James

Something To Think About —Trials and Temptations

By Thelma Bruce

Integrity– honesty, uprightness, morality. Biblically living according to God’s standards.

  1. What is a “temptation”?
    A. Things that cause people to sin. Matt. 18:7-9 – Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come. If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, that to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
  2. Where do temptations come from?
    A. The devil – Matt. 4:1 – Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
    B.Evil desires. – James 1:14 – but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
    C.Lack of self-control. – I Cor. 7:5 – Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
    D.God doesn’t tempt us to sin. – 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.
  3. How should we deal with temptations?
    A. Pray. – Matt. 26:41 – “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
    B. Lean and depend on God – (DBR)** I Cor. 10:13 – No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
    C. Live in the Spirit. – Gal. 5:16 – So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
    D. Be self-controlled and resist the devil. – I Peter 5:8-9-Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are going through the same kind of sufferings.
    E. Avoid tempting situations.- Gen. 39:10- And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or to be with her.
    F. Run. – Gen. 39:12 – She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
    G. Flee evil desires. – II Tim. 2:22 – Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
  4. What is a “trial”?
    A. Testing of your faith.- James 1:2-3- Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds , because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
  5. Where do trials come from?
    A. God. – James 1:12 – Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
  6. How should we respond to trials?
    A. Consider it joy.- James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kids, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you be mature and complete not lacking anything.
    B. Remember God is in control.- Romans 8:28- And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
    C. Depend on God who rescues – II Peter 2:9 – If this is so then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment while continuing their punishment.
    D. Know that God is always with us.- Gen 39:21- the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

**DBR – Daily Reading Bible

From Homewords:
We, at Homewords, are delighted to share Ms. Bruce’s Handout from the Sunday School lesson on 1/1/2012 entitled, “A Life of Integrity” Genesis 39:7-21a. It is our hope that you will read and share this life-changing handout.

Last Published May 26, 2013

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“The Value of Man Today!”

Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, let us make man in our own image, in our own likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.

Genesis 2:7 – The Lord God formed the man from the dust, of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

“The Genesis 2 account of God’s creation of man is introduced with a description of the actions of the God of Israel.  Verse 7 begins with the phrase, ” And the Lord God…” This refers to YHWH, the Hebrew name for God.  This is “Jehovah Elohim,” the self-existent and supreme God, the Ruler of all.  While Genesis 2:7-25 focuses on the human being and the human experience, reverence for the holiness of God stands as the precursor to those events.” (1)

“The phrase “heavens and earth” is found  in that order, three times in Genesis 1:1, 2:1 and 2:4.  However, Genesis 2:4 then reverses the order and focuses on the human being on earth rather than God in heaven.  This signals the shift in God’s emphasis to the human experience (Berlin and Brettler 2004).  The shift also shows man’s complete dependence on God.  Human origin is God’s responsibility and God is the source of sustenance.” (1)

“The creative act of putting man on earth was a unique operation of God.  In verse 7 the words for “man” (Heb.’adam, aw-DAWM) and “ground” (Heb,. ‘adamah, ad-aw-MAW) come from the same root word.  Man’s formation from the from the ground indicates God’s ability to make the inanimate animate.  God formed, made, and established man by shaping, and fashioning similarly to an artist creating a painting  or a potter rendering a piece of art. The basest ingredients God used to create man.  These are not spectacular elements. They have no value, no reproductive qualities;yet they are the very items that God uses.” (1)

“God’s interaction with man was a two-fold process.  First, God formed man from the dust of the ground.  In English, we usually translate the word “dust” as fine particles.  A stronger translation of “dust” would be “clods, lumps,of earth, soil or dirt.”  This would indicate that God formed man from clumps of dirt.” (1)

“The second phase required God’s breathing into man’s nostrils.  Formation of the human species culminated in a physical body, but the “breath of life was the spiritual phenomena that made man a living soul.  The phrase “breath of life” means “the breath that gives life.”  Until God put His breath into man, man was nothing but a lump of clay that could not move alone. The breath of God was the power that made the difference between the physical man and the spiritual man.  Thus, Adam became a living being.  Only the divine nature of God can bring that which is without life into life.” (1)

The New International Version of the Bible footnote to Genesis 1:26 teaches this: since human beings are made in God’s image they are all worthy of honor and respect; they are neither to be murdered (Gen 9:6) or cursed (James 3:9-10). (2)

We are living in a time when man is so devalued.  We’ve become unwilling to support, care for, or nurture man.  We find man being constantly replaced by other means to create life, to do meaningful work, and to take care of the world.  Yet, there is a charge given to man by God in Genesis 1:28. What can be done to restore man to his rightful place of value? Jesus gave us two great commandments–to love God with all our hearts and souls and minds and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:34-40)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give us the courage to begin to show your love to our fellow-man so that your name may be glorified. In the name of Jesus, Amen

1. Price, Cheryl, Carey, Evangeline, Sailes, Rosa. With These Hands, Inspiring a Call to Stewardship for God’s Creation, Urban Ministries, Inc., 2010.

2. The Holy Bible, New International Version, Zondervan, 1973.