Just A Few Of My Thoughts …

“When you are tempted don’t ever say, ‘God is tempting me,’ for God is incapable of being tempted by evil and he is never the source of temptation. Instead it is each person’s own desires and thoughts that drag them into evil and lure them away into darkness. Evil desires give birth to evil actions. And when sin is fully mature it can murder you! So my friends, don’t be fooled by your own desires! My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen, but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteous purpose. So this is why we abandon everything
morally impure and all forms of wicked conduct. Instead, with a sensitive spirit we absorb God’s Word, which has been implanted within our nature, for the Word of Life has power to continually deliver us.” James 1: 13-16, 19-21 TPT

Temptation is an enticement to go beyond the bounds of our God-given desires. All of us are tempted, sometimes it seems to be quite often. Unfortunately, many times these temptations cause anger, and we want to blame somebody, even God. But God does not tempt us. Satan is the tempter. God may allow Satan to tempt us in order to refine our faith, or to make us feel stronger, so that we will be able to withstand the cruelty found in this world.

In this passage, James is explaining temptation and how we are to withstand when we are in the midst of it. Many times, Satan will go out of his way to tempt us, to the point of causing anger to take hold. We can overcome temptation by using the knowledge that its source is our evil enemy who attempts to steal our joy. Instead, we can seek God’s guidance through his Word, all in the asking.

Heavenly Father, help us to remember where our temptations originate, and that in your love for us, you continue to provide your peace, for which we are ever so thankful.

In Christ Love
Margaret