Categories
Doubt Serpent Temptation

The Seed of Doubt

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’” Gen 3:1 (NIV) We combat three enemies in this life: Satan, the world, and the flesh. In his pride and rebellion, Lucifer sought to dethrone God (Isaiah 14:12-14). In response, God de-heavened Lucifer and one-third of the angels fell with him (Rev. 12:4). He showed up in the garden in the form of a serpent to tempt Eve. Through temptation, the enemy sought to get Eve to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way. The serpent caused Eve to doubt God’s Word. Instead of doing life God’s way and obeying God’s Word, Eve yielded to the promptings of the enemy and disobeyed God. Satan is still active in our world today. Through temptation, he seeks to get believers to meet their legitimate needs in illegitimate ways. The enemy tries to get children of God to take short cuts and to doubt God’s Word. God’s way is always the best way, yet the enemy will put seeds of doubt into the minds of believers. The seed of doubt will cause you to question God’s Word and to be suspect of God’s plan. You do not have to sacrifice your devotion to the Lord by watering the seeds the devil has sown. Your protection from the attacks of the enemy is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Your lifeline is God’s holy Word. You do not have to live in defeat. You do not have to operate in the erosive terrain of doubt. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Look to Him and put your confidence in His completed work on the cross. You are a child of the King! Your victory has been won by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Replace those seeds of doubt with faith! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Character of God Holiness Love Serpent Temptation

Real Temptation (2)

“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” James 1:13-14 (NIV) God is holy and God is love. The nature of God will not allow temptation to be an instrument of heaven. God cannot be tempted by evil because God is holy. As John MacArthur affirms, “God is aware of evil but untouched by it, like a sunbeam shining on a dump is untouched by the trash.” God is not the originator of temptation. God does not tempt anyone because God is love. In His love, God does not initiate temptation, but God will allow temptation to come into a person’s life. The temptation provides the opportunity to choose the righteous path and to bring honor to God through the proper response. When we choose to give in to temptation, we believe that it is the best option at that moment. Satan’s goal is to get us to doubt God’s Word and to doubt God’s best. “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’” Gen 3:1 (NIV) God cannot be tempted by evil. God does not tempt anyone. How will you choose to respond to the temptation that God allows into your path? Will you take God at His Word and trust Him? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor