James 1:13-15...Sunday, January 2nd, 2011

Happy New Year to Everyone!

We started this week's lesson by discussing how verse 12 is parallel to vv 2-4.

The first discussing enduring, we discussed to endure is to continue to turn to God as our only  source of life. It is to count on Him to give us His Presence and His Peace in the midst of whatever we are facing. It is to live as God is transforming us. Enduring is to wait on Him to give us wisdom and light when all we seem to have to offer Him is our darkness.

Vv 13-15: The definition of tempt is to entice to do wrong by a promise of pleasure or gain.

What are ways we are tempted? Is ducking responsibilities a temptation?

***NOTE: It is important to see that verse 13 says, "WHEN" not "if"

GOD TESTS, but He never tempts!!!

Question: According to v14, where does temptation begin? It begins in one's own evil desires.

Every temptation has three elements:


 1. Allurement: This is the bait. This is external when something or someone becomes the object of our interest.

2. Desire: This is when the bait is taken and desire is born. Desire is internal and rest in our hearts.

3. Choice: This is an element that happens twice in the process of temptation. The first choice happens when we choose to accept the bait. The second time, we have a choice is when we act on the desire.

We see a pattern where it is allurement that creates the desire if we allow it! We must understand that this process is not normally done by brutally or force but persuasion. However, we don't have to take the bait...

Remember sin, no matter how pleasurable is temporary and has consequences.

***Temptation is desire to partake in pleasures outside the boundaries of God's law***

JustJoshin' the blog, used the example of sex. Sex within the confine of marriage is what God desires. However, the temptation brought forward to many is premarital sex.

Our class did a visual image exercise (thanks to JustJoshin') which, each of you can do right now. Picture yourself in a fenced in yard. Within your yard is every blessing you can imagine. OK...got the image.

Now, right outside the fence are things calling and drawing you to them. These things look good and they keep calling your name...

The things outside the fence just need to get you to step outside the fence to be able to grab hold of them so, that they can grab hold of you. The truth is these things (whatever it may be in your own life) just want to entrap you. This stepping outside the fence (spiritually stepping outside of God's protection) may  even seem pleasurable in the beginning. However, ultimately they will lead to destruction.

We left class with one thought to remember for this week:

***REMEMBER GOD NEVER TEMPTS AND WE MUST DETERMINEDLY DECIDE TO FOCUS ON ON NOT ACCEPTING THE ALLUREMENT/BAIT***