Sunday, September 18, 2016

Temptation can lead to lust conceived.

The Devil tempted Jesus… make no mistake… the temptation was REAL to our Savior.  We may think that because our Savior came back with what seemed like quick retorts to the Devil's temptations that He was impervious to any temptation.  Jesus COULDN'T have been immune (if you will) to temptation. No, Jesus did NOT sin.

Read this…

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Jas 1:16  Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.

A lust is a desire for self-gratification. When we lust for anything we are wanting that thing and even if our lust is for a good thing it can be wrong.  We are tempted with things we desire. And when we are tempted we get drawn away into our lust- wanting that thing right or wrong, wanting that thing before we want the things of God. Putting our desires first before God, making our desires our god. Once that lust is conceived- it is a done deal, no longer a temptation, no longer a drawing away, but conceived, accepted and then it brings forth the sin.

Jesus, our Savior was TEMPTED by the DEVIL. Jesus was very hungry- He desired to eat- but He DID not let that tempting turn into a conceived lust!  Jesus could easily have jumped off the pinnacle of the temple and had the angels catch Him just to shut the Devil up, but even if the thought was there it was NOT a conceived lust! 

Let's read the next temptation the Devil brought to our suffering Savior.

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The top of the temple was not high enough a perch, the devil took Jesus next to a EXCEEDING high mountain and show him ALL the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. Think about that, on that high mountain the devil used visions to reveal ALL the kingdoms of the world. I say he used visions because even on the highest mountain you wouldn't see everything without a special vision adjustment. Allowed to visualize all the kingdoms of the world and the GLORY of them, Jesus was shown marvelous things, wondrous things of the kingdoms and then the devil OFFERED those kingdoms to Him.  The devil owns the kingdoms of the world, because when mankind sin under his temptation they gave over their claim to the world God made for them. The devil offered Jesus all the world and isn't that what Jesus wanted? Think about it, Jesus came to save the world and the devil was offering Him a very quick fix.

Again, the LUST WAS NOT CONCEIVED!

Jesus told the devil to go away and then He used the power of the written word of God- Thou shalt WORSHIP the LORD THY GOD, and HIM ONLY SHALT THOUGH SERVE.

Jesus would NOT bow down and worship the devil - not for the entire world!  

How many of us give up worshipping the Lord for so much less?

Mat 4:11  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

More tomorrow all by the grace, the love, the mercy of our Lord and Savior- Jesus Christ!!!


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