James 1:13 - A Revelation on Temptation -

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1. When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me. a. We always want to blame God for our Sin i. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the Serpent b. Whats the difference between a trial and a temptation? i. You cant control a trial, but you can control a temptation 2. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. a. God does not want to subject you to things that he is not subject to b. God is not cruel, he is not placing blocks of cheese on a loaded trap c. This is why his law is SO valuable, this is why it is a gift d. There are inherent traps in this world, which are evil e. God did not create evil - evil is simply the absence of God f. Why does God allow so much evil in the World? g. ALL SIN IS DUE TO LACK OF FAITH 3. but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. a. Temptations come because of our own sinful nature b. Every sin starts in the mind c. The word desire is translated = lust d. The desire has power over you to drag you away e. enticed = allure. The bait on the hook comes from your own tackle box. 4. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; a. The desire can be captured before it implants in the womb of your mind b. 2 Corinthians 10:5 - we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ c. we need mental abortions, to withdraw this evil offspring that is being fed through the umbilical cord of negativity d. there is a gestation period for this sin to develop, it doesnt happen over night 5. when it is full-grown, brings forth to death. a. All sin leads to death b. What initially looks like a playful little baby and a fun child, grows up through adolescence and matures into death c. physical or spiritual death; (figuratively) d. separation from the life (salvation) of God forever by dying without first experiencing death to self to receive His gift of salvation. e. If you dont kill your sins, your sins will kill you f. I was talking to someone today that said one of the recent findings in the cause of cancer is stress - Sin causes stress in the body. g. I read an article today, that happy people have 13% more chance of living through cancer than people what rate themselves as unhappy h. I dont know about you, but I want to live as long as possible