Temptation in the Eyes of the Father

So The Austin Stone has been doing a series on temptation. I have learned a lot about temptation and what it looks like in the eyes of the Father. Yesterday the topic was Temptation: Discipline after failure. As humans and sinners we are imperfect and we are going to fail, in fact most of the time we do fail, but the big question is What if in the midst of temptation I fail?

" Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses your sons? My Son, do not regard lightly the discipline if the Lord nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises ever son whom he receives" Hebrews 12: 3-6 (ESV)

First off it is important to know that Christ was tempted in EVERY way, shape and form when He was on the Earth, yet in His perfectness He was without sin. Christ despised sin, he hated it so much that He died on the Cross so He could put an end to all of our sins. Do you hate your sin as much as Christ hates it? I know when I sin I feel guilty, but I don't hate it in the way that Christ hates it.

Unlike Christ we as humans are going to fail in everything that we do, but we need to be DISCIPLINED by the Father in order to be more like Him. The key word here is discipline, which by definition means "correcting, equipping, repairing- taking broken things and making them whole." Until last night I used the words discipline and punishment interchangeably, but as I learned they significantly differ in meaning. Discipline is not an act of punishment, it is simply correcting our failures and putting the broken things back together. God disciplines is in making our character more like Christ. Discipline is God' s tool for ridding us of our sin.

Even though discipline can be hard, we as humans don't like to be told what to do and we really don't like to be reminded of our failures, but it is essential in our relationship with the Father.

"It is for discipline that you have to endure God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom the father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, BUT HE DISCIPLINES US FOR OUR GOOD, THAT WE MAY SHARE HIS HOLINESS. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. " Hebrews 7-11 (ESV)

God disciplines us for OUR good so that we can become more like Christ. Even though we don't understand God's ways or why He uses a certain sin to point out our weakness, He knows us best and He is only molding us in His image.

Lastly, the pastor pointed out that the Puritans absolutely hated sin and he read a prayer that they had written. My dear friend and discipler gave me The Valley of Vision which is a book of prayers written by the Puritans... Here is the prayer entitled " Yet I sin"

"Eternal Father,

Thou art good beyond all thought, But I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind; My lips are ready to confess, but my heart is slow to feel, and my ways reluctant to amend. I bring my soul to thee; break it, wound it, bend it, mould it. Unmask to me sin's deformity, that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it. My faculties have been a weapon of revolt against thee; as a rebel I have misused my strength, and served the foul adversary of thy kingdom. Give me grace to bewail my insensate folly, Grant me to know that the way of transgressors is hard, that evil paths are wretched paths, that to depart from thee is to lose all good. I have seen the purity and beauty of thy perfect law, the happiness of those in whose heart it reins, the calm dignity of the walk to which it calls, yet I daily violate and contemn its precepts. Thy loving Spirit strives within me, brings me Scripture warnings, speaks in startling providences, allures by secret whispers, yet I choose devices and desires to my own hurt, impiously resent, grieve, and provoke him to abandon me.

All these sins I mourn, lament, and for them cry pardon. Work in me more profound and abiding repentance; Give me the fullness of a godly grief that trembles and fears, yet ever trusts and loves, which is ever powerful, and ever confident; Grant that through the tears of repentance I may see more clearly the brightness and glories of the saving cross. "

This is my prayer, that I would truly see my sin and be saddened by it. I am so thankful that God does not require us to be perfect, but that He uses our sin as a way of teaching us and refining us to become more like Him. I was deeply touched by the message and wanted to share it with all of y'all! Hope you enjoy!

-Mo