Resisting the Desire to Fulfill Our Physical Pleasures??? – TEMPTATION [8]

In this post, I will be building off of the verse 1 John 2:16 mentioned in my last post, What Is Driving Our Temptations??  –  TEMPTATION – [7], http://wp.me/p5nZpi-yx

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.

John mentions three areas where, we as humans, crave, chase after, lust for, and take pride in…

  1.  Physical pleasure
  2.  Everything we see
  3.  Our achievements/possessions

Below is an example, from the Bible, to illustrate resisting temptation vs. giving into temptation.

 

***CRAVINGS/TEMPTATIONS FOR PHYSICAL PLEASURE***

We’ll look first at an example of someone who was tempted, but resisted —

  • Joseph and Potiphar’s wife

Here’s a little background info explaining how Joseph found himself in this tempting situation.

Joseph, as you may recall was the favorite son of Jacob – Genesis 37:3

joseph

And because of Jacob’s over-the-top gift for Joseph, he was hated by his brothers – Genesis 37:4. 

In fact, Joseph’s brothers hated him so much that they even considered killing him.  However, with their brother, Reuben’s, urging, they decided to throw him instead into a cistern to die.              AWWW!! – How thoughtful :/

joseph in well

Later, when slave traders passed by they decided instead to sell him into slavery. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. – Genesis 37:26-27  WOW!! Brotherly love at its height :/

joseph sold

The brothers then went home. They lied to their father, leading Jacob to believe that Joseph was eaten by a wild animal. When in actuality, they sold him into slavery. – Genesis 37:31-33

joseph's_Coat_Brought_to_Jacob',_oil_on_canvas,_c._1640,_El_Paso_Museum_of_Art

A couple of chapters later in Genesis, we find that Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. – Genesis 39:1

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. – Genesis 37:2,4

THIS IS WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTEDread Genesis 39:5-20

Joseph_and_Potiphar's_Wife

WHAT WAS JOSEPH’S RESPONSE TO POTIPHAR’S WIFE’S ADVANCES?

How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God? – Genesis 39:9

SIN AGAINST GOD? 

WHY DIDN’T JOSEPH SAY,  “I’D HURT POTIPHAR”, OR “YOU’RE MARRIED”, ETC.?

That’s a great question!!  A great question because how many of us recognize that choosing to sin is not just between “two consenting” adults, as in this particular example, but rather SIN is a choice to disobey God Because Joseph responded to Potiphar’s wife’s advances saying that he was sinning against God, he removed another potential temptation trap – rationalizing away his reasons for saying no.  Saying instead, “yeah but…”, or “it’s just this once…” or “______…”

THE NEXT TIME YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A TEMPTING SITUATION, TRY JOSEPH’S STRATEGY —

joseph-8-638

IN THE NEXT POST —

We’ll look at a person in the Bible referred to by God as a man after His(God’s) own heartActs 13:22, yet falls in a major way to temptation, leaving a heap of carnage in his wake.

 

** FOR MORE ON TEMPTATION SEE MY OTHER POSTS BELOW **

What Is Driving Our Temptations??  –  TEMPTATION – [7],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-yx

HEADLINES – Man Falls Head Over Heels…  –  TEMPTATION [9],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-zM

 

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
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  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com

What Is Driving Our Temptations?? – TEMPTATION – [7]

These next few verses from 1 John 2:15-17 seem to shed some light on the origin of the temptations we face on a daily basis,  – 

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. 

A craving is defined as a powerful desire for something.  A longing, a yearning, a want, a desire, a hunger for, a thirst for…   A craving is an all-encompassing feeling that pulls at you.  So much so, that we tend to focus all our energy and attention on fulfilling the craving. Unfortunately, if we succeed, we never feel fulfilled.  It like being on a perpetual merry-go-round or treadmill.  Moving, but going no where, like a greyhound chasing the elusive rabbit around the racetrack.

                        Dogs_racing_around_first_turn_derby_lane

John points out that cravings are the only thing the world has to offer people. He also points out that cravings are not from God.

WHAT THEN DOES GOD OFFER PEOPLE?

  • Eternal life through Jesus For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
  • Holy Spirit But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name (Jesus’ name), He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. –
    John 14:16
  • That He will meet ALL our needs God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19
  •  A rich and satisfying life John 10:10         
  • His Peace – You will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7
  • Contentment  Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?Matthew 6:25-26

Understand that there is a significant difference between what the world offers people and what God offers people.  Fulfillment of cravings are only temporarily satisfying. And when those no longer meet our desires we chase after the next “new” craving that bubbles up from inside of us.

brain-bubbles

 

KING SOLOMON…

who lived much of his life apart from God as the richest, wisest, most powerful person in the 10th century, describes the world like this,  “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless–like chasing the wind.” –  Ecclesiastes 1:14

                         chasing wind

God, on the other hand, desires is to fulfill our deepest longings.  Those longings we may or may not even realize we have.  Not temporarily, but permanently and fully.

WHY DOES GOD CARE ABOUT PEOPLE SO MUCH?

God created human beings in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:27 

You (God) made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. – Psalm 139:13

The very hairs of your head are all numbered. – Matthew 10:30

And God knows the plans He has for you, they are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  – Jeremiah 29:11

WHY TO WE CONTINUALLY CRAVE?

People have an innate desire for God whether they realize it or not.  This can be described as a “God-shaped hole”.  ALL people have this “God-shaped hole” within them which can only be filled by God. The “God-shaped hole” is a craving of sorts.  A craving of the human heart for something outside itself.  And although people don’t realize it, it was actually God who placed this craving in people’s hearts, He, God, has planted eternity in the human heart – Ecclesiastes 3:11

                                    eternity heart

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION THEN?

More often than not, people seek to fulfill their cravings with everything, and anything, other than God.  Whether people attempt to fulfill their longings with work, relationships, money, family, etc. these will always come up short because fulfillment of these longings are only temporary and incomplete.

MAKE A CHOICE, MAKE A CHANGE …

Instead of chasing after the cravings of the world…

Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.Matthew 6:32

SEEK first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

 

 

** FOR MORE ON TEMPTATION SEE MY OTHER POSTS BELOW **

Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong??  –  TEMPTATION [5],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xt

RESPONSE TO READER’S COMMENT – Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong??  –  TEMPTATION [5] –  [6]  –  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xZ

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
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  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com

 

 

 

 

RESPONSE TO READER’S COMMENT – Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong?? – TEMPTATION [5] – [6]

I received a very insightful comment to my last post, Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong??  –  TEMPTATION [5],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xt.  This reader requested a post to address their questions.

Here is the comment that I received…

Very interesting. I would like to see a post on how — if we do “give in” to the temptations we endure (“deal with”)— how God reacts to that, how we ask for forgiveness / what God does when we ask for forgiveness. I think it’s inevitable to “give in” to temptation, even for the little things.

————————————————

The reader’s questions will be highlighted in orange, and my response will be in black.

———————————————–

HOW DO WE (“DEAL WITH”) “GIVING INTO” TEMPTATION —

The aftereffect of giving into our temptations is the same, yet different, depending on whether you’re a Christ-follower or not.

HOW GOD REACTS TO PEOPLE WHO “GIVE INTO” THEIR TEMPTATION —

Both Christ-followers, and non-Christ-followers experience the natural consequences of their choices, their yielding to temptation.  But being set free from the guilt of sin, is where Christ-followers and non-Christ-followers differ.  God’s promises to Christ-followers do not automatically apply to non-Christ-followers.

If you are not a Christ-follower, see The Cornerstone… to learn more about becoming a Christ-follower, http://wp.me/P5nZpi-bJ,  Jesus has taken away your sins, past, present, and future, when He died on the cross, and He provided a way for people to enter heaven.  He (Jesus) personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed. –  1Peter 2:24

                                           63c2f08e1f8f4f61ab4e54174a6647a4

Ephesians 1:7, He (God) is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

The word “forgive” means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. Granting and receiving forgiveness is so important because it enables relationships to be restored.

                                          Forgive-Debt

 

HOW DO WE ASK FOR FORGIVENESS —

If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. – 1 John 1:9    

The verse above tells us to “confess” our sins to God. The word “confess” means “to agree with.” When we confess our sins to God, we are agreeing with God that we were wrong, and that we have sinned against Him.

We also see in this verse that God is faithful.  This means that He forgives the sins of all those who receive Christ as Savior, God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. – 1 Corinthians 1:9

WHAT DOES GOD DO WHEN WE ASK FOR FORGIVENESS —

After we acknowledge our wrong doing, God applies what Jesus did on the cross for humankind.  Jesus paid the price for the sins we’ve committed, and will commit.  God forgives us, and restores our relationship with Him.

God frees us from our guilt, but we will still have to “deal with” the consequences of our choices.

When we confess our sins to God it is important that we have a change or attitude, a change of direction.  To acknowledge our wrong doing is an important first step, and sinning no more, in that area, is an important second step.

Remember what Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, …Go and sin no more”  –  John 8:11

Jesus did not condemn (criticize or belittle) the woman, but He didn’t ignore or condone her sin.

God recognizes that everyone has sinned; that all fall short of His glorious standard – Romans 3:23 But with God’s help we can receive forgiveness and stop doing “wrong”.

IT’S INEVITABLE TO “GIVE IN” TO TEMPTATION, EVEN FOR THE LITTLE THINGS —

You are right on target when you say it’s inevitable to “give in” to temptation, even for the little things.

The Bible confirms this,

Ecclesiastes 7:20, Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. 

1 John 1:8 says, If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

                 4bf351bc4c825a4385d4cd3e29a370f4

KNOW THAT GOD LOVES PEOPLE —

God would do anything to restore our relationship with Him.  Perhaps you’ve seen this well-known, but often disregarded, verse at sporting events.  This is how much God loves us…

He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  –  John 3:16

                             Saved

 

I hope this has answered your questions 🙂

I encourage any of my readers to please leave comments or questions in the comment section, and I will do my best to answer those for you.  As the saying goes, no question is a dumb question, and other people probably have the same question.  🙂

**TO READ THE ORIGINAL POST, SEE BELOW LINK**

Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong??  –  TEMPTATION [5],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xt

What Is Driving Our Temptations??  –  TEMPTATION – [7],   http://wp.me/p5nZpi-yx

————————————————

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  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com

 

Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong?? – TEMPTATION [5]

DOES EVERYONE EXPERIENCE TEMPTATION?

A definite, undeniable – YES !!!!

Even though we want to “do” what is right/godly, we may find ourselves thinking negatively, or doing what we know is wrong. Thinking negatively of other people, doing wrong in situations or circumstances we find ourselves in, or maybe allowing ungodly thoughts to take root in our minds.

No one is above being tempted, even Jesus.  He was tempted by Satan for 40 days in the wilderness, yet He did not sin.  Read the account of Jesus’ encounter with Satan in Matthew 4:1-11.

                                temptation_of_ jesus_10

 

The Apostle Paul, formally Saul, who had an awesome/awestruck encounter with God on his way to imprison Christ followers in Damascus, shared his own struggle with his “flesh” (sinful nature) vs. the spirit (godly choices), and he wrote,

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. – Romans 7:15

I have discovered this principle of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. –  Roman 7:21-23

      Romans07v15to25a_2005

 

***BE ENCOURAGED!!  ALL IS NOT LOST***

God does not leave us alone in a cold, desolate wasteland.

Be reminded that:

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.
And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When,
(not if), you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.1 Corinthians
10:13

God will provide you with grace and strength, in your unique situation, using your unique personality, to show you a way to out.  To give you the courage to SAY

Crowds of people protested against environment pollution in outdoor

Pray

Lord, don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:13

 

** FOR MORE ON TEMPTATION SEE MY OTHER POSTS BELOW **

A Sneak Preview – Can I Resist Temptation??  –  TEMPTATION [4],   http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xc

RESPONSE TO READER’S COMMENT – Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong??  –  TEMPTATION [5] – [6],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xZ

What Is Driving Our Temptations??  –  TEMPTATION – [7],   http://wp.me/p5nZpi-yx

 

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
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  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com

 

Hot Off the Presses!!!!! – In Search of Balance

Below is a newly released book written by my friend and author Margo Cook.

Check it out on Amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Search-Balance-Biblical-Complementarian-Egalitarian/dp/1516891724/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1443797867&sr=8-7&keywords=margo+cook

 

                                              margo book

 

In Search of Balance seeks to answer the question of whether or not Complementarianism or Egalitarianism adequately answer the questions about what the Bible has to say on the subject of women’s roles in the home and the church. The author provides a careful study of each of the relevant passages in the Bible, some well known and others often overlooked. This is followed by a look at how each of the three positions (Biblical Balance, Complementarianism, Egalitarianism) look at the passage. The goal is to provide the reader with enough information to make an informed decision for themselves as to what is the best understanding of what the Bible teaches. The book also addresses finding Biblical definitions for various words that are commonly used and rarely defined according to their Biblical use. This includes such words as equality, submission and head. In Search of Balance is a book, not only for Bible students, but also for anyone in the pew who struggles with the question of what a woman’s role should be in the home and the church.

A Sneak Preview – How Can I Resist Temptation?? – TEMPTATION [4]

I don’t know about you, but as I start to read books, magazines, etc. questions start to pop-up in my mind.  Questions such as, yeah but what about…? Or, good to know, but now what do I do with this info…? And for me a big question knocking at the door of my psyche right now is whether or not it’s possible to resist temptation.

If you’ve had the chance to read What Gives You the Willies??  –  TEMPTATION  [1] http://wp.me/p5nZpi-vx, you would have seen near the end of the post, I wrote a number of points I am planning to blog about over the next few weeks.  You may have also noticed, that the point – Is it possible to resist temptation? is near the end of the topics covered.

So I’ve decided to give you a sneak peek into the question, Is it possible to resist temptation? so that you can begin resisting temptation today!! 🙂

 

WHAT CAN I DO IF I’M TEMPTED TO DO SOMETHING I KNOW IS WRONG:

I CAN CONSCIOUSLY MAKE A CHOICE:

I can choose to follow God’s ways vs. the temptation.

                        following_god_l

I can ask God to strengthen me, and give me courage to conquer my temptation.

                                   phil 4-13

 

***DO NOT CHOOSE THE OPTION BELOW***

I can choose to follow ungodly ways, giving Satan permission to enslave me.

                              death_note__dragging_light_by_tanteisakana

————————————————————-

REMEMBER:

Be on guard, and above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23
                                      guarded heart

Protect yourself, hide the Word in your heart, so that you will not sin against God. – Psalm 119:11

                                          hide word in heart

 

** FOR MORE ON TEMPTATION SEE MY OTHER POSTS BELOW **

Where Does My Desire to “Push the Envelope” Come From??  –  TEMPTATION [3],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-ws

Are ALL People Tempted to “Do” Wrong??  –  TEMPTATION [5],   http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xt

 

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
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  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com

Where Does My Desire to “Push the Envelope” Come From?? – TEMPTATION [3]

WHERE DOES TEMPTATION COME FROM?

In Mark 7:21-22, we learn that temptation is inside of us, in our thoughts.  For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.

                              evilheartout

 

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.  – James 1:14-15

                        Temptation-Cycle

 

HOPE FOR GOD-FOLLOWERS…

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. And afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12

                               Crown

 

 

AN IMPORTANT FACT TO REMEMBER:

  •  As long we are on earth, and in our physical bodies, we can expect to experience temptation.

EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:

  •   We don’t have to give into temptation. 

Temptation in and of its self is NOT a sin.  It becomes a sin once my sinful thoughts become actions.

 

** FOR MORE POSTS ON TEMPTATION SEE LINKS BELOW **

Are My Urges and Desires a Sin??  –  TEMPTATION [2],   http://wp.me/p5nZpi-vY

A Sneak Preview – How Can I Resist Temptation??  –  TEMPTATION [4],  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-xc

 

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
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  • It you are viewing with the mobile version, scroll down to the bottom of this page for additional info and pics 🙂
  • Take a look at the other tabs in the menu for encouragement and inspiration as you continue to BUILD A FOUNDATION!!
  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com

Are My Urges and Desires a Sin?? – TEMPTATION [2]

TEMPTATION …  WHAT IT IS, AND WHAT IT IS NOT …

The dictionary’s definition of temptation is an urge or desire to do something, especially something you should not, or a wrong or forbidden pleasure that is enticing.

The Biblical definition of temptation is to entice to sin, to be put to the test. Our sinful nature, as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, is a person’s tendency or inclination to follow their own self-will vs. following God’s will. – brunstad.org

               cheese quote

 

Temptation is not a sin, in and of itself.  It becomes a sin once my sinful thoughts become actions. Committing a sin is something that I choose to do. Sin can not be carried out unless I agree to allow it to. – brunstad.org

SAY…   say-no-human-resources-fistful-of-talent-600x320

 

Along with the word temptation, the word sin comes up quite often.  Let’s take a moment to define sin.

Sin is…

  • Whatever weakens your reasoning
  • Whatever impairs the tenderness of your conscience
  • Whatever obscures your sense of God
  • Whatever takes away your delight for “God’s Ways”

In short, anything that increases the authority of “the flesh” over “the Spirit”, then becomes sin to you, no matter how good it is in itself.  –  Susanna Wesley, mother of John Wesley

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TEMPTATION JUST “FEELS” WRONG —

Why?  Because God has put His moral law in every person’s conscience.

Conscience, from the Greek, is translated “moral awareness”, it is the part of the human psyche that induces mental anguish and feelings of guilt when we violate it.  And feelings of pleasure and well-being when our actions, thoughts and words are in conformity to our value systems. – gotquestions.org

The conscience

  • Reacts when one’s actions, thoughts, and words conform to, or are contrary to, a standard, God’s standard, of right and wrong.
  • Is individual, and values can be different for every person.
  • Reliability is based on its formation by God’s Word vs the culture.  A weak value system produces a weak conscience, while a strong value system produces a strong conscience, a strong sense of right and wrong.

Sadly, our consciences can become hardened and calloused, no longer feeling anything. A person with a hardened conscience no longer listens to its promptings, and can sin with abandon, delude himself into thinking all is well with his soul, and treat others insensitively and without compassion. – Created in God’s Image by Anthony Hoekema

The conscience acts as a…

  • Barometer of sorts, used by individuals for self-evaluation

                                               barometer          

thumbs-up-down-723926

  • Alarm, warning us that if we choose to continue along a particular line of thought (lust, coveting (desiring what is not ours), sexual sin, etc. we may find ourselves in a dangerous predicament.

 

HOW CAN BE KEEP OUR CONSCIENCES SENSITIVE TO GOD’S STANDARD?

By applying God’s Word, what we read in the Bible, into our daily lives  –  Don’t just listen, (or just read – (my add.)), God’s word. You must do what it says. – James 1:22

                                                        james 1-22

** KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MY NEXT POST  –  WHERE DOES TEMPTATION COME FROM? **

 

** FOR MORE POSTS ON TEMPTATION SEE LINKS BELOW **

What Gives You the Willies??  –  TEMPTATION  [1]  –  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-vx

Where Does My Desire to “Push the Envelope” Come From??  –  TEMPTATION [3]  –  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-ws

 

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
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Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. – Matthew 26:41

What Gives You the Willies?? – TEMPTATION [1]

TEMPTATION…

If I’m being honest, just saying the word temptation gives me the willies.

For me, temptation can mean a creepy-looking guy offering me an unknown substance in a dark alley…

creepy guy

 

or my so-called “friends” tempting me to drink irresponsibly, in the name of fun.

woman_friends_party_christmas_drink_70191391

 

But is this what temptation is?

Is temptation an in-your-face proposal to engage in potentially harmful behaviors?

Or can temptation instead be subtle,

like wanting to tell a white lie to avoid getting in trouble.

atehomework

 

Or, not wanting to tell the clerk she gave you too much change back.

count-change

 

Temptation is tricky thing because it has a tendency to sneak up on us.

We might be going along, minding our own business, when BAM!! a SALE!!

window display

All the cute colors, styles, and what a good price 🙂 🙂

So you open your wallet, and it’s empty, no cash 😦

empty wallet

Yeah, but you see that you have a couple of credit cards!!  Should you buy, buy, buy?? Or wait??

We’re faced with making decisions throughout the day, every day.  Some are easy, and some, not so easy.  Some are black and white, whereas, most are gray.  In some areas we may be tempted to test the boundaries, in others we are not, and visa-versa.

In this **NEW ** blog series – Temptation – we’re going to be looking at…

What is, and is not temptation?

Where does temptation come from?

Does everyone experience temptation?

Were any people in the Bible tempted?

Who or what tempts us?

What is the harvest (the results) of temptation?

Is it possible to resist temptation?

We will be answering these questions and more, as we learn how we can recognize and protect ourselves from the temptations that come our way.

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. – Matthew 26:41

 

** FOR MORE POSTS ON TEMPTATION SEE LINK BELOW **

Are My Urges and Desires a Sin??  –  TEMPTATION [2]  –  http://wp.me/p5nZpi-vY

 

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
  • If you would like to receive notifications when new posts are published, click on the FOLLOW button in the sidebar.  Or if you are viewing from your mobile device, scroll down the page and you’ll see the FOLLOW blog via email button 🙂
  • It you are viewing with the mobile version, scroll down to the bottom of this page for additional info and pics 🙂
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  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com

Close To You – AN ORIGINAL SONG [2]

As Labor Day approaches, our family’s busy fun-filled summer is coming to an end.

My son started his junior year in high school last week, one of my daughters has settled in at college, and my other daughter will be starting her freshman year of college this week.

Our summer has been AWESOME!!  Great family/quality time with my husband and children. Unfortunately, this left little time to for me to blog 😦

I have, however, been doing a little songwriting over the summer.  I’ve just finished recording my second original song, Close To You, below.  (All vocals, guitar, bass, and lead guitar were done by me, except for the piano and drums).  I hope you enjoy it 🙂

My other song was, What Do I Want? http://wp.me/p5nZpi-uH, if you like to have a listen  🙂

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR NEW POSTS COMING AFTER LABOR DAY 🙂

 

 

  • Would you like to have a personal/intimate relationship with the God??  Take a look at the tab, The Cornerstone…, in the menu for more info.
  • If you would like to receive notifications when new posts are published, click on the FOLLOW button in the sidebar.  Or if you are viewing from your mobile device, scroll down the page and you’ll see the FOLLOW blog via email button 🙂
  • It you are viewing with the mobile version, scroll down to the bottom of this page for additional info and pics 🙂
  • Take a look at the other tabs in the menu for encouragement and inspiration as you continue to BUILD A FOUNDATION!!
  • A great resource for Bible verses, Bible Topics, Commentaries, etc. – http://www.BibleGateway.com