Are you tempted?

[MatthewG]

“No temptation hath taken you — except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear [it].”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭YLT98‬‬

(James 1:13-14)

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Are you tempted?

“No temptation hath taken you — except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear [it].”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭YLT98‬‬

(James 1:13-14)

Not as much as I used to.
There are lots of things that just don't hold as much attraction for me now. I've growed up a bit since getting saved.

 

[MatthewG]

Good for you Ferris, praise God

What are some of the ways you handle temptation if it does ever come up?

Thank you, anyone who would like to comment may and share anything you would like including scripture that may help you as you walk with God in faith and love.

 

[Lambano]

Sometimes the nature of the temptation is different than it was when I was in my 20s or 30s. Or maybe I'm more sensitized to more subtle, spiritual temptations.

 

[Wynona]

Yes.

Sometimes I admittedly envy the wicked. They are doing whatever they feel like and it looks fun at times.

There was even a day when I felt tired of being a Christian. It's not always easy.

 

[Lambano]

What are some of the ways you handle temptation if it does ever come up?

Oh, I just give into it.

I'm rather ashamed to say that is too often true.

 

[MatthewG]

Yes.

Sometimes I admittedly envy the wicked. They are doing whatever they feel like and it looks fun at times.

There was even a day when I felt tired of being a Christian. It's not always easy.

Thank you for sharing Wynona, are there way you combat temptation when it arrives? I know I still struggle sometimes, in certain areas of my own life. It seems getting closer to God always brings comfort and peace. What would you like to share?

 

[Ferris Bueller]

What are some of the ways you handle temptation if it does ever come up?

I think about the costs.
It's just not worth it.

 

[Wynona]

Thank you for sharing Wynona, are there way you combat temptation when it arrives? I know I still struggle sometimes, in certain areas of my own life. It seems getting closer to God always brings comfort and peace. What would you like to share?

A quick verse like Psalm 119:11 helps. Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.

Also just thinking about all the many blessings I have that have come from obedience.

 

[michaelvpardo]

Way too often.
The Lord gave His disciples a prayer and while I'm not inclined to simple repetition, it's good to remember that our Sovereign God is able to keep us from temptation if we only ask Him to.

 

[marks]

Thank you for sharing Wynona, are there way you combat temptation when it arrives? I know I still struggle sometimes, in certain areas of my own life. It seems getting closer to God always brings comfort and peace. What would you like to share?

When the feeling of need or angst or injustice or whatever it is that is pushing me towards sin, whenever the thought of some evil, when I focus on resisting that temptation, I can fill my mind with other things, Scriptures, songs, prayer, though I find I tend to get into a struggle that sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, and whichever way it goes, it's just more struggle. And even having to "struggle" against sin seems to me so "less than" the way I want to be.

When I focus on the fact that it doesn't change my relationship with God whether I sin or not, because my reconciliation is in Jesus Christ, and not myself, all that changes. Remembering this is immediately followed by renewed feelings of closeness to God. Which is immediately followed by a sense of peace, and quietness, and joy, and the temptation is forgotten, the pressure gone, maybe the situation not changed, but my faith is restored.

And for me this seems to be the issue. If I am not resting in my reconciliation in Christ, that means I'm slugging it out on my own, building a better character, better habits, like that, but Jesus actually transforms us, and trusting Him implicitly taps into that, opens the doorway to live in the fruit of the Spirit.

Much love!

 

[marks]

Sometimes the nature of the temptation is different than it was when I was in my 20s or 30s. Or maybe I'm more sensitized to more subtle, spiritual temptations.

I find two things in myself. One is that I'm more sensitive to the subleties of sin, and that all sin is of the flesh, and the flesh CANNOT keep God's Law. The flesh cannot have faith, and all that is not of faith is sin. And I'm much more tuned into what the corruption of the flesh is, which gives me better tools to understand what is happening sometimes, and how to more accurately counter it. Although to be sure, the quickest route to the purifying of my thoughts and words and actions is the rest in my reconciliation to God in Christ Jesus.

Much love!

 

[michaelvpardo]

Oh, I just give into it.

I'm rather ashamed to say that is too often true.

The commandment of the Lord is broad and our liberty is constrained by our conscience. Some of the things which tempt us aren't sin at all, but just perceived that way because others have persuaded us that they are.

I've met Christians who say that they don't smoke or chew tobacco, don't drink any alcohol, don’t go to movie theaters, don't dance, dont eat pork, and a long list of "prohibitions" that they, like the Pharisees, observe as works of righteousness. I wouldn't call this freedom in any sense of the word and if someone takes pride in their fasting or self denial hasn't their attempt at self righteousness become sin?

Love covers a multitude of sins. Avoid evil by all means, but don't allow others to make their weaknesses yours. We show restraint in our liberty for the sake of conscience as an act of love, but it was for freedom that Christ set us free.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Also just thinking about all the many blessings I have that have come from obedience.

This is true. Over the years as I've matured and my relationship with God through the Holy Spirit has increased I just don't see sin worth giving up the fellowship of the Spirit. Being alienated from the peace and joy and life of the Holy Spirit is what I try to avoid more and more as I grow up.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

I'm no spiritual giant. As God graciously draws me more and more into the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit, usually in times of despair and trouble, the more I want that over and above the pleasures of sin. It's a journey, and certainly not one I can boast in walking. God is the one making it happen, not me.

 

[Raccoon1010]

“No temptation hath taken you — except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear [it].”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭YLT98‬‬

(James 1:13-14)

I always find that passage interesting as it does not apply to mentally disabled people. They sin and can't help it. But it probably applies to normal people. I had first hand experience in this having a psychotic episode some years ago and ended up in jail for a year. Not fun.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Avoid evil by all means, but don't allow others to make their weaknesses yours.

16Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men." Romans 14:16-18

​

 

[Ferris Bueller]

I always find that passage interesting as it does not apply to mentally disabled people. They sin and can't help it. But it probably applies to normal people. I had first hand experience in this having a psychotic episode some years ago and ended up in jail for a year. Not fun.

The path is there, but we don't take it for all the various reasons that we humans don't take the path of escape available to us. We all have histories and situations that God has to bring us beyond so we'll start taking the path of escape he has graciously provided us.

 

[michaelvpardo]

16Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men." Romans 14:16-18

​

Yup, but don't allow the weaknesses of others to become yours.
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Colossians 2:16-19

 

[BloodBought 1953]

“ It is easier to stay out than it is to get out”.....Mark Twain