Consider God's Judgment (James 1:13-16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-25-03

 

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Consider God’s Judgment (1:13-16)

 

My Worship Time                  Reference:  James 1:13-16

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “13 ¶ Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”  (NASB)  “And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, ‘God is tempting me.’  God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either.”  (NLT)

The focus that is written down is the focus on verses 13-16, and I am only going to look at verse 13 today.  The word for tempted and the word for trial that has been used in the previous section (2-12) comes from the same root word in the Greek.  “Tempt 29, try 4, tempter 2, prove 1, assay 1, examine 1, go about 1” These are some of the definitions that Strong’s Concordance gives for this word.  The reason that I bring this up is that James uses this section to describe temptation, where as he used the first section to describe trials.  There is a difference between trials or tests, and temptations, however a trial can become a temptation if the believer tries to handle it on his own, and not trust the Lord to bring about good from the trial.  Temptations come from Satan, and he uses the fallen nature to accomplish temptation in a believer’s life.  In 1Corthians 10:13 Paul writes about temptations and has this to say, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”  James goes on to give the believer three facts that must be considered if believers are to overcome temptations.  The first one is Consider God’s Judgment, (1:13-16), Consider God’s Goodness (1:17), & Consider God’s Divine Nature Within (1:18).

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I have learned the difference between trials and temptations from this verse in James, and I believe that knowing this will help me to mature as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The Word of God has certainly challenged by heart today, as well as instructed me too.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Not to allow trials to cause me to give in to temptations.

 

Memory verse for the week:  James 1:1

 

James, a bond-servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings.