What tempts you?

James 1: 13 – 14

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.

God does not associate with evil. So when something goes haywire in our spiritual lives, we can’t ever blame God for that.

Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2: 22 to, “flee evil desires and pursue righteousness……”

What if that was our plan today? What if we purposed ourselves to flee from every sort of evil?

What if we set up today, to be righteous in every way?

The problem is, that we allow ourselves to be tempted, and when we pursue our own evil desires, guess who drags us away.

What might happen if you and I, planned to be tempted to do good?

What if started out today by saying….. “I’m tempted to read my bible more today.”

What might happen if we said…. “I’m tempted to stay longer on my knees this morning, and pray in earnest.”

Can you imagine what might happen if we started out today by declaring….. “I’m going to do everything within God’s power, to love and serve my neighbor today!”

God desires fellowship with us—be that in the church house, or in our own intimate time spent in true devotion—or even in service to His Kingdom cause.

Remember—He is a jealous God.

What might happen to our lives, if we were dragged away, tempted, and enticed to be righteous?

Maybe the result would be righteousness……

Satisfaction

Ecclesiastes 5: 18

Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot.

Solomon refers to God as the giver of all gifts.

He even gives God the glory for the job that he had in life.

Not too many folks these days, give God thanks for the chance to work.

Is it possible to find true satisfaction in what you do for a living?

I don’t think God ever meant for us to have drudgery in what we labor for—especially when we consider that all we do, we should do for the glory of God.

Do you bring God glory in your menial, mundane tasks?

Have you found true satisfaction in what you do in life?

Maybe if we did life with God in mind, we’d find that satisfaction we’ve been looking for.

Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones released the song, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction”, in 1965.

I don’t think the Rolling Stones ever considered God, when they wrote this song.

By what I know of their lifestyles, I don’t think they’ve ever found any satisfaction.

The days of life are few—and God is the giver of all of our days.

Maybe we need to look to Him after all, to find satisfaction in this life…………

True Contentment

1 Timothy 6: 6 – 7

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

For some reason, I keep coming back to this verse in my personal life.

The older I get, the more I know that I am surely not going to take anything out of this world.

What I possess today, will no doubt be handed down to other people when I leave this place.

I wonder sometimes what true contentment is.

Paul said that if I have godliness, then I am content, and that I also have great gain.

Are you truly content?

If you only have Jesus, will that bring you the gain that you’re looking for?

The people I meet day after day, aren’t content with just having Jesus.

They’re looking for something else to satisfy this great hunger within.

“If I can only buy this”, or “If I can only get this”, or “If I can only attain this status”

And the emptiness continues, and contentment isn’t even within sight.

How do you measure contentment?

I’m going to pray through this verse all day long.

I invite you, to do the same……….

Resurrection power

Mark 16: 14

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

After the resurrection, Jesus actually rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith?

Why did He have to do that? Because they had refused to believe what Jesus had told them all along.

Isn’t it just like the people of the church, to gather for food in the midst of their unbelief?

That’s what the followers of Jesus were doing.

I wonder how many people, after being in church on Easter Sunday, who hearing the wonderful words of hope yesterday, will refuse to believe them?

The church house was packed yesterday, and yet there will be plenty of room next week to sit.

Isn’t that stubborn refusal to believe?

The writer of Hebrews in chapter 10 said that we should never forsake the gathering together.

Hundreds of people saw Jesus after He had risen. Isn’t that proof enough that He is indeed alive?

And yet there will be some, who will sulk in their own misery, and miss the blessing of celebrating a God who did what He said He would do.

I couldn’t wait to get to church yesterday and celebrate with my brother & sisters!

I could not wait to worship my King & Savior!

Now I will plan and strategize this week, to share with others what I know for sure, that Jesus is alive forever more.

What we believe in, will show in how we demonstrate His resurrection power in our lives.

If you’re a little short on power, it’s probably because you’re short on worship, or short on prayer and maybe even short on belief……….

Wake up!

Matthew 26: 40 – 41

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

Jesus, the consummate teacher and guide, is found offering yet another nugget of wisdom to his friends, even while enduring in His own agony.

And yet what were the disciple found doing? Sleeping.

As the church moves closer to the perilous end of times, this is no time to be sleeping.

We should be active in doing what Jesus said….to keep watch and pray, so that we won’t fall into temptation.

Isn’t that how most people fall into temptation? They aren’t keeping a watchful eye out, and there isn’t often much prayer.

When I meet people who have been tempted and then subdued by the enemy, it’s one of the first questions I ask;

“What’s your prayer life like?” The answer is pretty obvious, and so then is the outcome.

Maybe if the disciples had kept watch and prayed, maybe they wouldn’t have deserted Jesus, when He needed them the most?

Maybe if Peter had kept watch and prayed, he might have saved himself a lot of pain and heartache.

Maybe when Jesus issues a command, we would do well to listen and obey……..

Do you need to regroup?

Matthew 26: 31

Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: " 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”

How could anyone fall away, after seeing Jesus do everything He did?

Peter in later verses said, that even if everyone else falls away, he never will—but he was actually the first to fall away.

Jesus has placed a very high calling on our lives, but when some consider the beckoning, many will fall away too.

I shared with the men of our church last Saturday night, that most American men don’t even attend church.

Actually, less than 21% of all American men  attend church.

Seems to me that like sheep we have already gone our own way, and like sheep, each of us has gone astray.

Even as the church moves toward the last days, there is also another great falling away predicted.

Jesus was speaking during the last Passover meal He would share with His greatest friends, and yet He shared some pretty harsh words.

Could it be that He knows more about us, than we know about ourselves?

At this present time the church needs to regroup, because it sure seems to me that the church today looks pretty scattered.

When the going gets tough, what will you do? Will you scatter, or will you on the other hand, draw near to the presence of God?

How you treat this Holy week, will speak of your allegiance to the cause of Christ.

This week is a time for drawing near, and yet many will miss the chance to fully embrace and reflect deeply, on the suffering of their Savior—done so on their behalf…..

Choices

Matthew 26: 12 – 13

“When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

In the days preceding the crucifixion of Jesus, a woman came and lavished worship on Jesus.

She obviously had an inside spiritual track, on what was happening to the One she recognized as her Messiah.

Jesus said that what she had done, would be told in memory of her.

What she did for Jesus has lasted through the ages, and we’re reliving it again this morning.

As we approach this week of remembrance, how much of what Jesus has done for you, will be remembered this week?

I reflect on my life without a Savior, and my heart is filled with such great appreciation that He has found me, and saved me.

One thing that jumps off the page, is that what this woman did, ministered greatly to Jesus.

The disciples were indignant about how much money this woman wasted, that could have been given to the poor.

Jesus in essence said, you will always have the poor to care for, but you won’t always have me.

Isn’t that just like us? We have every amount of Jesus that we care to have, at our very disposal, and yet we don’t often choose the greater things.

What will you choose this week? Will you choose the greater things, or will you as we often do, choose the things that have no lasting eternal value?