Eve (Genesis 1)<\/b><\/p>\n
v. 1<\/p>\n
Listened<\/p>\n
v. 3<\/p>\n
was Lured<\/p>\n
v. 3<\/p>\n
Lied<\/p>\n
v. 6<\/p>\n
Looked<\/p>\n
v. 6<\/p>\n
Lusted<\/p>\n
v. 8<\/p>\n
Lost<\/p>\n
Dun Gordy, Notes From the Margins of an Old Preacher\u2019s Bible, (Circuit Rider Ministries, Leesburg, FL; 1997), p. 2<\/p>\n
Christ Knows What Temptation Is<\/b><\/p>\n
C. S. Lewis made these insightful observations about temptation: \u201cNo man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. That is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is….Christ, because He was the only Man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only Man who knows to the full what temptation means.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today in the Word, November, 1998, p. 24<\/p>\n
Resources<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 C. Swindoll, One Step Forward, p. 85; also in file, \u201cProblems\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Ron Lee Davis, Courage to Begin Again, (Harvest House, Eugene, OR; 1978), pp. 157ff.<\/p>\n
Arrest of Jose Rivera<\/b><\/p>\n
Have you heard the folk story of the bandit Jose\u2019 Rivera, who became notorious in several little towns in Texas for robbing their banks and businesses? Finally the townsfolk, weary of the constant plundering, hired a ranger to track down Jose\u2019 Rivera in his hideout in Mexico and retrieve the money. The ranger at last arrived at a desolate, ramshackle cantina. At the counter he saw a young man enjoying his brew. At one of the tables, hands over his ample stomach, hat over his eyes, snored another patron. With much gusto, the ranger approached the young man at the bar and announced that he was on a mission to bring back Jose\u2019 Rivera, dead or alive. \u201cCan you help me find him?\u201d he asked. The young man smiled, pointed to the other patron, and said, \u201cThat is Jose\u2019 Rivera.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ranger shifted his southern girth and ambled over to the sleeping bandit, tapping him on the shoulder, \u201cAre you Jose\u2019 Rivera? he asked. The man mumbled, \u201cNo speak English.\u201d The ranger beckoned to the young man to help him communicate his mission.<\/p>\n
The ensuing conversation was tedious. First the ranger spoke in English and the young man translated it into Spanish. Jose\u2019 Rivera responded in Spanish, and young man repeated the answer in English for the ranger.<\/p>\n
Finally, the ranger warned Jose\u2019 Rivera that he had two choices; the first was to let him know where all the loot he had stolen was hidden, in which case he could walk away a free man. The second choice was that if he would not reveal where the money was stashed, he would be shot dead instantly. The young man translated the ultimatum.<\/p>\n
Jose\u2019 Rivera pulled himself together and said to the young man, \u201cTell him to go out of the bar, turn to the right, go about a mile, and he will see a well. Near the well he will see a very tall tree. Beside the trunk of that tree is a large concrete slab. He will need help in removing it. Under the slab is a pit in the ground. If he carefully uncovers it he will find all the jewelry and most of the money I have taken.\u201d<\/p>\n
The young man turned to the ranger, opened his mouth…swallowed…paused\u2014and then said, \u201cJose\u2019 Rivera says…Jose\u2019 Rivera says…\u2019Go ahead and shoot!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God, (Word Publ., Dallas: 1994), pp. 98-99<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That which moves us to sin. God cannot be tempted (James 1:13). But we can be tempted by our lusts (James 1:13\u201315), money (1 Tim. 6:9), lack of self examination (Gal. 6:1), and the boastful pride of life (1 John 2:16), to name a few. We are commanded to pray to be delivered from temptation (Matt. 6:13) for the Lord is capable of delivering us from it (2 Pet. 2:9).<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
The Pull of Sin<\/b><\/p>\n
Background<\/p>\n
As the compass needle is affected by magnetic attraction, so the Christian feels a pull by sin. This is illustrated by Israel\u2019s desire to return to the \u201cleeks and garlics\u201d of Egypt (Numbers 11:5), and Demas, the young man the Apostle Paul mentions are \u201chaving loved this present world, and is departed…\u201d (2 Timothy 4:10, KJV). Paul describes the Christian as having two natures, the old and the new, which constantly compete for supremacy. The Christian must understand this, and learn to confront this \u201cmagnetic pull\u201d of his own sinful nature and Satan\u2019s wiles.<\/p>\n
A paragraph by Billy Graham helps put this into perspective: \u201cGod never promises to remove temptation from us, for even Christ was subject to it…There is a sense of achievement and assurance that results from victory over temptation that cannot come to us otherwise. Temptation shows what people really are. It does not make us Christian or unchristian. Overcoming does make the Christian stronger and causes him to discover resources of power…In times of temptation Christ can become more real to you than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some Things to Remember About Temptation:<\/p>\n
1. Temptation is common to all Christians. \u201cBut remember this\u2014the wrong desires that come into your life aren\u2019t anything new and different. Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you\u201d (1 Corinthians 10:13, TLB).<\/p>\n
2. Temptation is of the devil (see temptation of Jesus, Matthew 4:1\u201311).<\/p>\n
3. Temptation itself is not sin, but succumbing to it is. Billy Graham says, \u201cThe sin is when we use the temptation for giving in.\u201d None of us should deliberately place ourselves in a position to be tempted. Satan will always attack where we are the most vulnerable. \u201cBut each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death\u201d (James 1:14, 15, NIV). A thought enters; we pamper it; it germinates and grows into an evil act.<\/p>\n
4. God does not lead us into temptation in the sense that He purposely and personally tempts. \u201cLet no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man\u201d (James 1:13, KJV) But, God does permit us to be tempted (see Job 1:6\u201312), so that we can face temptation, overcome it, and become stronger. \u201cI have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one\u201d (1 John 2:14, KJV). We can also be blessed in victory (see James 1:12).<\/p>\n
5. No temptation is irresistible. \u201cYou can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can\u2019t stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation\u2019s power so that you can bear up patiently against it\u201d (1 Corinthians 10:13, TLB).<\/p>\n
6.<\/b> Whatever we experience, Jesus has been there before us. He \u201cwas in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin\u201d (Hebrews 4:15, KJV).<\/p>\n
Counseling Strategy<\/p>\n
1. Ask if the inquirer is a Christian, one who has received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If he is not, explain \u201cSteps to Peace with God,\u201d page 5. No one is strong enough in himself to overcome temptation, regardless of how high is ideals or motives.<\/p>\n
2. Share ways to confront and overcome temptation.<\/p>\n
A. We must resist the tempter: \u201cResist the devil, and he will flee from you\u201d (James 4:7, KJV).<\/p>\n
B. We must submit to God: \u201cSubmit yourselves…to God\u201d (James 4:7, KJV). This we do by:<\/p>\n
(1) Committing ourselves daily to God according to Romans 12:1, and by daily confession of sin so that there is no buildup (Psalm 51:10).<\/p>\n
(2) Subjecting our minds to His control. \u201cBe ye transformed by the renewing of your mind\u201d (Romans 12:2, KJV).\u201dSet your affection on things above, not on things on the earth\u201d (Colossians 3:2, KJV).<\/p>\n
(3) The discipline of prayer\u201d Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16, NIV).\u201dPray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit\u2019s wishes\u201d (Ephesians 6:18, TLB).<\/p>\n
(4) Reading, studying and memorizing the Word of God. D. L. Moody used to say, \u201cSin will keep you from this Book (the Bible), or this Book will keep you from sin.\u201d \u201cThe word of God is living and active…It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart\u201d (Hebrews 4:12, NIV).<\/p>\n
(5) Associating with the right kinds of friends: God\u2019s people. \u201cDo not be misled; bad company corrupts good character\u201d (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV). \u201cAnd let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another\u2014and all the more as you see the Day approaching\u201d (Hebrews 10:24, 25, NIV).<\/p>\n
(6) Putting on the whole armor of God (see Ephesians 6:13\u201318).<\/p>\n
(7) Dependence upon the Holy Spirit. How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him\u201d (Luke 11:13, KJV).\u201dAnd I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (one to stand alongside), that he may abide with you forever\u201d (John 14:16, KJV).\u201dWhen he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…\u201d (John 16:13, KJV).<\/p>\n
The Billy Graham Christian Worker\u2019s Handbook, (Minneapolis: World Wide Publ., 1984), pp. 231-233<\/p>\n
Red Baron<\/b><\/p>\n
According to one report, the end of German\u2019s famous \u201cRed Baron,\u201d Manfred von Richthofen, came because he pursued an Allied airplane \u201ctoo long, too far, and too low into enemy territory.\u201d<\/p>\n
On April 21, 1918, von Richthofen, the celebrated World War I pilot who was responsible for shooting down 80 enemy aircraft, began chasing a British plane that was trying to escape the battle. As the Red Baron pursued his quarry behind Allied lines, gunfire from either machine-gun nests on the ground or another British pilot who had come to help killed von Richthofen.<\/p>\n
Today in the Word, January 5, 1997, p. 10<\/p>\n
Promise Keepers Survey<\/b><\/p>\n
If you belong to a men\u2019s group, you may not be surprised by the results of a survey of 1,500 men at the Promise Keepers gatherings last summer. Fifty-one percent of the sample reported a struggle with masturbation, and 51 percent also fantasize about having sex with women other than their wives. Seventy-four percent reported that their sexual thoughts concern them. Fifteen percent reported they were sexually unfaithful to their spouse. About 33 percent reported enjoyment in looking regularly at sexually oriented material, including videos and magazines.<\/p>\n
New Man, November\/December, 1994, p. 8<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The billows swell, the winds are high, Clouds overcast my wintry sky; Out of the depths to Thee I call,\u2014 My fears are great, my strength is small.<\/p>\n
O Lord, the pilot\u2019s part perform, And guard and guide me through the storm: Defend me from each threatening ill, Control the waves,\u2014say, \u201cPeace! be still.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amidst the roaring of the sea My soul still hangs her hope on Thee; Thy constant love, thy faithful care, Is all that saves me from despair.<\/p>\n
Dangers of every shape and name Attend the followers of the Lamb, Who leave the world\u2019s deceitful shore, And leave it to return no more.<\/p>\n
Though tempest-toss\u2019d and half a wreck, My Saviour through the floods I seek; Let neither winds nor stormy main Force back my shatter\u2019d bark again.<\/p>\n
Olney Hymns, William Cowper, from Cowper\u2019s Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York<\/p>\n
Orel Hershiser\u2019s Theory of Pitching<\/b><\/p>\n
In his book, Men at Work, George F. Will takes a close look at four baseball players. One of those examined is Orel Hershiser (of Dodgers fame), who talks about his philosophy of pitching.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are two theories of pitching,\u201d Hershiser says. \u201cOne is that you try to convince the batter that a particular pitch is coming and you throw something different. The other theory, that you don\u2019t hear as much, but that I use, is that if the batter expects a particular pitch, you throw it, but you throw it in a place where he can\u2019t hit it.\u201d That is: Know what a batter wants or expects and throw the ball almost there. If he is a highball hitter, throw it a bit too high. His eagerness will prevent him from laying off it, but it will be hard to hit well.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t that the way the enemy works in our life? He knows just what kind of pitch that we are a sucker for and then throws it our way. But, it is just a little higher or just a little bit more outside than where we like it, and most likely we will bite on it every time. After all, it looks so good. It feels so right.<\/p>\n
Doug Cecil, Dallas Connection, Spring, 1995, p. 1<\/p>\n
If a Brother Sins\u2026<\/b><\/p>\n
It was F. B. Meyer, I believe, who once said that when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know: First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin. And second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her. We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances.<\/p>\n
Stephen Brown, Christianity Today, April 5, 1993, p. 17<\/p>\n
Greatest Spiritual Challenge<\/b><\/p>\n
A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them:<\/p>\n
1. Materialism.<\/p>\n
2. Pride.<\/p>\n
3. Self-centeredness.<\/p>\n
4. Laziness.<\/p>\n
5. (Tie) Anger\/Bitterness.<\/p>\n
6. (Tie) Sexual lust.<\/p>\n
7. Envy.<\/p>\n
8. Gluttony.<\/p>\n
9. 9. Lying.<\/p>\n
Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent). Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 percent), and being accountable to someone (52 percent).<\/p>\n
Discipleship Journal, 11\u201312\/92<\/p>\n
Read Carefully on Sexual Purity<\/b><\/p>\n
We can supplement our accountability to others by reading slowly through literature designed to challenge our Christian maturity. Consider, as an example, these questions related to sexual purity that I had to read carefully as I read Kent Hughes\u2019 Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome:<\/p>\n
1. Are we being desensitized by the present evil world? Do things that once shocked us now pass us by with little notice? Have our sexual ethics slackened?<\/p>\n
2. Where do our minds wander when we have no duties to perform?<\/p>\n
3. What are we reading? Are there books or magazines or files in our libraries that we want no one else to see?<\/p>\n
4. What are we renting at the local video stores? How many hours do we spend watching TV? How many adulteries did we watch last week? How many murders? How many did we watch with our children?<\/p>\n
5. How many chapters of the Bible did we read last week?<\/p>\n
Leading the Way by Paul Borthwick, Navpress, 1989, pp. 120-121<\/p>\n
This Fight Ain\u2019t Got Any Rear<\/b><\/p>\n
Historian Shelby Foote tells of a soldier who was wounded at the battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War and was ordered to go to the rear. The fighting was fierce and within minutes he returned to his commanding officer. \u201cCaptain, give me a gun!\u201d he shouted. \u201cThis fight ain\u2019t got any rear!\u201d<\/p>\n
Daily Walk, July 10, 1993<\/p>\n
Willpower<\/b><\/p>\n
Toad baked some cookies. \u201cThese cookies smell very good,\u201d said Toad. He ate one. \u201cAnd they taste even better,\u201d he said. Toad ran to Frog\u2019s house. \u201cFrog, Frog,\u201d cried Toad, \u201ctaste these cookies that I have made.\u201d Frog ate one of the cookies, \u201cThese are the best cookies I have ever eaten!\u201d said Frog. Frog and Toad ate many cookies, one after another. \u201cYou know, Toad,\u201d said Frog, with his mouth full, \u201cI think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick.\u201d \u201cYou are right,\u201d said Toad. \u201cLet us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop.\u201d Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl. \u201cFrog,\u201d said Toad, \u201clet us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop.\u201d Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie. \u201cWe must stop eating!\u201d cried Toad as he ate another. \u201cYes,\u201d said Frog, reaching for a cookie, \u201cwe need willpower.\u201d \u201cWhat is willpower?\u201d asked Toad. \u201cWillpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to do,\u201d said Frog. \u201cYou mean like trying hard not to eat all these cookies?\u201d asked Toad. \u201cRight,\u201d said Frog. Frog put the cookies in a box. \u201cThere,\u201d he said. \u201cNow we will not eat any more cookies.\u201d \u201c But we can open the box,\u201d said Toad. \u201cThat is true,\u201d said Grog. Frog tied some string around the box. \u201cThere,\u201d he said. \u201cNow we will not eat any more cookies.\u201d \u201c But we can cut the string and open the box.\u201d said Toad. \u201cThat is true,\u201d said Frog. Frog got a ladder. He put the box up on a high shelf. \u201cThere,\u201d said Frog. \u201cNow we will not eat any more cookies.\u201d \u201c But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box,\u201d said Toad. \u201cThat is true,\u201d said Frog. Frog climbed the ladder and took the box down from the shelf. He cut the string and opened the box. Frog took the box outside. He shouted in a loud voice. \u201cHey, birds, here are cookies!\u201d Birds came from everywhere. They picked up all the cookies in their beaks and flew away. \u201cNow we have no more cookies to eat,\u201d said Toad sadly. \u201cNot even one.\u201d \u201cYes,\u201d said Frog, \u201cbut we have lots and lots of willpower.\u201d \u201cYou may keep it all, Frog,\u201d said Toad. \u201cI am going home now to bake a cake.\u201d<\/p>\n
Renewal, Ray & Anne Ortlund, 1989, Navpress, pp. 73-74<\/p>\n
Sundew Flower<\/b><\/p>\n
In the Australian bush country grows a little plant called the \u201csundew.\u201d It has a slender stem and tiny, round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. Woe to the insect, however, that dares to dance on it. Although its attractive clusters of red, white, and pink blossoms are harmless, the leaves are deadly. The shiny moisture on each leaf is sticky and will imprison any bug that touches it. As an insect struggles to free itself, the vibration causes the leaves to close tightly around it. This innocent-looking plant then feeds on its victim<\/p>\n
Our Daily Bread, December 11, 1992<\/p>\n
What Is <\/p>\n
What is temptation? Seduction to evil, solicitation to wrong. It stands distinguished from trial thus: trial tests, seeks to discover the man\u2019s moral qualities or character; but temptation persuades to evil, deludes, that it may ruin. The one means to undeceive, the other to deceive. The one aims at the man\u2019s good, making him conscious of his true moral self; but the other at his evil, leading him more or less unconsciously into sin. God tries; Satan tempts.<\/p>\n
Fairbain, quoted in The Words and Works of Jesus Christ, J. D. Pentecost, p. 99<\/p>\n
Was it Worth the Trouble?<\/b><\/p>\n
While my wife and I were shopping at a mall kiosk, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, \u201cWas it worth the trouble you\u2019re in?\u201d<\/p>\n
Drew Anderson (Tucson, AZ), Reader\u2019s Digest<\/p>\n
Refused a Gold Cup<\/b><\/p>\n
In China\u2019s later Han era, there lived a politician called Yang Zhen, a man known for his upright character. After Yang Zhen was made a provincial governor, one of his earlier patrons, Wang Mi, paid him an unexpected visit. As they talked over old times, Wang Mi brought out a large gold cup and presented it to Yang Zhen. Yang Zhen refused to accept it, but Wang Mi persisted, saying, \u201cThere\u2019s no one here tonight but you and me, so no one will know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou say that no one will know,\u201d Yang Zhen replied, \u201cbut that is not true. Heaven will know, and you and I will know too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wang Mi was ashamed, and backed down. Subsequently Yang Zhen\u2019s integrity won increasing recognition, and he rose to a high post in the central government.<\/p>\n
Human nature is weak, and we tend to yield to temptation when we think nobody can see us. In fact, if there was no police force, many people would not hesitate to steal. This is not to say that when we do something bad, we feel no compunction at all, just that man is weak and prone to yield to temptation.<\/p>\n
But even if nobody witnesses our sins, and not a soul knows of them, we cannot hide the truth from the eyes of our conscience. In the end, what is important is not that other people know, but that we ourselves know. When Yang Zhen told Wang Mi that \u201cHeaven will know,\u201d he meant that the gods would know what he had done: in other words, his own conscience.<\/p>\n
A person who sins neither in thought nor deed, and is fair and just, gains enormous courage and strength. As a leader, you need courage born of integrity in order to be capable of powerful leadership. To achieve this courage, you must search your heart, and make sure that your conscience is clear and your behavior is beyond reproach.<\/p>\n
Konosuke Matsushita, founder of Panasonic in his book Velvet Glove, Iron Fist (PHP Institute, Tokyo), Bits & Pieces, June 25, 1992<\/p>\n
Flew a Plane Into Russia<\/b><\/p>\n
In June 1989 a 19-year-old German named Mathias Rust created quite a stir when he flew a Cessna 172 airplane more than 400 miles into Soviet airspace. Rust\u2019s five-hour trip ended when he landed his plane near the Kremlin in Moscow. Soviet officials then scrambled to find out how a teenage could slip past their air defenses. Apparently radar had picked up the craft, but it was presumed to be a Soviet plane and no attempt was made to identify it. Later, air force jets twice flew around the intruding Cessna, but air defense commanders showed \u201cintolerable unconcern and indecision about cutting short the flight of the violator plane without resorting to combat means,\u201d the investigation concluded<\/p>\n
Today in the Word, June 6, 1992<\/p>\n
Lust<\/b><\/p>\n
John Piper says that sin (lust for example) \u201cgets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quoted in Putting Your Past Behind You, E. Lutzer, Here\u2019s Life, 1990, p. 54<\/p>\n
Your Pet Sin Can Kill You<\/b><\/p>\n
Children grow up with teddy bears and often figure that since the toys are cuddly, the real things might also be so. In 1990 two boys scaled the fence at the Bronx Zoo in New York City and went into the polar bear compound. The next day they were found dead. Your pet sin can kill!<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
Satan Tries to Quench Faith but Christ Keeps it Alive<\/b><\/p>\n
A scene from Bunyan\u2019s Pilgrim\u2019s Progress portrays Interpreter bringing Christian to a wall where fire is blazing from a grate. A man is trying to douse the fire with water. Then Interpreter shows Christian the other side of the wall, where another man is secretly pouring oil on the fire to keep it ablaze. Interpreter says, \u201cYou saw the man standing behind the wall to maintain the fire, teaching you that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.\u201d Satan tries to quench faith, but Christ keeps it alive.<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
Trying to Prove the Bridge Won\u2019t Break<\/b><\/p>\n
As the Union Pacific Railroad was being constructed, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the West. Wanting to test the bridge, the builder loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to double its normal payload. The train was then driven to the middle of the bridge, where it stayed an entire day. One worker asked, \u201cAre you trying to break this bridge?\u201d \u201cNo,\u201d the builder replied, \u201cI\u2019m trying to prove that the bridge won\u2019t break.\u201d In the same way, the temptations Jesus faced weren\u2019t designed to see if He would sin, but to prove that He couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Today in the Word, March 14, 1991<\/p>\n
Good Advice<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 What settings are you in when you fall? Avoid them.<\/p>\n
\u2022 What props do you have that support your sin? Eliminate them.<\/p>\n
\u2022 What people are you usually with? Avoid them.<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
There are Two Lies Satan Wants Us to Believe<\/b><\/p>\n
1. Just once won\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n
2. Now that you have ruined your life, you are beyond God\u2019s use, and might as well enjoy sinning.<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
Quotes<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 David Gelman cites a study that demonstrated that the area of the brain controlling the reading finger of people who became blind and learned braille grew larger. – Newsweek, Feb. 24, 1992, pp. 46-53<\/p>\n
\u2022 Let no man think himself to be holy because he is not tempted, for the holiest and highest in life have the most temptations. How much higher the hill is, so much is the wind there greater; so, how much higher the life is, so much the stronger is the temptation of the enemy. – John Wycliffe<\/p>\n
\u2022 You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. – Margaret Thatcher<\/p>\n
\u2022 There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice. – Mark Twain<\/p>\n
\u2022 Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin. – Charles Spurgeon<\/p>\n
\u2022 It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it – B. Franklin<\/p>\n
\u2022 Satan will seldom come to a Christian with a gross temptation. A green log and a candle may be safely left together, but a few shavings, some small sticks and then larger, and you may bring the green log to ashes. -John Newton<\/p>\n
\u2022 When you flee temptation, be sure you don\u2019t leave a forwarding address.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cFire tries Iron, and temptation tries a just man.\u201d – Thomas A. Kempis<\/p>\n
\u2022 Where there is no temptation, there can be little claim to virtue. – Sanctity of Life, C. Swindoll, Word, 1990, pp. 51ff<\/p>\n
\u2022 The thing that makes men and rivers crooked is following the line of least resistance. – Anon.<\/p>\n
Stay Out of Those Places<\/b><\/p>\n
On the TV show \u201cHee Haw,\u201d Doc Campbell is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. The doc replies, \u201cWell then, stay out of them places!\u201d<\/p>\n
He may have something there. We cannot regularly put ourselves in the face of temptation and not be affected. When faced with the problem of temptation, we need to take the good doctor\u2019s advice and \u201cstay out of them places.\u201d<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
Use Llamas to Scare Coyotes<\/b><\/p>\n
Reports the DENVER POST: \u201cLike many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and \u2018scare-coyotes.\u2019 She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed battery-operated radios near them. She has corralled them at night, herded them at day. But the southern Montana rancher has lost scores of lambs\u2014fifty last year alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen she discovered the llama\u2014the aggressive, funny-looking, afraid-of-nothing llama…\u2019Llamas don\u2019t appear to be afraid of anything,\u2019 she said. \u2018When they see something, they put their head up and walk straight toward it. That is aggressive behavior as far as the coyote is concerned, and they won\u2019t have anything to do with that… Coyotes are opportunists, and llamas take that opportunity away.\u2019\u201c<\/p>\n
Apparently llamas know the truth of what James writes: \u201cResist the Devil, and he will flee from you\u201d (4:7). The moment we sense his attack through temptation is the moment we should face it and deal with it for what it is.<\/p>\n
Barry McGee<\/p>\n
Catching Ringtailed Monkeys<\/b><\/p>\n
Men who trap animals in Africa for zoos in America say that one of the hardest animals to catch is the ringtailed monkey. For the Zulus of that continent, however, it\u2019s simple. They\u2019ve been catching this agile little animal with ease for years. The method the Zulus use is based on knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey. Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand to reach the seeds inside. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. This he cannot do. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can\u2019t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and nab him.<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
The Great Wall of China<\/b><\/p>\n
The Great Wall of China is a gigantic structure which cost an immense amount of money and labor. When it was finished, it appeared impregnable. But the enemy breached it. Not by breaking it down or going around it. They did it by bribing the gatekeepers.<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
Yield Not to <\/p>\n
Some people fall into temptation, but a great many make plans for disaster ahead of time. \u201cSon,\u201d ordered a father, \u201cDon\u2019t swim in that canal.\u201d \u201cOK, Dad,\u201d he answered. But he came home carrying a wet bathing suit that evening. \u201cWhere have you been?\u201d demanded the father. \u201cSwimming in the canal,\u201d answered the boy. \u201cDidn\u2019t I tell you not to swim there?\u201d asked the father. \u201cYes, Sir,\u201d answered the boy. \u201cWhy did you?\u201d he asked. \u201cWell, Dad,\u201d he explained, \u201cI had my bathing suit with me and I couldn\u2019t resist the temptation.\u201d \u201cWhy did you take your bathing suit with you?\u201d he questioned. \u201cSo I\u2019d be prepared to swim, in case I was tempted,\u201d he replied. Too many of us expect to sin and excite sin. The remedy for such dangerous action is found in Romans 13:14, \u201cBut put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.\u201d Whenever we play with temptation, it is easy to drift into great danger. A woman was bathing in the Gulf of Mexico. She was enjoying the comfort of relaxing on an inflated cushion that kept her afloat. When she realized that she had been swept about a half mile out from the beach, she began to scream, but no one heard her. A coast guard craft found her five miles from the place where she first entered the water. She did not see her danger until she was beyond her own strength and ability.<\/p>\n
Source unknown<\/p>\n
The Comfort of the Barnyard<\/b><\/p>\n
Ronald Meredith, in his book Hurryin\u2019 Big For Little Reasons, describes one quiet night in early spring: Suddenly out of the night came the sound of wild geese flying. I ran to the house and breathlessly announced the excitement I felt. What is to compare with wild geese across the moon? It might have ended there except for the sight of our tame mallards on the pond. They heard the wild call they had once known. The honking out of the night sent little arrows of prompting deep into their wild yesterdays. Their wings fluttered a feeble response. The urge to fly\u2014to take their place in the sky for which God made them\u2014was sounding in their feathered breasts, but they never raised from the water. The matter had been settled long ago. The comfort of the barnyard was too tempting! Now their desire to fly only made them uncomfortable. Temptation is always enjoyed at the price of losing the capacity for flight.<\/p>\n
Jim Moss<\/p>\n
Picked Up the Snake<\/b><\/p>\n
Iron Eyes Cody is a native American actor who once did a TV spot for the Keep America Beautiful campaign. He was an Indian drifting alone in a canoe. As he saw how our waters are being polluted, a single tear rolled down his cheek, telling the whole story. This powerful public service commercial still shows up on TV screens after 17 years. In 1988 Cody repeated an old Indian legend in Guideposts magazine. Here it is:<\/p>\n
Many years ago, Indian youths would go away in solitude to prepare for manhood. One such youth hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees, bright with flowers. There he fasted. But on the third day, as he looked up at the surrounding mountains, he noticed one tall rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow. I will test myself against that mountain, he thought. He put on his buffalo-hide shirt, threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the peak. When he reached the top he stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever, and his heart swelled with pride. Then he heard a rustle at his feet, and looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke. \u201cI am about to die,\u201d said the snake. \u201cIt is too cold for me up here and I am freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley.\u201d \u201cNo,\u201d said the youth. \u201cI am forewarned. I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me.\u201d \u201cNot so,\u201d said the snake. \u201cI will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special. I will not harm you.\u201d The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful markings. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. There he laid it gently on the grass, when suddenly the snake coiled, rattled, and leapt, biting him on the leg. \u201cBut you promised…\u201d cried the youth. \u201cYou knew what I was when you picked me up.\u201d said the snake as it slithered away.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bits and Pieces, June, 1990, pp. 5-7<\/p>\n
Misunderstandings Regarding <\/p>\n
\u2022 temptation itself is sin<\/p>\n
\u2022 We fall into temptation<\/p>\n
\u2022 God is disappointed and displeased when we are tempted<\/p>\n
\u2022 To be strongly tempted means we are as guilty as if we had actually committed sin.<\/p>\n
\u2022 We overcome all temptation by separation from it<\/p>\n
\u2022 When I am spiritually mature, I will no longer be harassed by temptation<\/p>\n
Charles Stanley, tape AU146, in IN TOUCH, June 1988, p. 13<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eve (Genesis 1) v. 1 Listened v. 3 was Lured v. 3 Lied v. 6 Looked v. 6 Lusted v. 8 Lost Dun Gordy, Notes From the Margins of an Old Preacher\u2019s Bible, (Circuit Rider Ministries, Leesburg, FL; 1997), p. 2 Christ Knows What Temptation Is C. S. Lewis made these insightful observations about temptation: … Continue reading “Temptation”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1141\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}