James 1:14-15
Every day we all make numerous decisions based on the temptations/tests/situations set before us. When the result of our decision is what we want, we praise God:
“God is good, all the time.
All the time, God is good.”
And we become super saints, loudly praising God for all to hear.
When the result of our decision is not what we want, we say:
“God does not hear my prayers,
He does not answer me.”
Then we stop praying, praising, serving, and often leave church all together.
In this world we will face temptations/tests/situations (John 16:33). God gives tests for good results and Satan gives temptations for evil results. When we are faced with a situation that requires a decision, we often do not know if it came from God or Satan. Regardless of who presented the situation, we are responsible for the decisions we make. If our decisions are guided by our carnal minds instead of God’s Word, we will not like the outcome.
Verse 14 – each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
Whether the situation was presented by God or by the devil, decide to please God and the devil will leave you alone (concerning that thing, for a while, James 4:7). We condemn ourselves when we do not think about God or the devil but do what we feel we are grown enough to do. When we do what makes our bodies, minds, and emotions “feel good,” we are dragged into the muck and miry of sin. Enticed by temporary pleasures, persuaded by alluring promises that lead to destruction.
Verse 15a – Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
“I pay the cost to be the boss,” may impress your friends, but you will not like the consequence of this attitude. The moment we become “me” centered instead of Christ-centered, our decisions will gratify our flesh instead of glorifying God. When we think we are “large and in charge” and do not have to answer to anyone, Satan is ecstatic. He does not have to tempt us. We tempt ourselves.
Verse 15b – and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character,
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. (Author Unknown)
We must take responsibility for our actions. “The devil made me do it” will not abort the harvest you will reap from allowing your flesh to run rampant. Steven Cole, Pastor Emeritus and writer, offered four practical ways to overcome temptation. A summary of them are as follows:
Study and know yourself. Know what your vulnerable areas are.
Avoid tempting situations. If you are addicted to gambling, do not go to casinos for dinner.
Have a predetermined commitment to follow Christ and to flee temptation. Keep your love for Christ fresh and the world will not seem so attractive.
Keep in your mind the end of yielding to temptation – death.
Are you ready to take responsibility for your actions and admit the devil did not make you do it? Join the conversation.
Yep
Thank you Dr. Haire for this weeks blog. I agree we must take responsibility for our sinful actions.
My answer to your question is Yes!
WoW!! Who knew Flip Wilson’s words would be a major excuse forr the saints to sin. Sadly, it ‘s a convenient crutch even today. As a new saint, it was easy to use this excuse and laugh it off. Now, not so. The Holy Ghost warns me. When I listen, and obey, I have victory and peace. Otherwise, guilt and condemnation. 😥😥
This is a great article, Dr. We, as the saints of God, always want to blame Satan for everything, I mean everything. Some of the foolish mistakes and decisions we embark upon, doesn’t have anything to do with Satan at all. All we have to do is resist temptation and follow God. This way Satan cannot and will not rule and reign over our lives.
Thank you for this blog, Dr. Haire. You made a number of great points. I would like to focus my comment on what you said at the beginning of the blog concerning when we make decisions and don’t like the outcome we want to start blaming God. But God has taught me that it is during times when we don’t understand or facing tribulation, instead of running from God run to him. It is during these times that we develop a deeper walk with God. When I say I don’t understand or I’m hurting or disappointed but I trust you, God, this is when our walk is strengthened. It is during these times that we go from glory to glory; we grow in God if we don’t turn from God. When we’ve made decisions that weren’t for our best interest, God will go through it with you and teach you. When you get to the other side you’re not the same person that went into the fire. You have a much deeper walk with God. No one can ever tell you differently. We have that saying I know that I know that I know. Yes we all make decisions that are pleasing to our flesh and we get in trouble but God is with us and he takes that situation and causes us to grow in him. We serve a mighty God and a merciful God.
This was a wonderful blog. Yes, we are responsible for our actions. We have to remember that for every choice we make there is a consequence. Right and obedient choices will give us victory. Wrong and disobedient choices will give us defeat.
Well said!
This made me think about the little kid song… Watch your eyes, your ears, your lips, your hands and feet… We have got to be cognizant of what we see, hear, say, do and go. We have responsibilities!
This is such an eye opener. This reminds me of what my mother tells her grandchildren often, “Choices and Consequences “.
The Devil made me do it-Really
God has not taken free-will from us. Set before us is good and evil and a giant suggestion to choose good and live. The alternative is death!! Since its my choice,I refuse to continue deceiving myself. I choose to accept God’s Help and turn away from anything that places itself above HIS WORD even if its Me! Thanks Dr. Haire, I’m glad I slowed down to read your blog and respond
They say choices and consequences but I see that being selective.
A great deal of choices we saints make are made because of ignorance, isolation and misconstrued messages.
We hear a lot but now we are readers of the word and will question the word, a great deal have been used to control the most powerful and create submission to stay in place.
Thank you, Dr. Haire! I enjoyed this blog. We cannot take the easy, deceptive route of “looking spiritual” without “walking in the Spirit”! We must be responsible to do the latter!
Thank you, Dr. Haire! I enjoyed this blog. We cannot take the easy, deceptive route of “looking spiritual” without “walking in the Spirit”! We must be responsible to do the latter!
God bless you Dr. Haire. I agree, we as people open up too many portals for the enemy to get victory over our lives. Our speech, our attitudes, our rejection of God’s Word causes us to end in defeat. Yes, we must stop blaming the devil for everything and look at our own selves – we are our own reason for ending up in whatever place we’re in. I choose to take responsibility for my actions, learn from them so I can end up in victory.
Amen, amen, amen. Meditating on it!
Again a thought provoking blog. It just continues to remind me that we have the opportunity to make our own choices. Thank you Dr. Haire
Excellent
Yes I am willing to be Responsible for the things I did wrong my life .with the lord help and strength Deacon Sheppard
Very thought provoking. God gives us the power to say “no” to temptation. Jesus was tempted by Satan three times, while in the wilderness and at the beginning of his ministry and in three different areas of life. Jesus said, “no” to the temptations and “yes” to the power God had given him. This blog brings to question why do I say “yes” to temptation and “no” to the power God has given me. Paul reminded me of my “wretchedness” and that I could not say “no” to temptation on my own. It is only through Jesus that I can say “yes” to God and “no” to temptations. Through Jesus I can make better choices.
Thank you Dr Haire for this blog. It is so true that we tend to blame things on the devil when its our choices and decisions that we make. I’m guilty. We do have to have the kind of relationship with God to say Yes to his will & way and No to temptations. All of our choices have consequences and it left of to us which one we want good ones according to the word of God are bad according to our own understandings & decisions that we make.. I know the mind is the playground for good and evil and we have to examine which one we are being led by. Mistakes are going to happen because we are not perfect, but we also need to learn from those mistakes.
Dr Haire re-reading this blog these things caught my attention
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character,
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
Thank you Dr Haire. I want my words, actions, habits and character to first be pleasing to God, if God is not pleased then I cant say that the devil made me do it, its the choice that I made because of my flesh and thats what get me in trouble. So trusting in the Lord with all my heart and not my own understanding, opinions are feelings is what will give me the victory & blessings from God..