I am so so blessed that God let me to listen to your program on the radio while I was driving to work. I wish we have had more of you pastor. I cannot thank God enough for having you. You are a gift and please continue the good work and let us grow all together. I have seen many churches and many preachers, but I also have seen not all are preaching the truth. Our society needs to have more of you and I pray God gives us more. God bless you and your ministry. Father please bless more and more my dear brother and his family and his church and protect him and give him more and more your guidance, in the name of Jesus...Amen
It is nice to hear a pastor speak the truth. The apostasy is alive and well and preaching in many churches. I notice only 9,561 subscribe to Alistair here on TH-cam, the path is very narrow. Many subscribe to the apostasy....enjoy the wide open path. Truth is, its actually very narrow.
Thank you Pastor Begg for your service. I am guilty for not taking responsibility and not being honest with myself during my spiritual walk. I did not take worldly distractions very seriously and now you are teaching me to not only learn about the truth but also be mindful to temptation and spiritual wars with the world, flesh and the Devil. Thank you Jehovah God for your Grace
Below are notes I made of Alistair's key points, with my edits and a few additions, all of which are, I hope, wholly within the framework of the message. Long ago I had the privilege of meeting Alistair at a breakfast buffet before he spoke at a Ligonier Conference. He is just the same delightful, joyous person away from the pulpit, and wise. So all of the below is respectful of his teaching here. Sow Reap Thought An Action An Action Habit Habit Character Character Destiny Sinclair Ferguson’s 6 Step Descent: #1-3 re “Thought” then #4 is re “Action,” etc. Attraction Deception Preoccupation Conception Subjection (enslavement) Desperation (the Satan says: “might as well give in and give up”) Satan's message is always: “There are so many wonderful experiences that God does not want us to enjoy.” This was his appeal in the Garden: that there was something better for them to enjoy than God had given what God does not want you to know about. "There is a way that seems right to man, but it is a road to death." (Prov. 14:12) Satan makes it appear that, instead, there is an another road, an exciting & better one, that leads to our near & ultimate satisfaction. As for God, His Way is perfect. James 1:16 is the fulcrum, the danger point “Do not be deceived [Gr. planaoo*] dear brothers” *[planaoo is related to “plain,” as a expanded place into which one could roam, as opposed to staying on “the road;” commonly translated “wander.”] But, even at "Desperation," there is a way back: Calvary’s Cross is where it begins. The antidote to the lies of Satan: James 1:17, 18 17: we are to enjoy a deep seated conviction of the absolute unchanging goodness of God even (especially) at the Communion Table-that shows us the infinite and unchanging Goodness. He freely gave us Christ, how will He not also freely give us all things? I need to seek out such Goodness to bring it to front of my mind. To marvel again at His Goodness to us. 18: every good and perfect gift is from God He chose us, unprompted by anything in us, not because of our ‘goodness’ (or even because of our ‘badness'). Hearing comes from the Bible, and God enables the bringing to completion of the work He has begun, as a kind of first fruits of the harvest, which we are, as in the OT, to be set aside entirely for God. Thus, this Work is that we might be utterly holy, under God’s Sovereign control over our thoughts and purposes. In Jesus we are delivered from the reign and dominion of sin: “Be of sin the double cure, Save me from its guilt and power.” (Augustus Toplady’s eighteenth-century hymn “Rock of Ages) Cleansed both from the penalty AND power of sin. Westminster Confession: We are in a continual and umreconciliable war. Sin does not reign, but it remains. Not one of us is immune. “The seed of every sin known to man is in my heart.” ― Robert Murray McCheyne We cannot live in perfection, but we can live in increasing victory, otherwise the message of the Gospel is a farce and the power of the HS is a ridiculous notion. 1 Cor 11:10 all these were written as examples 12: if you think you’re standing firm, careful that you don’t fall. 13: no temptation has seized you except is common to man and God is faithful that you will not be tempted beyond what you can bear, and will provide a way out This is a promise from God. {So, we can never say, when we sin, that we did not have an alternative, a way out}. Deal with sin immediately, ruthlessly, consistently (not just the pride of a little solitary victory). It’s gotta be “no!” every time. The phrase we never want to say: “I don’t know I could have done that but…” …But we do know how… But God’s welcome is when we come in penitence to Him. Our Christian experience is life of new beginnings and fresh starts. _______________________________ McCheyne (d. 1843) He lived in constant awareness of the "abyss of corruption" in his heart led him into continual dependence on Christ. "Our wicked heart taints all we say and do ; hence the need of continual atonement in the blood of Jesus. We must have daily, hourly pardons." “What a man is on his knees before God, that he is, and nothing more.” “Live near to God, and so all things will appear to you little In comparison to eternal realities.” “If nothing else will do to sever me from my sins, Lord, send me such sore and trying calamities as shall awake me from earthly slumbers. It must always be best to be alive to Thee, whatever be the quickening instrument.” “[Suffering] brings out graces that cannot be seen in a time of health. It is the treading of the grapes that brings out the sweet juices of the vine; so it is affliction that draws forth submission, weanedness from the world, and complete rest in God. Use afflictions while you have them.” “You will never find Jesus so precious, as when the world is one vast howling wilderness.” “Ah! believers, you are a tempted people. You are always poor and needy. And God intends it should be so, to give you constant errands to go to Jesus. Some may say, it is not good to be a believer; but ah! see to whom we can go."
was there, at that time when James wrote his letter to that church (presumably the one in Jerusalem), a paradigm amongst the Jews that it was "ultimately" God who was behind the tempting?
"And desire is an expression from within. The very word itself 'desire' or the word De-Sire comes from the Latin meaning "of theFather," to mean that it is of Spirit/God/Source that our desire springs forth from and in that there is a sacred aspect to our desires
Yes, desire comes from God - the good desires. But Satan assumed he was smarter than God and turns our minds to desires that he has put into our minds - and these desires are false.
yes He did and He accepted him as his best angel until Lucifer decided that he was smarter than God. That was Original Sin for angels and for what they conned man into thinking.
Ted Jaziak Sir, in the context of the Bible the definition of evil is any disobedience of God. In order to create beings who can obey then these beings must have the option to disobey. And so he has created the possibility of evil but not evil itself. Allong this vein of reasoning we see that a desire in it of it self is not evil but only when that desire leads us to disobedience.
What does the bible say regarding the origin of the original desire to sin in man's heart? If God created all...everything...nothing before...who created the desire to sin?
This is a central thorn for Judeo-Christian theology, I think. The usual way forward is to say that the possibility of free choice includes the possibility to do wrong. So God creates the possibility, but people choose. The model in the Fall story is that the choice is made through deceit; so people think they're choosing good when they actually choose bad. Of course, the real problem is where does the sin come from in the heart of Satan to deceive people in the first place? And the answer must be that God creates Satan with free will, but Satan himself chooses evil. Which still doesn't really answer the question, does it? Where does the evil motive to choose evil come from in Satan?
Ted Jaziak God even gave his angels the free will to do right or wrong. Hence Lucifer’s fall from heaven. But that doesn’t mean he created evil. God is incapable of doing wrong. Which means he can’t create evil. Otherwise he isn’t truly God. So, God didn’t create evil. He did however create free will to follow him or to reject him. Even the angels got that choice.
I don't disagree Ian Wilson that angels have free will. But that doesn't solve the problem of the origin of evil. Where did Satan/Lucifer get the origin impulse to do evil from, on this account? The problem with simply saying that Satan chose to do evil is that to chose to do evil is itself evil; and so where did he get the impulse to chose to do evil? Etc... At best, there is a danger of an infinite regress here.
Georgia Wessling ....Frame the facts anyway you need to so you fo not experience psychological discomfort God allowing the temptation...destruction...and condemnation of a loving follower to win a bet with Satan.
So you expect God to make us physically and psychologically happy and safe? Boy, are you deceived. God is not a helicopter parent. He will not force us to do anything. He and Satan must have our consent before blessing or temptation can be fulfilled. When we suffer, we can be fully God's and He keeps us safe. However, if He takes our life for any reason, that is all right if we love Him and His Son. He is just letting us go home earlier.
Georgia Wessling-Those are your words. My words are this...why did God create evil? Why even have that potential? He created all...before there was nothing...why did he create the potential for evil ...he definitely did it.
Ted Jaziak, maybe I can offer ab explanation: Temptation Does Not Come From God Great blessings belong to those who are tempted and remain faithful! After they have proved their faith, God will give them the reward of eternal life. God promised this to all people who love him. Whenever you feel tempted to do something bad, you should not say, “God is tempting me.” Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone. You are tempted by the evil things you want. Your own desire leads you away and traps you. 1Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death. (James 1:12-14) Stay away from the evil things a young person like you typically wants to do. Do your best to live right and to have faith, love, and peace, together with others who trust in the Lord with pure hearts. Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments. You know that these arguments grow into bigger arguments. As a servant of the Lord, you must not argue. You must be kind to everyone. You must be a good teacher, and you must be patient. You must gently teach those who don’t agree with you. Maybe God will let them change their hearts so that they can accept the truth. The devil has trapped them and now makes them do what he wants. But maybe they can wake up to see what is happening and free themselves from the devil’s trap. (2 Timothy 2:22-26)
Plainness and honesty and intelligence are why I love to listen to Begg.
2
😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅
I am so thankful for this brother. The Spirit uses him.
"God in Jesus breaks the dominion of sin in our lives."
i HATE THIS WORLD that we are living in but love you people
I am so so blessed that God let me to listen to your program on the radio while I was driving to work. I wish we have had more of you pastor. I cannot thank God enough for having you. You are a gift and please continue the good work and let us grow all together. I have seen many churches and many preachers, but I also have seen not all are preaching the truth. Our society needs to have more of you and I pray God gives us more. God bless you and your ministry. Father please bless more and more my dear brother and his family and his church and protect him and give him more and more your guidance, in the name of Jesus...Amen
I appreciate these messages! Praise God for ministers who speak the truth and challenge my heart.
The love of Christ in its sweetness, its fullness, its greatness, its faithfulness passes all human comprehension
Jason Stack
Excellent message and challenge to avoid sinful worldly temptations and to live a life pleasing to God!
It is nice to hear a pastor speak the truth. The apostasy is alive and well and preaching in many churches. I notice only 9,561 subscribe to Alistair here on TH-cam, the path is very narrow. Many subscribe to the apostasy....enjoy the wide open path. Truth is, its actually very narrow.
Going through all of Begg’s sermons on the book of James. Great stuff in the book, and great expounding on the book by Begg. Learning a lot.
Hello there
a blessing thank you
Thank you Pastor Begg for your service. I am guilty for not taking responsibility and not being honest with myself during my spiritual walk. I did not take worldly distractions very seriously and now you are teaching me to not only learn about the truth but also be mindful to temptation and spiritual wars with the world, flesh and the Devil. Thank you Jehovah God for your Grace
This is the 'Truth'.... I don't want to be a slave... My conscience convicts me... Don't allow your conscience to be seared, don't allow it
Sow a thought reap an action, so an action reap a Habit, so a habit reap a character, so a character reap a destiny
Fantastic message!
Excellent Sermon, I love this brother he's spot on!
very encouraging.
Beautiful- l love the truth for Life
fantastic all praise and glory to holy God !!
Tempted I have been.I shall not give in with the Lord's help.
Amen and Amen best regards from Anita from Norway.
Below are notes I made of Alistair's key points, with my edits and a few additions, all of which are, I hope, wholly within the framework of the message.
Long ago I had the privilege of meeting Alistair at a breakfast buffet before he spoke at a Ligonier Conference. He is just the same delightful, joyous person away from the pulpit, and wise. So all of the below is respectful of his teaching here.
Sow Reap
Thought An Action
An Action Habit
Habit Character
Character Destiny
Sinclair Ferguson’s 6 Step Descent: #1-3 re “Thought” then #4 is re “Action,” etc.
Attraction
Deception
Preoccupation
Conception
Subjection (enslavement)
Desperation (the Satan says: “might as well give in and give up”)
Satan's message is always:
“There are so many wonderful experiences that God does not want us to enjoy.”
This was his appeal in the Garden: that there was something better for them to enjoy than God had given what God does not want you to know about.
"There is a way that seems right to man, but it is a road to death." (Prov. 14:12)
Satan makes it appear that, instead, there is an another road, an exciting & better one, that leads to our near & ultimate satisfaction.
As for God, His Way is perfect.
James 1:16 is the fulcrum, the danger point
“Do not be deceived [Gr. planaoo*] dear brothers”
*[planaoo is related to “plain,” as a expanded place into which one could roam, as opposed to staying on “the road;” commonly translated “wander.”]
But, even at "Desperation," there is a way back: Calvary’s Cross is where it begins.
The antidote to the lies of Satan: James 1:17, 18
17: we are to enjoy a deep seated conviction of the absolute unchanging goodness of God
even (especially) at the Communion Table-that shows us the infinite and unchanging Goodness. He freely gave us Christ, how will He not also freely give us all things?
I need to seek out such Goodness to bring it to front of my mind.
To marvel again at His Goodness to us.
18: every good and perfect gift is from God
He chose us, unprompted by anything in us, not because of our ‘goodness’ (or even because of our ‘badness').
Hearing comes from the Bible, and God enables the bringing to completion of the work He has begun, as a kind of first fruits of the harvest, which we are, as in the OT, to be set aside entirely for God. Thus, this Work is that we might be utterly holy, under God’s Sovereign control over our thoughts and purposes.
In Jesus we are delivered from the reign and dominion of sin:
“Be of sin the double cure, Save me from its guilt and power.”
(Augustus Toplady’s eighteenth-century hymn “Rock of Ages)
Cleansed both from the penalty AND power of sin.
Westminster Confession:
We are in a continual and umreconciliable war.
Sin does not reign, but it remains.
Not one of us is immune.
“The seed of every sin known to man is in my heart.” ― Robert Murray McCheyne
We cannot live in perfection, but we can live in increasing victory,
otherwise the message of the Gospel is a farce
and the power of the HS is a ridiculous notion.
1 Cor 11:10 all these were written as examples
12: if you think you’re standing firm, careful that you don’t fall.
13: no temptation has seized you except is common to man and God is faithful that you will not be tempted beyond what you can bear, and will provide a way out
This is a promise from God.
{So, we can never say, when we sin, that we did not have an alternative, a way out}.
Deal with sin immediately, ruthlessly, consistently (not just the pride of a little solitary victory).
It’s gotta be “no!” every time.
The phrase we never want to say: “I don’t know I could have done that but…”
…But we do know how…
But God’s welcome is when we come in penitence to Him.
Our Christian experience is life of new beginnings and fresh starts.
_______________________________
McCheyne (d. 1843)
He lived in constant awareness of the "abyss of corruption" in his heart led him into continual dependence on Christ.
"Our wicked heart taints all we say and do ; hence the need of continual atonement in the blood of Jesus. We must have daily, hourly pardons."
“What a man is on his knees before God, that he is, and nothing more.”
“Live near to God, and so all things will appear to you little In comparison to eternal realities.”
“If nothing else will do to sever me from my sins, Lord, send me such sore and trying calamities as shall awake me from earthly slumbers. It must always be best to be alive to Thee, whatever be the quickening instrument.”
“[Suffering] brings out graces that cannot be seen in a time of health. It is the treading of the grapes that brings out the sweet juices of the vine; so it is affliction that draws forth submission, weanedness from the world, and complete rest in God. Use afflictions while you have them.”
“You will never find Jesus so precious, as when the world is one vast howling wilderness.”
“Ah! believers, you are a tempted people. You are always poor and needy. And God intends it should be so, to give you constant errands to go to Jesus. Some may say, it is not good to be a believer; but ah! see to whom we can go."
thanks
This is great, thank you!
The thumbnail made me think he was playing the drums without sticks
was there, at that time when James wrote his letter to that church (presumably the one in Jerusalem), a paradigm amongst the Jews that it was "ultimately" God who was behind the tempting?
Temptation is no bueno
❤
12:14
"...Beef 🐄 Turkey 🦃 "
#BeefJerky?
😎
Love it!
😊😊
"And desire is an expression from within. The very word itself 'desire' or the word De-Sire comes from the Latin meaning "of theFather," to mean that it is of Spirit/God/Source that our desire springs forth from and in that there is a sacred aspect to our desires
Yes, desire comes from God - the good desires. But Satan assumed he was smarter than God and turns our minds to desires that he has put into our minds - and these desires are false.
Georgia Wessling God created. Satan.
yes He did and He accepted him as his best angel until Lucifer decided that he was smarter than God. That was Original Sin for angels and for what they conned man into thinking.
Georgia Wessling and God put that desire to sin in satans heart. God created evil.
Ted Jaziak Sir, in the context of the Bible the definition of evil is any disobedience of God. In order to create beings who can obey then these beings must have the option to disobey. And so he has created the possibility of evil but not evil itself. Allong this vein of reasoning we see that a desire in it of it self is not evil but only when that desire leads us to disobedience.
So who got to eat the first fruits, @13:15
Sow Reap
Thought An Action
An Action Habit
Habit Character
Character Destiny
Huh🤔🤔
What does the bible say regarding the origin of the original desire to sin in man's heart? If God created all...everything...nothing before...who created the desire to sin?
Satan. He used things he knew they would like to turn them from God's law.
Ted Jaziak God had to give us freedom pf choice...including choosing to sin.....because his option would have been to create us as mindless robots.
This is a central thorn for Judeo-Christian theology, I think. The usual way forward is to say that the possibility of free choice includes the possibility to do wrong. So God creates the possibility, but people choose. The model in the Fall story is that the choice is made through deceit; so people think they're choosing good when they actually choose bad. Of course, the real problem is where does the sin come from in the heart of Satan to deceive people in the first place? And the answer must be that God creates Satan with free will, but Satan himself chooses evil. Which still doesn't really answer the question, does it? Where does the evil motive to choose evil come from in Satan?
Ted Jaziak God even gave his angels the free will to do right or wrong. Hence Lucifer’s fall from heaven. But that doesn’t mean he created evil. God is incapable of doing wrong. Which means he can’t create evil. Otherwise he isn’t truly God. So, God didn’t create evil. He did however create free will to follow him or to reject him. Even the angels got that choice.
I don't disagree Ian Wilson that angels have free will. But that doesn't solve the problem of the origin of evil. Where did Satan/Lucifer get the origin impulse to do evil from, on this account? The problem with simply saying that Satan chose to do evil is that to chose to do evil is itself evil; and so where did he get the impulse to chose to do evil? Etc... At best, there is a danger of an infinite regress here.
"God is not in the business of tempting his children"....if you read Job...he certainly used Satan as an agent to do exactly that Brother.
He was not tempting Job. He was using Job to prove that Satan could not win if you belong to Him.
Georgia Wessling ....Frame the facts anyway you need to so you fo not experience psychological discomfort God
allowing the temptation...destruction...and condemnation of a loving follower to win a bet with Satan.
So you expect God to make us physically and psychologically happy and safe? Boy, are you deceived. God is not a helicopter parent. He will not force us to do anything. He and Satan must have our consent before blessing or temptation can be fulfilled. When we suffer, we can be fully God's and He keeps us safe. However, if He takes our life for any reason, that is all right if we love Him and His Son. He is just letting us go home earlier.
Georgia Wessling-Those are your words. My words are this...why did God create evil? Why even have that potential? He created all...before there was nothing...why did he create the potential for evil ...he definitely did it.
Ted Jaziak, maybe I can offer ab explanation: Temptation Does Not Come From God
Great blessings belong to those who are tempted and remain faithful! After they have proved their faith, God will give them the reward of eternal life. God promised this to all people who love him. Whenever you feel tempted to do something bad, you should not say, “God is tempting me.” Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone. You are tempted by the evil things you want. Your own desire leads you away and traps you. 1Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death. (James 1:12-14)
Stay away from the evil things a young person like you typically wants to do. Do your best to live right and to have faith, love, and peace, together with others who trust in the Lord with pure hearts. Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments. You know that these arguments grow into bigger arguments. As a servant of the Lord, you must not argue. You must be kind to everyone. You must be a good teacher, and you must be patient. You must gently teach those who don’t agree with you. Maybe God will let them change their hearts so that they can accept the truth. The devil has trapped them and now makes them do what he wants. But maybe they can wake up to see what is happening and free themselves from the devil’s trap.
(2 Timothy 2:22-26)