Episode 350: James 1 Part 6 Temptation or a Test?

What's the difference between a test and temptation? How do you know if it's of God or Satan? Or, could it just be from our own fleshly desires? One thing is for sure, James says God never tempts anyone! Temptation leads to sin therefore God will never tempt anyone because sin separates us from God...He wants us to draw close to Him as possible! God does test and these trials build our faith, they force us to rely on God to get us through. Unfortunately, many fall apart and their faith begins to fade, they waver, which James is warning against. But before you go blaming everything on God or the devil, you may want to take a look at yourself because James says we are drawn away from God by our own desires, and those desires can lead to temptation, which then leads to sin. The hey is to "flee" when those fleshly desires come; run to the Father who is there with open arms and ready to help see us through anything we face in this life!