Monday, December 9, 2013

Enduring temptation

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

James 1 ... 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:  14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

A temptation is strong desire to do something that is either wrong or unwise.

We might be "free" to do something and we might even be attracted to do that thing but it might be unwise. 

For example:  In my case, I find it unwise to take on certain projects around the house, especially if these projects require another person to come in and do the work.  The reason this is unwise for me is I have a call of God on my life which requires me to keep myself free so I will have the time and strength to meditate in scripture and do these exhortations.  If I get involved in more projects I am unable to focus on Bible.  When a water line became disconnected from a commode of course I had to fix it.  But I have some old furniture that needs upholstery.  One chair is split down the middle and stuffing is coming out.  I've resisted doing anything about this.  I just don't want to be drawn away.  There are some things we can live with and some things which must be done.

Certainly there are unwise things that tempt us.  It might be unwise to eat certain foods when those foods disagree with you.  In cases such as this, I think it is appropriate to pray to God for help when we are tempted.  When I've done this, often God has called a substitute food to my mind and that satisfies me without harming me.

Then there are things that are wrong ...sometimes we are put in a position where we could take advantage of another person concerning money.  Each time I've found myself in such a position, when I have wanted to hold onto that money, I have prayed and have been led to pay the worker what is fair.  It is not just a matter of paying what you can get by with paying.  What is fair?

In the Bible, the term "uncleanness" often refers to taking advantage of another person.

I Thess. 4 ... That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.   7For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 

We must be very careful in how we deal with other people, not taking advantage of them.

Recently my sound guy said he wanted to "clean up" my sound equipment.  He wanted to get everything moved to the center of the TV and out of a corner in a more orderly way.  He wanted to clean up cables and get them straight.  I let him send a man to do this.  I insisted on paying the daily salary of this man to compensate David for his workers time away from other work.  Then I had it brought to my mind that David was going to be losing money by sending this man to help me because David would be losing the profit he would obtain from other jobs.  David wasn't making any profit from my job.  So I sent money to David to compensate him for this loss of profit.  I could have taken advantage of David.  But when I was reminded of him not making profit from other jobs that he could have been doing, I felt it was God reminded me of this and it would be wrong not to compensate David in this matter.  So I did.

We become "unclean" if we take advantage of other people and cause them loss ... and we become unclean if we "defraud" another ... Defraud means to cheat.  Defraud could come by deception.  Defraud could come by their willingness to suffer loss as in the case of David.

I would defraud the church if I failed to share with you the various things God has taught me so I am very careful to share with you, not wanting to defraud the church.

There are a few times I have been defrauded of money by unfair charges but I did not try to recover loss. I just paid the bill. God will repay me and settle with them in such cases.  But I don't not want to be guilty of defrauding another.

Eph. 5 ... For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.  7Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

There are many other temptations of the flesh.  In each case, the first thing to do is to turn to God in prayer, asking Him for help.

Often HE will show how the door is being opened for that temptation and what to do to avoid the temptation.  If we do what HE shows us, it will work.

I Cor. 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.