Why, oh why do we live in a world filled with torment, yet filled with pleasure? Listen, the Lord has placed something on my heart that needs to get out. You see, earth is a total flip-flop from the Truth. Let’s see here, how do I explain this. We go through what the Bible calls trials. According to the dictionary, a trial is a state of pain or anguish that tests patience, endurance, or belief. Doesn’t sound too good, does it. Yet, we are made to believe this. Our flesh battles this concept. We do not like going through trials. But, my friend, a trial is a gift from the Almighty living God, whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, whether you acknowledge it or not, whether you need it or not, whether you shun it or not. A trial is a state of pain. You may think, “Why does God want to give me pain?” I tell you the truth, God is not pleased with our pain. He is, however, pleased with our perseverance, and our stronger spirit, which is the result of going through trials. Let’s start at the actual source. God is the one putting us through trials. Not Satan. It’s purpose is to bring out the best in us. Satan is not out to bring out the best in us. Examples of trials are financial distress, marriage problems, work related troubles, not getting our way, etc. A trial is a nasty thing to human beings, yet it is all for the good of God’s children. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to help our spirit through the trials. Now, you may think, “I don’t want to go through any trials. I’m fine the way I am.” Listen, if God thought you were fine the way you are, He wouldn’t be putting you through any trials. Not one person on this earth, from Mother Teresa to the new-born baby, is exempt from trials. Then you may say, “Well, God doesn’t and hasn’t gone through any trials! So, what gives him the right to do this to me!?” Three things, love, he is God, and YES HE HAS and STILL IS!! He is putting you through trials because he loves you. Just like the man purifying the gold, we need to be put through the fire so we can shine brighter than the mid-day sun. We need trials. Our faith would be in vain if we were not to go through any trials. Lastly, God has gone through and is going through trials. Jesus is God. He was mocked, beaten, slain, whipped, pierced, nailed. If you don’t call these trials, then I’ll just stop typing right now. The Father is going through trials. He is putting up with our sin. Yet, Jesus is constantly saying, “My Blood is sufficient.” Praise the Lord! The Holy Spirit is going through trials to help our spirit get through our own trials. So, you see, God Himself is going through trials. Yes, someday, it’ll all be over and there will be the biggest celebration that human and spirit-kind has ever witnessed!!

Okay, now let’s look at temptation. Temptation, in short, is from the devil. It is from Satan himself. Temptation, in the world we live in right now, is everywhere. From money to sex to drugs to alcohol to a delicious cheesecake with luscious cherries on top, served with whipped cream. Okay, let’s start at the actual source…that is, the Tempter. Satan is the tempter. He is disguised into all the things we enjoy here on earth. He is in the money, inappropriate sex, drugs, alcohol, and our favorite foods. These are just a few examples. He puts on the mask of these examples. Now, in order for you to be seduced into consuming any of the examples, Satan first must get into your mind. Satan is hidden in the drug. Satan is hidden in the attractive woman or man (choose your format). He then proceeds out of the example into your mind. We can take a step back here and say that Satan is really not IN the example, but hanging AROUND the example, and even AROUND your mind. No matter what, the next step is crucial. Once Satan enters your mind, he automatically goes, within less than a split second, straight into your heart. That’s the kill. I’m not talking about the physical, beating heart. I’m talking about your spiritual heart. Where all your feelings take place. Now, once he is in your spiritual heart, many things can happen. YOU are the one that makes the decision about what is going to happen. Not Satan, Not God. YOU! This is called free will. We all have it. So, you really can never say, “The devil made me do it.” No. It’s better, and more truthful to say, “Somehow, the devil is involved with what I did, but I made the decision to go along with it.” Then, what’s the end result? Destruction. That’s the difference between God’s trials, and Satan’s temptations. God’s trials bring out the best in us. Satan’s temptations bring out the worst in us. Now, we CAN learn from our mistakes. But, if we continue to NOT learn from our mistakes, we call this the struggle with sin. If we have a STRUGGLE, that is the key, if we STRUGGLE with our temptations, then it is the sin living in us that is doing what we don’t want to do. Satan is out to get us. To make us kill ourselves. To commit suicide. To self-destruct. That’s his goal. That we kill ourselves. But, my friend, WE ARE STILL HERE! You are still alive.

Now, you thought that all this is powerful stuff to read. Well, wait till you read this. Now, we can make a connection between trial and temptation. Once you have figured out that you do have a temptation problem, God wants you to take the next step. If you obey God and listen to the Holy Spirit who lives inside of you, you can start turning temptations into trials! You see, if I look at a woman lustfully, ultimately it leads to adultery. Adultery leads to destruction in the heart because I am betraying my wife and our intimacy is not like that of Jesus and His bride in which we call the church. However, if I deter from looking at the woman lustfully, it turns into a painstaking ordeal, BUT leads to the overcoming of Satan’s plan. You see, if I overcome, then my spirit gets stronger. If I overcome again, it gets stronger even more. The best, through God, is brought out in me. Eventually, I can make it a habit. In the beginning, it can be very painful. But you know that God has a blessing for you. You may not know what it is, or when it’s going to come, but it does have something to do with obeying his commands. He is exceedingly willing to bless you if you obey his commands. Turn your temptations into trials! You will be blessed beyond human comprehension!