* God doesn’t tempt people to sin.
* Temptation comes when something on the exterior touches something on our interior.
* This is why Jesus talked so much about what’s in a person’s heart.
* Our temptations reveal our potential apart from Christ.
* Like Cain in the OT - the temptation to murder was crouching at his door because anger was in his heart.
* But anger was in his heart because he wasn’t willing to give God his best - this was the root.
* If you don’t deal with the root then you’ll end up doing the very things you don’t want to do.
* You want to know the condition of your heart?
* 1) Pay attention to what comes out of your mouth.
* 2) Pay attention to the temptations that come your way.
James 1:13-15 (11/17/16)
Temptation
November 17, 2016 • Benham Brothers
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Lessons From James
James 1:2-4 (11/21/13)
November 21, 2013 • Benham Brothers
James was writing to Jewish christians spread throughout who had fled Jerusalem because of Stephen's death James' encouragement was for them not to flee but to endure, to persevere The key to persevering in the midst of a trial is How You Receive It - as a gift from God to lead you to completeness in Christ How to receive a trial properly: 1) Consider the source of the trial - - is this trial from God or did it come from you (vs 13-15) - in either case you need to endure, but if it came from you then you need to start with repentance. Consider Cain - when anger was birthed in his heart murder crouched at his door - the sin that's crouching at your door is a product of what's in your heart. What are your temptations? 2) Ask yourself, "what is God saying to me?" 3) Focus on the reward - this gives you hope, and hope does not disappoint A trial is a "trial" and not a conviction (like in a court case - innocent until proven guilty) - God has promised victory if we simply endure If we don't endure and we quit then we lose - the trial is over and our "jail time" starts. We can stay out of jail if we just endure it
James 1:2-4 (11/19/15)
November 19, 2015 • Benham Brother
• James was writing to people who were scared because of intense persecution. • When God brings a trial it's for the testing and purification of our faith. • Strength comes through strain. • Two keys to enduring a trial: • 1) Receive it properly, as a gift from God. • 2) Focus on the reward for enduring it, like an athlete (Paul). • If you receive a trial as a gift and you focus on the reward you will endure. • Enduring a trial leads to maturity and completeness in Christ. • Two aspects of a trial: • 1) A trial is a trial - no sentence has been passed because no verdict has been given. • In court, when you're in a trial you haven't lost until you're convicted of a crime. • 2) There are two types of trials - the kind we bring on ourselves and the kind God brings. • We need to recognize the source of our trial to experience the joy of it. • vs 6 - to make it through a trial we need to shift from AM to FM - Analysis Mode to Faith Mode. • We are not to try to "make sense" of everything that happens to us. • Faith obeys God even when things don't make sense.
James 1:5-6 (11/16/17)
November 16, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* A prayer I’ve prayed every morning…… * But when you pray make sure you’re on FM and not AM. * Faith Mode vs Analysis Mode. * What God does doesn’t always make sense to us - often it doesn’t. * AM is based on human reason. * FM is based on God’s wisdom - God can throw that mountain into the sea if He wants it there! * Let’s pray in faith mode and watch God give us what we ask.