Character is a Choice

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham a little later in the program will tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's brand-new book to reignite the first hears his message character is for God's word and turned to the first chapter of J what we read of the passage before us, tells us how we can over come temptation and conquer temptation in our lives.

James uses the same word for trial or test to describe something altogether different.

Which is temptation.

Same word for trial.

He uses to describe temptation.

Now, trials are allowed by God, or even sent by God in order to prove our mettle are character, but temptations are different. Temptations are sent by Satan to undermine us and even to destroy a temptation is the solicitation are the seduction to do something wrong to break God's commandments. Temptation is when Satan takes a normal God given desire and tempts us to fulfill that in a God forbidden way. We all have normal natural human desires and Jesus is the answer to all of our desires and he is the one who appeals to us and draws us to himself.

But Satan uses those desires normal natural desire and offers temptations. You see, to fulfill those in some God forbidden way and that's temptation is not a sin to be tempted. Everyone is tempted Jesus was tempted in all points as we are tempted and yet the Bible says he never sinned. We know we have been tempted and we know that we have sin, but I want to show you from James here how we can win over San how we can triumph over temptation and I'll I look at verse 13 of James one. 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 but each person is tempted when he is Lord marked that word in your Bible lured and enticed another word to note by his own desire, then desire when it has conceived gives birth to death, but rather to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow do to change God is unchangeable and he is always good. Let's start out with the problem that we all face regarding temptation. It is a problem. So this is a reality check.

You can outlive temptation, no matter how long you live. If you're breathing you will be tempted in some way. We are all susceptible to temptation in the universe that many of us marked and memorized years ago when we first began the following price first Corinthians 1013 first Corinthians 1013 but there is no temptation that is overtaken you but it that it is common to man and God is faithful and will with the temptation will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to. So God has promised us a great promise that God will protect us if we will see his protection that there is a pathway out of temptation and out of sin you are in a spiritual battle.

Satan hates Jesus and if you follow Jesus as they close to Jesus you will be under Satan's attack. We have spiritual enemies including demon forces. These are the infernal forces of hell, and therefore our enemy.

You are a target on Satan but not only is there the infernal enemy, Satan, but there is a external enemy which is the world. The Bible talks about the world system the secular system, but does not know where I honor God. The anti-Christ anti-God system. We we all feel the, the allure and the attraction of the world.

John the disciple described it this way in first John 216 as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. That's the world. So Satan is an infernal enemy. The world is in an external enemy attacking us from without, but James here is focusing on the internal enemy which is the flesh the. The only sure what we were before we met Christ our own desires. James wrote temptation comes from the lower the enticement the entrapment of our own evil desires, and that these evil desires. I got like a pregnancy lead to evil actions and evil actions lead to the birth of death. So here you have, you wonder why your tempted you want. You wonder why you face some of the same temptations in your life, because on the outside. Satan attacks the world attracts and our own flesh.

Our own human nature allures us to invite us to disobey God in some way, so we must accept personal responsibility for our own sins, our own temptations. You can always say the devil made me do it. The devil may have tempted you are may abuse the world or your own flesh and he's involved, but you must take personal responsibility and James says don't blame God for your temptations say how would anybody why would anybody blame God. What people do it all the time he started way way back in the garden to meet with Adam when he committed the sin and they both took of the fruit and sin than disobey God.

Adam ran and hid in God tracked him down like he always tracks us down if we believe in him tracking down and confronting with this in and Adam said God is not my fault it's the woman you made your father God. Sometimes we say, well, God ordained the circumstances, I mean all this happened doesn't doesn't the Bible say God works everything out for good.

That's not what the Bible says exactly the Bible does say in Romans 828 that God is working all things together for the good to those who love the Lord and our call are fitting into his purposes for the life not everything works out for good but good thing LOL oh yeah it all worked out for good. I me. I did the wrong thing. I did a bad thing in and it all worked out so God must have ordained it or something like this is is in my DNA. I can't help myself is this my personality is my proclivity this my orientation. I have my desires.

I have my my attractions and and and I can't get them on. This is the way God made me and I must be true to myself know you know need to be true to yourself. You need to be true to God. Notice sin and true to God.

The fact is, you need to get over yourself.

God doesn't lean anyone into sin. He's trying to get us out of sin and that we would pursue godliness and holiness and purity, character, integrity, and online so if God is not responsible. You can't blame God for these temptations and the problems that we face related to sin, then who do we blame, what is the problem. Well that's James 14 to 60. Again, look at it again. Each person as if there is an individual attack and allurement for each person that may even be different, but each person is tempted when he is Lord and enticed by his own desire to stop right there because here we see moving from the problem of temptation. The process of temptation. It is a process.

The truth is it doesn't just happen. We often put ourselves in the position to be tempted.

We give the devil a stick to hit us with and it doesn't come from without, but it comes from within. What we contemplate what we consider how we imagine things what we think about things as a man thinks in his heart, so is it Jesus said in Mark chapter 7 verses 21 and following that, out of the heart perceives all of these things sexual immorality and and lust and murders and lies and all the rest. He said it comes from within. James picks up on that he observed a lot by watching and listening and from the love of our own desires or the lure of our own evil desires. Now the lure here. It suggests a bait on a hook.

So you might call this lessons from the lure. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in his message character is a choice pastor this month we have a special gift for listeners to give a gift to PowerPoint if you're brand-new book reignite what can you tell us about this powerful resource. My latest book reignite is out and it is definitely needed. The message of this book is needed today. It was actually born out of a personal experience an emotional crisis in my life after cancer surgery and I discovered some things about reignited my life that I want to share with you if you find yourself exhausted, tired, depressed, anxious and uncertain about your future that I believe this book is going to encourage call today and get reignite as our thank you for your gift. Call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627 or text the word PowerPoint 231-3131 text PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie. Now let's get back to today's message character is a choice. Here's a lesson from the Lord about temptation is an illustration in the illustration is this temptation is like bait on a hook.

You don't see the hook but you see the lure and like a dumb fish. The comes on swimming and see something shining and sparkling in the water glistening in the water and takes the bait and finds the hook and from the bay to the hook your coat. I and that's what happens to people in life we sin wouldn't be attractive.

It wouldn't be appealing if it wasn't fun at some level there is pleasure in sin for a season so temptations can be exciting and Satan knows just the bait which to hook us.

We were younger. This is generally speaking because remember, if you're breathing your tempted right when you're younger it seems to be that the temptations are physical appetites or strongest. That's why the Bible says flee youthful lusts physical appetites are especially appealing alluring when we were younger then middle-aged comes and you know were more interested in our personal ambitions, where we were climbing the ladder to success and that's when those kinds of temptations like like lying or cheating or stealing our losing control or running over people are demanding our own way to get where we want to go all those kinds of temptations regarding our personal ambition. Where will have successes all pride, those are most powerful, typically at our midlife years and are earning years and so on. And then in the latter temptations regarding spiritual leeches who were going to worship because Satan comes along and says things do you like you can't trust God, you're getting old you're getting sick you're going to die uniting that to be able to pay for your medicine, who's going to take care of you, your kids are not taking care of you.

What's wrong with you. God told you he'd take care of you look at you. Those kinds of temptations.

See. So each one is tempted, and a different way by all attractive and all appealing and is like a lure that takes us in in the bait in the hook are set for you. Some of us right now are facing temptation and the hook is almost in your mouth. Now you can rationalize anything. Nevermind the consequences when temptation is so strong does something to the mind.

It doesn't matter. I is just one little is just one thought is just one action is just a little thing is not that big a deal I can stop any time I want them familiar temptations we start rationalizing it best we were getting ready to take the bait. That's why James gives another illustration talks about being pregnant woman pregnant and said it is like that.

This sin thing in temptation is like that. First, there's desire conception of the desire, the bait is offered then the inner desire is attracted to the bait.

That's deception, then sin occurs when we take the bait. When we biked the bay when we say yes again. Hear me is not a sin to be tempted.

So far so good not to send any tempted to send the say yes to temptation. You can still say no but once sin occurs – disobedience and disobedience leads to dad the tragic consequences of our sin. So sin is like a pregnancy is often unseen to be pregnant and not know it for weeks and months.

Some of you are pregnant with temptation right now. And yet if you turn away you can be delivered from death and the consequences of sin. That's what James is telling us.

Satan doesn't tell you about the awful sinful consequences and death. Sin and temptation.

The bait is bright, beautiful, so you biked you found this to be true. Why never intended for it to happen. I never thought he would end up this way.

I fell and I fell hard and I didn't know it would hurt this much.

James is saying.

Protect yourself, prepare yourself because you can't sin and win as the old evangelist is to say first sin fascinates and then assassinates it thrills and then it kills true.

That's what James is saying it leads to death death to your character death to your family death in your marriage after your relationship with your kids death your relationship and your church death. Death, death. You don't have to live this way, and there is power, therefore, to overcome temptation, power, and I want to give you a closing some words that you can write down that will enable you by God's grace to resist temptation.

That's the goal right so number one is the word resist. James 47 submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. You when Satan attacks you have the power in Jesus name to say no.

First Peter 5839 says he so reminded watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, firm in your face knowing that the same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world, people everywhere are going through this, you're not the only one. Everybody is tempted, but you have the power to resist. Don't tell me that Jesus Christ lives in you by his Holy Spirit and you don't have the power to say no, you do resist number two Ron especially run from the sins of the flesh. Second Timothy 222 flee sinful, youthful passions and pursue righteousness, flee, like Joseph, who was nearly seduced by a seductive woman. Potiphar's wife in Egypt but because of his commitment to God is that I cannot sin against God. In this way, how could I not been too good to me. So he ran out of the room. She grabbed his coat literally and took it, but she could take his coat. She couldn't couldn't take his character. He ran sometimes as the very best thing you can do thirdly remember that's verses 16 and 17 in James one verse 17 says every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of life and there is no variation or shadow due to change. God is unchangeable and God is consistently God is faithful so remember that submit to God. The Bible says draw near to him and he will draw near to you.

Why do people find temptation so attractive when we are vulnerable and or or susceptible to temptations and I like this because were not finding our satisfaction in Jesus because were not finding our fulfillment in the Lord.

But if you remember how good God has been been Psalm 84 in verse 11, the Lord our God is a sun and the shield he gives grace and glory, and no thing will he withhold from them who walk the people get all bent my temptation because they think God is not meeting their needs are. God is not taking care of them so what I have a God jump ahead of God and so on. No. Remember how good God is like Joseph say how can I do this in the light of how good God is. Me his grace.

Jesus is the source of the secret of all satisfaction is the solution to temptation rely is the next word rely and by that I mean rely on others in the family of faith.

I showed you.

Second Timothy 222. The first part of it. Look at the last part of that after we flee youthful passions pursue righteousness bait, love, peace, along with those who call the name of the Lord from a pure in other words get around godly people you hang around with bad people.

This was going to happen.

You're going to be tempted bad thing. I'm not saying you shouldn't engage people in a friendship in order to bring them to Christ. But you don't hang out with people that are going to bring you down. You choose friends among those who believe in Christ, your closest companions. That's the church's Christian friends who will hold you accountable who will pray for you who will encourage it, who will equip you and teach you sustain connect to Christ and his church, and one final thing when they renew your mind in the word of God. Psalm 119 verse 11 your word and I hid in my heart that I might not sin against God. That's what Jesus did when he quoted the word of God and not just quoted the word of God was submitted to the word of God in his life.

He knew the word to use it as a weapon. The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God is good to carry your Bible, but the best place for God's work is in your get God's word in your part. That's why we say Mark your Bible memorize your Bible get God's word because when the heat is on and the temptation is strong you will have your weapon the word of God. When you hide God's word in your heart there, but there is a protection is a shield of faith for you to overcome the enemy.

You have to yield to the seductions of the enemy listen to God.

God will enable you give. According to verse 12 one crown sin when Jesus listening to PowerPoint intact and in today's message character is a choice, chances are you faced your share of crisis meeting or even in the fight of your life right now. Or maybe you're simply feeling exhausted by the busyness of life except the spiritual strength. Whatever you're facing.

We want to help fan the flame of faith in your life by sending you Dr. Graham's newest book reignite his personal account of how God led Dr. Graham to his own crisis will heavy focus on God during difficult season.

See you can experience fresh passion and joy in Jesus and will send you a copy as thanks for your gift today. Call now to request your copy of reignite: 800-795-4627 that's one 800-7956 27. You can also text the word PowerPoint 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop a restore the gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie Pastor what is your PowerPoint for today.

The times that we are most durable, temptation when temptation seemed to be the most attractive is when we're not finding our satisfaction in Jesus. You see where not finding our fulfillment of the Lord. So sometimes we seek it in other ways we get beaten up by temptation. When we start thinking that God is not meeting our needs in some way or taking care of us in some way that we need some pleasure that God can't provide. That's when we run ahead of God start doing our own thing start doing what we think to meet our own needs to try to make ourselves happy, but I want you to remember how good how good God has been to you that he is giving you abundant life through his son Jesus Christ. So when the allure of temptation comes realize that anything that Satan promises anything the world may give really is a lie cannot meet or fulfill your personal needs for fulfillment. Remember the Lord our God. This is one of my favorite verses.

Remember this the Lord our God is a sun and a shield.

He gives grace and glory, and watch this no good thing will he withhold from them who walk up rightly so Jesus is the source and the secret of all real satisfaction and therefore he's the answer to every temptation and that is today's power. Remember when you give a gift to PowerPoint today will send you Dr. Graham's brand-new book, we at night as our thanks.

Call one 800-795-4627 1-800-795-4627 can also text the word PowerPoint 313131 PowerPoint 3131 next time. Dr. Graham brings a message to how you can know that God is for you next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint ministries