Posted by
TAB on Saturday, August 30, 2008 6:57:02 AM
God Is Not Tempted
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:13-15 (KJV).
God, the Father may allow us to go through every trial which we go through. It does not seem that any of them are of His origin. There were many trials which Abraham went through. For example; upon entering the Promised land he had built an altar or two to the Lord and realized this was the land to which he was supposed to come and was given as an inheritance to his descendants. However, when a famine came into the land, he evidently became worried, and went down into Egypt. There, he built no altar. There he accumulated things, and people, and one of those people was most likely Hagar, a servant to Sarah. This one act of leaving the place of promise became a source of more trials and tribulations.
There are none of us immune to making bad choices or decisions which do not glorify our Lord.
James writes in verse 14 of our text, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." Let me give you an illustration of being "drawn away". When I was a boy in High School I was in the Future Farmers of America. For my projects I had milk cows and raised hogs. I don’t guess that I was a real good hog farmer, because we never had a fenced off place for them, and they ran wherever they wanted to go. I did buy hog feed and fed them on a regular basis; I think every evening. I would go out, lift my voice in a shout that echoed through the hills and hollers of our farm, and in a few minutes they would be there eating.
When it came time to do some work on them; such as ring their snouts; or when it came time to sell them, they were accustomed to coming when I called, expecting feed, and most of them would come. That is when the feed was in the pen, and they would enter, we shut the gate and they were caught.
That is how we are often "drawn away". There are things in this life which entice us. There is a green, papery substance which catches our eye, and if we are not careful it can have a draw on us and draw us away from our hope and destination. Believe it or not the devil knows our weaknesses and he will "entice" us with those weaknesses. It would be great for us to know our weaknesses, deal with them, and when the devil comes luring, drawing us away from God and His truth, then we will be ready and stand against him.
The things of this world can lure us away from God’s plan for our lives. We are tempted to go after those things rather than walk with God. The walk with God is so much more rewarding. His rewards are eternal. The things which so often entice us and lure us away from God are only temporal, and will burn in the fires of judgment.
What are some of these enticements? Power, popularity, money or wealth, prestige, fancy cars, big, nice homes, vacation spots, and some of these things such as power, popularity, and prestige are offered in religion or in churches. Let us never say that we have been tempted by God. Look to God, and His power, and blessing; and turn away from the things which lure us away from Him.
Remember to attend and support your Bible believing, Christ-centered church on Sunday.
-Tim A. Blankenship