Archive for May, 2016
UPROOTING THE TREE OF TEMPTATION
Wednesday, May 25th, 2016
Overcoming temptation is a subject of interest to every Christian, as it’s a subject that affects us all.
We probably know that the Bible contains a number of guiding and encouraging scriptures to help us in overcoming, but we may not be aware of biblical analysis of the cycle of temptation and sin that grows from “seed” to burgeoning “tree,” if we let it. It’s an understanding found in both the Old and New Testaments and one we can apply.The clearest analysis of the growth of sin is found in the first chapter of the Book of James which describes the genealogy or “family tree” of every temptation leading to transgression: “… each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15).
If we analyze it, the growing “tree” of temptation that James elaborates can help us understand how we can break sin’s growth before it breaks us:
Seed: “each person is tempted…” – Exposure to temptation
Roots: “each person is … dragged away by their own evil desire” – Considering the temptation…..CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
PRECUSOR TO THE CROSS
Wednesday, May 25th, 2016
This passage is no small matter. We are never told what Moses prayed when he interceded for the people one more time. Before this last episode recorded above in Numbers 21-6-9 , we are told that the Israelites rejected God ten (10)times! This time, God ran through the latest rebels like a knife through butter. He unleashed poisonous serpents which bit countless Israelites who paid the ultimate price for their sin…..CLICK HERE TO READ MORE