It has stood the test of time.
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God's Book, the Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw,
great to have you with me.
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In the small town where I
grew up there was a jeweler's
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shop, it was the place where
you could buy a gift or jewelry
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or the place you went
to get your clock or your
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watch fixed - and at
the jeweler's shop they sold
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watches.
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There was always a display
of watches in the store window -
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nice watches.
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Expensive watches -
especially when you're a kid
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of 10 or 11 year-old kid.
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Many times I looked through
the window of that store and
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dreamed about owning one
of those beautiful, grown-up
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watches.
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At about that same time
I had a job as a paperboy.
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I'd load my bicycle with
papers and ride around town
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for an hour or so 6 days
a week delivering between 50
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and 60 newspapers - all
for the princely sum of 6 and 7
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dollars a week.
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Just before 6 o'clock in
the morning Mr. Pharo would open
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up his newsstand
and we'd go to work.
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Early one morning as I
rode along Jesmond Street with
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some time to spare before Mr.
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Pharo opened up I rode by
that jeweler's store window.
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And you'd never believe it
- there was a hole smashed in
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the shop window in the
watch display, and someone had
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stolen some of the watches!
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But most of them
were still there.
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There was no alarm
so nobody was alerted.
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The street was dead
quiet, not a soul anywhere to be
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seen - and a boy of 11 or
12 years old stood inches from
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the very watches he had
long admired and long wanted
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to have.
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I looked around,
and there was nobody.
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And something said, "Take one.
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This is your big chance.
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Nobody will ever know!"
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And you know what I did?
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I actually put my hand
through the hole in that
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window to show myself
that I really could take one of
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those watches if I wanted to.
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And a wrestling match
began - me versus temptation.
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Temptation.
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It's a powerful thing.
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The dictionary I looked
at defined temptation as
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"something that
tempts, entices or allures."
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And we're all challenged by
temptation - on a daily basis.
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And when it overtakes you
the results can be devastating.
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For so many people,
temptation leads to absolute
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ruin, and defeat, and
shame, and loss, and disgrace,
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and pain.
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So what do you do when
you're confronted by temptation?
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Irish writer Oscar Wilde
famously said, "I can resist
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everything except temptation."
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Screen siren Mae West said,
"I generally avoid temptation
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unless I can't resist it."
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And that's cute,
I guess, except that
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temptation's no joke.
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Temptation is Satan's way
of trying to break us down, to
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get us away from the will
of God - because he knows that
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if he can do
that, he's got us, and
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we MAY be LOST eternally.
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Temptation comes in
all shapes and sizes.
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For some people,
it's chocolate or M & Ms
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or hamburgers.
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For others, alcohol
or drugs or cigarettes.
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Some are tempted by
anger, others by lust, some are
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tempted to steal, tempted
by pride, tempted to call in
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sick or tempted to stay out
all night or to waste money.
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I imagine you can
easily think of what tempts you
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most.
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But I'd like you to
keep something in mind today.
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Temptation and sin
are two different things.
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You don't want to think
that being tempted makes you
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guilty of committing sin.
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When someone cuts you off in
traffic and the impulse rises
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to shake your fist and
shout something inappropriate,
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that's not sin.
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That's temptation.
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When you see an attractive
person and something within
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you suggests you take a
lingering second look, that's
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not ásiná either
- that's TEMPTATION.
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But you can see how
temptation is so dangerous.
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All it takes is yielding,
and you're caught in its trap.
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Here's what the Bible
says in James 1:14 & 15.
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The Bible says, But each
one is tempted when he is drawn
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away by his own
desires and enticed.
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Then, when desire has
conceived, it gives birth to
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sin; and sin, when
it is full-grown, brings
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forth death.
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James 1:14, 15
NKJV Nobody ever sinned
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without first being tempted.
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Which means if the person
who sinned had known how to deal
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with temptation - the
sin would never had happened.
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You know how it goes - "I
know I shouldn't but it won't
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hurt me to stop into that
casino just once..." - and
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that one decision
can end in disaster.
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"Hmmm, I know I probably
shouldn't but why don't I
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message that old
boyfriend of mine on Facebook.
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I'll just say hi.
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Nothing more than that."
Two years later the house has
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been sold and visitation
rights are being worked out.
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Temptation draws us, it plays
on our desires, it entices us.
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Temptation stalks us.
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Peter wrote that Satan
walks about as a roaring lion
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seeking who he can devour.
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That's how
dangerous temptation is.
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It separates us from the will
of God - it separates us from
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righteousness and
holiness, that is, IF WE LET IT.
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So what do you do
when you're tempted?
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How can you overcome temptation?
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Today, let's look at examples
of people in the Bible who
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were tempted, at what God
says about temptation, and
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see if we can figure out how
to experience victory and not
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defeat when temptation comes.
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Oh - and what did I do when
I was a young boy tempted to
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steal a beautiful new watch?
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I'll tell you in just a moment.
00:06:19.80\00:06:23.80
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says "It is written 'Man
00:06:23.80\00:06:27.73
shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
00:06:27.73\00:06:30.66
proceeds out of the mouth
of God'." Every Word is a one
00:06:30.66\00:06:34.73
minute Bible-based
daily devotional presented by
00:06:34.73\00:06:37.66
Pastor John Bradshaw and
designed especially for busy
00:06:37.66\00:06:40.30
people like you.
00:06:40.30\00:06:41.90
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
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on-line everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:06:44.80\00:06:49.06
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
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Watch Every Word.
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You'll be glad you did.
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t Is Written is dedicated to
sharing the gospel around the
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world.
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To discover more about It
Is Written, I invite you to
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visit our website:
itiswritten.com and browse
00:07:03.50\00:07:06.03
the dozens of pages that
describe what we do and how
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we do it.
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Let' get to know
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Visit our website
itiswritten.com today.
00:07:13.13\00:07:17.23
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:07:17.23\00:07:19.56
Today we're talking about
something that's a fact of
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our daily lives, something
that brings destruction to
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lives, ruin to homes
and chaos to marriages.
00:07:24.50\00:07:28.86
Temptation.
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Well - it isn't the
temptation itself that ruins
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lives and homes and
marriages, but the way we
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often respond to it.
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So, how should we
respond to temptation?
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I mentioned a few minutes ago
that when I was a boy I had a
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golden opportunity to
steal a beautiful watch.
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That temptation was ástrongá
- in the end, I couldn't
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bring myself to take it.
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I knew it was wrong, and
besides - how would I explain
00:07:52.46\00:07:56.10
to my father where this
beautiful new watch had come
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from, a watch that
coincidentally would've
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turned up on my wrist the
day the jeweler's store was
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burgled?
00:08:03.66\00:08:05.20
I got rode my bike across
the street to Mr. Pharo's store
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and he called the
police and that was that.
00:08:08.40\00:08:11.66
Now I wish I could say I
always dealt with temptation
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like that.
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But that's not always the case.
00:08:15.10\00:08:17.50
Think of how temptation
works in the lives of people and
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how it so often brings people
to do completely irrational
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things.
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Temptation leads
people to become slaves to the
00:08:24.26\00:08:26.46
substances that tempt them.
00:08:26.46\00:08:28.76
Temptation can be tough stuff.
00:08:28.76\00:08:34.16
But you know that before this
program is over, I'm going to
00:08:34.16\00:08:36.16
share with you some key tools
that are temptation busters -
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some tools that will help
you get over temptation, tools
00:08:41.53\00:08:43.83
that will help you find
strength in the moment of
00:08:43.83\00:08:46.93
temptation.
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Temptation doesn't
have to ruin your life.
00:08:48.56\00:08:51.70
One thing about temptation
is that it's everywhere these
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days.
00:08:54.36\00:08:55.53
Once up on a time there
were certain sins you had to go
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out looking for, but now
you can pull them up on your
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computer screen without
even leaving your house - nobody
00:09:01.36\00:09:04.80
knows.
00:09:04.80\00:09:06.63
And society seems to
encourage sin like never
00:09:06.63\00:09:09.03
before.
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Have what you want.
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Have áwhoá you want.
00:09:11.16\00:09:12.30
Bad behavior is often
rewarded with celebrity and
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fame.
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Sin is applauded.
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I saw a billboard advertising
a nightclub and the billboard
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said, "Just the right
amount of wrong." Sin is cool.
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Temptation's everywhere.
00:09:25.86\00:09:29.20
So what do you do?
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Let's look at some case studies.
00:09:30.96\00:09:32.46
Come with me all the
way back to the beginning.
00:09:32.46\00:09:36.23
Adam and Eve had been placed
into the Garden of Eden by a
00:09:36.23\00:09:38.60
loving God.
00:09:38.60\00:09:40.33
As long as they obeyed God,
the enemy couldn't harm them.
00:09:40.33\00:09:43.80
But Satan knew that if
they yielded to temptation it
00:09:43.80\00:09:47.03
would corrupt them and cause
separation between them and
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God.
00:09:49.56\00:09:50.50
Now Satan couldn't FORCE Adam
and Eve to sin, but he could
00:09:50.50\00:09:54.86
TEMPT them.
00:09:54.86\00:09:57.03
He could allure
them, he could entice them.
00:09:57.03\00:10:01.00
He could cloak sin in a
covering that would make it
00:10:01.00\00:10:02.83
seem too good to refuse.
00:10:02.83\00:10:04.20
So while Eve was in the
Garden of Eden, Satan spoke
00:10:04.20\00:10:06.33
to her.
00:10:06.33\00:10:07.30
Using a beautiful snake as
a medium - and remember, this
00:10:07.30\00:10:10.83
was way back then, before
people were afraid of snakes
00:10:10.83\00:10:14.46
- Satan said this ...we look
in Geneses 3, "Has God indeed
00:10:14.46\00:10:20.10
said, You shall not eat
of every tree of the Garden?"
00:10:20.10\00:10:24.96
Remember - God told Adam and
Eve not to eat the fruit that
00:10:24.96\00:10:27.83
grew on the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
00:10:27.83\00:10:30.70
And they could only be
happy as they stayed in harmony
00:10:30.70\00:10:32.83
with God.
00:10:32.83\00:10:33.60
And now - they're being tempted.
00:10:33.60\00:10:37.16
Eve made a crucial mistake:
she lingered, instead of
00:10:37.16\00:10:41.73
fleeing temptation.
00:10:41.73\00:10:43.90
And curious, she engaged
the devil in a discussion.
00:10:43.90\00:10:50.20
And she said to the serpent
in Genesis 3:2 and 3, We may
00:10:50.20\00:10:55.03
eat the fruit of the trees
of the garden; but of the fruit
00:10:55.03\00:11:00.76
of the tree which is in the
midst of the garden, God has
00:11:00.76\00:11:04.86
said, 'You shall not eat
it, nor shall you touch it, lest
00:11:04.86\00:11:07.63
you die.
00:11:07.63\00:11:08.43
Genesis 3:2, 3 NKJV
So Eve knew the score.
00:11:08.43\00:11:13.70
She knew God's will and
she knew what was at stake.
00:11:13.70\00:11:16.00
And that's when the
devil upped the ante.
00:11:16.00\00:11:18.46
Verses 4 through 6.
00:11:18.46\00:11:19.63
He said to Eve, You
will not surely die.
00:11:19.63\00:11:21.93
For God knows that in the
day you eat of it your eyes will
00:11:21.93\00:11:24.00
be opened, and you will
be like God, knowing good and
00:11:24.00\00:11:26.73
evil." So when the woman
saw that the tree was good for
00:11:26.73\00:11:29.13
food, that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree
00:11:29.13\00:11:34.43
desirable to make one
wise, she took of its fruit and
00:11:34.43\00:11:37.93
ate.
00:11:37.93\00:11:39.43
She also gave to her
husband with her, and he ate.
00:11:39.43\00:11:43.66
Genesis 3:4-6
NKJV And that was that.
00:11:43.66\00:11:48.90
They ate - and sin came
into the world, with all its
00:11:48.90\00:11:52.36
attendant misery.
00:11:52.36\00:11:53.96
And its easy to criticize
them for eating the fruit - I
00:11:53.96\00:11:56.13
mean, a talking snake?!
00:11:56.13\00:11:59.23
And it's easy to criticize
them for eating the fruit.
00:11:59.23\00:12:03.33
I mean, a talking snake!
00:12:03.33\00:12:04.23
What Eve SHOULD
have done seems obvious.
00:12:04.23\00:12:06.00
But it can't be that simple
or you and I would do it all
00:12:06.00\00:12:07.13
the time and we'd
never fall into sin.
00:12:07.13\00:12:09.16
What should Eve have done?
00:12:09.16\00:12:10.26
First, she should
have called to God.
00:12:10.26\00:12:12.56
Second, she should not
have lingered in the presence of
00:12:12.56\00:12:15.40
temptation.
00:12:15.40\00:12:17.60
Eve allowed herself to
be "beguiled" as Paul writes
00:12:17.60\00:12:21.03
later in the Bible -
enchanted, or tricked.
00:12:21.03\00:12:24.93
Now some lessons for us.
00:12:24.93\00:12:26.66
When temptation comes,
call on God, right away.
00:12:26.66\00:12:29.16
Pray!
00:12:29.16\00:12:31.40
And, don't linger
don't hang around it.
00:12:31.40\00:12:34.46
When the enemy comes
calling, close the avenue of
00:12:34.46\00:12:37.26
communication.
00:12:37.26\00:12:38.36
If it's something on a
computer or a TV, pray and
00:12:38.36\00:12:40.86
turn it off.
00:12:40.86\00:12:42.90
If it's a person driving
you nuts, pray and if possible,
00:12:42.90\00:12:45.93
get out of there.
00:12:45.93\00:12:47.86
Eve hung around the
temptation when she should
00:12:47.86\00:12:49.83
have fled the temptation.
00:12:49.83\00:12:52.80
And we're still paying
the price for her indiscretion
00:12:52.80\00:12:54.93
today.
00:12:54.93\00:12:56.56
I think we both know
temptation is a powerful
00:12:56.56\00:12:59.36
thing.
00:12:59.36\00:13:01.06
An image on a billboard,
a drink in a glass, an
00:13:01.06\00:13:04.76
attractive face or the chance
to get easy money - powerful
00:13:04.76\00:13:08.93
temptations, for
all kinds of reasons.
00:13:08.93\00:13:12.70
In a moment, we'll look
at two people and how they
00:13:12.70\00:13:16.30
reacted - very differently
- to temptation when it came.
00:13:16.30\00:13:20.03
And I am going to give
you three tools for beating
00:13:20.03\00:13:23.03
temptation?
00:13:23.03\00:13:24.26
We'll have them next.
00:13:24.26\00:13:26.93
??????? There's
a man in the office
00:13:26.93\00:13:47.90
where I work who says he is
a Christian and when he meets a
00:13:47.90\00:13:51.53
new person he always
asks them if they are saved.
00:13:51.53\00:13:55.83
It kind of irritates me.
00:13:55.83\00:13:58.30
Most of the people respond
by saying they don't know.
00:13:58.30\00:14:01.66
So how does somebody
know if they are saved or not?
00:14:01.66\00:14:04.10
Great question.
00:14:04.10\00:14:07.70
Let's get our
definitions straight first.
00:14:07.70\00:14:10.30
When someone says they are
'saved', what they're saying
00:14:10.30\00:14:12.93
is they are in a saving
relationship with Jesus.
00:14:12.93\00:14:16.03
They have put their faith
and trust in Him, their sins are
00:14:16.03\00:14:18.50
forgiven, they're
living daily connected to Him -
00:14:18.50\00:14:20.90
they're 'saved'.
00:14:20.90\00:14:23.46
That is, if Jesus were to
return right then, they would
00:14:23.46\00:14:26.60
be certain that they'd go
to heaven because they have
00:14:26.60\00:14:30.06
chosen Jesus as
their Lord and Saviour.
00:14:30.06\00:14:31.70
The Bible says this.
00:14:31.70\00:14:33.60
"God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten
00:14:33.60\00:14:36.10
Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but
00:14:36.10\00:14:40.86
have everlasting life."
00:14:40.86\00:14:42.40
That's John 3:16.
00:14:42.40\00:14:44.80
If you believe in Jesus -
and that means more than just to
00:14:44.80\00:14:47.40
give a mental assent, it
means to have given your life
00:14:47.40\00:14:49.90
completely to Him - if you
believe in Jesus then you can
00:14:49.90\00:14:53.30
know that God has given
you the gift of eternal life.
00:14:53.30\00:14:56.40
In 1 John 5:12 John writes,
"He that hath the Son hath
00:14:56.40\00:15:00.76
life, and He that hath not
the Son of God hath not life"
00:15:00.76\00:15:05.06
If you have Jesus in
your life, if you are given to
00:15:05.06\00:15:09.03
Him, you have life
- everlasting life.
00:15:09.03\00:15:12.76
Then in verse 13 John writes,
"These things have I written
00:15:12.76\00:15:16.53
unto you that believe on
the name of the Son of God; that
00:15:16.53\00:15:20.86
ye may know that ye have
eternal life, and that ye may
00:15:20.86\00:15:24.50
believe on the name of
the Son of God." Now did you
00:15:24.50\00:15:27.93
catch that?
00:15:27.93\00:15:28.90
"That you may know you
have eternal life." A person
00:15:28.90\00:15:32.66
doesn't need to be in doubt.
00:15:32.66\00:15:34.40
If you've accepted Jesus and
given your life completely to
00:15:34.40\00:15:37.76
Him completely, you can
believe that God has accepted
00:15:37.76\00:15:40.43
you and that
eternal life is yours.
00:15:40.43\00:15:43.66
God wants you to
have that assurance.
00:15:43.66\00:15:46.26
Now, He doesn't want you
to be presumptuous - you don't
00:15:46.26\00:15:48.83
want to go around believing
you're going home to heaven
00:15:48.83\00:15:50.83
one day if you're not
living a life connected to God.
00:15:50.83\00:15:54.93
But if you have chosen Jesus,
if you have repented, if you
00:15:54.93\00:15:58.03
are prepared to believe
God's promises to you - then you
00:15:58.03\00:16:02.60
can know that
eternal life is really yours.
00:16:02.60\00:16:05.90
If you have a question
you'd like answered, go to our
00:16:05.90\00:16:08.13
website - www.itiswritten.com
and click on the QUESTIONS tab.
00:16:08.13\00:16:12.43
Submit your question, and
in a future program we might be
00:16:12.43\00:16:14.93
able to answer
your question too.
00:16:14.93\00:16:18.26
If you have a Bible question
for pastor John Bradshaw,
00:16:18.26\00:16:21.20
please write to It Is
Written, Box O, Thousand
00:16:21.20\00:16:25.20
Oaks, California
91359 or visit our website
00:16:25.20\00:16:28.23
itiswritten.com and send
us your questions on-line.
00:16:28.23\00:16:33.30
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:16:33.30\00:16:34.73
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:16:34.73\00:16:36.80
In a few minutes I'm going
to offer you a free resource to
00:16:36.80\00:16:39.13
help you deal with temptation.
00:16:39.13\00:16:41.53
I hope you'll get that
information so I can send
00:16:41.53\00:16:43.43
this free resource to you.
00:16:43.43\00:16:45.03
Right now, let's look at
two people who were faced with
00:16:45.03\00:16:48.10
the same temptation, and
who handled it very differently.
00:16:48.10\00:16:52.60
One, successfully, and
the other, disastrously.
00:16:52.60\00:16:58.60
In 2 Samuel 11 you read these
words: Then it happened one
00:16:58.60\00:17:09.63
evening that David arose
from his bed and walked on the
00:17:09.63\00:17:11.63
roof of the king's house.
00:17:11.63\00:17:13.93
And from the roof he saw a
woman bathing, and the woman
00:17:13.93\00:17:16.63
was very beautiful to behold.
00:17:16.63\00:17:19.26
2 Samuel 11:2 NKJV Now let
me ask you - has David done
00:17:19.26\00:17:23.83
anything wrong here?
00:17:23.83\00:17:25.46
Anything sinful?
00:17:25.46\00:17:26.30
Anything immoral?
00:17:26.30\00:17:27.46
The answer is, No he hasn't.
00:17:27.46\00:17:28.40
He's out walking one evening
- no sin there - and he sees
00:17:28.40\00:17:30.33
a beautiful woman.
00:17:30.33\00:17:31.50
Maybe he couldn't help that.
00:17:31.50\00:17:33.33
But something takes place here.
00:17:33.33\00:17:35.00
He's tempted.
00:17:35.00\00:17:36.83
He has seen something
he likes - frankly, it's
00:17:36.83\00:17:39.93
something he was created
to appreciate - in the right
00:17:39.93\00:17:42.70
context, of course.
00:17:42.70\00:17:44.53
And when something within
David said to him, "This is
00:17:44.53\00:17:47.56
good!" David didn't react
in the way he should have.
00:17:47.56\00:17:52.50
He was tempted.
00:17:52.50\00:17:53.83
But then he started to
imagine what it would be
00:17:53.83\00:17:56.83
like to...
00:17:56.83\00:17:58.23
get to know this woman better.
00:17:58.23\00:18:00.56
As James wrote, "he was
drawn away of his own lusts, and
00:18:00.56\00:18:04.90
enticed." The Bible says that
David sent and inquired about
00:18:04.90\00:18:11.10
the woman.
00:18:11.10\00:18:13.30
Now, let me ask you:
anything wrong with that?
00:18:13.30\00:18:17.03
Was inquiring about the
woman contravening any societal
00:18:17.03\00:18:19.60
conventions?
00:18:19.60\00:18:20.96
Strictly speaking, No!
00:18:20.96\00:18:22.36
Nothing wrong with
asking who a person was.
00:18:22.36\00:18:24.80
You do it.
00:18:24.80\00:18:27.50
But what was David really doing?
00:18:27.50\00:18:29.86
He was opening the door
to temptation, wasn't he?
00:18:29.86\00:18:32.40
Now he was on dangerous ground.
00:18:32.40\00:18:35.96
We read this in 2 Samuel 11,
And someone said, Is this not
00:18:35.96\00:18:39.73
Bathsheba, the daughter
of Eliam, the wife of Uriah
00:18:39.73\00:18:42.86
the Hittite?
00:18:42.86\00:18:44.36
2 Samuel 11:3 NKJV
No, David, don't do it.
00:18:44.36\00:18:47.83
You're already married,
she's married, this just isn't
00:18:47.83\00:18:51.73
necessary.
00:18:51.73\00:18:52.70
Put the idea out of your mind.
00:18:52.70\00:18:54.86
Pray, go back to your
room, read a good book...
00:18:54.86\00:18:59.13
This isn't going to
lead to anything good.
00:18:59.13\00:19:02.06
Verse 4 says, Then David sent
messengers, and took her; and
00:19:02.06\00:19:06.90
she came to him.
00:19:06.90\00:19:08.06
2 Samuel 11:4 NKJV ...
00:19:08.06\00:19:09.33
and...
00:19:09.33\00:19:11.13
so on.
00:19:11.13\00:19:12.76
By the time this thing was
over, David had committed a
00:19:12.76\00:19:14.90
litany of terrible
sins - adultery, dishonesty,
00:19:14.90\00:19:17.46
murder...
00:19:17.46\00:19:19.83
Judgment came swiftly.
00:19:19.83\00:19:21.40
What a mess.
00:19:21.40\00:19:22.90
But if he had handled that
temptation better, it would
00:19:22.90\00:19:25.63
have all been different.
00:19:25.63\00:19:27.30
What should David have done?
00:19:27.30\00:19:29.86
To find that out, look at
someone who found himself in
00:19:29.86\00:19:32.40
a similar situation.
00:19:32.40\00:19:34.13
Joseph had been unjustly
sold as a slave to Egypt.
00:19:34.13\00:19:38.56
He might have been tempted
to think that God had forsaken
00:19:38.56\00:19:40.76
him.
00:19:40.76\00:19:42.16
The man who purchased him
made Joseph the ruler over
00:19:42.16\00:19:45.06
his entire household.
00:19:45.06\00:19:46.26
The man's wife decides
that this handsome young man (as
00:19:46.26\00:19:49.70
the Bible describes him) is
her cup of tea, and she acts
00:19:49.70\00:19:53.30
on her desires.
00:19:53.30\00:19:56.30
Genesis 39:7, the Bible says
this, His master's wife cast
00:19:56.30\00:20:03.96
her eyes upon Joseph;
and she said, Lie with me.
00:20:03.96\00:20:08.86
Genesis 39:7 KJV Temptation?
00:20:08.86\00:20:12.60
(Nodding...) I'm not trying
to say Joseph welcomed it,
00:20:12.60\00:20:16.43
but it was certainly
a temptation for him.
00:20:16.43\00:20:19.20
So what did he do?
00:20:19.20\00:20:21.36
But he refused and said to
his master's wife, "Look, my
00:20:21.36\00:20:25.20
master does not know what
is with me in the house, and he
00:20:25.20\00:20:28.06
has committed all
that he has to my hand.
00:20:28.06\00:20:32.16
9 There is no one greater in
this house than I, nor has he
00:20:32.16\00:20:35.16
kept back anything from me
but you, because you are his
00:20:35.16\00:20:39.06
wife.
00:20:39.06\00:20:41.13
Genesis 38:8-9 NKJV
Joseph was moved by a sense of
00:20:41.13\00:20:43.60
right, and a sense
of duty and loyalty.
00:20:43.60\00:20:47.20
He was governed by
principle rather than desire.
00:20:47.20\00:20:50.03
He said to the temptress,
"How then can I do this great
00:20:50.03\00:20:53.66
wickedness, and sin against
God?" Genesis 39:9 Moved by
00:20:53.66\00:20:59.36
honor for God, Joseph
wouldn't cave in to the
00:20:59.36\00:21:02.23
temptation.
00:21:02.23\00:21:04.10
So the woman started
coming on to Joseph every day.
00:21:04.10\00:21:07.90
And he ástillá didn't cave.
00:21:07.90\00:21:09.53
Joseph made God's desires
more important than his own.
00:21:09.53\00:21:13.10
In the short term he
paid a terrible price.
00:21:13.10\00:21:15.43
But God says, "Them that
honor me I will honor." And
00:21:15.43\00:21:19.53
Joseph became second only
to Pharaoh in the greatest
00:21:19.53\00:21:22.10
kingdom in the world.
00:21:22.10\00:21:25.16
Temptation didn't have to
bring down David, but it did.
00:21:25.16\00:21:28.13
When the door of temptation
right there before him, he
00:21:28.13\00:21:33.30
walked clear through.
00:21:33.30\00:21:35.20
Joseph, on the other
hand, slammed the door shut.
00:21:35.20\00:21:38.23
Joseph decided ahead of time
that by God's grace he would
00:21:38.23\00:21:41.40
honor God in what He did.
00:21:41.40\00:21:43.30
And God honored him for that.
00:21:43.30\00:21:45.50
Alright now - let me give
you three Cs for dealing with
00:21:45.50\00:21:50.03
temptation.
00:21:50.03\00:21:51.43
And I'm telling you, his
can revolutionize your life.
00:21:51.43\00:21:55.46
1 - Call on God.
00:21:55.46\00:21:59.30
That means pray.
00:21:59.30\00:22:00.80
Eve evidently didn't do that.
00:22:00.80\00:22:02.03
Neither did David.
00:22:02.03\00:22:03.43
In the midst of their
temptation, if they had
00:22:03.43\00:22:05.63
called on God and asked for
guidance and strength, things
00:22:05.63\00:22:08.26
would have turned
out a lot different.
00:22:08.26\00:22:10.10
It's mighty hard to pray
and sin at the same time.
00:22:10.10\00:22:12.10
And C, No.
00:22:12.10\00:22:14.00
2 2 - Trust Completely.
00:22:14.00\00:22:18.13
James said this in James 4:7.
00:22:18.13\00:22:20.40
Therefore submit to God.
00:22:20.40\00:22:27.26
Resist the devil and he
will flee from you (NKJV).
00:22:27.26\00:22:32.40
See, what that means is
that God has said you can be
00:22:32.40\00:22:34.63
victorious.
00:22:34.63\00:22:35.43
You don't have to fall.
00:22:35.43\00:22:37.60
This idea, this "I guess I'm
just too weak...You might be,
00:22:37.60\00:22:42.66
but God is strong.
00:22:42.66\00:22:45.36
He can keep you.
00:22:45.36\00:22:46.86
If you resist the devil while
submitting to God, the devil
00:22:46.86\00:22:50.46
will flee.
00:22:50.46\00:22:52.23
God said so.
00:22:52.23\00:22:53.96
How do I know that?
00:22:53.96\00:22:54.50
Because God has said so.
00:22:54.50\00:22:57.10
And C, No.
00:22:57.10\00:22:58.76
3 3 - Claim God's Promises.
00:22:58.76\00:23:01.70
Here's a powerful verse.
00:23:01.70\00:23:04.43
1 Corinthians 10:13,
here's what the Bible says, No
00:23:04.43\00:23:10.63
temptation has overtaken
you except such as is common to
00:23:10.63\00:23:13.93
man; but God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be
00:23:13.93\00:23:18.16
tempted beyond what you are
able, but with the temptation
00:23:18.16\00:23:21.90
will also make the way of
escape, that you may be able
00:23:21.90\00:23:24.93
to bear it.
00:23:24.93\00:23:29.03
Gather up the promises
of God, so that when you're
00:23:29.03\00:23:31.66
tempted by impurity you can
say, Blessed are the pure in
00:23:31.66\00:23:34.73
heart, for they shall see God.
00:23:34.73\00:23:37.16
Matthew 5:8 NKJV.
00:23:37.16\00:23:39.16
Or, you might say, I will
set nothing wicked before my
00:23:39.16\00:23:42.56
eyes.
00:23:42.56\00:23:43.63
Psalm 101:3 NKJV.
00:23:43.63\00:23:44.40
Or you could claim 2 Peter
2:9 whatever the temptation
00:23:44.40\00:23:47.96
is you find yourself
beset by, 2 Peter 2:9, The Lord
00:23:47.96\00:23:54.96
knows how to deliver the
godly out of temptations.
00:23:54.96\00:23:59.83
That's what the Bible says
in 2 Peter 2:9 NKJV You don't
00:23:59.83\00:24:03.53
have to fall
when temptation comes.
00:24:03.53\00:24:06.46
No, I'm not
suggesting this is easy.
00:24:06.46\00:24:08.66
It is simple -
but not always easy.
00:24:08.66\00:24:10.76
Temptation can be a struggle,
but if you'll take it to God
00:24:10.76\00:24:14.43
every time, you can know
that God will deliver you.
00:24:14.43\00:24:19.00
Remember that line
in the Lord's Prayer?
00:24:19.00\00:24:21.06
"Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."
00:24:21.06\00:24:23.56
It's real.
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.63
God will deliver you.
00:24:25.63\00:24:27.30
Remember those Three C's,
C #1, Call on God, C#2, Trust
00:24:27.30\00:24:32.63
Completely in God, and
C#3, Claim God's promises.
00:24:32.63\00:24:40.23
God will give you victory.
00:24:40.23\00:24:42.80
This can
revolutionize your life.
00:24:42.80\00:24:45.56
You know, a big key to
being victorious in the face of
00:24:45.56\00:24:47.86
temptation is relying on
the word of God, especially the
00:24:47.86\00:24:50.56
promises of God.
00:24:50.56\00:24:52.43
I want to offer you something
that will help you in your
00:24:52.43\00:24:54.40
battle with temptation.
00:24:54.40\00:24:55.73
It's a little book called,
"God's Promises." Powerful
00:24:55.73\00:24:59.03
promises to help you
when temptation comes.
00:24:59.03\00:25:01.53
Just call or write and
I'll send you "God's Promises".
00:25:01.53\00:25:04.90
There's no cost or obligation.
00:25:04.90\00:25:07.16
It's absolutely free.
00:25:07.16\00:25:08.00
Just call this number,
1-800-253-3000, ask for
00:25:08.00\00:25:12.66
"God's Promises".
00:25:12.66\00:25:14.30
You can call 24 hours a day.
00:25:14.30\00:25:15.60
If the lines are
busy, please keep on trying.
00:25:15.60\00:25:20.33
You can also request your
free copy of "God's Promises"
00:25:20.33\00:25:22.73
by writing to: It Is Written,
Box O, Thousand Oaks, CA
00:25:22.73\00:25:26.36
91359, and we will mail
a copy to your address in
00:25:26.36\00:25:31.80
North America.
00:25:31.80\00:25:32.66
Please note, this free
book is limited to the supply on
00:25:32.66\00:25:35.56
hand.
00:25:35.56\00:25:36.66
For immediate access, you
can download a FREE electronic
00:25:36.66\00:25:40.56
version of this book
God's Promises from our website:
00:25:40.56\00:25:43.46
itiswritten.com It Is Written
is a faith-based ministry
00:25:43.46\00:25:45.66
made possible by
viewers like you.
00:25:45.66\00:25:49.20
I want to say Thank you
to you for your continued
00:25:49.20\00:25:51.66
support of It Is Written.
00:25:51.66\00:25:52.20
To support the worldwide
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00:25:52.20\00:25:54.56
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00:25:56.36\00:25:59.40
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00:25:59.40\00:26:02.03
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00:26:02.03\00:26:06.30
Our toll-free
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00:26:06.30\00:26:09.70
And our web address
is: itiswritten.com.
00:26:09.70\00:26:15.46
I'd like to pray with you
right now and ask that God
00:26:15.46\00:26:17.23
would strengthen you in
your battle against temptation,
00:26:17.23\00:26:19.86
whatever that temptation is.
00:26:19.86\00:26:21.76
Let's pray.
00:26:21.76\00:26:24.50
Our Father in heaven,
we thank you that you have
00:26:24.50\00:26:26.96
promised that you will
give us a way of escape.
00:26:26.96\00:26:29.73
Oh Lord, in our lives day
by day, temptation comes and
00:26:29.73\00:26:33.66
before we know what has
happened, we find that we
00:26:33.66\00:26:38.03
have fallen when we
did not want to fall.
00:26:38.03\00:26:39.86
I pray that you would help
us in the midst of temptation to
00:26:39.86\00:26:43.23
call on you, to pray, to
trust completely in you, to
00:26:43.23\00:26:46.70
believe that you can deliver
us and to claim your promises
00:26:46.70\00:26:49.66
knowing there is
power in your word.
00:26:49.66\00:26:52.80
Lord, as we pray in the
Lord's prayer, lead us not
00:26:52.80\00:26:56.30
into temptation, but
deliver us from evil.
00:26:56.30\00:26:59.66
Let that be our
experience, we pray.
00:26:59.66\00:27:02.36
There are some people
right now, someone right now who
00:27:02.36\00:27:04.66
knows they are in
a terrible struggle.
00:27:04.66\00:27:07.00
Oh Lord, bring deliverance
to that person and let them find
00:27:07.00\00:27:09.03
strength in you.
00:27:09.03\00:27:11.36
I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
00:27:11.36\00:27:14.93
???????? Thanks
for joining me today.
00:27:14.93\00:27:43.83
I look forward to
seeing you next time.
00:27:43.83\00:27:45.73
Until then, remember, It
is written, man shall not live
00:27:45.73\00:27:49.40
by bread alone but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:49.40\00:27:53.20
mouth of God.
00:27:53.20\00:27:54.43