-May 20, 2025-
Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
(James 1:12).
Every day we experience trials and temptations. We need God’s grace to get through these times and be victorious. The big difference between trials and temptations is the source of them. God is the source of our trials; the devil is the source of our temptations.
God is holy and righteous; He has nothing to do with evil nor does He want us to fall into sin. It is a non-stop battle that we fight against our sinful flesh until the Lord takes us home to heaven. Temptation itself is not sin, but giving into it is.
Joseph is a perfect example of one who endured temptation and fled from it, as well as endured trials that tested and built his faith. Jesus in His humanity faced the devil’s temptations and stood strong in God’s truth which He quoted to send the devil packing.
Temptations always compel us to make the wrong decisions and take what is not God’s will for us. James explains how we are tempted from within. James 1:14 says, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.”
Once we give sin an inch, it takes a mile. It starts with entertaining a thought, and leads to giving our flesh what it wants, when it wants it. The devil always appeals to our fleshly desires. This was the case with Eve even though God gave her everything good, she took the forbidden fruit and gave it also to her husband Adam. All people since have the sinful nature and sin against God.
We as believers have two natures: the old nature and the new nature. It often starts with a little compromise. We must seek the Lord in prayer and His Word.
Let us endure temptations and in the end we will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Have a blessed and victorious day over temptation and sin. Stay safe and healthy.
We must flee from temptation, and flee to Jesus our strong Deliverer.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 