Good Desire Gone Bad
This message takes us deep into James chapter 1, revealing a profound truth that challenges our understanding of sin and spiritual growth: behind every sin and negative emotion lies not just a lie we believe, but a desire to which that lie appeals. What makes this insight so critical is that these desires are often good ones—we want our spouse to appreciate us, our children to obey, our work to be valued, relief from pain. The problem isn't the desire itself, but when it becomes an over-desire, an ultimate desire that dethrones Christ from our hearts. We discover that trials—those unwanted, unavoidable, unexpected, and unlimited difficulties that mark our lives—are actually God's instruments for our maturity. When we respond properly, seeing circumstances from God's perspective above rather than just from below, these trials produce perseverance and completeness. But when we fail to apply biblical wisdom, when we allow good desires to morph into demands, the same trial becomes a temptation toward sin. The passage offers us hope: we can ask God for wisdom and He promises to give it generously. We find that wisdom through His Word and His people, the means of grace that help us recognize when desires are ascending the throne of our hearts. This isn't about avoiding obviously evil desires—it's about the daily battle where good things like wanting respect, security, comfort, or appreciation slowly capture our affections and control our responses. The call is clear: we need constant heart examination, repentance, and the reenthroning of Christ in every circumstance and relationship.
Chapter 1: Trials Should Lead to Maturity - 0:00 - 7:00
We explore how trials, though unwanted and unavoidable, are designed by God to produce spiritual maturity and perseverance in our lives when we respond with joy and wisdom.
Chapter 2: When Trials Become Temptations - 7:00 - 12:00
We discover how the same trial that God intends for our growth can become a temptation to sin when we fail to respond properly to our circumstances.
Chapter 3: The Problem of Over-Desires - 12:00 - 18:00
We learn that behind every sin is often not a desire for bad things, but an over-desire for good things that have become ultimate desires, dethroning Christ from our hearts.
Chapter 4: Examining and Repenting of Ruling Desires - 18:00 - 24:00
We are encouraged to identify our good desires that have become demands, examine how they control us, and repent by re-enthroning Christ in our hearts.