Currently we’re in a message series called “Growing In Life’s Journey.” God uses a number of tools to help each person grow during their lives. God has a plan and purpose for your life and the only way that you’re going to accomplish that purpose is for you to continue to grow. Growth is a lifelong process, it takes work, you’ve got to stick with it, but the results will last forever. People who are growing are people who are learning to love and serve God and others. People who don’t want to change are stuck in the rut of life, not a great place to be.
Last week I talked about how God uses trouble to bring about positive change in our lives. Today my message is entitled “The Purpose of Temptation.” God uses temptation as a tool to help you grow. God doesn’t tempt anyone, but He able to use temptation as a means to bring about growth in our lives. Most people think of temptation as some sort of opportunity to do something wrong. That’s true, but it is more helpful to think of temptation as a choice. When you are tempted you have a choice to either give in to the temptation or to reject the temptation.
A temptation is like coming to a fork in the road. You can go down the right fork or the left fork. One path will lead you further away from God, the path where you give into temptation. But the other path will lead you closer to God, the path where you refuse temptation. Even the most heinous of crimes began way back when someone made a wrong choice and gave into temptation. One wrong choice follows another and the final destination will be tragic. Let’s watch a clip of an interview with David Berkowitz otherwise known of Son of Sam who was a serial killer in New York. See how his wrong choices to get involved in the occult had disastrous consequences. David Berkowitz went down the wrong path when faced with temptation. God wants you to make the right choice.
NCV James 1:12 When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever. God wants you to pass the test of temptation. He has a purpose in allowing temptation to come into your life. Don’t be misled into thinking that your temptations aren’t dangerous, that your little sins aren’t giving anyone any problems. This morning think about your biggest area of weakness, your biggest area of temptation and let God show you his purpose in it.
To hear more about this topic, listen to my August 6, 2006 message entitled The Purpose Of Temptation