Lead us not into temptation

And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:13

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.  James 1:12-15

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  Matthew 4:1

God does not tempt us to sin.  But God does put us in situations where we will be tempted to sin.  The Bible calls these tests.  Notice how James 1:12 says "when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life".  In Genesis 22, God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”  Genesis 22:1-2

Do you think Abraham was tempted to disobey God when God instructed him to kill his son Isaac?  We can infer it was extremely tempting (the text doesn't say) because the blessing that resulted from passing the test was so massive:

15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”  Genesis 22:15-18

So even though God lead Abraham into a situation where he would be tempted God did not tempt him.  The tempting was done by Abraham's desire to have a son.  As James 1:14 says, "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire."

Our affections determine our direction.  Jesus said the greatest commandment in all the Bible is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37).  If the desire of my heart tempts me or causes me to sin then it's a sign my desire is for something other than God.  Desire is not inherently sinful, misdirected desire is.  When our desire for Christ and His glory outweighs every other desire of our heart then all other desires will play second-fiddle to Christ.  I need to ask God to grow my affection for him so I can say with the prophet Isaiah "your name and renown are the desire of our hearts" (Isaiah 26:8b).  Many people who find themselves mired in a trial are quick to say, "God did not cause this trial I'm going through."  The assumption is since God does not tempt us he cannot put us in situations where we are tempted, but the Bible teaches otherwise.  Our trials are always purposeful.  When we refuse to believe God intentionally leads us into trials, we risk missing his loving purposes for those trials.