Trusting, Our Firewall to Temptation

The Six T's in Living Life    Part 1
Navigating Life from 
     Trials to Triumph and Testimony

           Learning to Trust

                                      

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James 1:1-3                                               

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance;

James 1:14-15   14 But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.

For ten years, I dreaded, hated, and despised the thought of being forced to experience the Vietnam War.  This hatred began a fear that was too often in my thoughts from the 8th grade until the dark night I arrived in Saigon, June 3rd, 1972.  Little did I know that this trial called "the Vietnam War" would bring me the greatest of blessings.


But, regardless of where we are in life, we have trials leading to tests and/or temptations.  In our trials and adversities we have a decision to make: do we allow the trial to be a test or do we allow the trial to move past testing and become a temptation.

Consider this good definition of temptation from a minister, Erik Raymond, 
"A temptation, then, in general is anything that, for any reason, exerts a force or influence to seduce and draw the mind and heart of man from the obedience which God requires of him to any kind of sin."

 Keep this in mind as you read.
In our life's trials, the behavior and attitude we take to a trial, often depends on the experiences and resolutions of our past trials.  It is in the ordinary times of our lives we must seek behaviors and attitudes to guide us and help us control the experience and outcome of our future trials, troubles, and tribulations.  By doing this, we are better prepared for the high times and low times of life when we are most vulnerable for temptation.

The 6 T's of living life in our trials provides a Focus and Guidance on how we approach our trials and where we place out trust while in the valley of those trials.  The six T's  are:  

Trials,    Testing,         Temptation, 
Trust,     Triumph,      Testimony

In the Trials we encounter in our living life,

we can experience it as a Test that makes us stronger or
 we allow the Test to become a Temptation 

that can lead us to more weakness and sin.  

It is where we place our Trust that determines

if the outcome is a Triumph or defeat.  

In Trusting God in our Trials,

the Trial becomes a Test making us stronger

for our future opportunities (Trials).  

However, if we are not God-focused, a Trial 

easily becomes a Temptation often 

leading to sin 

resulting in

greater weakness or even death (James 1:14-15).  

Trusting God leads to Triumph 

resulting in a Testimony to God.  

Without the Trials and Tests of life

we have no Testimonies.  

In Trusting God in our trials, adversities, and tribulations we have, among others, several important results and personal benefits:
1-  We gain strength from the testing.  This strength builds us for the next test.  We must remember that trials, problems, and suffering in life are often disguised as opportunities before us.  As an athlete gains strength from continued testing of his strength, so to we gain Spiritual strength from our Spiritual Testing.

2-  We gain endurance, maturity, and joy.  James 1:1-3

3-  We gain perseverance and patience for greater trials and tribulations.  In Romans 5:3 (NKJV) we read, "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;".  This also is translated in some Bibles as patience.

4-  We gain peace of mind.  From Philippians 4:7, "And the Peace of God that passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  

5-  We become thankful for the opportunities to glorify God with our lives regardless of our circumstances.  (1st Thessalonians 5:18 - give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.)

My 10 years of the Vietnam dread came to an end in the first night in Saigon at fifteen minutes after midnight.  In the lowest moment of my earthly being, the greatest experience of my life came in turning to God in Trust and giving up to God in prayer.   


All my past challenges and testing in school, Officer Training,  Navigator and survival training were something I handled and I am sorry to say, on my own rarely, if ever, praying about the challenges.   But Vietnam was different.   I could not handle it, I could not deal with the weight of 10 worrisome years, and I was overwhelmed with feeling, thinking and knowing my death was eminent.    In my desperation, I turned to prayer that first night there (*1).  In my most humble earnest prayer  that dark night truly changed me and gave me a Peace of Mind (*2) beyond my understanding and a new wisdom in facing any adversity.

But, from that night's experience I also began to find new strength in trusting God.  Unfortunately, even in the maturing process of this in Vietnam, I did not have the wisdom to maintain those daily prayers.  But, in the years to come, I remembered and in the real challenging times of those ensuing years, I always turned to God.  What I did not realize is that God was growing me in wisdom.

Life through prayer, faith, Trust, and peace come easier now, not easy but easier.  One line in one sermon on the first Sunday of 2009 brought new realizations of Wisdom I had come to know.  The pastor said in that sermon, "To have the Holy Spirit in your heart, you must pray and pray and pray everyday."  In the next few days following that sermon,  I began thinking about my big Trials of my then 60 years.   I realized that the Triumphs of the Big Trials in my life came through prayer and in those prayers I had truly Trusted God (*3).  

Do not wait for the big times in your life to let God into your heart and trials.  In all the little challenges of your ordinary times, every day, let God build your faith, strength, and perseverance through your daily prayers.  In your Trials, adversities, and opportunities turn to God immediately so that your Trials do not become Temptations.  Your Temptations to survive without Him weaken you and can be deadly.  You can Trust God!    In that Trust, God will give you a clearer mind to think, heartfelt peace to hear His Guidance,  plus greater courage and strength to navigate your troublesome tasks.  

I am so thankful for my life's Trials  and especially for two tours in Vietnam.  The Trials have brought me to a more Righteous Relationship with God, knowing Jesus as my personal Savior, and the Holy Spirit as my Guide to navigate my life's Testimonies.

God will do the same for you.  It all begins with prayer.

Trust God, and let your Trials be a journey into Faith.

Thanks Be to God,
and
My thanks to Rev. Brenda Newman
for a most powerful sermon in 2009.  "To have the Holy Spirit in your heart, you must pray, and pray, and pray, everyday."

© Lonnie Coggins

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There will be more to come on the Six T's in Living Life.  In Part 2, the difference between Testing and Temptation will be discussed.

*1  For more on that first night in Vietnam
Click Here:  Self-Confidence


*2  Click here for the message of
     Finding Peace in a Chaotic World

*3  Click her for a message on Trust

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Publication  0069


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LEARNING TO TRUST is a very important behavior and we must learn to TRUST GOD in the good times so we know how to behave and trust in the tough times.  Click the link below for more on Trust and how it is a firewall between Trials and Temptation.
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http://lonnieadailythought.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-six-ts-in-living-life-part-1.html