How Temptation Leads To Sin

Bathsheba Goes to King David (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Read | 2 Samuel 11:1-17

Hankering, hungering, longing, thirsting, yearning—all of these terms can be used to describe the word “desire.” Eve yearned for the fruit of the forbidden tree; Sarai longed for the promised child; King David hungered after Bathsheba. (Gen. 3:6; 16:2; 2 Sam. 11:2-4). In each case, their desire became so strong that they took matters into their own hands to get what they wanted. Each of them knew the Lord’s instructions, but when tempted, they found a way to justify their actions to obtain the desired goal. And the consequences were serious.

Throughout life, all of us experience longings. We yearn for circumstances or people to be different and crave things we do not have—or more of what we do have. And then we often find ourselves tempted to fulfill these desires through our own actions. Temptation itself is not sin, but acting on our own against God’s Word is. Stop and remember what happened to Eve, Sarai, and King David.

Our Creator, who designed you in His image, knows what it is you long for, and He has promised to give you what profits you most (Isa. 48:17). Compare your desires with the truth of Scripture, and ask God to help you let go of any that do not meet His standard.

Make Psalm 63:1 your heart’s cry: “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” And Jesus, who is the Bread of Life and Living Water, will satisfy you as nothing else ever could.

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Unfailing Joys

English: Wine grapes. Español: Uvas de vino rojo. Русский: Грозди винограда. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here’s Today’s Devotional from The Vine…

 

When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” - John 2:3

 

This incident is a very fitting illustration of the failure of all this world’s joys. The wine gave out at a wedding-feast. There was not enough of it to last through to the end of the feast. It is just so with all earth’s pleasure. It comes in cups, not in fountains, and the supply is limited and soon exhausted. It is so especially with sin’s pleasures. The prodigal soon runs through with his abundance and begins to be in want.

A poet compared the pleasures of sin to a snowflake on the river, “a moment white, then gone for ever.” but it is true in a sense also of pure pleasures. Even the sweetness of human love is but a cupful which will not last for ever. The joy which so fills us today, tomorrow is changed to sorrow. Amid the gladness of the marriage altar there is the knell of the end in the words “till death us do part.”One of every two friends must hold the other’s hand in farewell at the edge of the valley, must stand by the other’s grave and walk alone part of the way.

The best wine of life and of love will fail. If there were nothing better in this world, how sad it would be! But it is here that we see the glory of Christ‘s gospel. Jesus comes when earth’s wine fails and gives heaven’s wine to supply the lack. How beautiful and how true is the picture here, the failing wine, and then Jesus coming with power and supplying the want! That is what He is doing continually. He takes lives which have drained their last drop of earthly gladness and He satisfies them with spiritual good and blessing, so that they want nothing more.

When human joy fails, if we have Jesus with us, He gives new joy, better than the world’s, and in unfailing abundance. How sad it is for those who have not taken Christ into their lives, and who have nothing but the empty cup when earth’s wine gives out!

Don’t Be A Mule

a mule (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will
guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have
not understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they
come near unto thee" (Psalm 32:8-9).

In these two brief verses God gives us a great lesson concerning guidance. We
can build a great faith upon the foundation of knowing that He is willing to
lead and guide us in everything.

Yet the Word of God says a person may be a believer who enjoys all the
spiritual benefits of being a child of God and yet remain a stubborn mule when
it comes to submitting to His ways of guiding and leading. God said of Israel,
"Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people
that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways" (Psalm 95:10).

Think of what God was saying: "After forty long years of receiving My tender
guidance and miraculous deliverances, they still don’t have the slightest
idea of the way I work. They never even try to understand My principles of
guidance. To them, My leadings are just a series of unrelated blessings,
nothing more than open doors and escapes from crises."

Personally, I am tired of being a mule-headed Christian with no understanding
of the principles of God’s leading. I do not want God to say of me, "Yes,
David was forgiven. He prayed and I delivered him from trouble, time after
time. Indeed, I led him in wonderful ways and My hand was upon him. But in his
heart he never had a settled knowledge of My ways."

Beloved, don’t make the Lord be stern with you in His leadings. Don’t be as
the mule, without understanding. God does not want to bark directions at His
children or have to force us to do His bidding. God wants a people who know Him
well enough to move at His slightest urging.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21835?src=devo-email

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A Sense Of Unworthiness

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Suddenly, we are plagued by a sense of unworthiness. We turn inward, thinking,
“I did it again! I haven’t changed at all. I’ll never be Christlike. I still
react like a babe, not a mature Christian. Why haven’t I changed?”

Beloved, the devil wants you to keep worrying over your shortcomings and lack
of growth, thinking the race is impossible, so that you will become discouraged
and drop out.

It is certain that we will stumble at times because the race is going to
continue until our Lord returns. But we must always get on our feet and
continue moving on.

God‘s Word speaks of overcoming: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the
world” (1 John 5:4). “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will
be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7).

To overcome is to “conquer and get the best of all temptations and obstacles.”
What are our obstacles? They are every new reaction in the flesh, every failure
to be Christlike, every uprising of temper, bitterness or agitation.

David wrote, “My sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3). This man was exposed
before the whole world as an adulterer and a murderer. He also wrote, “For mine
iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for
me. . . . I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day
long” (Psalm 38:4-6).

What if David had worried and fretted over his failures? He repented
wholeheartedly and therefore he could say, “Thou hast turned for me my mourning
into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness”
(Psalm 30:11).

The fastest way to get rid of “a sense of unworthiness” is to trust in Christ‘s
forgiveness. And He is ready to forgive at all times: “For thou, Lord, art good,
and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee”
(Psalm 86:5).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21834?src=devo-email

Signature Judgement

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

I believe God has provided us with a very specific promise for the hard times
that are coming. It was given to Abraham and his seed as an oath.

“The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us,
that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without
fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life”
(Luke 1:73-75).

God has sworn to deliver us from every enemy, every fearful thing, so we can
serve Him all the days of our lives without fear. Beloved, hunger is an enemy.
Nakedness and poverty are enemies.

This oath from God must be the foundation of our trust in every crisis,
calamity and fearful time. Memorize it! Let it be your holy argument at the
throne of grace!

In Psalm 121 David has provided us with one of the most powerful Holy Ghost
arguments ever given to man. The entire psalm tells us that all our help comes
from the Lord alone. Psalm 124 is yet another holy argument, your specific
promise to enable you to build special trust.

Right now America is under a “signature judgment” of God. Signature judgments
bear a special mark of God in that they mirror the sins committed against Him.
As these judgments take place before our very eyes, our only answer is to have
Jesus as our shield. Run today to meet Him in the secret closet of prayer. Let
your roots go down deep into Him and know that He will keep you in all
circumstances.

Take hold of the following special promises in readiness for any and all
calamities we may face:

“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. . . . He shall not be
afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart
shall be established, he shall not be afraid” (Psalm 112:4, 7-8).

“And he shall judge the world in righteousness. . . . The Lord also will be a
refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy
name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that
seek thee” (Psalm 9:8-10).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21418?src=devo-email

All That Is Earthly Is Being Shaken

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

In a dream I saw an army that refused to break rank—for in the midst of all
the wickedness and cruel violence that was around them, they were unperturbed.
They were going down into the livings waters of praise and worship and coming
out on the other side of the river with perfect peace and rest. They are the
redeemed of the Lord who have been given a peace that passes all understanding.

“The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the
abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:11).

Joel saw an army of mighty men and said, “They shall march every one on his
ways, and they shall not break their ranks” (Joel 2:7).

God‘s people will not break rank nor run in fear, because they know they are
secure under the precious blood of the Lamb. They know that in spite of all the
violence and wrath of men, the body of Christ on earth is in excellent health
and is growing stronger every day.

While all that is earthly is being shaken, and world governments are spinning
out of control, the true church of Christ is solid and unmovable.

The specter of devastating violence and potential destruction has robbed
mankind of peace and security—while at the same time God is bringing His
people into their greatest hour of rest and safety. While the ungodly cry for
peace and safety and never find it, God’s chosen are now possessing great peace
and perfect security.

God’s people who rest in Him can say with David the psalmist, “If it had not
been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: then they had
swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: then the waters
had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: then the proud waters had
gone over our soul. Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us as a prey to their
teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of fowlers: the snare is
broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made
heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:2-8).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21111?src=devo-email

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God,Where Are You?

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

English: Jacob Wrestling with the Angel. Česky: Jákob zápasící s andělem. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One night Jacob sat in an open field and had it out (wrestled) with the Lord:
“God, how did I end up in this mess? You made such great promises to me. You
told me You would guide me, keep me, fulfill Your plans in me. How could any of
this be Your leading? What kind of covenant walk is this? Lord, I simply have no
future” (see Genesis 32:24-26).

Now, you may reason to yourself, “Maybe Jacob didn’t seek God about some of the
choices he made. Maybe he acted out of his flesh.” Well, perhaps he did, but
all that is beside the point. God could have intervened on Jacob’s behalf at
any time but He did not.

The fact is, we can have a contrite spirit and still have problems. You and
your spouse may be going through a terrible trial. You have prayed, “Lord, I
don’t understand. I know my heart is right, and I’m walking with You, so why
are You allowing this awful trial?”

Most of us think, as Jacob did, that contrite, praying Christians should not
have to endure great sorrows. We should not have to face awful times or fearful
conditions in which our very future is threatened. Yet, the reality is that
humble, repentant, praying Christians still suffer great peril and sorrows.

Nowhere in the Bible does God promise to keep us from problems. Never does He
promise us a smooth ride in our job or career. Nor does He promise us exemption
from affliction. In fact, He says: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). This verse does not
say God delivers us from afflictions, but out of them.

Paul speaks of knowing the heights and depths of God’s love for him. Yet the
Lord didn’t keep Paul’s ship from sinking. In fact, He allowed the apostle to
be stoned, beaten and disgraced. Paul says he was exposed to perils on land and
on sea, from robbers and from his own countrymen.Paul and Jacob

worldchallenge.org

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How to Hold On

Read | Psalm 37:5-7

Job was a man who certainly knew trouble and temptation, and yet he boldly claimed, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15). That is commitment. Job had lost his children, his fortune, and his health, but he refused to abandon faith in God. The stricken man was determined to hold on because he trusted the Lord to do right.

Unwavering commitment to trust the Lord in all situations is a cornerstone of unshakable faith. From the vantage point of that foundation, we can focus our eyes upon God alone. It is easy to be distracted by circumstances and allow them to dictate our emotions. But if that’s the case, then when life is good, we’re happy; when times are tough, we’re frustrated; and when hardship pours in, we’re downright miserable and looking for escape.

Unlike Job, we are fortunate to have Scripture, which reveals God’s nature and promises. And it is a wise believer who claims those promises when enduring hardship. For His Word tells us that our Father is always good, always just, always faithful, and always trustworthy. When we take our eyes off the whirl of day-to-day activity and concentrate on honoring Him and following in His way, we find a consistent peace that carries us through both plenty and poverty.

In order to hold on to God through any trial or temptation, commit to trust and follow Him all of your days. Lay claim to His promises: The unchanging Lord and Savior (Heb. 13:8) is committed to caring for you in all circumstances (1 Peter 5:7) and will never leave or forsake you (Heb. 13:5).

Dr. Charles Stanley

Self-Inflicted Adversity

Read | Psalm 119:65-72

The difficulties we face originate from one of three sources. Some are sent to us by the Lord to test our faith, others are the result of Satan‘s attacks, and still others are due to our own sinful choices.

As you consider these three causes, which type is the hardest for you to bear? I think most of us would say the last one, because we have nobody to blame but ourselves and it seems as if no good can possibly result. After all, the Word of God says that we will reap what we have sown (Gal. 6:7), so we see nothing ahead except a painful harvest.

What this kind of thinking fails to take into account is the Lord’s redemptive abilities. Although He never promises to remove all the consequences of sin, He can use our failures to teach us to fear Him, hate evil, and walk in obedience. The difficult lessons we learn can also become our protection from sin in the future. Having suffered the pain of going our own way, we’re more likely not to take that path again.

God’s arrows of affliction are sharp and painful so He can get our attention. He won’t let His beloved children get away with sin because He knows it robs us of blessings, opportunities, and even character refinement.

As painful as your situation may be, thank your heavenly Father that He cares enough to send out His loving discipline. Now it’s up to you. How will you respond to His warning? When we learn from experience, the scars of sin can lead us to restoration and a renewed intimacy with God.

Dr. Charles Stanley

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A Very Present Help In Trouble

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Many dear Christians tell me true stories of incredible hardships — problems
that keep piling up, discouragements that keep coming at them. Humanly
speaking, they all seem to be impossible situations and my heart goes out to
every believer who experiences such trials.

Every Christian must be convinced that he or she is precious, loved—and that
God is near. In fact, the nearer the enemy comes, the more faithful God is to
reveal His nearness and the more tightly He will hold His precious child’s
hand.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
The root word for trouble here is “a tight place.” Are you in a tight place?
Read God’s promises to get you out of that place:

* “The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob
defend thee; send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of
Zion” (Psalm 20:1-2).
* “I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my
trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; and hast not shut me up into
the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room. Have mercy upon
me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul
and my belly” (Psalm 31:7-9).
* “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear
thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of
men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man:
thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues”
(Psalm 31:19-20).
* “Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvelous kindness in a
strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes:
neverthless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and
plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall
strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:21-24).