I can still taste my grandmother's homemade biscuits. Mamal made big, fluffy biscuits and Granny made thin biscuits that were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. When I was a little girl Granny would want to curl my long blonde hair and she would bribe me with a biscuit. I would eat it while she curled my hair. When I was older, when all of the family would have Aunt Mae's chocolate pie and Hattie's huge chocolate many layer cake I would be getting another biscuit (or two or three) and the molasses. I remember Mike and I getting to Granny's one Thanksgiving before everyone else and Granny had just taken the biscuits out of the oven. I asked if I could have one and she said yes so then Mike had to copy me. Then I had a second and Mike had to. Then my brother, his wife and kids came and they had to have one. We finished the pan. Poor Granny had to make another "pan of bread." She would always say, "I hope they are fittin' to eat and not hard as a brick bat."
Biscuits were probably one of my first temptations. Then as I was older I knew I could not eat all the biscuits I wanted. As I got older I knew I did not need all the biscuits for health reasons. But if I could have one of their's today I would eat as many as I wanted! Thinking about it makes me crave them. Isn't that just like temptation? There is a saying, "When temptation knocks, imagination usually answers." My imagination can get the best of me. I gave up sweet tea years ago and in my mind it taste so good! One day I was given sweet instead of unsweet and it was horrible. It was thick like syrup but still in my imagination it is great!
Lead me not into temptation because we can find it ourselves! Even when we want to be delivered from temptation we still want to keep in touch. We must remember that it is easier to avoid temptation than resist it. Satan will do anything to make temptations irresistible to us. I love the saying, "free cheese is always available in the mousetrap"! Satan won't only lead us into temptation - he will show us a shortcut! Temptations never originate with God. When we are tempted, God wants us to find Him sufficient. Matthew 26: 41, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Neal A. Maxwell said, "If we entertain temptations, soon they will be entertaining us."
When a temptation becomes a thought we better take note. Sin has not taken place yet but if we start to entertain that thought then desire will take root. Then our imagination will answer the door! We will imagine the pleasures that will follow. Matthew 5: 28, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." At this point sin has occurred. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 17-48) Jesus includes God's law to include actions, thoughts, motives and sinful desires. We better stop the temptation at the first thought! We can call out to Him for strength. Psalm 119: 11, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
All temptations can be overcome by God! 1 Corinthians 10: 13, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." Jesus went through all of our emotions including temptation! Hebrews 4: 15, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." Jesus showed us that sin can only be overcome by prayer, fasting and studying God's word. The more in tune we are with God the more we will hear His voice over the enemy's! There is a saying by Toba Beta, "Temptation is stronger in the minds of people who are in doubt. Prayer makes it weaker."
Temptation is a dangerous thing. If you do not want temptation to follow you, don't act like you are interested!
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