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.

Being Tested?

Numbers 17–18; Psalm 55; Isaiah 7; James 1

We discussed hypocrisy last night. It is a sin hated by the Lord and most people yet so often committed. Generally, it means trying to convey that I am a better, more devout person than I am. It is wearing a mask of ‘goodness’ to hide my sinfulness. Examples include those who pretend to be honest and cheat on their income tax, or those who pretend to love and worship God but obedience is lacking or they show up before His throne only on Sunday morning but their heart is on the golf course.

Most of the time, my masks are an attempt to impress people. This is nonsense. Since everyone does it, most everyone recognizes this fake behavior in others. No one is impressed. Sometimes I’ve tried to look better than I am because my self view is incorrect. I think I’m stupid or inadequate and try acting as if the opposite is true.

The other extreme of pretending to be what I am not is acting as if I am not what I really am. I am a child of God, precious to Him and graced with His goodness through faith in Jesus Christ. If I am moaning about my weaknesses, I am also being a hypocrite for I have the power of God living in me through the Holy Spirit. To claim to be nothing but a wimp is hypocritical because it is not true either.

This day, I’m thinking about resisted the temptations to fake who I am or deny who I am. These temptations come in a variety of forms and at various times. I’m tempted to boast when another person is boasting. I’m tempted to feel sorry for myself when others speak of their blessings. I’m tempted to say, “I can handle this” when I know that Jesus says without Him, I can do nothing. How then can this child of God face and defeat temptation?

First, I need to recognize it. Read the Bible.

Second, I need to realize that while Satan tempts me to sin, God also tests me at the same time to trust Him. Seeing what both are trying to do is helpful. Who do I want to obey? I also need to stop blaming either one because the temptation or trial is allowed by God to reveal my weaknesses and help my take charge of my decisions. I cannot be tempted if I am “dead to sin” and “alive to God.”

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. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. (James 1:12–16)

Ask: what is at the root of this? What desire in me is Satan appealing to? How can I endure this without giving in?

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19–21)

James says slow down and pay attention. Anger or any other emotional reaction is not going to make me righteous any more than faking it will make me righteous. Whatever the temptation appeals to must be addressed by the Word of God and put away, abandoned. The Bible will tell me what to do instead of reacting in anger or other emotions. Find out what it says, but that is not enough.

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)

Knowing the answer is not enough; I must do it. If I’m tempted and react in anger, but the Word of God tells me to speak softly, then I must speak softly. Tooting my horn about speaking softly doesn’t do it. Mere talk about what I know does not do it. I must sincerely and obediently do what God tells me.

APPLY: This entire page is application. I know the answers from God’s Word — now follow through and do what He says. The temptation will then become a test — and in Christ, I will pass the test.

Knowing the answers is not enough

One truth that I’ve learned the hard way is that knowing something is not enough. Tozer opens today’s devotional with these thoughts: “The work of God is not finished when the first act of inward adjustment has been done. The Spirit would go on from there to bring the total life into harmony with that “blissful center.” This is wrought in the believer by the Word and by prayer and discipline and suffering. It could be done by a short course in things spiritual if we were more pliable, less self-willed and stubborn; but it usually takes some time before we learn the hard lessons of faith and obedience sufficiently well to permit the work to be done within us with anything near to perfection.”

Many times I’ve longed for the ‘short course’ yet realize how self-willed and stubborn I am. He draws me deeper and as much as I want to be like Jesus, I go kicking and screaming into the classroom because it is an uncomfortable place. Pride says I know it, I don’t need more training.

Tozer says, “In bringing many sons unto glory God works with whatever He has in whatever way He can and by whatever means He can, respecting always His own gift to us, the freedom of our wills.” He adds that the Bible is the best of His means. I agree. I cannot learn much about God without it . . .

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

Yet I know from personal experience, knowing the Bible is not sufficient; it must also be obeyed. Reading and studying it does not produce godliness any more than reading a cookbook produces a cake. James says:

“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)

The Old Testament also makes obedience a high priority . . .

“He (God) opens their ears to instruction and commands that they return from iniquity. If they listen and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness. But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.” (Job 36:10–12)

Tozer ends today’s devotional with the threefold purpose of the Bible: to inform, to inspire faith and to secure obedience. He is right to says that the Word of God will do me good only as I present an open mind to be taught, a tender heart to believe and a surrendered will to obey.

^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, I’m thankful for these level-headed words of truth, simple yet profound. Listen. Believe. Obey. Forgive my wandering mind that reads without listening then has the audacity to assume that I know Your will and am following it.

Hearing the Word, hearing the Spirit

Over the decades, most if not all the churches I’ve attended have been strong on hearing and obeying the Word of God. For them, that Word is the Bible. If the Bible does not back it up, then all our ideas are either from human, worldly, or even demonic wisdom. Any inner voice could not be called the ‘leading of God’s Spirit’ unless it could be verified in the written Word.

Most Christians I know realize that God does impress truth and direction on our hearts and minds. We might not be able to find a chapter and verse to prove it even when the principles of God’s Word are not being violated.

Over the past couple of years, our current church has offered an eight-week study called “Hearing God.” The women are currently in a study by that title. I’ve several books with the same title or topic. These are wonderful attempts to help us with discerning the voice of God as Jesus said we could . . .

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)

God can speak inside our heads. As Tozer says, hearing the Bible read, or reading it ourselves is not enough. Even had I stood on the earth at the time of Paul, his speech could do nothing for me without the voice of the Holy Spirit backing it up loud and clear in my conscience. I need to listen to that inner voice. Otherwise, the Bible is just a jumble of words. This is what James refers to when he says:

“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18)

No person is reborn without that combination: The Word of truth and the Holy Spirit speaking truth into their heart. One without the other is either incomplete or dead.

These last few days God is speaking to me about obedience. I can hear and understand. I can know where this verse and that passage fit into the plan of God. Yet understanding is not enough. James also says:

“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)

The intent of God is to transform me into the likeness of His Son. He does this by the power of His Word, but without obedience, nothing happens — except that I can become a Bible-know-it-all with a fat head and little evidence that I practice what I preach.

^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I don’t want to be a pain in the neck to those around me. Your intention is that I hear and follow You, that I am a ‘firstfruit’ who lives out what You are putting in, a doer of Your Word, a listener who obeys. Too often I fall short. Forgive me. I thank You that You grant grace to my ears, but also to the rest of me that so I will respond with a changed life.