I ask you to turn with me this morning to the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 10. And we shall read some verses beginning at verse 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 from verse 1. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for in samples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. Friends, there is a well-known saying, and I remember my history teacher at school often quoting this saying to us. And the saying goes that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. And I think rather that the Apostle Paul would have agreed with that saying. And that seems to be the thrust of what he is teaching in this opening part of 1 Corinthians chapter 10. He is reminding the believers in Corinth of Israel's history. He's showing that record of their unfaithfulness is written, but it's written for a purpose, and that purpose pertains to us. It is for our warning. He says to them in verse six, Now these things were our examples to the intent. We should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. Again, in verse 11, he says, Now all these things happened unto them for in samples, and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. They are written for us, for our instruction. Romans 15 verse 4 says, Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. And I wonder, friends, is that how we view the history of Israel? When we read through passages like we are in our consecutive readings in Numbers, do we view them as our examples? Do we look to their histories, both from the good and from the bad, as a way of instruction to us in our living for Christ today? Well, here from verse 6 through to verse 11, the Apostle Paul draws particular attention to Israel's sinfulness, showing that their falling into sin is preserved in record for us for our admonition. That is, it's our warning. It's an instruction to us, a way of mild rebuke for us to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. And he gives four particular examples of the ways in which Israel fell into sin. They fell into idolatry, in verse 7. In verse 8, into fornication. In verse 9, provocation of Christ. In verse 10, murmuring against Moses and Aaron, and ultimately against God. They were tempted to sin, and sadly they fell into iniquity. And what's the application of this sad history of Israel, but that we should take care of ourselves. There in verse 12, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed, lest he fall. It becomes us to be on our guard against pride and presumption. We must take heed to ourselves. It's obvious from these words that it's those who assume that they stand well, those who see no need to fear, who are far more likely to fall into sin. Self-reliance will always result in self-destruction. And so we who might think we stand must take heed, must beware, lest we fall in the same manners as Israel fell in the wilderness. But then, in order to prevent these strong warnings against sin from being a discouragement to the Corinthian believers, the Apostle Paul, in verse 13, shows them that the tempted Christian has many comforts in God, has many encouragements in their struggle and battle against sin. He says, there hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. What comfort these words are to the Christian who struggles with sin. What an encouragement they are to us this morning. And it is these words that I wish to focus on for a while this morning. And with the Lord's help, I'd like us to see two things. I'd like us to look firstly at the tempter and his devices. Those words there, temptation taken you. tempter and his devices. But then secondly, the faithful God and his grace. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. Firstly then friends, the tempter and his devices. Paul is writing to the Corinthians in such strong terms of warning because he's very much aware that they are, as with all men, surrounded by temptation to sin. They were beset by enticement to offend God there in Corinth. It was an evil city, a place where great wickedness abounded. A place where there would be great pools against the old nature in their hearts. And friends, what was a struggle for the Corinthians, we readily confess is a struggle for us. There isn't a single Christian who doesn't know what it is to do battle with sin and temptation. We face this fight on a daily basis against that pull, against the old man that lies within us, that indwelling sin that rears its ugly head. All the children of God are subject to temptation. Temptation that has taken you. Israel faced it in the wilderness. The Corinthians faced it in the years of the early church. And we face it today. Temptation. But what is temptation? Let us give it more of a definition. Well, friends, temptation is the enticement to sin. It is the luring of the soul into evil lusts. that we might yield to offense against God. And temptations, we learn from this verse, often come with great force. I was struck by those words of the Apostle Paul, that temptation has taken you. It's taken you. It's something forceful and strong in its approach. taken you and it can feel as though temptation gets hold of us, it seizes upon us, it catches us in its grip and in its grasp and will not let us go. Oh dear Christian, is this your experience? Have you known this? Do you know this even this morning? You know the strong grasp and assaults of temptation in your soul? This, as we shall see, is the common experience of all Christians. And friends, if you have never struggled in this way, then I would venture to say that perhaps that shows that something is wrong in your religion. We all face temptation. Temptation has taken you. And temptations have such a humbling effect, don't they, friends? Because they are only a vicious and credible threat because there is the root and potential of sin in our hearts. They expose that we have the capacity within us to yield and to sin in that way. Temptation doesn't put anything into the soul but desires to draw out that old nature that still lies there and still remains there. So the fact that we struggle with temptation shows that we have that old nature residing within, that is pulled, that is attracted to those baser lusts. And there is that wicked part of us that wishes to yield to it, that makes temptation such a struggle and such a fight. And friends, if we yield to them, what a state of ruin will they bring us in. We will be like the dog who has turned to his own vomit again, like the sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire. But friends, there's also an important truth to note about temptation that should encourage us, and that is that being tempted is not in itself a sin on our part. It is a sin on the part of the tempter, but on the part of us to be tempted is not in itself a sin. To yield to the temptation then becomes sin. But the fact that we are tempted is not sin on our part. So do not be overly discouraged, dear friends, when you are tempted, when it takes hold of you. That itself is not sin in your soul. Jesus Christ was tempted, wasn't he? Yet without sin. And how wonderfully it will be to his glory if we, through temptation, are yet able to resist it for God's glory's sake. Well then let us ask the question now, who is it that tempts us to sin? And we must say quickly that it is not the Lord our God. God does not tempt us to sin. James chapter one and verse 13 says, let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. God is not the author of our temptations. Well, who is then? Well, we know that the devil is the author of our temptation. When Jesus was led of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, there in Matthew four and verse three, there is a title given for the devil. It says, when the tempter came to him. And that is his title rightly so. The devil, Satan, the enemy of our soul is the tempter. He has been, since the very beginning, since the fall of man, he has been the tempter. He enticed Eve to take the forbidden fruit and to share it with Adam. And your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. And he uses our lusts to draw us away, as James goes on to say in verse 14, but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Friends, we have a very great enemy of our soul who will bring temptation to sin against us. And what are some of the ways in which he tempts us? Well, he tempts us with any and all manner of sins, doesn't he? Matthew Henry said, the best of saints may be tempted with the worst of sins. And we are beset with distressing temptations, those sins that, to the regenerate heart, we abhor them, and yet they are set before us as dainty meats, as painted as pleasant things to the flesh. And look at the ways in which Israel were tempted in the wilderness. In verse 7 they were tempted into idolatry. They bowed down and worshipped that golden calf. This was a great temptation for the Corinthians. They were surrounded by idolatry, heathen religion there in the city of Corinth, the temple built to the goddess of Venus. Great idolatry and it was a temptation to them to join in the feasts and festivals of that godless city. Friends, what a temptation it is to us as well today to sin with idolatry in a very different form perhaps than statues and images. But are we not beset today by idols in this world, by sports, by entertainments, by celebrities, by products that we are told we must have? All of these things can dominate the heart and dominate the mind and steal away God's rightful place. But we might be tempted, as Israel were also, in verse eight, to fornication. They committed terrible whoredoms with the daughters of Moab. How similar to a sin of idolatry is this? Because at the heart of it is unfaithfulness, isn't it? At the heart of it is a breaking of a covenant. And so often, idolatry is spoken of as spiritual fornication. It is an unfaithfulness to God, to whom the Christian is married. but how often we are convicted and tempted to fornication. The Corinthians were greatly exposed to this vice. That temple that was there in Corinth to Venus was full of temple prostitutes, those who would lure people in and commit great, awful acts of iniquity, so much so that The expression to Corinthianize became a byword for sexual immorality. What a great and strong temptation this was to the Christians to whom Paul wrote. And friends, how are we also exposed to this vice today? It's everywhere, isn't it? Terribly tempted in this way. All over the media, pushed from every direction. Modesty seems to be dying out. It's on the billboards, it's in the TV programs, it's on all of the social media pages. Tempted to sin, but also tempted to provoke the Lord as they were. Verse 9, neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted. They were provoking the Lord when they harped back to Egypt, claiming that they'd only been led out of bondage to die in the wilderness. What a dreadful sin it is when believers are tempted to provoke Christ with unbelief, with complaining, with bitter and hasty comments. We might also be tempted to murmur against the Lord, as Israel murmured in verse 10. They murmured against Moses and Aaron, and Paul faced murmuring from amongst some in Corinth against his apostleship. And do we not find times when we are tempted to murmur against God, against his providence in our lives? Oh, why must it be this way? Why has it befallen me like this? Rather, how honourable would be a quiet, contented, submissive spirit to God's providence, yet we are tempted sorely to speak against God's word. What terrible temptations we face. And maybe you are here this morning and you think, I am tempted to the worst of sins. So much so that I daren't even express them. They're so horrific and so abhorrent to my heart. Oh, the suggestions of evil that the devil brings against me. And friends, temptation can take hold of us. And we must be aware of the tempter's devices. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices. Friends, are we ignorant of the tempter's devices? Are we aware of the schemes that he puts into place in order to tempt the Lord's people? Well, what are some of his devices? Well, I say firstly that when he tempts us to sin, his temptations are always very well considered. They're very well considered. He studies well his prey. The tempter watches for weaknesses in the Lord's people, and he aims his fiery darts at those gaps in their armour. If we are melancholy by temperament, he will tempt us to despair. If we are more bold by nature, he will tempt us to be rash and hasty. If we are timid in nature, he will tempt us to cowardice. If we are unsure, he will tempt us to doubt. He is careful to select the most effective mode of temptation. And friends, if the enemy of our souls studies us well, how vital is it then that we also know ourselves well? We must be aware of our own vices, those things that we struggle with. that we might do well to avoid them, and seek to mortify them, and daily pray against them. Galatians 6 and verse 1, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Are we considering ourselves? Do we do battle with those darling sins? Do we pray, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil? Do we pray with the psalmist, search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. All his temptations are considered as to their mode, but they are also well considered as to their timing. It's carefully chosen. He tempts the Lord's people sometimes after times of great spiritual blessing and victories of faith. It was straight after the Savior's baptism that he was led away into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. David as well. He had that great victory of faith, didn't he? When he resisted that opportunity to kill Saul. And yet the very next chapter, he's tempted to despair. I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. He tempts us also at the means of grace. How often will he try to tempt us off of prayer if he can? How we have all known this, haven't we? When we go to prayer, what distractions arise, what a plethora of thoughts assail our minds. Everything and anything comes into our thought patterns apart from that which is devotional, apart from that which aids us in prayer. We find so many distractions and it's so hard to focus ourselves. Or maybe he will come and try and tempt us off of prayer in the first place and give us a sense of it being a pointless exercise. We get the feeling that our prayers, they don't reach past the ceiling. And the devil comes and seems to whisper to our souls, there is no help for him in God. Why pray? Why bother praying? Oh, what temptation we face as well on the Lord's day. We want to enjoy the blessings of the Sabbath. We want to enjoy this day devoted to God, but the good of it seems to be hard won, doesn't it? From the very first moment we wake up, it seems that we are fighting against temptation, fighting against that wickedness in our hearts so that we might rightfully enjoy the Lord's day. When we come into God's house, what battle there is to concentrate. Oh, if you want to plan your week ahead, just come to church and sit and the devil will help you to think on anything and everything. But the word that is preached, what a fight it is to concentrate. How it is as well when we sing God's praise. How often do we close the Psalter and not even know what we have just sung, tempted to be distracted rather than praise God with sincerity. Oh, what temptations he brings. But he also chooses the timing well because he tempts us in times of trial and difficulty. It has been said that the devil is no gentleman and he will kick us when we are down. He will choose those times of distress to provoke us to sin. When providence is dark and mysterious, he will whisper, hath God forgotten to be gracious? When our Heavenly Father lovingly chastens us, he will say, you are forsaken. You are forgotten and cast off of your God. When God waits that he might be gracious, the tempter will come and say, ah, that is it then. There's no more mercy for you. God has shut up his mercy. And when the Lord withdraws the felt sense of his presence, oh, how we are assailed and bombarded with all wicked suggestions to terrible blasphemies against God. He will attack our assurance by wielding past sins against us. Oh, how considered are his temptations, but also his devices are also to be very subtle in his temptation. We read in Genesis that the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field. Paul wrote to the Ephesians and spoke of the wiles of the devil, the craftiness and the cunning way in which he tempts. He is so subtle that sometimes when he tempts us to sin, he is careful to present the bait, but hide the hook. He will show that which is good, but hide the harmful part. so that the sin seems so attractive. It's like a golden chalice presented to us, but the cup is only full of poison. He promises good, but he hides the offense. He hides the guilt. He hides the misery that sin will bring. He holds out the sinful pleasure, but neglects to tell us of the deep shame and guilt that will be our portion should we yield. He offers what seems good, but friends, it is always a poor exchange, because he offers good only to take away something better, a sinful dainty for the loss of peace, a fleeting pleasure to be robbed of assurance. What was it that he offered Eve, a fruit for the loss of paradise? It's always a poor exchange. So much so that John Newton wrote, Often thus through sin's deceit, Grief and shame and loss I meet, Like a fish my soul mistook, Saw the bait, but not the hook. Oh, the subtle ways in which he tempts! And so subtly does he also tempt that there are times when he makes sin seem so small, so insignificant, This was the case for Lot, wasn't it? Delivered from Sodom and Gomorrah, saved, as it were, by the skin of his teeth from that destruction, told to flee to the mountains, but he goes after that small city of Zohar. And what does he say to the Lord? Is it not a little one? Doesn't it seem so small? And do not we sometimes say the same of our sins? Is it not a little one? A small white lie? Small sins, friends, they don't exist, because there's no small God to sin against. But the devil will tell us they do. Again, John Newton said, what before excited fears, rather pleasing now appears. If a sin, it seems so small, or perhaps no sin at all. All the subtle ways in which he works. Friends, let us not be ignorant of his devices. Are we taken with temptation? Well, if we are friends, turn secondly and see the faithful God and His grace, what comforts and encouragements there are for us who struggle so. Because the Apostle Paul says, there hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape. Ye may be able to bear it. Oh, friends, we have a great enemy, but an infinitely greater God. We have a God who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Look to this verse and see the comforts and encouragements for the tempted Christian. They are like a safe haven to our soul. The first comfort we see here is that these temptations are common to man. They have no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. Oh, here is an encouragement to us, isn't it, friends? We're not alone in our temptation to sin. There is nothing that we are enticed with that is unique to us. We have a kindred spirit among Christians that share in our struggles against sin. The temptations that you face, I tell you, they have been faced by fellow believers before. And by God's grace, they have been overcome by fellow believers before. It's common to man. And so do not think that you are the only one to be tempted in such a way. No, the Lord's people are tempted. It may seem too dreadful to sound out aloud, but still it is a temptation that is common to man. And friends, I want to say here, don't put any other Christian on too high a pedestal. Don't look to any other believer and think, oh, they must never struggle as I do. They must never fight with sin like I do. Don't look to the pastor in the pulpit or the elders or office bearers and think, oh, they are godly men indeed that never struggle with this like I. No, no, all temptation is common to man. You might not know the vices they face, but vices they do face indeed. There are sins and temptations that would take us all. It is common to man. We share in this struggle, every one of us. And how helpful it can be if we can find close fellowship with a believer who sympathizes with the way we are tempted. What a help it can be to have that brotherly support, that iron sharpening iron, that confessing our faults one to another. It's so helpful to find someone we can be accountable to, who we know at the end of the week will say, and how did you get on this week? Did you yield? In that struggle against sin that you've shared with me privately, how did you fare, dear brother? How did you fare, dear sister? Oh, seek out fellowships like that. Seek out such friendships with dear believers like that so that we can be helps to each other and pray one for another. We're not alone in this. The temptation is common to man. And temptations, friends, are they not included in the command to bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ? But friends, this expression is a greater comfort than this, also because if temptations are common to man, were they not then also faced by the Son of Man? Did the Savior not face the same temptations as you and I? We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. What a comfort is that? the ways that you are tempted of the devil. Friends, Christ was tempted first. He too had that struggle. He too had those sins presented to him when he walked this earth, when he was your substitute. Dear tried and tempted Christian, you who feel that the devil is sifting you as wheat, your savior fully and perfectly sympathizes with you in that temptation. He was touched and is touched with the feeling of your infirmities, because he knows firsthand what you face. And oh, then friends, with what boldness can we come to him and cast all our care upon him then, because he cares for us, and he cares for us in a way that is full of sympathetic knowledge. And Hebrews 2 and verse 18, in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted. Oh, when you struggle with sin, fly to Christ, fly to your Savior and find He's able to succor you, able to aid you, able to help you amidst the worst of temptations, able to defend and preserve you and bring you safely through. Oh, what comfort it is that it is common to man But look again to the text and see another comfort for us. But God is faithful. God is faithful. Israel were unfaithful so often. We are unfaithful so often. Yet God always remains faithful and true. He is the same yesterday and today and forever. It may seem to us that the devil is close with his fiery darts of temptation, but Almighty God is closer still. He is faithful. And he is faithful to his promises. And when he has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, then that word is yea and amen. And in the midst of the assaults of temptation, God is faithful, who is with you there, and who is a refuge to you there, a very present help in trouble. He is faithful, who has promised that he will turn again. He will have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities and now will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. And out of his great faithfulness, he will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. What a comfort are those words to us, aren't they, friends? He will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. What do those words tell us? Well, they tell us, firstly, that God knows what you are able to bear. He knows well our frame. Never forget, dear Christian, that he knoweth our frame and he remembereth that we are dust. He knows you better than you know yourself, and he knows what you can bear. And like a skilled pharmacist who's able to measure out the exact dose, so God knows what you are able to bear with, knows what temptation we'll be able to bear. But this expression also tells us that God has sovereign control over our temptations. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. He is in full control of it. He is not the author of our temptations, but he is in control of them. He is able to stay them and able to say unto them, thus far, but no further. Remember Job chapter one, the devil could do nothing against Job, except the Lord permitted it. My friends, we have an enemy, but our enemy is as a dog upon a leash, and the length of that leash is determined by our faithful God. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. And if he suffers you to be tempted, be sure that he can and will work good thereby. Temptations that by grace are overcome are part of those all things that work together for good. They have a great sanctifying effect, so that James could say, blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. What a comfort it is. He will not suffer you to be tempted, above that ye are able. But look again to the text, find another comfort for us who struggle with sin, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. Oh, dear Christian, in every temptation, God makes a way to escape from it. God makes a way by which we can flee from that that we do not yield to sin. How gracious is our God then, that while he suffers temptation, he makes a way of escape. He does not make the temptation, but he makes the route out of it and the route away from it. And when the devil seems to hem us in, down a narrow corridor, God opens up a fire escape, that we might leave it, that we might flee from it and be safe from it. And what can we notice from this comfort? We can notice that the way to escape temptation is always God's way and not our own way. Always God's way and not our own. It's so foolish to imagine that we ourselves can hold up under temptation by our own ways and means. Look at verse 12 again. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. It must be God's way, for therein we are taught to depend on him more fully. But notice also that he makes a way of escape with the temptation. He doesn't remove the temptation entirely, but in the midst of the temptation, shows us that way to hide ourselves in God. Shows us that way to find in him strength to do battle with sin and the devil. The way to escape. And as we draw to a close then, friends, let us see what are those ways to escape. Well, the first way to escape temptation is by the word of God. By the word of God. When our savior was tempted of the devil, he resisted each temptation with that reply, it is written. It is written. We sang from Psalm 119, and verse 11 says, You see, we need a good knowledge of the Word of God. We need to have it treasured up in our hearts. We need to hold it as precious because God's Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and it illuminates the only safe way. It illuminates the path to escape. God's Word is a strong armor against temptation because it exposes sin for what it is. And when those temptations come and they seem good to us, well, God's Word sheds light on it. God's Word shows it for what it is, as horrifically offensive against God. God's Word also shows us what terrible loss will come if we yield to sin. And God's Word also, doesn't it, set Christ crucified before us? I know of no safeguard against temptation better than a view of Christ on the cross. If we see him bleeding and dying for us, if we consider again what it cost him to redeem us from our sin, how will we then flirt with temptation? How dare we then go and yield to sin? If it cost Christ his life, if he laid down his life for us, will we really render to him evil for good? Oh, my friend, hide God's word in your heart that when temptation assails you, it may be your means of escape. But also, friend, there's a way to escape by prayer. Prayer is a means that is ever open to us. And no temptation can take away our ability to pray, to cry to God, Lord, help me. to cry out to God Most High, and we can find our refuge in God by prayer. Our Saviour said to His disciples in the garden, watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And what a corrective prayer is, why the very act of prayer can so often realign our faith, can't it? and how vital then that we live our lives with a spirit of prayer. There is little that makes the devil so fearful as when he sees Christians on their knees, praying to God. And these battles against temptation, they are battles that are won on our knees, but are won when we strive in prayer and escape the temptation. But finally, friends, there's a way to escape that is by flight, by flight. Maybe there are some temptations that must be faced down with holy boldness, when we must say to the devil, get thee behind me, Satan. But I think more often there are those temptations which we do best to run away from. And this was Joseph's good example, wasn't it? When he fled from Potiphar's wife, he got himself away from those circumstances that tempted him to yield to sin. This was Paul's command to the Corinthians. Because in chapter 6 and verse 18, he tells them, flee fornication, run away from it. Again in verse 14 here, he says, wherefore my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. Get yourself far away from it. Don't have that attitude of how close can I get to it without it being sin. No, flee. Say rather, how far away from this wickedness can I get, lest I offend against my Lord. flee from sin. Matthew Henry said, those that would be kept from harm must keep out of harm's way. And oh, the way of escape is sometimes to keep out of harm's way. If there are some people in whose company you find yourself often tempted to sin, then separate yourself from them. Limit the time you spend in their company. Flee from that circumstance. If there's certain programs on the television that entice you to sin, flee and turn it off and stop watching it. If there's a particular billboard or a poster that you pass, then flee from it and find a different route home. If it's social media and your scrolling on it leads you into sin, then flee from it and delete your social media. Shut it down and put it away. At least, at the very least, limit your time on it. Flee, oh would that we would be drastic with sin. Would that we would cut off the hand that offends us and pluck out the eye that looks towards sin. Friends, flee from it. Run away from it. Get as far from it as you possibly can. That is a way to escape by swift flight. Do not leave any of your heart behind with the temptation. Someone has said that sadly some Christians try and flee from temptation, but they leave a forwarding address. They want, there's part of them that still wants that sin, wants to hold it in the heart. Oh, don't leave a forwarding address. Flee from it. Get away from it. By God's grace. Oh, dear friends, the warning to the Corinthians was solemn. The warning to us is equally solemn. We are tempted to sin, and temptation comes with force, and it can take us. But oh, look at the comforts. Look to God who is faithful. Look to the grace he supplies. Look to the Son of God who was tempted at all points like as we are, and put your trust in the sovereign Lord who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. but will also with the temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. Oh, may the Lord give us grace to resist the devil that he might flee from us. Amen.