All tagged Temptation

Resisting the Subtle Bait of Temptation

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Temptation

Do we claim to be Christians, saying that we value The Word of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but keep being led astray by our past passions, and the desires of the flesh? Are we receiving manna from heaven, but continue to think, and dream, about the way our old lives smelled or tasted? We can successfully resist making a meal of the great sins we once knew, but what tempts us most is the lingering scent of them... the small tastes, and pleasures that lead us time and again to the physical doorway of those sins. We crucify the sin, but do we nail the temptation of them to the cross as well?

Facing Temptation, and becoming perfect in the Hands of God

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Temptation, Faithfulness

Are there people who seek to undermine our faith in Jesus Christ, or who wish to destroy our belief in God? Do we feel less than competent when it comes to defending scripture in a scholarly setting, or standing up to ridicule? Well, whatever comes against us will be defeated, and God’s power within us will prevail because His hand is upon us. No matter our shortcomings, He has filled every crack and chink in our armor from within using the knowledge of His Holy Spirit, and has provided us a sword for our defense hammered out in the forge of His Word.

Claiming Possessions as we Pass through the Glass of Life

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Posessions, Jealousy, Sin

What do we own? What do we count as ours as we make our way through life? It takes us a long time before we finally come to understand the fallacy behind living in a yours and mine world, or involving ourselves in a yours and mine relationship. Life becomes easier once we understand that we are merely light passing through a glass... when we reach the other side the glass remains unchanged, and we have left it behind without a mark. So why do we believe that we own the glass, or in our case, that we own earthly possessions  during that brief instant in which we pass through life here?

Defeating Temptation, Sin, and Death through Transformation

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Sin, Temptation, Transformed

Do we think that we can flirt with the coals of temptation and not be burnt, or draw Close to the flicker of sin and not erupt into flames ourselves? Are we on the verge of such occurrences today? Are we speaking about someone negatively, calling it a correction, or warning, when in fact it is bitterness and hatred? Surely our words, and actions, will rub against us like a rasp, and we will find ourselves bleeding, or worn away.

Our Sinful Nature; our Innermost Struggle

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Sin, Temptation

For most of us it is unsettling that God would search our hearts, and few, if any,  would honestly invite Him to do so without some trepidation. Our natures, and personalities, incline us towards certain temptations and sins, and we have become so comfortable in our weaknesses that we scarcely visit these places within our hearts intent on confronting them. Are we bold enough to invite God To know our hearts? Do we have the courage ourselves to visit these innermost places that we find uncomfortable to our faith? 

Temptation... A Sweet Smell, but with a Bitter Taste, and a lasting Stain

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Temptation, Cleansing

Are you dealing with temptation in your life right now? Is there a fragrance that wafts around you like a vapor and whose scent lures you towards something sinful? Perhaps it is an attraction to someone other than your spouse, or to a person who is already married. Maybe you are hungry, and are being drawn to steal a meal, or thirsty and want to grab another’s flask. Whatever it is, and temptations abound, do you linger in these thoughts, or do you pray for freedom and release from them? Do you ask God for an escape?

Of Spring Rain, Drought, the Coronavirus, and Tempting God

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Temptation, God

In this time of Coronavirus , complete with its “Safer at Home”, and “Social Distancing”, mandates, Pastors and churches have for the most part complied with these ordinances, but with tithes dwindling, and bills to pay, there is a temptation to go ahead with normal church activities by convincing ourselves, and our members, that as believers, and people of faith, God will miraculously protect us, and treat us differently than others.  Satan tried to convince Jesus to behave in this same manner during his third temptation when he tried to convince Christ to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple. Jesus resisted by refusing to “tempt the Lord”. Are we prepared to face the consequences of tempting God by our actions today? Actions that don’t mirror those of Jesus?

Fame, Fortune, and Temptation on the Mountain

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Temptation, Satan

Glory, honor, fame, fortune, power, these are all temptations valued highly by man’s carnal self, and their control over us can be spiritually devastating, and even bleed over into our physical wellbeing as well. How far would any of us be willing to go for them, or to resist them? Would we abandon our faith for them? Would we drop down on our knees to someone who could give them to us as if they were a god? How do we face such temptation?

Resisting the Power of Subtle Temptation and Sin

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Subtle Sin, Temptation

As Christians, we believe that we can identify sin and avoid it, but we aren’t always tempted by obvious sin; many times we are confronted by things that we might be inclined to rationalize , and that are less obvious. There is a fine line between conversation and gossip, or stretching the truth and telling an outright lie. How well do we identify and resist such subtle sins?

Our Secret Voice, the Lure of Sin, and the Perfect Hearing of God, and Jesus

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Temptation

Are we like the scribes of old? Do we question Jesus, and His authority, within our hearts? Sometimes we are tempted to doubt His ability, or question our faith in His power, but are there times when we question the authority of Jesus himself, and look to God in fear and trembling asking “Is this truly your Son?” Even in our minds, for just an instant, does Satan’s lie seem plausible?

Unable to avoid Sin an Temptation; Fighting the Schoolyard Bullies

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Sin, Temptation, Armor, Conflict

How do you confront sin? Do you look it in the eye and try to overpower it? Do you ignore it and go about your business, or perhaps you do what any animal does when it doesn’t want to fight... it runs. Getting as far away from evil as quickly as we can is a good strategy when it comes to temptation and sin. Confronting Satan isn’t something to be taken lightly.

Attacks, and Temptation - Signs of our Rising Faith

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Faith, Temptation, Protection

The world looks at the strength of the faithful, and not only marvels at it, but fears it, and looks for ways to subdue it. When you were first saved, and returned to your everyday life as a changed person, full of a new life and joy, how long did it take before those around you asked what made you so happy, and strong? Then... how long was it before they started trying to stick knives in your faith? Those living without a faith in God and Jesus Christ either want to be like us, or they look to bring us low once again so that they can feel safe in their lack of faith.

The Salvation of our Family, and the Tempting god of Human Love

Richard Forbes
Salvation, Family, Daily Devotion, False gods, Christian

Discussing false god’s and graven images in church is a favorite topic because it is a natural tendency of man to place various things above God as we move through our lives. One of the favorite topics of every preacher is money, or gold, but there are so many others. One of them is a nearly sacred topic, and we are often remiss in discussing it... family. We love our spouses, children, and families dearly, but do we allow them to encourage our faith in God, or to discourage it? Does our love of family become a god to us?

Withstanding the Bully by Placing the Life of Jesus before Us

Richard Forbes
Withstanding the Bully, Jesus, Daily Devotion, Faith, Christian

In this day and age we talk a great deal about bullying. Being bullied by those around us can occur both physically and verbally, but verbal bullying cuts us much deeper. Jesus endured both kinds in His life, but predominately the verbal variety. So today, as we are made fun of, jeered, and cruelly denigrated, we should look to Jesus for our example of how to react to, and endure, such torture.

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