September 23, 2024 -- James 1:12-15 -- The Power to Fight Life-Controlling Sin

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
James 1:12-15 ESV

What do you think about when you are not really thinking anything at all? It is an excellent challenge for you. Over the course of the day, if you’ve caught yourself day-dreaming or doing your work on automatic, as soon as you realize you’ve done so, figure out what it was you were thinking about. Overcomers, Christians who are involved in the 12-Step program which the Canadian Bible Society produces, are encouraged to do just that. Examine their thought life.

The first of the Twelve Steps is: “I admit I am powerless over (put your sin or addiction here), and it is controlling my life.” The passage in James makes a distinction between trial and temptation. Think of the trials that the Heavenly Father gives you in this way. Compare them to a parent giving a child trial. A parent walks a child to school each day for the first week of school. Then on Monday of week two the parent says, “Okay, now you can walk to school by yourself”. The little one is given an age-appropriate trial: to walk to school. Unbeknownst to the child, mom is just a block behind, making sure the little one has help (if that is necessary). Your Faithful Father in heaven gives you such tests for faithfulness; evidences that you are growing in age appropriate ways. You have every opportunity to turn to Him and cry out for help.

Temptations are something utterly different. That little one going to school may be enticed to take a forbidden detour into the store. That is something mom and dad have already instructed their child is inappropriate. Or friends going along the same path to school may propose visiting another friend’s house along the way. This temptation may lead the little one to be late for school, or even absent for the first class.

Your temptations are the evidence of the life-controlling issues that are weighing you down. You may be a people-pleaser, unwilling to take a stand for Jesus. You may be one who struggles to stay on task, always seeking your own fun or pleasure at the expense of the work that is required of you. You may be one who is pulled to other life controlling issues: food, anger, resentment, drugs, alcohol, sex, gossip, (you can insert your own life-controlling sin here in this list).

It has been made plain to me through prison ministry that many of those who are or were incarcerated have been required to truly examine their sinful behaviors in order to bring them to Jesus so that their thoughts will be made captive and destroyed. There are many Christians who in their naivete act as if there are no life-controlling sins that have a hold on them. They might not even recognize the pride which makes them say things like, “I am not like those people”.

Exposing this life-controlling issue, this sin, which inclines your heart away from God, is the important first step. By acknowledging it, you are seeing the work of the Holy Spirit, Who is making your conscience function exactly as it should act. The conscience has been set up by God the Father to be one of the guardians of your soul. Confessing your life-controlling sin to Jesus brings this sin under His great forgiving power. Repenting of this sin, that is, expressing the desire to turn from it, brings the power of the Holy Spirit to bear on your life so that recognizing that sin, you will not allow it to lure you into greater sinful acts. You might say, “I’ve tried it all before” and failed. True. You may have. What is different this time is the strength of God coupled to your weakness. He is All-powerful. He delights to brings to His sons and daughters His life-giving salvation.

ALMIGHTY GOD, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word and deed. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for our misdoings. Have mercy upon us, O God, after Your great goodness. Forgive us all that is past and grant us Your grace to stand firm against temptation and sin. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Based on the Prayer in “Divine Service Book for the Armed Forces” page 6

https://youtu.be/CmNXeReZqAg?si=efWZ5uKXAnty0e-f “Be Still My Soul”

Copyright © 2024 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.