August 7
Temptation: a desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise. That’s the dictionaries definition.
Yes, yes I know all about temptation. “Lord help me! Yes I want all this food that is horrible for me! Pizza, chicken friend chicken, Crispy French fries, Babes Chicken, OMG, Layes potato chips!” So when presented to me I most always say YES! No matter what promises or goals I have made, I will easily fall to my weakness and say YES PLEASE!
Is this unwise?Yeeeesssss….Is this wrong? I guess it depends on who you ask. Is this comforting to me? Yesssss! Does it bring me pleasure! Yeessss! Do I suffer guilt and condemnation because of it? Yessss! (Well sometimes…lol) So the definition of temptation fits into my life perfectly.
There are some that would read this and think, seriously?! Come on you can say no to all that. Just say no! Others will read this and laugh because they understand first hand the love for food and understand the hold it has on them too.
While your temptation may not be food, it may be something else that I can say NO to without hesitation. Drinking alcohol, prescription drugs, pornography, sex, spending money, lying, stealing, gambling, bullying people, controlling everyone and everything, fits of anger, and I could go on and on.
These are all things I am not tempted by and could easily say “no way” to. But because I am tempted by, what I consider awesome yummy food, I understand first hand the subject or word of temptation. It doesn’t matter what the subject, it’s all about the stronghold. But is all this the only way we can see the word temptation?
There is another definition and is found in the Greek word for TEMPTATION, ‘peirasmos’ (pi-ras-mos’) This means trials, testing, calamity and affliction. It is the trial of man’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, an enticement to sin, temptation whether arising from your own desires or from outward circumstances.
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION is the next part of the Lords Prayer. We see a similar request by King David in Psalms 141:4,”Do not let my heart inclined to any evil, too busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of the delicacies!” Similarly in Psalms 119:36 reads,”Turn my heart towards your statutes and not towards selfish gain.”
I love how one version of this translation on TEMPTATION reads,”Trials with a BENEFICIAL purpose”.
It is important to know before we even begin to understand this part of the prayer what Jesus said in James 1:13.”Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself temps no one.” In knowing this, then we can see this petition is inclined to the PERMITTING of these trials or temptations. By this we see that God indeed has such control over us and the tempter, as to save us from it if we call upon him.
When we pray,”Lead us not into temptation” we are saying bring us not into sore trial. We are crying out to God and asking Him,”Lord do not leave me to myself because I am weak; or do not lay my stumbling blocks and snares (traps) before me, do not put me into circumstances that may be an occasion for me to fall.” We are praying against temptations because of the discomfort and the trouble that they bring us. We are acknowledging before God, without You we are nothing and powerless. (John 15:5) We do not want to be overcome by the danger of being involved with sin and the guilt and grief that follows it. This reflects the believers DESIRE TO AVOID the dangers of sin altogether.
But when God does allow our TRIALS, we know it is ONLY for, as one of the translations of temptation told us, a BENEFICIAL purpose. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God will not test us beyond our ability to bear and will always provide the way out. He sometimes allows these trials to exposed us to Satan’s attacks and all of his schemes for His own purpose in our life.
So when you add the second part of this petition, “deliver us from evil”(which we will cover tomorrow) we are saying in essence,”God please don’t lead me into temptation or trial that will cause me to stumble, but allow only what you know will cause me to grow and walk upright. Therefore deliver me from the hands of the evil one who will try to use this trial for my failure.”
When we submit ourselves fully and completely to the will of God, we will except anything that comes our way no matter what it is. We can rightly asked to be delivered from this type of testing, but we can also ask for the strength that we need to endure it if and when it does come. So here’s the net sum of this petition,
1. If we must endure trials and suffering let it be for Your purpose only God.
2. Keep my eyes wide open in 20/20 vision to know when evil tempts me to destroy me and when Your allowing these temptations and trials to grow and teach me.
3. When these trials do come, let me remember to NOT turn into the hands of the evil one by subjecting myself to more hidden sins in order to sooth my own flesh. Instead let me turn to FULLY REJOICING You Lord in full praise and worship! By this I will be reminding the evil powers that no matter what is allowed or brought on in my life, with arms wide open in full surrender to you Lord, my heart will choose to sing, OH HOW I LOVE YOU LORD! HOLY HOLY ARE YOU!!
Arms Wide Open In Full Embrace
Carla Shellis
Listen to this on PODCAST: http://carlashellis.podomatic.com/entry/2014-08-07T08_23_38-07_00
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