Well, how many of you at some time in your life have played with a toy train? Who's played with toy trains? Sure. How many of you still, even if you're an adult, still like to play with trains? Maybe it's your hobby. Hey, no problem. You know, sometimes when you're playing with a toy train, that train gets off track. Sometimes you have to put it back on track. And in life we can get off track and God delights in getting us back on track. We're in a series in the book of 1 Corinthians entitled, Wise Up, Clarifying Confusion with God's Wisdom. They were people who had so many questions and so confused about so many things. And God gives them this letter, the book of 1 Corinthians, as a way to bring his wisdom to their questions and to clarify their confusion. And as we have taken the journey with them through this letter, for our questions and our confusion, God's wisdom is being brought to bear to help us. And as we turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 this morning, it is interesting to know that this church along the way, some of the people in it had become so individualistic that they were making decisions in their lives that not only hurt them but hurt other people. And they were so consumed with themselves that they were not even aware that they were off track. So you found in your Bible 1 Corinthians chapter 10. And we're going to find then verse 12. And we will read through verse 14. And we will together read it as a congregation this morning. So you found 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Would you stand with me please? We will read the scriptures together. We'll begin reading in verse 12. And we will read together through verse 14. Are you ready? The Word of God says this. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're 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. Well, God's challenge for us today is let's get on track. We'll pray and ask God to help us and then after that you can be seated. Now Lord God, unless your spirit takes the truth of the scripture as we read it and as it is proclaimed, and brings the reality of it into where we are in our lives, unless there's a supernatural work that you bring, we cannot receive what you need us to know. And what we need, even when we can't see it, And so what we are asking is that you would be faithful to the truth of your book and faithful to the people of this congregation that have come to worship and come to seek you and that you would give the hope that we need and the help that we need and the correction that we need even when we're off track. And so we yield to the Holy Spirit for this and we pray it in the name of the Lord Jesus, amen. Thank you, you may be seated. Well when the Apostle Paul begins the discussion with this church about some things happening in their lives in the 10th chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians, remember he gives them some insights about ignorance. You see there were things they just didn't understand because all of us are, I hope, aware enough that for all of us there are just some things that we don't know. We don't know everything about everything. And so he tells them, verse one, more of her brother and I would not that ye should be ignorant. And he helps them to realize that they were off track and didn't even see it. You know that happens sometimes. We're off track and we don't even realize it. And then after sharing insights about ignorance, then he gives these believers some help from history. And he goes back to ancient Israel And we've gone in our journey with them from ancient Israel to ancient Corinth to modern America. And we realized that they who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it. And he wants them to know that you are not alone. You are not unique. You are people that have the same challenges as everybody else in history and in life. And so he gave us help from history. so that we would not repeat the mistakes of others in the past. And then, after all of that, then the Apostle Paul, by inspiration of the Spirit of God in the portion we just read, gives some pointers in the present. We last week considered one of these three. Each of the verses has its own pointer to help us in the present to live wisely and to wise up, but in the present, We began together last week with a word of warning in verse 12, take heed. And as you remember it and as you read the scripture, what was the area or the subject about which God warned us in verse 12? You tell me, talk to me church. Pride. And I hope that even over the last week that God has been giving you help. as he's working with you and with me, with all of us in the area of pride. So take heed, word of warning. Then in verse 12, or verse 13, is the second of the pointers for the present. This word will begin today. Here it is, are you ready? It is a word about winning. A word about winning and here's his word, take heart. Now when we read verse 13, you tell me what is the subject of this verse that God is addressing us about today? There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer, permit you to be tempted above that you're able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. What is the subject that God addresses in verse 13? Talk to me. Yeah, you'd better believe it. Temptation. aware and concerned about you and I winning over temptation. I mean all of us can understand why it's important and all of us live with the struggles of temptation and God so wants you to win over temptation that he gives this verse which is power packed with help to win over temptation. So what is the temptation that first comes to your mind when I mention the subject of temptation? Is it a present habit? Is it maybe a past habit? But it's still a struggle that's resurfaced recently in your life. Could it be an attitude that you have? Could it be an expectation? that you have that has become an idol? Could it be a response in the way that you respond in circumstances that are revealing that this is a real challenge in your life? What is the one area that most, when we think about temptation, and you've been thinking about it now for a number of minutes, what is the one area that is on your mind? Now with that one area, God has five truths that he shares with us in this passage of scripture to turn temptation into triumph. That one area where you know this is a real challenge for me, a real temptation, these five truths are God's word to help you to turn temptation into triumph. Here's the first, are you ready? God reminds us and helps us to understand the pull of temptation. How many of you know the cartoon Frank and Ernest? Does that ring anybody a bell? Not many of you seem to have read Frank and Ernest, but it's a cartoon, Frank and Ernest. And one day, one of the cartoons, Frank asks, how come opportunity knocks once, but temptation beats at my door every day? Maybe you can understand how that is. Now, here's the question I have to ask you. What makes temptation so tempting? What makes temptation so tempting? You want to keep your place in 1 Corinthians 10, we'll come back to it, but I want to turn to you, have you turn to another significant passage on temptation in the book of James chapter one. James chapter one. James chapter one. God tells us the answer to the question, why is temptation so tempting? You'll notice, so we'll begin reading in verse 13. Let no man say when he's tempted, I'm tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Now, how many of you like to fish? Who likes to fish? You like to fish, all right. So we have some fishermen, fisherwomen. Fisher persons, what's the politically correct, I'm not worried about political correctness, fishermen. Now you all that are fishermen know that you have a lure, you have a hook, you're gonna put bait on it and that may not be all that appealing to you but the idea is you put it in the water and hopefully that fish is going to see that lure, he's gonna see that bait and to him it's gonna say, oh man, that would be good, that looks great. Oh man, I would really want that. And the fish reaches out and grabs it. And once it's caught it, you've caught that fish. The term here used, every man's drawn away of his own lust and entice, is a fishing term. You see, that fish has something from within that appeals and it wants that worm, it wants that lure, whatever you're baiting your hook with. So badly that even to its own peril, the fish is gonna reach out and grab it. Do you realize that that's exactly why temptation is so tempting? Because there's a pull from within. Do you know what the Bible word is for that pull from within? Do you know what it is? It's the word lust. It's selfish desire. The reason temptation is so tempting is because all of us have the pull from within. But don't forget that our enemy, Satan, works in the world around us. to put temptations all around so that we are drawn away from the lust from within but we are also enticed from without. Now you found you're in your Bible in James chapter one. Turn back just a few pages to the first letter that John wrote. After James there's the first second Peter and then there's first John. And you want to find chapter 2 because in chapter 2 we're told not only about the pull from within but the temptation or the enticement from without. So 1 John chapter 2 I'll begin reading in verse 15. For all that is in the world And it tells us what pulls us. The inside pull that's pulling us pulls from the outside that's pulling from within. All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh. When you read the lust of the flesh, I want you to think this. I want what I want. Now stop for a minute. Do you find yourself being a person that says, I want what I want? And then there's the lust of the eyes. Now when you read lust of the eyes, think this, I want what I see. And then there's something else beside the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. And we're told the pride of life. Do you know what the pride of life is? When you read that, think this, I want what feeds my selfish ego. I want what I want, the lust of the flesh. I want what I see, the lust of the eyes. I want what feeds my selfish ego, the pride of life. And we're told this, that these are not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But he that doth the will of God abideth forever. So what happens is, there is the pull from within, and the lust of my flesh, I want what I want, and the lust of my eyes, I want what I see, and the pride of my life, I want to serve my own ego and satisfy my selfish, egotistic desires. And with all of that, while the world is around me, it's pulling outside, inside, I'm reaching out for it. And so what happens is, you in temptation, we are being pulled apart. Did you ever feel that way with temptation? You are being pulled apart from the inside and from the outside. The pull of temptation. Now that brings me to another question. Why is temptation so tempting? It's so tempting because of the pull of temptation and the lust of the flesh and the eyes and the pride of life. But wait a minute. There's another question and it is this. What makes temptation so trying? Well, the term temptation in the ancient world was used as a medical term to describe medical testing. And did you know that every temptation that you experience in your life becomes a spiritual test? It becomes a test of your faith. And so every time you go through temptation, then you are being tested. No wonder it's such a pull in your life because it is a test of your faith. And if you want to turn temptation into triumph, I want to tell you this. Underestimate the pull of temptation. Don't minimize it. Do not justify it. Don't dismiss it. Don't give in to the pull of temptation. God is giving you a wonderful warning to say, hey, listen, you can't trust yourself. You're not strong enough. You can't do this on your own because of the pull of temptation. But then we're told another truth to transform temptation into triumph, and it is this. It is the power of temptation. We all know the pull of temptation, but oh, let's remember the power of temptation. So back in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 13, for there hath no temptation taken you. The word taken there means to seize and to get a hold, and hence the power of temptation, to get a hold of your life and to control you. And when that gets a hold of you, it will not let me go. Listen to what the Proverbs says, Proverbs chapter 5 verse 22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his own sin. You see, whenever you're given a temptation, you're trapped, you're ensnared, you're enslaved, you're imprisoned by sin. And sometimes we don't even realize it because we get so accustomed to being trapped and imprisoned that this becomes our new way of life. God the Spirit brings about the conviction of sin, and God the Spirit deals with your heart through the Word and lets you know that you don't have to be trapped. You can be free! the power of temptation. Leroy Imes in his book, Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be, describes how he lives in a place where rattlesnakes are common and how every summer he'll have one or two encounters with a rattlesnake and the snake coiled, ready to strike, quick as lightning and accurate And he said, I have a very simple two-point program for handling rattlesnakes. Shun and avoid. And he writes this. You don't need much insight to figure out what to do with something as dangerous as a diamondback rattler. You don't mess around. My friend, sin is powerful. The power of temptation and sin can enslave and bite, poison, destroy. So don't mess around. So how do you turn temptation into triumph? One, the pull of temptation. And then we're told about the power of temptation. Then God tells us something else to help us to turn temptation into triumph and it is this, the prevalence of temptation. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is what church? Say that next phrase with me, such as is. Yeah, common to man. Now I want you to look around. Take a look around. Take a look around. Just look around. You're all in the front. Don't hurt yourself looking back there too far. Just look around. I want you to look at something. When you look around, I want to tell you something about the people you just looked at. The people you just looked at are dealing with the same temptation you are. And you're dealing with the same temptation the people around you are dealing with. God tells us something that's wonderful here that helps people who get themselves trapped thinking that nobody understands what I'm going through. Nobody can really, you don't know all the situation I'm in. Oh, if only you could understand, if only you No, that's just the way I am. If only, if only, if only. Why is it important for us to know that there is no temptation that's taken us that is common to man? It's important because this unmasks the deception of the tyranny of exclusive excuse making. See, hold on, when you start using statements like that, oh, nobody knows the trouble I've seen. You can't understand. Do you see what you're really doing? You're writing yourself a big, fat check of an excuse. You see, I'm justified in my sin. I'm justified in giving it to temptation because nobody understands. I'm going to tell you about the people that are near you, you looked at a few minutes ago. They all understand. Sure, there are uniquenesses in your particular case at this particular time in your life. And you as an individual deal with this. We all understand that because all of us have unique moments and times of temptation. But wait a minute, all of us at our root are dealing with the same issue. I want what I want, lust of the flesh. I want what I see, lust of the eyes. I want to satisfy my ego, pride of life. You know, the book of Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15 tells us of Jesus that he was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin. You say, well, how does that work? I mean, he didn't have to deal with internet pornography. No, he didn't have to deal with internet pornography. But he had to deal with the lust of the flesh. I want what I want, the lust of the eyes. I want what I see. the pride of life I want to satisfy my ego needs. Do you realize that maybe God is unmasking for you this tyranny of exclusive excuse making? Oh, I'm different than anybody else. I know you're not. We are all in the same wretched boat. And we all need the same help. And God gives all of us the power to turn temptation into triumph. So the prevalence of temptation. And you know when you finally come to the point that you unmask the tyranny of exclusive excuse making, then you're ready to act on the promise of temptation. And in your Bible, or in your notes number four, here's the fourth truth to turn temptation into triumph. Here it is, it's the promise of temptation I love what God says here, it's so helpful and encouraging and life-giving. There hath no temptation you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. Now here's the first promise that God gives you. There is never a temptation so great that God cannot enable you to overcome it. It's a long sentence, I'll say it again to give you time to write it and time to really think it through. There is no temptation, there's never a temptation so great that God cannot enable you to overcome it. We are told of our God that he will not suffer, permit, allow. He will not permit you to be tempted above that you're able. You see, God knows your limits. Did you ever say, whoa, I can't take any more. I can't do this, I can't take any more. It's too much! But wait a minute, God not only knows your limits, God sets your limits. He will not allow you to be tempted above that you're able. So whatever the temptation is that comes into your life, you might feel like it's too much. You might have a sense of, oh, of just defeat because to you it's too much. But I'm telling you this, that there is never a temptation that God brings into your life that he doesn't give you the power to overcome it. He knows your temptations. He knows your limit. Aren't you glad that God never, never, can I say that again? God never brings a temptation that is so great that he cannot enable you to overcome it. And whenever you're in those times of temptation and you feel like it is way too much, God, I can't do this, this is when you hold on to the promise. And whenever your flesh cries out and whenever the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are fighting and the world around you is fighting and you go through this struggle, this is the time you say, okay, God, I'm glad you're holding your promise that there's no temptation taking me, but such is common to man, but you are faithful. It won't bring any temptation that is so great I can't overcome it. You claim hold of the truth because that's when you need it. That's how you learn to walk in victory and to know the power of God over temptation. God, I'm not alone in this and you will guide me. This is not so, I think it's overwhelming. I think there's no hope. I think this habit, I think this idol in my own heart, I think that the world's about to end, but it's not because God, you know that this is not so much that you can't help me to bear it. You would never put me in. Otherwise, God, you're a liar. You hold the promise of this truth. You hold on for all your worth with all the faith that you can muster and God can enable you to have. Now, how many of you know that's a wonderful promise? If that's all there was, that'd be enough. But did you know that God gives us even more? I don't know, you almost think, boy, could God give anything even better than that? Well, yeah, God has something more for us. Would you look at your Bible again? Because God gives us this other promise about temptation. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted, above that you're able, watch this, but will with the temptation. also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. So that while God is bringing you to the temptation, at the very time you're in temptation, God hasn't left you alone. At that very time, God is also providing a way of escape. Here's the promise, write this down. There is never a situation so impossible that God cannot enable you to escape it. There is never a situation so impossible that God cannot enable you to escape it. So with the temptation, God makes a way of escape. This term is... Picture soldiers, and I want you to imagine this, a band of soldiers, and they're stuck in the mountains, and they're trapped by an enemy, and it seems as if there's no way out, but they have found in the midst of these mountains, when there seems to be no way out, they have found a rocky defile, a narrow passage to escape in the rocks. You know, sometimes you get to that point and you just think, oh man, I'm trapped. I'm in a situation that I can't get out of this. I have to yield. I have to give in. And I tell you that God never puts you in a place where you have to sin and have to give in. He always provides a way of escape. And so when you feel trapped, the more trapped you feel and the more you feel like there's no hope for me to overcome temptation, that's when by faith you look around and say, God, what's the way of escape? What's the truth that you bring to me from the word that helps me? I'm yielded to the Holy Spirit. Would you help me to claim that truth? God, what's the way out? What do I need to do? What do I need to say? How do I need to respond? Because God, I know that you'll never put me in a place where I can't escape. This word is also used of sailors. In fact Acts chapter 27 you read about the Apostle Paul was in a shipwreck. They're ready to go down, the whole ship's going down. And the word is used in a form there two times, Acts chapter 27, of lightening the ship. And what happens is if you don't do something, you're gonna go down with the ship, you're gonna sink. And so the sailors take all the cargo and they start throwing things off and they try to lighten the load because they're gonna sink if they have all of this weight holding them back. Do you know that's one of the ways God helps you to overcome? God brings you to temptation. And you realize in the time of temptation, if something doesn't change, I'm going to sink. This thing's taking me down. And then you start to lighten the load and there are things in your life that you say, oh man, I've got to get rid of this. I've got some thought processes that I've got to get rid of. I have wrong thinking. I've got to get rid of this. I've got habits in my life I've got to get rid of. I've got circumstances. I've got to get rid of. I've got some people in my life that are home. I've got to get rid of. I've got to get all the light in my load because if I don't I'm going to sink. You see God wants you to be a winner. He wants you to win. because he wants you to win. There's never a temptation so great that he cannot enable you to bear it. There is never a situation so impossible that he cannot enable you to escape it. So what do you do in your life when you're at that temptation point? You claim the promises of God. Then there is one more truth to turn temptation into triumph that God gives us in this passage. It is the inspiration. about temptation. The inspiration about temptation. It's the only phrase that we have not addressed this morning in this portion of scripture. You'll look at it again. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. And here's the only phrase we've not addressed. But this is the phrase that gives us hope. But God is what, church? Faithful. You see, if it were up to you and up to me, we'd all go down with the ship. We'd all be trapped. If it were up to only our strength and our wisdom and all power, we'd all be in trouble. But we have a God who is faithful and true. And we have a God who, when we are at the place that we are hopeless, his power brings hope. When we're at the place that we're overwhelmed, we have hope because he's faithful. When we are places of doubt, he overcomes. Take heart. God is faithful. You see, he can turn temptation into triumph and gets us all back on track. Well, in this passage, God gives a word of warning, take heed. He gives a word of winning or word about winning, take heart. And then in verse 14, there's one final word. Here it is. It's a word of wisdom. Take action. You can hear the heart of Paul as he's writing to these people who are off track in our time together around the word. In this book, we've learned about the extensive relationship, the personal nature of the relationship with these people. And you can just hear his heart for them in verse 14. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." Oh, remember what Corinth was like? It's like Vegas. Sin City, a city that was overtaken in idolatry. And God brings people in his mercy who lived in such a terrible place who themselves were bound in idolatry, many of them. And he brings them out of idolatry and he liberates them to have a new life in Christ. And he's changing their life. But some in the name of liberty made Christian liberty their new idol. And they were becoming enslaved themselves. And in the process, unintentionally, impacting others in a way that brought them back to slavery. And he says, you've got idols in your life. Flee from idolatry. Now, in our culture, I would guess, and knowing you, I don't know if any of you have a God shelf in your home like it would be in Buddhism. I would doubt that you have idols that you worship, at least statues. other things, tangible idols, but I can promise you this because all of us have to deal with idols. People, desires, things that we worship and we'll sacrifice for them. Oh, we'll sacrifice. But yet, they're above the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives. Do you know what God's word for you is? His word of wisdom? You've got an idol in your life. Flee idolatry, take action. What are you going to need to do? What in your life is going to need to change so that you can know the power of God to win? See if something doesn't change, you're gonna stay on just as you are. So the heart of God, flee from idolatry. So if you're off track, how about if we get on track, all right? Let's get on track, would you stand with me please? As you're standing, heads are bowed, eyes are closed. Now's the time that you're gonna make and seal some decisions in your life. God's already helped you. God's opened your understanding. You see the truth of God's word maybe in a new way to you. You see yourself for where you really are. You might have been bound and not even known it, but now God's opened your understanding and you say, boy, I'm off track. I need to get on track. It could be that you say, boy, I'm on track, but I wanna be wise. There's some things that need to change in my life now. I want God's help and God's power. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I'm gonna tell you, today's the day to take action. It may be that you haven't come to the Lord Jesus Christ, you know about him. but you have never trusted Him to save you from your sin and the penalty of sin in hell, but you need to be saved and only Jesus Christ who died and rose again for you can save you. And today's the day for you to say yes to Jesus Christ and once and for all put your faith in Him and be once and for all saved. Let Him be the Lord and God of your life and save you. Then these, when we have our invitation time, as we do here, give you a chance to respond. There'll be people waiting for you. Just say, I wanna put my trust in Christ. And someone will just take a few minutes and lead you to Jesus Christ. You say, as a follower of the Lord, God's helping me and I want to just take some time with him and ask for his help. It may be that you come to these front steps, these front chairs, and this is your altar before the Lord. You may want someone to pray with you about some things in your life. That's great. But whatever it is, whatever God wants you to do today, take action. And so, Lord, as people have decisions to make in their life, help us, dear God. We thank you for the truth that makes us free. For we pray it in Jesus' name, amen. This altar's available, decisions to make. This is the time. Things to pray about, this is the time. To seek the Lord, this is the time. You come on now.