Temptation

This guy often has trouble going to sleep. When he has trouble going to sleep, he gets bored. When he gets bored, he peels the paint off of his wall. When he peels the paint off of his wall, he gets in trouble.

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This evening he was having trouble going to sleep again. I sat with him as he stared at the wall and he told me how much he wanted to peel at the paint but he knew that he would get in trouble if he did. At first I told him to stop focusing on the wall, to roll over and look away from the temptation. Then I asked him if he wanted me to lay down with him - to lay between him and the wall. He said “yes”.

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As I laid there, watching him go to sleep and keeping him away from temptation, it occurred to me how necessary it is for each of us to have that person in our lives that we can share our biggest temptations with. We all need someone that is willing to lay everything else down to keep us away from giving in to the thing that will lead us to trouble.

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Tonight consider; “Who is “that person” for you?” And, give thought; “Who are you that “someone to?”

Three Groups

There are three different scenarios when it comes to believers and sin.

First, there are professing believers who overlook sin because of hardened hearts. 

Second, there are professing Christians who believe the lie that we are all by nature sinners, that the blood of Jesus is powerful enough only to free us from the penalty of sin, but not from bondage to it. 

These two groups, being given to sin, are like kryptonite in the body of Christ, bringing weakness to the entire body because of their willful disobedience to Christ. 

However, there is a third group—believers who are in a struggle to get free from sin [and recognize that freedom from sin is possible and promised through Christ].

- “Killing Kryptonite by John Bevere

The Night of the Spirit

When we come out of Egypt we are called by God to freedom, total freedom, true freedom, eternal freedom.

But in order to become free - what a task, what a struggle, what a purging!

Liberation from the clutches of the senses is no small thing for sensual creatures like us.

To reach the "night of the senses" - the time when we become rulers of our own passions and are able to resist the extravagances of taste in physical pleasure - that take some fasting!

But this is nothing yet. This is only the beginning-baby stuff, you might say.

There's more to come!

There is another darker, much more painful night.

It is the "night of the soul", the night in which we chatterboxes have to learn to keep still.

We who are so ready to ask for things - now we shall not dare to ask.

We fall silent, thunderstruck with the grandeur that confronts us: God.

The night of the spirit is the mature ability of a human being to love God in the dark, to except the design even without seeing it, to bear the distance without complaining, even when love thrusts us towards him until we writhe with longing.

- From Why, O Lord? by Carlo Carretto

Sorry

This afternoon I was driving back from Indianapolis and I was hungry. Because I was by myself the question came to me, "Where is somewhere that I can go for lunch that my wife and children typically will not allow me to go?" Immediately I exclaimed, "White Castle!"

I should explain that my wife hates White Castle, she hates the taste, she hates the smell, she hates the long-reaching effects (they are called "belly bombs" and "sliders" for a reason). 

So there I was, at the White Castle drive-thru, ordering a sack of burgers. And, as I placed my order, I knew that I would soon have to apologize to my wife for my actions. But, regardless, I went ahead and ordered a sack. 

Driving down the road it didn't take long before the burgers were gone. In their place was a stomach aching from an act of gluttony, a car reaking from grease, onions, and pickles, eyes filled with regret, a mind flooded with sorrow, and a heart desiring to repent. 

And even though I knew in advance that my wife would not approve of my actions, and that I would need to make amends and apologize to her for the damage I was doing to my body and to her vehicle, I went ahead, ordered and consumed multiple burgers.

 

This afternoon I am paying for my actions! 

I cannot help but reflect on how closely this resembles our spiritual life. 

So often we are tempted by a selfish desire and - even though we know that it will do damage to our body, our mind, our heart, our soul, and those who are closest to us - we move forward. 

We navigate the road, pull into the drive-thru, place our order, and consume as much as we can. All the while we know that we will soon have to appologize and repent of our ways. 

We focus on the temptation that is before us until the temptation becomes sin in our life. 

What we are left with is a body that has sinned, a mind flooded with sorrow, a heart that desires to repent, and a soul that is broken. 

You see, The most troubling aspect about our sin is that we are scarred for the future. 

Even as I sit this afternoon, still feeling the effects of the burgers, still knowing the pain that I have caused my wife (in her vehicle anyhow) I have to admit that I could eat another "slider" right now. 

It is the same way with our sin. What once was a surface level desire - a temptation that otherwise would pass by - has the ability to imbed itself deep into our life. Over time our temptation becomes sin, our sin becomes addiction, and our addiction becomes our identity. 

So, the next time you are tempted by a selfish desire, call out to God. Let him remind you of the far-reaching pain that your sin will cause - to yourself, to those closest to you, and to Him. 

The Cost of Impulsive Decisions

The escaped convict from the Illinois prison was caught this past week (see previous post here) after being on the loose for more than 4 days. After he was captured the news stories started to come in - I am still waiting for the details of how he evaded law enforcement, helicopters, and k-9 units for more than 100 hours. One of the stories that I found particularly interesting was one in which he claims he had "no motive" in his escape;  

Illinois Department of Corrections Director of Communications Tom Shaer says Jared Carter had no motive when he walked away from the Robinson Correctional Center. He says he made an impulsive decision, bad decision to leave a minimum security prison where he had work clearance that’s now led him to a maximum security prison where life is much different. Carter has been relocated to the Pontiac Correctional Center. In the meantime, he says the DOC will review its practices and procedures. He says the DOC has two-thousand to three-thousand inmates among work camps, work details outside prison walls on prison grounds and work crews in communities and state buildings and that’s happened without incident for years. He says periodic review of all supervision and other procedures is important at all times. Carter is the first inmate to ever escape from the Robinson Correctional Center.

As I thought about his impulsive decision - and all that it will end up costing - I thought about the Christina life as well. Often we - a followers of Christ - make "impulsive decisions" that end up costing in some major ways. When we give in to peer pressure or temptation - without giving much thought to the way of God, His sacrifice for us, or His power within us - we are acting in an impulsive manner and the costs are huge. 

Just as the impulsive decision by this fugitive cost him more prison time, the loss of many of his minimum security treatment, and the loss of his work release freedoms. When we - as Christians - make impulsive decisions to sin we cost ourselves the continued connection and communion with God - there is a gap placed between us and God and we can not stand before Him righteously until we repent of our action. Further, when we act in impulsive ways we cost ourselves eternal benefits with God. 

But, the impulsive decision that was made by the prisoner did not only cost him, it also cost the city of Robinson (and many surrounding cities and communities) and the state of Illinois through the use of additional law enforcement personnel and equipment, through the "lock-down" that was placed on the schools, the closure of many businesses and organizations, the emotional stress that was placed on individuals and families, and much, much more. In this same way, our impulsive  decisions affect many, many people - our spouses, our family members, our friends, and on and on it goes. Even when we do not see the immediate results, the emotional and spiritual scars are left for years and years - generation after generation. 

So, the next time you are tempted - take a moment to think. Don't make an impulsive decision - the costs are worth considering! 

Understanding Temptation

One of my favorite verses of Scripture is 1 Corinthians 10:13;

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

The quoting of this verse is very helpful when I find myself being tempted at many times and in many ways.

This morning I was reading from Luke 4; Jesus' temptation in the desert following His baptism. Verse 1 sets the stage for the chapter and serves as a reminder that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit of God and that the Spirit of God led Him into the desert, where he was tempted. Understand that I am not implying that God is the one that tempted Jesus in the desert, for James 1:13 points out;

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

 And, although God is not the one that tempts anyone, and He is not the one that tempted Jesus, His Spirit had filled Jesus and was The One that led Him into the desert where the temptation took place. It is important to recognize that when a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, it is the Spirit that leads them, there is no other way!

While Jesus is in the desert He is tempted on three occasions, by Satan, and He is tempted, in three distinctly different ways. First Jesus was tempted in the physical manner (verse 3);

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Next Jesus was tempted in the spiritual manner (verse 6);

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down."

And finally, Jesus was tempted in the psycological manner (verse 9);

“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 

 All of these things are important to remember when we find ourselves being tempted, and we will all find ourselves being tempted.

• Am I filled with he holy Spirit? If so, it is the Holy Spirit that is leading you into this exact situation. Is this a place the Holy Spirit go? Is this a place the Holy Spirit would have taken you?
• No temptation that you have faced or will ever face is beyond what another human being has faced in the past. No temptation that you have faced or will ever face is beyond what you have been created to bear the weight of. No temptation that you have faced or will ever face is beyond the sovereign and faithful control of God the Father. 
• Am I being tempted in the physical manner? Am I being tempted in the spiritual manner? Am I being tempted in the psycological manner? Satan knows you weakness and He attacks that weakness. Satan has a target on your back and a plan to strike. Understanding the way that you are being tempted by evil will allow you to know how you must reach out to God and how you must pray through the temptation to overcome it.