Tempted by Self?

whos fault

James 1:13-14

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”

While I was preparing this sermon, I read a sentence that struck me to my core. “We can never resist temptation as we should, so long as we hold God or any one else responsible for our sins.”

It’s easy to sit back and say, “Well, if they’d quit doing that, I wouldn’t lose my temper.” or “I wouldn’t act that way if so and so didn’t force me to.” Nothing like putting the blame for our own actions onto someone else huh? “It’s not my fault, they shouldn’t push me!” “If God didn’t let THEM act that way, I wouldn’t be tempted, I wouldn’t fail.”

Instead of holding on to that right hand that God holds out for us to grab hold of, we, instead, turn away from it and rely on ourselves and that, loved ones, is a recipe for disaster. If we rely on ourselves for anything, we fail.

When God looks down and sees what we do as a church, how we live our collective faith, is He pleased? Does He feel honored and glorified? When God looks down and sees what you do, how you live your faith, is He pleased? Does He feel honored and glorified?

That’s where it starts ya know? If we want our church to bring honor and glory to God then we, as individuals must first work on ourselves.


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