Faith overcomes trials and temptations

A friend usually has good theology, but sometimes struggles with living it out. This person easily memorizes Scripture and can quote entire passages, but has a gap between that knowledge and its application, often without realizing it.

I know this problem. The spiritual gift of teaching is about gathering information and sharing it with others. The flesh tosses in the problem of thinking just because I know it, then I have it. Sometimes the gap is explained as head knowledge rather than heart knowledge, as if the mind grasped a truth but the inner person missed the point of it, or didn’t connect it to life. A reason? The old nature of a teacher is proud of knowing things, and that pride stands between knowing and doing? Whatever the reason, this is addressed by the NT:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22–25)

Hearers with a desire to share easily forget to act, likely to go on in search of new information. This is opposite to doers, even though those who are quick to act also have problems. They sometimes see needs and jump into doing something without first seeking God’s will.

That said, Jesus is my Savior and uses all things to change my fleshy reactions and spiritual motivations to doing what pleases Him. He wants me to be like Him rather than wanting glory for myself, or to simply ignoring what He is trying to tell me.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

One of the ‘all things’ is temptation. While God is not the author of it, He does use it…

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:12–15)

God has the uncanny ability to used temptation against itself, first as a revelation to show me any attitudes and desires that need confession and certainly any actions that give in to those attitudes and desires. That means when I have a problem that could be a temptation to sin, God uses it to motivate faith and make the trial become an asset:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

Whether I call them trials, temptations, or tests, the negative stuff of life is about God revealing to me how much I need Him and need to trust Him. This makes faith the victory that overcomes temptation, turns trials into good things, and therefore grant me a passing mark on another test. As today’s devotional writer says: “We are nothing: Christ is all” and that means I am standing and walking by faith.

PRAY: Jesus, You are teaching me about my helplessness and that I cannot do anything for myself. I must hand all temptation over to You and trust You to conquer it for me. Sometimes it is hard to put a problem into Your hands and leave it there, yet You want me to patiently endure without yielding to a fleshy response or believing any lies. Faith cannot see the answer, but faith trusts You, even when all seems dark. I leave myself and my concerns in Your hands.

God’s Absolute Faithfulness

A pastor was asked if temptation was a sin. He replied, “You cannot stop a bird from flying over your head, but you don’t have to let it build a nest in your hair.”

He implied that the world, the flesh, and the devil will call out to me in various ways, but I must not dwell on what they say, suggest, or how they make their appeal. I  cannot stop those suggestions nor can I block any doubts that come to me any more than I can hinder someone from saying nasty words as I walk by, yet I am not doing anything wrong by hearing the temptation. I can refuse to listen.

It is the same with doubts. I can dwell on them, join in with them, consent to them and adopt them as true — or I can turn from them and to the truth that God gives me.

The world might say, ‘Faith in God is foolish. Being a Christian has too many rules and spoils your fun.’ Do I know the truth that smacks down that line?

The flesh might say, ‘God is not in charge of your life. If He was good, this … would never be happening to you. There is no reason for you to be suffering. Escape…’ Do I know the truth about God’s power and sovereignty, about His love for me and the purpose of suffering?

The devil continually bombards me with stuff like: ‘God does not really want the best for you. This isn’t really so bad; everyone does it so it must be okay.’ Can I reply to those slanders of God with truth that hits them out of my mind?

Today’s devotional puts emphasis on the value of reading and knowing the Word of God for it also tells me what God is like and reminds me of what He has already done. It gives me answers to the subtle and not so subtle suggestions that come to me as temptations to doubt Him. While I have a choice and can believe the lies, I also know that doing so robs me of joy and the goodness of knowing my God is faithful.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Yet there is another ‘lie’ that is often missed. It is the lie that says, ‘You can do it, You’ve got this’ and other versions that say I am able to handle anything if I just decide to do so and try harder. The Word of God says otherwise as does my own experience. I cannot be godly or battle sin without Jesus Christ. My confidence can never be in my own strength. Instead, the victory over temptation comes with a confession of weakness, never a determination to try harder. In the battle against lies and temptations, the only way to win is by yielding to God, by looking to Jesus.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:1–4)

Jesus is the Savior. I am not. He is faithful. I am not. He will “sustain me to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom I was called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:4–9) Note also the order of actions in this verse:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

I cannot rid myself of the devil and his lies, nor the world and its thinking, nor the flesh as it tries to resurrect itself from being dead unless I am submitted to God first, then resisting the lies of temptation. Trusting and believing is only part of the weapon; obedience is the sharpest sword to put doubts and nest-building from happening, perhaps even from showing up.

PRAY: Jesus, I need You to keep me safe from the lies that fly about me, even the lie that ‘try harder’ will work. Enable me to practice a continuous habit of believing You and having discernment against temptation and doubt. Only You can make them vanish and replace them with the glory of Your absolute faithfulness.  

Shut the door on doubts…

Occasionally I pray this from the Bible, always expecting an answer yet dreading it:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

One way God answers is by dreams. In them, I’m doing something that shocks me and makes me feel shame when I wake up. If I question God about it, He usually replies with something like, “Would you rather find out your sinfulness in real life?”

I had a dream like that last night. It repeats in various forms and this time I woke up doubting that God would ever purify my selfishness to the point that this dream would never again happen. However, today’s devotional took a bull’s eye shot at that notion. It was about the selfishness of doubting, saying that to some people doubting God is a luxury, a ‘poor me’ attitude that is just as hard to give up as any self-centered indulgence.

The author says, “Do not your doubts come trooping to your door like a company of sympathizing friends who appreciate your hard case and have come to console you? Is it no luxury to sit down with them, entertain them, listen to their arguments, and join in with their condolences? Wouldn’t it be real self-denial to turn from them and refuse to hear a word they have to say? Try it and see.”

This author gives the example of brooding over someone’s unkindness that produces that ‘poor me, how I have suffered’ focus that turns love for God into a ‘God has forsaken me, does not love me, and I am too sinful for Him to care for and transform.’ All that self-pity is actually easier to live with than the sinfulness He exposes and the obedience He is asking for!

This brings to mind the faith of Abraham when he was commanded by God to slay his son, the one through whom God's promise depended on. How could God bless this patriarch as the father of nations if his son was dead? But not a shred of self-pity in this man. He took his boy up a mountain and laid him on an altar. Only then did God intervene and provide a substitute sacrifice.

My selfishness in this dream is about being willing to sacrifice everything I want and serve the Lord alone. No other gods, no idols, no ‘I wants’ that go against what He wants. I know the importance of obedience. The OT puts it this way:

“If you are not careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting. And he will bring upon you again all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. Every sickness also and every affliction that is not recorded in the book of this law, the Lord will bring upon you, until you are destroyed. Whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God. And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you… but the Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul. Your life shall hang in doubt before you… (Deuteronomy 28:58–67)

In contrast, the NT considers the obedience of Christ as being the offering to God that His people have never been able to make. In other words, my sins and selfishness are covered by the sacrifice of Christ and my response is to be like His…

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2)
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. (Hebrews 13:15)

Walk in love, worshiping and praising God, obeying as He gives the will and the ability to do so. Stop that ‘poor me’ which can be an excuse to not say no to something that He shows me as a sinful attitude. Of course I cannot rid myself of it, but I can confess it rather than make excuses for it.

PRAY: Jesus, the flesh is always trying to rise from the dead. Again, I need Your saving power to not only put the old nature in its grave, but also replace it with love for others and praise to You.

Nothing is too hard for God

 
Sometimes God does things just to prove that He can. At least that is how it seems to me. For instance, surgeons remove a damaged human heart, replace it with a donor from some unfortunate soul who died in good health, and the heart starts beating all by itself. In my mind, that is a God-thing!

The latest was a story on the news this week. It involved a rescued magpie and a dog that looks like a pit bull. They are best friends, grew up together, and created quite a sensation with their playful antics. But some complained that the dog owner did not have a license to take in wildlife so these two creatures were separated by the silliness of human beings. Someone decided to let common sense reign so they are now back together. Read the story HERE.

One OT prophecy speaks of a day coming when the world will be at peace. The context refers to the return of the Messiah and the described conditions are startling:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6–9)

If I ever doubt that the animals will be no danger to children and a lion can lie down with a lamb, I just need to remember this pit bull and the magpie. Humans have explanations for this strange relationship, but I’ve no doubt this is another God-thing. It shows that He can fulfill that prophecy.

Our Bible study group talked last night about the differences between our theology on paper and our theology in life. Many times Christians speak highly of the power of God yet their lives are made wretched and their usefulness is hindered because in reality they live filled with doubts and think more like atheists. That is harsh, but if I worry instead of praying, who am I trusting?

Today’s devotional ends with a statement that our inner spiritual conflict is far more like spiritual rebellion against the God we claim to know. Then it says this: “Our fight is to be a fight of faith; and the moment we let in doubts, our fight ceases and our rebellion begins.”

I’m thankful for glimpses of God. He tells me to walk by faith, not by sight, yet now and then surprises me with a God-thing — something that makes obvious that He can do what most of us think will not ever happen.

PRAY: Lord, when I take up my prayer list for needs and requests, may I pray with faith, trusting You to do exceedingly abundantly above all I can ask or imagine… like making enemies into friends, granting life to dead hearts, and giving eternal life to those who think they do not need You when without You they will perish.

Dealing with Sin

 Sin starts in the mind, at least that is my experience. I think something selfish or untoward about others. I might start verbalizing my thoughts, depending on that inner drive to get some attention or make my complaint (or boasting or whatever) known. I also might act on it, like avoid the person that upsets me, or be snippy with other people, or tell tales that are ought not to be told.

Most of the time I’m quickly aware of what I’m doing and want to make it right. Not always, but if joy is gone, I know that I’ve a need to confess. Here is where today’s devotional offers good advice. The verses about confession are clear:

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:6–10)

Even though I have known and made much of verse 9 being vital to spiritual growth, getting to it has a couple of detours. One is being surprised that I thought or did the selfish thing and am suddenly discouraged and want to give up thinking I will never able to conquer that thing, whatever it is. Usually a repeat.

The other problem is calling it an infirmity that is simply part of life and refusing to be candid and above-board about it. This is a reflection of Satan’s words: “Oh, it really isn’t so bad.”

Either of these two excuses is fatal to any real growth and progress in the life of holiness. The only way is to face the sad fact at once, call the thing by its right name, and discover, if possible, the reason and the remedy.

Rarely is the reason an infirmity. God promises to supply all my needs. I’m not physically infirm (blind, deaf, crippled, etc.) nor are we suffering poverty, difficulties with family or neighbors or in our church. I’m not lonely, afraid, depressed, nor struggling with anything more than a lot of ambition and less energy and time to take care of the necessities of being a wife, mom, gran, homemaker, etc. I am also thankful for God’s goodness and yet I still can be overcome with selfishness.

This says much about the latent power of that old dead nature. It does keep trying to rise again, yet Jesus declares it dead to Him and me alive to God. Such a war, yet that Word of God promises victory, if not now, certainly eventually.

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2–3)

Again, life with Christ requires total honesty with Him and with myself. Sin is only a momentarily disturbance as long as I deal with it honestly. Today’s devotional reminds me that any failure, sudden or otherwise, is no reason for being discouraged and giving up all as lost. The integrity of what I believe is not touched by my failures. Because of Christ, this is my walk, not my state before God. The highway of holiness is not a place but a way. Sanctification is not a thing to be picked up at a certain stage of our experience and forever after possessed; it is a life to be lived day by day and hour by hour. I may for a moment turn aside from a path, but the path is not obliterated by my wandering and can be instantly regained. Such is the grace of God.

PRAY: Salvation is complete and assured. Not because of my performance but because of Your shed blood, Your grace and forgiveness. Jesus, You are the reason I live and my hope. Even when I stumble, You pick me up, dust me off, hear my prayers, and give me deep joy. For this, I love You and eagerly look to You, even when flat on my face. Thank You so much for all that You are and do.

Faith Affirmed

God affirms me in amazing ways. Today’s devotional says what the Holy Spirit has been revealing to me all week. With delight, I reproduce it here, making the pronouns personal.

Sometimes, in spite of all my efforts to discover the truth, the divine sense of “oughtness” does not seem to come and my doubts and perplexities continue unenlightened. In addition, my friends differ from me and may oppose my course. In such a case there is nothing to do but to wait until the light comes. I must wait in faith and in an attitude of entire surrender, saying a continual yes to the will of the Lord. If the suggestion is from Him, it will continue and strengthen; if it is not from Him, it will disappear. If it continues, if it troubles me in moments of prayer and disturbs my peace, and if it conforms to the test of the divine harmony of which I have written (see recent devotions), I may feel sure it is from God. Then I must yield to it or suffer an unspeakable loss.

The apostle Paul says that “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). In all doubtful things, then, I must stand still and refrain from action until God gives me light to know more clearly His mind concerning them. Very often I will find that the doubt has been His voice calling me to come into more perfect conformity to His will; but sometimes these doubtful things are only temptations or morbid feelings, to which it would be most unwise for me to yield. The only safe way is to wait until I can act in faith.

I read these words with delight because of the harmony between the Christian who wrote them and my mind about such matters. This devotional book is more than 100 years old and not only affirms my thoughts about knowing God’s will, it affirms that:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

He is timeless and His Word is timeless, as relevant today as when first written — incidentally by many human authors who listened and wrote as the Spirit told them, over a period of many years. Truth is truth and because Jesus is “the way, the truth, the life” then I can rely on Him and His Word no matter what the world says about relevance, or the devil suggests about truth being doubtful, or the resistance my flesh has to anything that God says.

As God says, as He reveals it to me, and as this Christian affirmed, when in doubt, wait in yielded faith — He will make it clear.

PRAY: Jesus, we had an event at our church yesterday that was prayed for with hope, not too certain it would draw many people. It was a Heritage Festival to celebrate the many cultures represented in our congregation and that will eventually gather before the throne of God. Faith became sight — the main auditorium was so filled that we could hardly walk. What a wonderful celebration and display of faith becoming sight. As You continue to affirm faith, may all of us continue to grow in it and celebrate Your awesome goodness.

Transparent about my weaknesses?

 
The Christians my husband and I spend time with have been talking about how to know the will of God, particularly to know which motivations come from Him and which are from our selfish old nature. All realize that just because that flesh nature is dead (separated from God) does not mean it shuts up and leaves us to hear God only.

Even Jesus, who is God in human flesh, was pressured by the world who wanted to make Him king and later to kill Him. The devil also tempted Him. He did not have a sin nature yet He was able “to sympathize with our weaknesses” because “He was tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) How did Jesus know the will of God? He gave a big clue when He said:

If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (John 7:17)

Being willing to do whatever God tells me is important to knowing what He wants. Why would He reveal anything about His plans to a person that is not willing to do whatever He says! So yielded to obedience is a major part of knowing the difference. Not my will but Thine be done.

My level of concern for others is also a measurement. If all I think about and pray about is me and mine, then I’m out of His will. Today’s devotional puts it this way…
We never care about the little details of people’s lives unless we love them. It is a matter of indifference to us what the majority of people do, or how they spend their time. But as soon as we begin to love someone, we begin to care.

This goes both ways. I become more certain of God's love for me as I experience it in the details of life. As I realize He is caring for me in every way and at all times the more I am interested in what He is doing for others. This happens in relationships and is evidence that when God’s love is “spread abroad in my heart” I am less focused on me but them. His love becomes a daily, even a minute-by-minute guidance and motivator. Knowing how much I am loved translates into knowing what God is saying, knowing how He speaks and what He asks of me. This involves listening but it also involves shunning the devil’s lie that says the Lord does not want the best for me. When I am convinced He does, I can ignore all threats that say otherwise. I also become a better listener and have more freedom to focus on those around me.

Another way to know His will is to believe His promises. He says:

God works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life… (Philippians 2:13–16)

I can trust Him to work in me as well as guide me. If flesh and other sources lead me astray, the Lord works in my will so I will do His will. I can know it by lack of complaining and arguing on my part, and by holding to what His Word tells me. No deviations or excuses, but joyful contentment.

As this passage says, God promises to work in me a desire to do His will. He is the Savior and works in my nature so I want the same things as He wants and will behave and do things that please Him. He produces that desire in such a way that I know the liberty of following those inner desires  rather than doing anything out of duty. The requirements might be a challenge but the desire to obey is strong and certain, not a sense of being driven. He puts His will on our hearts and minds (Hebrews 10:16) so we know what He asks.

PRAY: Jesus, I’ve a problem with a person who never speaks of weakness or doubts or any struggles with the flesh. That seems unrealistic, even foreign to me. Even You, in Your perfection, sweat blood in the garden about going to the cross. This person never seems to wrestle with anything. Am I envious? Or is this discernment from You and a signal to pray for the ability to glory in weakness like Paul did (2 Corinthians 9-10) so this person will experience a much deeper grace? Again, show me Your perfect will.