Title: Tempting Self
Memorize: But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. James 1:14 (Nkjv)
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 15:16-19 (Nkjv)
[16] Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak on.”
[17] So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel?
[18] Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’
[19] Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”
Message:
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Today, many children of God take this Scripture for granted. They act as though they are formidable, and rather than steer clear from sin and objects of temptation, they say, “God’s grace is sufficient for me.” Yes, God’s grace is sufficient for us all, but when it comes to sin, the Bible says that we should flee all appearances of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Some opportunities or positions are ‘appearances of evil’; thus, if you are unsure of whether a position or opportunity would lead to temptation, turn it down.
Learn from Judas Iscariot; despite having a weakness with money, he became a treasurer. The position aroused his greed, and this made it easy for him to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Identify your weaknesses, work on them, and trust God to turn them into strengths. If you know that your weakness is money, don’t join the ushering department or take up a position as a treasurer. If you are dealing with lust, avoid regular contact with the opposite gender; your prayer partner or best friend should not be someone of the opposite sex. If you keep exposing yourself to your weaknesses, you are only tempting yourself.
Key Point:
Know your weaknesses and avoid things that would make you fall into sin.
Hymn 41 – Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All
1 Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All,
Hear Me, Blest Saviour, When I Call;
Hear Me, And From Thy Dwelling Place
Pour Down The Riches Of Thy Grace;
Refrain:
Jesus, My Lord, I Thee Adore;
Oh Make Me Love Thee More And More.
2 Jesus, Too Late I Thee Have Sought;
How Can I Love Thee As I Ought?
And How Extol Thy Matchless Fame,
The Glorious Beauty Of Thy Name? [Refrain]
3 Jesus, What Didst Thou Find In Me,
That Thou Hast Dealt So Lovingly?
How Great The Joy That Thou Hast Brought
So Far Exceeding Hope Or Thought! [Refrain]
4 Jesus, Of Thee Shall Be My Song,
To Thee My Heart And Soul Belong;
All That I Have Or Am Is Thine,
And Thou, Blest Saviour, Thou Art Mine. [Refrain]
Bible In One Year: Hosea 10:1-14:9, Jude 1:1-25
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE AND PASTOR FOLU ADEBOYE