Have you ever had a message that just was a slap in the face. That's how i felt today at church from the message preached by my own father. Me, as a teen, I go through quite a bit with temptation. Kids making dumb decisions and expecting you to follow right along with them because it is the thing to do. Or being in a time of distress and cheating which also my father touched on in his message. I am guilty of a case of temptation, in which I cheated on my lab, something not worth cheating on, but I did it. Well I dont want to give away too much, because i wanted to show the notes I took for the sermon.
This message is taken from James 1:13-15
I. Temptation doesn't come from God
* My father's definition of temptation- A solictation to do evil
* Temptation shouldn't be blamed on God because God does not like evil and he would not condone it
* God cannot be tempted by evil
* Every trial that comes our way opens the door for Temptation
II. Temptation comes from our own evil desires
* Temptation is the product of our own evil desires; Its as if we our fish going for bait. All we're worrying about is the bait, not knowing the bait is attatched to a hook, that is attatched to a string ready to trap us and drag us away
* Do not play the blame game; When someone does wrong towards you and you retalliate also means you're wrong( You are just as evil as the person who did the wrong first)
* Be responsible for your own actions
* John Piper quotes: " Sin gets its power by persuading me to believe that it will be
pleasing to me if I follow it"
* Our evil desires entice us
III. Temptation is Progressively Dangerous when we yield to it
* Certain desires we will never get used to
* Don't let what others do to you drag you away
* Do not blame God for the outcome of a situation when we don't respond the way He has told us to respond
* Temptation seems innocent and harmless but it isn't
Almost finished.. Just a few more tips to not yield Temptation
1) Never trust the flesh; Galations 5:19-21
2) Memorize scripture; Matthew 4
3) Walk in the spirit; Galations 5:16 (submit to the Spirits control)
Now, its alot but meditate on it because it can help you in life, because it is God's word.
