It's Your Choice

"How blessed is the man who perseveres through temptation! For after he has passed the test, he will receive as his crown the Life which God has promised to those who love him. No one being tempted should say, "I am being tempted by God." For God cannot be tempted by evil, and God himself tempts no one. Rather, each person is being tempted whenever he is being dragged off and enticed by the bait of his own desire. Then, having conceived, the desire gives birth to sin; and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death." (Complete Jewish Bible)

From the first test and temptation in the garden to every test and temptation that we face today, it has always been and will forever be about whom you will trust. The first test of trust was the choice between following and obeying God, thereby choosing the “tree of life” or the temptation presented by the Adversary to disobey God by eating from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

The “test” asks this question. Do you believe (trust) that God knows and has your best interest at heart and that He will not leave you lacking for anything? The “temptation” says to you and tries to convince you that you ARE missing out on something and that what you have been given is not enough. That you need or have to have MORE… That there is something that you cannot do without— that you will be better off if you only had— Or it can also try and convince you of what you do not need.

As simplistic as this may sound, the LIFE or DEATH that we have, or experience is based on the foundation of the CHOICES that WE make. And here is the kicker that we often refuse to face, and that kicker is found in verse 14. “…each person is being tempted DRAGGED OFF and ENTICED by the BAIT of his OWN desire.”

Yes, that means no matter how you may want to try and JUSTIFY YOUR CHOICE, you were not fooled; you were not helplessly led astray or made to do something. And yes, even if that something SEEMED like a good idea or a “good” thing to do. It means that it was in some way what YOU WANTED or what YOU WANTED to do, PERIOD. So nobody saved or unsaved can say, “THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!” If he did, then that is called demonic possession, and even then, he had to be INVITED in… So IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM, IT WAS YOUR DESIRE that motivated your choice or action… YOUR desire “dragged” you off… YOUR desire “enticed” you… YOUR DESIRE WAS THE BAIT!

Please understand that having a desire in and of itself is neither all good nor all bad. But it is always a motivator, a stimulus to our choices and actions. So the bottom line is this— IT’S YOUR CHOICE!!!

Always know that you are #Shape2Live!