TEMPTATION—2

“Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

“Pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

Luke 22.40, 46

Jesus warned the disciples twice to pray about temptation.

And so should we, maybe more than twice?!

The temptations that are most deadly to us are those that destroy our relationships with others.

Often these temptations center around our desire to be exalted.

We also find envy and jealousy rising up within us when others get what we want.

James tells us that these selfish ambitions and motivations are

“earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.”

adding that

“disorder and every evil practice”

in our relationships come from the disorder and evil within our hearts:

If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,

do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Such 'wisdom'...is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition,

there you find disorder and every evil practice.

James 3.14-16

Jesus says the same thing:

From within, out of men's heart, come evil thoughts,...”

(here there follows a list of seventeen disorderly, evil practices.)

Mark 7.14-23

James says our prayers must be refocused on our hearts as the source of our troubles:

What causes fights and quarrels among you?

Don't these come from you desires that battle within you?

You want something, but don't get it.

You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. 

You quarrel and fight. 

You do not have, because you do not ask God. 

When you ask, you do not receive,

because you ask with wrong motives,

that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

James 4.1-3

It is our own inward enemies that we are tempted to unleash against others.

We must pray to recognize, confess, repent, and submit to the cleansing, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

The heart's evil thoughts motives are the target of the “spiritual warfare” of the Holy Spirit as we read Scripture.

“The word of God...judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Hebrews 4.12

The Psalms begin by admonishing us to meditate upon the Word of God in order to identify the

“wicked" (troubling),

“sinful” (failing, neglectful), and

“scornful” (critical, condemning),

(Psalm 1.1-2)

forces that come from within us.

Near the end, the Psalms urge us to pray

“Search me O God, and know my heart;

try me and know my thoughts.

See3 if there is any wicked (troubled, troubling) way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

(139.23-24)

HUMILITY VS. ARROGANCE

He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them His way.

Psalm 25.9

The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled,

and the pride of men brought low;

the Lord alone will be exalted.

Isaiah 2.11

Cothe yourselves with humility toward one another,

because

“God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble.” 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand

that He may lift you up in due time. 

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

1 Peter 5.5-7

Realization of “poverty,” spiritual poverty, is the starting point of the entire New Testament teaching of Jesus. The first point of “The Sermon on the Mount” is

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of God.

Mt. 5.3

The humble admit to themselves, and act toward others, with the realization of their limitations and inadequacies.  

The non-humble have neither personal nor spiritual wisdom and power.

The humble realize and admit their spiritual ignorance and inadequacy to themselves, God and one another.

Jesus said that He came to heal the sick, not those who live in “denial.”

We all need help.

The humble seek help!

God guides and teaches the humble. 

He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them His way.

Psalm 25.9

Jesus tells us to pray for God to teach us
the ways of His kingdom:

This then, is how you are to pray:...

Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Mt. 6.10

A QUESTION AND ANSWER

QUESTION   ...is the "fruit" of John 15 (verses 2,4,5,8)  the fruit of healing within ourselves?

ANSWER:  When there is health in the roots, the plant will be healthy.  The fruit will be healthy and nourishing to all who follow the the grace God gives.

Realizing our need for healing gives direction to our prayer and Bible reading. 

As we pray, the Holy Spirit will direct our Bible reading

to promises and instructions that will begin to meet our needs.

For the word of God is living and active. 

Sharper than any double-edged sword,

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,

joints and marrow. 

It judges the thoughts and attitudes the heart. 

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight...

Heb. 4.12

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,

so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Heb. 4.16

As we read the Bible, God will show us
promises that will encourage us.

and instructions that will direct us.

Peace, Hope, Comfort,

and a little Courage, a little Light,a little Strength 

will be the early budding of much fruit to come.

If you remain in Me and My words remain in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 

This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit,

showing yourselves to be My disciples.

John 15.7-8

 God gives grace, wisdom, and power

to meet all adversities, temptations, and needs.

If any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him.

James 1. 2-5

In prayer and Scripture the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see the glory of the Father in the face of the Son and empowers us to know and experience the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

by the glory

into the glory,

for the glory,
of God and others--

we become salt and light

for our part of the world.

(2 Cor. 3.18; 4.6),

ARROGANCE VS. HUMILITY

You rebuke the arrogant,

who are cursed and stray from Your commands.

Psalm 110.21

To deny God is arrogant.

To deny God's truth, goodness, love, compassion—to deny God--comes from the blindness of the arrogant.

The arrogant presuppose self-sufficiency, something we all, except the arrogant, know is insufficient.

The arrogant are blind to nearly all reality, even as they claim to determine what reality is.

Arrogance is close-minded. Presuming self-sufficiency, the arrogant listened to nothing and no one, except to prove the other wrong and self right. 

In “proving other wrong/self right,” the arrogant are proud and hostile to all opposition.

In proud superiority, presumption, and self-exaltation, the arrogant dismiss all who do not submit to their pronouncements with scorn, mockery, and derision.

The proud and arrogant man--”Mocker” is his name;

he behaves with overweening pride.

Pro. 21.24

The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled,

and the pride of men brought low;

the Lord alone will be exalted.

Isaiah 2.11

He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them His way.

Psalm 25.9