comes easy to him: He takes in knowledge by osmosis.”
“The U.S. sneezes and the Bahamas gets a cold!”

Believer, could it be that there are some drastic measures which you need to take now to avoid sin?

At work? Your TV? Your computer? The people you spend time with?

Do what it takes!
If you don’t know what it takes, consult the Word.
Chat a more mature, trusted Christian.
Figure out the circumstances when you most often are tempted. Determine if you have anything or anyone ranking higher than The Lord Jesus in your heart.

Do what it takes. Fumigated buildings are restored to their useful function.

Jesus says that sometimes drastic, inconveniently and expensive measures must be chosen by us so that we will live holy & God-honouring lives.


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