Have you ever been tempted before? You know what I mean, right? Your deep desire to touch the untouchable. We all want to touch the untouchable. Remember last time you left your fingerprint in wet paint next to a “Don’t touch. Wet Paint” sign. The issue is not the temptation, it is acting on the temptation that is the problem for all of us. James says, Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:13–15) We start with a desire that tempts our flesh, and if we stop, there is no problem. But if we act on it, that action leads to sin leading to death. Ouch! So how do we keep ourselves from giving in to temptation? First, we hide the Word of God in our hearts. Yes, we need to memorize the scriptures! “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11) Second, is prayer. In the Gospel of Luke, the night Jesus is betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus had come with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. They came from the Mount of Olives to the Garden, where Jesus walked away to agonize in prayer. Luke tells us His Disciples went with Him, and He gives them a simple instruction, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:40) What? Will prayer keep us from temptation? Apparently, and Jesus said so, so who am I to argue with Him. Jesus goes off a little farther and prays alone. He comes back to find them sleeping, and, He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:46) So, their sleeping is not helping at all. So, what is the lesson? Under great pressure, Jesus turned to pray and openly instructed his followers to do so as well. Yet, most of us panic before we pray. So, rise up, Christian, pray in the morning, the evening, and whenever you can. Who knows, it may just save you from the heartache that comes from sin.
Tempted
