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Welcome to Day 2121 of\xa0 Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James \u2013 Wisdom is Faith in Action 3 \u2013 God's Prized Possession \u2013 Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message \u2013 09/19/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action \u2013 God\u2019s Prized Possession We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. \xa0Last week we started mining the rich wisdom that makes this letter a treasure trove of practical advice we can use daily. Today we will discover why we should not be misled by sin because we are God\u2019s Prized Possessions. \xa0Join me on page 1881 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 1:13-18 When tempted, no one should say, \u201cGod is tempting me.\u201d For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;\xa0\xa0but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own\xa0evil desire and enticed.\xa0Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;\xa0and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don\u2019t be deceived,\xa0my dear brothers and sisters.\xa0Every good and perfect gift is from above,\xa0coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,\xa0who does not change\xa0like shifting shadows.\xa0He chose to give us birth\xa0through the word of truth,\xa0that we might be a kind of firstfruits\xa0of all he created. Let me read verse 18 also from the NLT, as I feel it gives a better intent of how God views us: He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. So hold that thought. In last week\u2019s message, James dealt with the kind of \u201ctrials\u201d of life that test a person\u2019s endurance\u2014the ability to keep the faith under extreme pressure to give in (1-12). Next, James explores the other meaning of that Greek word for trials: a test of moral endurance (13-18). (Bulletin Insert) In six short verses, he presents the truth about temptation in a straightforward manner. Rather than skimming the surface of temptation, as many preachers and teachers tend to do, James probes deeply below the surface to reveal the inner workings of temptation. But less like a psychologist and more like a physician, James begins with certain facts that describe temptation (13-16), then moves to a focus that determines victory for overcoming temptation (17-18). Verse 13 James wants his fellow believers to understand at least four things about temptation. First, temptation is always present, and nobody is exempt from temptation. Once again, James says, \u201cwhen,\u201d not \u201cif.\u201d Like trials in the form of tests of faith, trials in the form of temptations are inevitable. There is no \u201cspiritual vaccine,\u201d no \u201cget out of temptation free\u201d card, and no alternate route to avoid the traps along the trail. Not a person here is immune or innocent. The aging monk in the monastery is no safer from temptation than the young person in the inner city. The lowly saint in prayer wrestles with temptation just as much as the executive in his Porsche. \xa0 Second, God never prompts temptation verse 13 in the NLT says, And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, \u201cGod is tempting me.\u201d God is never tempted to do wrong,\xa0and he never tempts anyone else. God doesn\u2019t whisper evil thoughts into our minds or create an alluring mental image. God isn\u2019t even indirectly involved...