James 1:13-15 - Temptation and Sin.
James 1:13-15 (NLT) And remember, when you
are being tempted, do not say, God is
tempting me. God is never tempted to do wrong, and
he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes
from our own desires, which entice us and drag us
away. These desires give birth to sinful actions.
And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth
to death.
James 1:13-15 (NIV) When tempted, no one
should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be
tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each
one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he
is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire
has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin,
when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Where I live, Scotch broom blooms
everywhere in spring. It spreads like a low thicket
over pastureland, and even burning doesn't kill
it. Scotch broom smells wonderful, but it's a
problem when left to grow at will. Tiny seeds blow
hither and yon, and soon there are sprouts along
roads, in backyards, and in the "green space" meant
only for native plants. If the sprout isn't
removed quickly, Scotch broom will sink its roots
and fan underground fingers that hold fiercely.
It grows fast and vigorously, blooming like
yellow fire across a hillside and casting another
gazillion tiny seeds into the wind.
How like sin! It can start with a small
thought, take hold, and send a mind reeling into
action that brings heartache and spreads grief. Sin
can look like the glittering lights of Vegas,
smell like the expensive perfume of Paris, taste
like a feast. Then the consequences set in. The
lights go out in the morning, and you see the
homeless and hungry people sleeping along the fences.
The perfume smells stale and sickly. The "feast"
turns sour in your stomach.
Scotch broom shows me how the tiniest
seed can grow into a giant weed, and warns me
that a thought can become an action leading to a
habit that can destroy a life. How thankful I am
that I don't have to give in to sin. First
Corinthians 10:13 tells us, "God is faithful. He will
not allow the temptation to be more than you can
stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way
out so that you can endure." The master Gardener
can show us how to uproot the seeds of sin in
our lives.
Father, help me to take sin seriously and
remember that small choices lead to bad habits. I
don't want sin to become rooted in my life! Thank
You for being faithful and providing a way to
escape temptation. Please give me the strength to
take it. [Earth Psalms by Francine Rivers]
COMMENTARY
When I was a kid I was fascinated by
fire. This prompted me to do some stupid things,
like taking little green army men and lighting
their plastic rifles on fire so I could watch them
melt into little green puddles. Once, however, I
was doing this on a piece of newspaper, which
also caught on fire. So I grabbed the newspaper
with the burning green army men and threw it all
into a wastebasket. The wastebasket,
unfortunately, was made of bamboo and it, too, was set
ablaze. Thankfully I was able to put out the fire.
That is how sin works. It starts small,
and then it grows out of control. That is what
happened to Samson. He thought he could handle sin.
He thought he could keep playing the game. But
the devil knows how to package his wares. He
knows how to sell his stuff. The devil sized up
Samson and figured out that he was a he-man with a
she weakness. He couldnt bring Samson down in
the battlefield, so he brought him down in the
bedroom. And he found a willing accomplice in Samson,
who thought he could handle it.
Temptation comes in attractive packages,
but for temptation to succeed, we must be
willing participants. For temptation to work, there
must be desire on our part. James 1:14"15 says,
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us
and drag us away. These desires give birth to
sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it
gives birth to death.
For the devil to succeed, we must listen
to him, yield to him, and desire what he is
offering. The devil can throw anything at us. He
offers different kinds of bait. But it isnt the
bait that constitutes sin. Its the bite. [By
Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com re Pro. 6:27]
When I was a kid, I was a snake collector
and at one time thought seriously about becoming
a herpetologist. I had boas, pythons, king
snakes, garter snakes, corn snakes, and gopher
snakes. And I caught a lot of those snakes myself.
I also have been bitten by many snakes.
Thats because, unlike dogs, you never know what
snakes are thinking. You know where you stand with
dogs. If a dog likes you, hell wag his tail and
lick you in the face. Even cats are more
affectionate than snakes, which is saying a lot. But
theres no affection with a snake. The only reason a
snake likes to be held by a human is because
its a cold-blooded reptile and likes the warmth
of human contact. This is why snakes often sun
themselves on rocks and other things. Theyre
cold-blooded, and their brains are very small.
So a snake could be looking at you and
thinking, I may bite you, but I dont really know
what Im going to do. Thats a snake.
There is no affection.
I read an article about a British man who
kept an eight-foot python named Tiny in his
bedroom, along with nine other snakes. After the man
was found dead in his room, the coroner
concluded, The most likely scenario is that Tiny was
engaged with [him]. I have no doubt she was coiling
around him. I have to accept that Tiny is
instrumental in [his] death. This man probably was
strangled by his own snake, and that is tragic.
In the same way, sin can creep into our
lives and we think, Its a tiny sin. I can
handle this. This will never get me. Then the
next thing we know, that tiny sin has
strangled us. [By Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
LINKS FOR VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION AND SIN
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20180110-0943.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190823-0932.html
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF
JESUS
1st of 28: Divine Dining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY
2nd of 28: Pictures of the Divine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lNI-OQ7-eQ
3rd of 28: A Dirty Bible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkPvBuuFd4
4th of 28: Cared For:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXyJVdcCds
5th of 28: Saved:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX45kGRe1HI
6th of 28: You Can Change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd0gkvK18fo
7th of 28: Reprogramming Our Brains:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov36f_RapXc
8th of 28 Our Holy Father:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XabXLEXsxbY
9th of 28 Gifts of Service:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtuGZviodkA
10th of 28 The Holy Spirit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in89XVs4cGo
Live ongoing series in progress.
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs FGGibbs@abible.com
