试炼与试探
雅各书一章12至17节
12忍受试探的人是有福的，因为他经过试验以后，必得生命的冠冕；这是主应许给那些爱他之人的。
13人被试探，不可说：「我是被神试探」；因为神不能被恶试探，他也不试探人。
14但各人被试探，乃是被自己的私欲牵引诱惑的。
15私欲既怀了胎，就生出罪来；罪既长成，就生出死来。
16我亲爱的弟兄们，不要看错了。
17各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的；在他并没有改变，也没有转动的影儿。
信息分享
试炼与试探是有分别的：试炼通常是指人生经历的困难或苦难，是神容许临到我们身上的，为的是磨练我们的信心，让我们更懂得信靠神，这类的例子包括长久等待却未蒙应允的祷告，甚或是长期患病等。
在我们经历试炼的时候，撒但就往往抓紧机会来试探我们。例如，当我们的祷告久久未蒙应允，撒但就会对我们说：「你看，神根本不关心你，祂对你的祷告完全是充耳不闻！」这时，我们就面对撒但的试探了。
当然，撒但还会攻击我们最弱的一环──就是我们还属肉体时，旧本性中的各种欲望。他会想尽办法来挑起我们的各种欲望，使我们犯罪。我们遇到试探，并不算是犯罪；可是，当我们向试探屈服，罪就生出来了。
只有撒但才会试探人；没有人可以指控「是神使我犯罪」。神绝不会试探人。神虽然会容许我们被撒但试探，但神却会加力给我们去胜过试探。
还记得哥林多前书十章13节的应许吗？那里说：「你们所遇见的试探，无非是人所能受的。神是信实的，必不叫你们受试探过于所受的；在受试探的时候，总要给你们开一条出路，叫你们能忍受得住。」
雅各亦在书信的一章17节说，神是各样美善恩赐的父。换言之，抗拒试探的力量，也是从神而来的。神是绝对信实的，祂也永不改变，我们可以放心信靠祂。
反思：
请读帖罗尼迦前书五章24节，并在今天默想这节经文。
TESTING AND TEMPTATION
James 1:12-17
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Message
Is there a difference between testing and temptation? Testing usually describes those occasions which God allows to come into our lives, such as a time of unanswered prayer or even prolonged suffering. They are designed to help our faith grow.
In those times of testing Satan will often come with a temptation. For example, when we are tested by unanswered prayer, Satan will say 'There you are, God doesn't care about you. He hasn't answered your prayer.' So in the testing time, there comes the temptation to doubt.
Of course Satan also works on our old nature, the flesh. He will try to arouse the desires of that old nature. It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is sin when we give in to that temptation.
Temptation comes from Satan. No-one can ever say 'God tempted me to do wrong'. God never does that. He allows us to be tempted by Satan or even by our old nature. But even while we re being tempted, God will give us strength to resist that temptation.
What does 1 Corinthians 10:13 say? 'There is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able to bear, but will with the temptation make the way of escape also that you may be able to endure it.'
James said in chapter 1, verse 17, that God is the source of every good gift. In other words the gift of strength to resist temptation comes from God. He is absolutely faithful. He never changes. You can always count on him.
A THOUGHT:
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:24 and make it your verse for today.