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.

Truth linking to truth

Sunday’s sermon connected two truths in one passage. It was not one of those obvious links that says, ‘if you do this then this will happen.’ However, the pastor saw a connection between praying for leaders and the desire of God that all people are saved (1 Timothy 2:1-4). He said if we pray for those in authority over us, we will see people respond to the gospel.

I’d not heard that before, but something about it rang true. It also influenced me to look for connections that might be less obvious and see if they also ring true. For instance, today I read these verses . . .  

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:13–17)

If the truths are related, then asking in Jesus’ name is linked to obedience. That is, if I am disobeying God, then I cannot expect Him to answer my prayers. Praying in Jesus’ name will become a mere formula, an insincere chant that has no value. That rings true.

If the truths are related, then obedience is linked to the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is, I cannot keep the commandments of God without His power. If I rely on my own desires, strengths, and resources, then my obedience will be mere ritual that smacks of self-righteousness and does nothing to glorify God. That also rings true.

Two more truths could also be related; the obedience of Jesus in that He will ‘do it’ to glorify the Father, and my obedience based on ‘if you love me.’ Jesus obeys the Father because He loves Him. Obedience is the expression of love. That is why God does not turn His disciples into robots. I am living in total freedom. The difference is obedience without coercion, or a sense of duty or guilt, or a way of making a good impression. It is always an expression of love. That also rings true.

Chambers says that when my relationship with God is of love, then I will do what He says without any hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone else in competition with Him, very likely myself. Today’s devotional is encouraging because Chambers says that even the smallest obedience is a ‘pinhole’ through which I have seen God, and through that pinhole His redemptive light will shine through me to bless others. This happens only because of that mysterious yet wondrous link between the deeds done in obedience and the power of the Holy Spirit who makes obedience possible.

Love God and do what He says because I love Him, and in that, He will shine through my life to impact the lives of others. This is so simple and rings true. It is complicated only by the forces of sin and evil that do not want it to happen.