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
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or your watch fixed -
and at the jeweler's shop
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they sold 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
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and 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.
00:01:08.50\00:01:11.66
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 and 60
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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
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would open 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
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of 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
00:02:40.36\00:02:42.93
as "something that
tempts, entices or allures."
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And we're all
challenged by temptation
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- 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
00:03:19.36\00:03:21.43
temptation's no joke.
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Temptation is Satan's way
of trying to break us down,
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to 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 we MAY
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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
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in 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.
00:04:17.23\00:04:18.20
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 "sin" either
- that's TEMPTATION.
00:04:26.80\00:04:30.63
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 sin;
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and sin, when it is
full-grown, brings 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.
00:05:08.10\00:05:11.60
You know how it goes - "I know
I shouldn't but it won't hurt
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me to stop into that
casino just once..." -
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and that one
decision can end in disaster.
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"Hmmm, I know I
probably shouldn't but why don't
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I 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."
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Two years later the house
has been sold and visitation
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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.
00:05:38.96\00:05:40.83
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.
00:05:45.10\00:05:48.33
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.
00:05:51.36\00:05:56.10
So what do you do
when you're tempted?
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How can you overcome temptation?
00:05:59.06\00:06:01.96
Today, let's look at examples
of people in the Bible who
00:06:01.96\00:06:05.96
were tempted, at what God
says about temptation, and see
00:06:05.96\00:06:09.30
if we can figure out how
to experience victory and not
00:06:09.30\00:06:12.23
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?
00:06:18.26\00:06:19.83
I'll tell you in just a moment.
00:06:19.83\00:06:23.83
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says "It is written 'Man
00:06:23.83\00:06:27.76
shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
00:06:27.76\00:06:30.70
proceeds out of the mouth
of God'." Every Word is a one
00:06:30.70\00:06:34.76
minute Bible-based daily
devotional presented by Pastor
00:06:34.76\00:06:37.70
John Bradshaw and
designed especially for busy
00:06:37.70\00:06:40.33
people like you.
00:06:40.33\00:06:41.93
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:06:41.93\00:06:44.83
on-line everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:06:44.83\00:06:49.10
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:06:49.10\00:06:51.70
Watch Every Word.
00:06:51.70\00:06:52.33
You'll be glad you did.
00:06:52.33\00:06:53.86
Here's a sample
00:06:53.86\00:06:55.60
What a great
example Jacob gave us.
00:07:04.73\00:07:06.93
He'd made plenty of mistakes
but late one night he wrestled
00:07:06.93\00:07:09.33
with God and said to
God in Genesis 32:26,
00:07:09.33\00:07:12.53
"I will not let you
go unless you bless me."
00:07:12.53\00:07:14.80
Now there's the right attitude.
00:07:14.80\00:07:16.90
"Lord, I must have your blessing
and I'm going to hang on
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to you until I get it."
00:07:19.93\00:07:21.73
You can pray that way:
"Lord, I must be delivered,
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I have to know your
will, I have to have your power
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in my life."
00:07:26.76\00:07:27.53
Jacob showed us
what to do when you fall.
00:07:27.53\00:07:29.76
Instead of running
FROM God he ran TO God.
00:07:29.76\00:07:33.16
Instead of giving up he took
hold of God believing that God
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was willing and able to bless.
00:07:36.10\00:07:37.66
Don't let your falls
and failures keep you
00:07:37.66\00:07:41.66
away from God.
00:07:41.66\00:07:42.50
Be like Jacob - knowing he
had made mistakes he took hold
00:07:42.50\00:07:45.50
of God, and
wouldn't let go until God
00:07:45.50\00:07:47.66
had blessed him.
00:07:47.66\00:07:49.00
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:07:49.00\00:07:50.43
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:07:50.43\00:07:54.30
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Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:08:54.56\00:08:56.23
Today we're talking
about something that's a fact
00:08:56.23\00:08:57.83
of our daily lives, something
that brings destruction
00:08:57.83\00:09:01.60
to lives, ruin to
homes and chaos to marriages.
00:09:01.60\00:09:05.96
Temptation.
00:09:05.96\00:09:07.16
Well - it isn't the
temptation itself that ruins
00:09:07.16\00:09:09.50
lives and homes and
marriages, but the way we often
00:09:09.50\00:09:12.23
respond to it.
00:09:12.23\00:09:13.96
So, how should we
respond to temptation?
00:09:13.96\00:09:17.20
I mentioned a few minutes
ago that when I was a boy I had
00:09:17.20\00:09:19.76
a golden opportunity to
steal a beautiful watch.
00:09:19.76\00:09:22.90
That temptation was "strong"
- in the end, I couldn't
00:09:22.90\00:09:27.86
bring myself to take it.
00:09:27.86\00:09:29.56
I knew it was wrong, and
besides - how would I explain
00:09:29.56\00:09:33.20
to my father where this
beautiful new watch had come
00:09:33.20\00:09:35.86
from, a watch that
coincidentally would've
00:09:35.86\00:09:38.00
turned up on my wrist the
day the jeweler's store was
00:09:38.00\00:09:40.70
burgled?
00:09:40.70\00:09:42.23
I got rode my bike across
the street to Mr. Pharo's store
00:09:42.23\00:09:45.43
and he called the
police and that was that.
00:09:45.43\00:09:48.70
Now I wish I
could say I always dealt
00:09:48.70\00:09:50.96
with temptation like that.
00:09:50.96\00:09:52.13
But that's not always the case.
00:09:52.13\00:09:54.53
Think of how temptation
works in the lives of people and
00:09:54.53\00:09:57.53
how it so often brings
people to do completely
00:09:57.53\00:09:59.20
irrational things.
00:09:59.20\00:10:01.30
Temptation leads
people to become slaves to
00:10:01.30\00:10:03.50
the substances that tempt them.
00:10:03.50\00:10:05.80
Temptation can be tough stuff.
00:10:05.80\00:10:11.20
But you know that before
this program is over, I'm going
00:10:11.20\00:10:13.20
to share with you some key tools
that are temptation busters -
00:10:13.20\00:10:18.56
some tools that will help
you get over temptation, tools
00:10:18.56\00:10:20.86
that will help you
find strength in the moment
00:10:20.86\00:10:23.96
of temptation.
00:10:23.96\00:10:25.60
Temptation doesn't
have to ruin your life.
00:10:25.60\00:10:28.73
One thing about temptation
is that it's everywhere these
00:10:28.73\00:10:31.40
days.
00:10:31.40\00:10:32.56
Once up on a time there
were certain sins you had to go
00:10:32.56\00:10:34.13
out looking for, but now
you can pull them up on your
00:10:34.13\00:10:38.33
computer screen without
even leaving your house - nobody
00:10:38.33\00:10:41.76
knows.
00:10:41.76\00:10:43.60
And society seems to
encourage sin like never
00:10:43.60\00:10:46.00
before.
00:10:46.00\00:10:47.06
Have what you want.
00:10:47.06\00:10:48.13
Have "who" you want.
00:10:48.13\00:10:49.26
Bad behavior is often
rewarded with celebrity
00:10:49.26\00:10:52.50
and fame.
00:10:52.50\00:10:53.36
Sin is applauded.
00:10:53.36\00:10:55.40
I saw a billboard advertising
a nightclub and the billboard
00:10:55.40\00:10:58.63
said, "Just the right
amount of wrong." Sin is cool.
00:10:58.63\00:11:02.90
Temptation's everywhere.
00:11:02.90\00:11:06.23
So what do you do?
00:11:06.23\00:11:08.00
Let's look at some case studies.
00:11:08.00\00:11:09.50
Come with me all the
way back to the beginning.
00:11:09.50\00:11:13.26
Adam and Eve had been
placed into the Garden of Eden
00:11:13.26\00:11:15.63
by a loving God.
00:11:15.63\00:11:17.36
As long as they obeyed God,
the enemy couldn't harm them.
00:11:17.36\00:11:20.83
But Satan knew that if
they yielded to temptation
00:11:20.83\00:11:24.06
it would corrupt them and
cause separation between them
00:11:24.06\00:11:26.60
and God.
00:11:26.60\00:11:27.53
Now Satan couldn't FORCE Adam
and Eve to sin, but he could
00:11:27.53\00:11:31.90
TEMPT them.
00:11:31.90\00:11:34.06
He could allure
them, he could entice them.
00:11:34.06\00:11:38.03
He could cloak sin in a
covering that would make it seem
00:11:38.03\00:11:39.86
too good to refuse.
00:11:39.86\00:11:41.23
So while Eve was in the Garden
of Eden, Satan spoke to her.
00:11:41.23\00:11:44.33
Using a beautiful snake
as a medium - and remember,
00:11:44.33\00:11:47.86
this was way back then, before
people were afraid of snakes
00:11:47.86\00:11:51.50
- Satan said this ...we look
in Geneses 3, "Has God indeed
00:11:51.50\00:11:57.13
said, You shall not eat
of every tree of the Garden?"
00:11:57.13\00:12:02.06
Remember - God told Adam
and Eve not to eat the fruit
00:12:02.06\00:12:04.93
that grew on the tree
of the knowledge of good
00:12:04.93\00:12:06.50
and evil.
00:12:06.50\00:12:07.80
And they could only be
happy as they stayed in harmony
00:12:07.80\00:12:09.93
with God.
00:12:09.93\00:12:10.70
And now - they're being tempted.
00:12:10.70\00:12:14.26
Eve made a crucial
mistake: she lingered, instead
00:12:14.26\00:12:18.83
of fleeing temptation.
00:12:18.83\00:12:21.00
And curious, she engaged
the devil in a discussion.
00:12:21.00\00:12:26.06
And she said to the serpent
in Genesis 3:2 and 3, We may
00:12:26.06\00:12:31.03
eat the fruit of the trees
of the garden; but of the fruit
00:12:31.03\00:12:34.26
of the tree which is in
the midst of the garden,
00:12:34.26\00:12:36.13
God has said, 'You shall not
eat it, nor shall you touch it,
00:12:36.13\00:12:40.43
lest you die.
00:12:40.43\00:12:43.80
Genesis 3:2, 3 NKJV
So Eve knew the score.
00:12:43.80\00:12:45.50
She knew God's will and
she knew what was at stake.
00:12:45.50\00:12:50.03
And that's when the
devil upped the ante.
00:12:50.03\00:12:52.50
Verses 4 through 6.
00:12:52.50\00:12:53.66
He said to Eve, You
will not surely die.
00:12:53.66\00:12:55.96
For God knows that in the
day you eat of it your eyes will
00:12:55.96\00:12:58.03
be opened, and you will
be like God, knowing good
00:12:58.03\00:13:00.83
and evil." So when the
woman saw that the tree was good
00:13:00.83\00:13:03.23
for food, that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree
00:13:03.23\00:13:08.53
desirable to make one
wise, she took of its fruit
00:13:08.53\00:13:12.03
and ate.
00:13:12.03\00:13:13.53
She also gave to her
husband with her, and he ate.
00:13:13.53\00:13:17.76
Genesis 3:4-6
NKJV And that was that.
00:13:17.76\00:13:25.00
They ate - and sin came
into the world, with all
00:13:25.00\00:13:28.46
its attendant misery.
00:13:28.46\00:13:30.06
And its easy to criticize
them for eating the fruit -
00:13:30.06\00:13:32.23
I mean, a talking snake?!
00:13:32.23\00:13:35.33
And it's easy to criticize
them for eating the fruit.
00:13:35.33\00:13:39.36
I mean, a talking snake!
00:13:39.36\00:13:40.26
What Eve SHOULD
have done seems obvious.
00:13:40.26\00:13:42.03
But it can't be that simple
or you and I would do it all
00:13:42.03\00:13:43.16
the time and we'd
never fall into sin.
00:13:43.16\00:13:45.20
What should Eve have done?
00:13:45.20\00:13:46.30
First, she should
have called to God.
00:13:46.30\00:13:48.60
Second, she should not
have lingered in the presence
00:13:48.60\00:13:51.43
of temptation.
00:13:51.43\00:13:53.63
Eve allowed herself to
be "beguiled" as Paul writes
00:13:53.63\00:13:57.06
later in the Bible -
enchanted, or tricked.
00:13:57.06\00:14:01.03
Now some lessons for us.
00:14:01.03\00:14:02.76
When temptation comes,
call on God, right away.
00:14:02.76\00:14:05.26
Pray!
00:14:05.26\00:14:07.50
And, don't linger
don't hang around it.
00:14:07.50\00:14:10.56
When the enemy comes
calling, close the avenue
00:14:10.56\00:14:13.36
of communication.
00:14:13.36\00:14:14.46
If it's something on a computer
or a TV, pray and turn it off.
00:14:14.46\00:14:19.00
If it's a person driving
you nuts, pray and if possible,
00:14:19.00\00:14:22.03
get out of there.
00:14:22.03\00:14:23.96
Eve hung around the
temptation when she should
00:14:23.96\00:14:25.93
have fled the temptation.
00:14:25.93\00:14:28.90
And we're still paying
the price for her indiscretion
00:14:28.90\00:14:31.03
today.
00:14:31.03\00:14:32.66
I think we both know
temptation is a powerful
00:14:32.66\00:14:35.46
thing.
00:14:35.46\00:14:37.10
An image on a
billboard, a drink in a glass,
00:14:37.10\00:14:40.80
an attractive face or the chance
to get easy money - powerful
00:14:40.80\00:14:44.96
temptations, for
all kinds of reasons.
00:14:44.96\00:14:48.73
In a moment, we'll look
at two people and how they
00:14:48.73\00:14:52.33
reacted - very differently
- to temptation when it came.
00:14:52.33\00:14:56.06
And I am going to give
you three tools for beating
00:14:56.06\00:14:59.63
temptation?
00:14:59.63\00:15:00.50
We'll have them next.
00:15:00.50\00:15:01.70
[Music]
00:15:02.93\00:15:05.93
Eyes for India is giving sight
to the blind and you can be
00:15:10.40\00:15:14.33
a part of this amazing
work that God is doing.
00:15:14.33\00:15:17.60
Fifteen million
blind people live in India,
00:15:17.60\00:15:20.20
more than any other
country in the world.
00:15:20.20\00:15:22.40
And many of the blind
in India could see again,
00:15:22.40\00:15:24.76
if only they could have
simple cataract surgery.
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It Is Written is
making that happen!
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Would you
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For just $75, you4ll be giving
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Here is all you need to do.
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Call 1.800.253.3000.
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That4s 1.800.253.3000
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00:15:46.10\00:15:51.83
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00:15:51.83\00:15:56.30
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00:15:56.30\00:16:00.43
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00:16:02.93\00:16:04.76
Every $75 you give gives
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00:16:04.76\00:16:08.30
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Eyes for India,
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00:16:09.70\00:16:12.53
in opening the eyes of the blind
in opening hears to the love
00:16:12.53\00:16:16.26
of God.
00:16:16.26\00:16:18.53
Call 1.800.253.3000
or write to Box O,
00:16:18.53\00:16:22.33
Thousand Oaks, California,
91359 or visit itiswritten.com.
00:16:22.33\00:16:30.60
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:16:32.33\00:16:33.76
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:16:33.76\00:16:35.83
In a few minutes I'm going
to offer you a free resource to
00:16:35.83\00:16:38.16
help you deal with temptation.
00:16:38.16\00:16:40.56
I hope you'll get that
information so I can send
00:16:40.56\00:16:42.46
this free resource to you.
00:16:42.46\00:16:44.60
Right now, let's look at
two people who were faced with
00:16:44.60\00:16:46.66
the same temptation, and
who handled it very differently.
00:16:46.66\00:16:51.10
One, successfully, and
the other, disastrously.
00:16:51.10\00:16:55.63
In 2 Samuel 11 you read these
words: Then it happened one
00:16:55.63\00:17:06.66
evening that David arose
from his bed and walked on
00:17:06.66\00:17:08.66
the roof of the king's house.
00:17:08.66\00:17:10.96
And from the roof he saw a
woman bathing, and the woman
00:17:10.96\00:17:13.66
was very beautiful to behold.
00:17:13.66\00:17:16.30
2 Samuel 11:2 NKJV Now let
me ask you - has David done
00:17:16.30\00:17:20.86
anything wrong here?
00:17:20.86\00:17:22.50
Anything sinful?
00:17:22.50\00:17:23.33
Anything immoral?
00:17:23.33\00:17:24.50
The answer is, No he hasn't.
00:17:24.50\00:17:25.43
He's out walking one evening
- no sin there - and he sees
00:17:25.43\00:17:27.36
a beautiful woman.
00:17:27.36\00:17:28.53
Maybe he couldn't help that.
00:17:28.53\00:17:30.36
But something takes place here.
00:17:30.36\00:17:32.03
He's tempted.
00:17:32.03\00:17:33.86
He has seen
something he likes - frankly,
00:17:33.86\00:17:36.96
it's something he was created
to appreciate - in the right
00:17:36.96\00:17:39.73
context, of course.
00:17:39.73\00:17:41.56
And when something
within David said to him, "This
00:17:41.56\00:17:44.60
is good!" David didn't
react in the way he should have.
00:17:44.60\00:17:49.53
He was tempted.
00:17:49.53\00:17:50.86
But then he started
to imagine what it would
00:17:50.86\00:17:53.86
be like to...
00:17:53.86\00:17:55.26
get to know this woman better.
00:17:55.26\00:17:58.53
As James wrote, "he was
drawn away of his own lusts,
00:17:58.53\00:18:01.80
and enticed." The Bible says
that David sent and inquired
00:18:01.80\00:18:06.43
about the woman.
00:18:06.43\00:18:11.33
Now, let me ask you:
anything wrong with that?
00:18:11.33\00:18:15.06
Was inquiring about the
woman contravening any societal
00:18:15.06\00:18:17.63
conventions?
00:18:17.63\00:18:19.00
Strictly speaking, No!
00:18:19.00\00:18:20.40
Nothing wrong with
asking who a person was.
00:18:20.40\00:18:22.83
You do it.
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.53
But what was David really doing?
00:18:25.53\00:18:27.90
He was opening the door
to temptation, wasn't he?
00:18:27.90\00:18:30.43
Now he was on dangerous ground.
00:18:30.43\00:18:34.00
We read this in 2 Samuel 11,
And someone said, Is this not
00:18:34.00\00:18:37.76
Bathsheba, the daughter
of Eliam, the wife of Uriah
00:18:37.76\00:18:40.90
the Hittite?
00:18:40.90\00:18:42.40
2 Samuel 11:3 NKJV
No, David, don't do it.
00:18:42.40\00:18:45.86
You're already
married, she's married,
00:18:45.86\00:18:49.76
this just isn't necessary.
00:18:49.76\00:18:50.73
Put the idea out of your mind.
00:18:50.73\00:18:52.90
Pray, go back to your
room, read a good book...
00:18:52.90\00:18:57.16
This isn't going to
lead to anything good.
00:18:57.16\00:19:00.10
Verse 4 says, Then David
sent messengers, and took her;
00:19:00.10\00:19:04.93
and she came to him.
00:19:04.93\00:19:06.10
2 Samuel 11:4 NKJV ...
00:19:06.10\00:19:07.36
and... so on.
00:19:07.36\00:19:10.80
By the time this thing was over,
David had committed a litany
00:19:10.80\00:19:12.93
of terrible sins -
adultery, dishonesty,
00:19:12.93\00:19:15.50
murder...
00:19:15.50\00:19:17.86
Judgment came swiftly.
00:19:17.86\00:19:19.43
What a mess.
00:19:19.43\00:19:20.93
But if he had handled that
temptation better, it would
00:19:20.93\00:19:23.66
have all been different.
00:19:23.66\00:19:25.33
What should David have done?
00:19:25.33\00:19:27.90
To find that out, look
at someone who found himself
00:19:27.90\00:19:30.43
in a similar situation.
00:19:30.43\00:19:32.16
Joseph had been unjustly
sold as a slave to Egypt.
00:19:32.16\00:19:36.60
He might have been
tempted to think that God
00:19:36.60\00:19:38.80
had forsaken him.
00:19:38.80\00:19:40.20
The man who purchased him
made Joseph the ruler over
00:19:40.20\00:19:43.10
his entire household.
00:19:43.10\00:19:44.30
The man's wife decides
that this handsome young man
00:19:44.30\00:19:47.73
(as the Bible describes him)
is her cup of tea, and she acts
00:19:47.73\00:19:51.33
on her desires.
00:19:51.33\00:19:54.33
Genesis 39:7, the Bible says
this, His master's wife cast
00:19:54.33\00:20:02.00
her eyes upon Joseph;
and she said, Lie with me.
00:20:02.00\00:20:06.90
Genesis 39:7 KJV Temptation?
00:20:06.90\00:20:10.63
(Nodding...) I'm not trying
to say Joseph welcomed it,
00:20:10.63\00:20:14.46
but it was certainly
a temptation for him.
00:20:14.46\00:20:17.23
So what did he do?
00:20:17.23\00:20:19.40
But he refused and said to
his master's wife, "Look, my
00:20:19.40\00:20:23.23
master does not know what
is with me in the house, and he
00:20:23.23\00:20:26.46
in this house than I, nor has
he kept back anything from me
00:20:31.46\00:20:34.93
but you, because
you are his wife.
00:20:34.93\00:20:39.16
Genesis 38:8-9 NKJV
Joseph was moved by a sense
00:20:39.16\00:20:41.63
of right, and a
sense of duty and loyalty.
00:20:41.63\00:20:45.23
He was governed by
principle rather than desire.
00:20:45.23\00:20:48.06
He said to the temptress,
"How then can I do this great
00:20:48.06\00:20:51.70
wickedness, and sin
against God?" Genesis 39:9 Moved
00:20:51.70\00:20:57.40
by honor for God,
Joseph wouldn't cave in
00:20:57.40\00:21:00.26
to the temptation.
00:21:00.26\00:21:02.13
So the woman started
coming on to Joseph every day.
00:21:02.13\00:21:05.93
And he "still" didn't cave.
00:21:05.93\00:21:07.56
Joseph made God's desires
more important than his own.
00:21:07.56\00:21:11.13
In the short term he
paid a terrible price.
00:21:11.13\00:21:13.46
But God says, "Them that honor
me I will honor." And Joseph
00:21:13.46\00:21:17.56
became second only to
Pharaoh in the greatest kingdom
00:21:17.56\00:21:20.13
in the world.
00:21:20.13\00:21:23.20
Temptation didn't have to
bring down David, but it did.
00:21:23.20\00:21:26.16
When the door of temptation
right there before him,
00:21:26.16\00:21:31.33
he walked clear through.
00:21:31.33\00:21:33.23
Joseph, on the other
hand, slammed the door shut.
00:21:33.23\00:21:36.26
Joseph decided ahead of time
that by God's grace he would
00:21:36.26\00:21:39.43
honor God in what He did.
00:21:39.43\00:21:41.33
And God honored him for that.
00:21:41.33\00:21:43.53
Alright now - let me
give you three Cs for dealing
00:21:43.53\00:21:48.06
with temptation.
00:21:48.06\00:21:49.46
And I'm telling you, his
can revolutionize your life.
00:21:49.46\00:21:53.50
1 - Call on God.
00:21:53.50\00:21:57.33
That means pray.
00:21:57.33\00:21:58.76
Eve evidently didn't do that.
00:21:58.76\00:22:00.06
Neither did David.
00:22:00.06\00:22:01.46
In the midst of their
temptation, if they had
00:22:01.46\00:22:03.66
called on God and asked
for guidance and strength,
00:22:03.66\00:22:05.20
things would have
turned out a lot different.
00:22:05.20\00:22:08.13
It's mighty hard to pray
and sin at the same time.
00:22:08.13\00:22:10.13
And C, No. 2 - Trust Completely.
00:22:10.13\00:22:16.16
James said this in James 4:7.
00:22:16.16\00:22:18.43
Therefore submit to God.
00:22:18.43\00:22:25.30
Resist the devil and he
will flee from you (NKJV).
00:22:25.30\00:22:30.43
See, what that means is that God
has said you can be victorious.
00:22:30.43\00:22:33.46
You don't have to fall.
00:22:33.46\00:22:35.63
This idea, this "I guess
I'm just too weak...You might
00:22:35.63\00:22:38.33
be, but God is strong.
00:22:38.33\00:22:43.40
He can keep you.
00:22:43.40\00:22:44.90
If you resist the devil while
submitting to God, the devil
00:22:44.90\00:22:48.50
will flee.
00:22:48.50\00:22:50.26
God said so.
00:22:50.26\00:22:52.00
How do I know that?
00:22:52.00\00:22:52.53
Because God has said so.
00:22:52.53\00:22:55.13
And C, No. 3 -
Claim God's Promises.
00:22:55.13\00:22:59.66
Here's a powerful verse.
00:22:59.66\00:23:02.46
1 Corinthians 10:13,
here's what the Bible says,
00:23:02.46\00:23:08.66
No temptation has overtaken
you except such as is common to
00:23:08.66\00:23:11.96
man; but God is faithful, who
will not allow you to be tempted
00:23:11.96\00:23:16.20
beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will
00:23:16.20\00:23:19.93
also make the way of escape,
that you may be able to bear it.
00:23:19.93\00:23:27.06
Gather up the promises
of God, so that when you're
00:23:27.06\00:23:29.70
tempted by impurity you
can say, Blessed are the pure
00:23:29.70\00:23:32.76
in heart, for
they shall see God.
00:23:32.76\00:23:35.20
Matthew 5:8 NKJV.
00:23:35.20\00:23:37.20
Or, you might say, I
will set nothing wicked
00:23:37.20\00:23:40.60
before my eyes.
00:23:40.60\00:23:41.66
Psalm 101:3 NKJV.
00:23:41.66\00:23:42.43
Or you could claim 2 Peter
2:9 whatever the temptation
00:23:42.43\00:23:46.00
is you find yourself
beset by, 2 Peter 2:9, The Lord
00:23:46.00\00:23:53.00
knows how to deliver the
godly out of temptations.
00:23:53.00\00:23:57.86
That's what the Bible
says in 2 Peter 2:9 NKJV
00:23:57.86\00:24:01.56
You don't have to
fall when temptation comes.
00:24:01.56\00:24:04.50
No, I'm not
suggesting this is easy.
00:24:04.50\00:24:06.70
It is simple -
but not always easy.
00:24:06.70\00:24:08.80
Temptation can be a struggle,
but if you'll take it to God
00:24:08.80\00:24:12.46
every time, you can know
that God will deliver you.
00:24:12.46\00:24:17.03
Remember that line
in the Lord's Prayer?
00:24:17.03\00:24:19.10
"Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."
00:24:19.10\00:24:21.60
It's real.
00:24:21.60\00:24:23.66
God will deliver you.
00:24:23.66\00:24:25.33
Remember those Three
C's, C #1, Call on God,
00:24:25.33\00:24:29.03
C#2, Trust Completely in God,
and C#3, Claim God's promises.
00:24:29.03\00:24:38.26
God will give you victory.
00:24:38.26\00:24:40.83
This can
revolutionize your life.
00:24:40.83\00:24:43.60
You know, a big key to
being victorious in the face
00:24:43.60\00:24:45.90
of temptation is relying
on the word of God, especially
00:24:45.90\00:24:48.60
the promises of God.
00:24:48.60\00:24:50.46
I want to offer you something
that will help you in your
00:24:50.46\00:24:52.43
battle with temptation.
00:24:52.43\00:24:53.76
It's a little book called,
"God's Promises." Powerful
00:24:53.76\00:24:57.06
promises to help you
when temptation comes.
00:24:57.06\00:24:59.50
Just call or write and
I'll send you "God's Promises".
00:24:59.50\00:25:02.93
There's no cost or obligation.
00:25:02.93\00:25:05.20
It's absolutely free.
00:25:05.20\00:25:06.03
Just call this
number, 1-800-253-3000,
00:25:06.03\00:25:10.70
ask for "God's Promises".
00:25:10.70\00:25:12.33
You can call 24 hours a day.
00:25:12.33\00:25:13.63
If the lines are
busy, please keep on trying.
00:25:13.63\00:25:18.36
You can also request your
free copy of "God's Promises"
00:25:18.36\00:25:20.76
by writing to: It Is Written,
Box O, Thousand Oaks, CA
00:25:20.76\00:25:24.40
91359, and we will
mail a copy to your address
00:25:24.40\00:25:29.83
in North America.
00:25:29.83\00:25:30.70
Please note, this free
book is limited to the supply
00:25:30.70\00:25:33.60
on hand.
00:25:33.60\00:25:34.70
For immediate access, you
can download a FREE electronic
00:25:34.70\00:25:38.60
version of this book
God's Promises from our website:
00:25:38.60\00:25:41.50
itiswritten.com It Is Written
is a faith-based ministry
00:25:41.50\00:25:43.70
made possible by
viewers like you.
00:25:43.70\00:25:47.23
I want to say Thank you
to you for your continued
00:25:47.23\00:25:49.70
support of It Is Written.
00:25:49.70\00:25:50.23
To support the worldwide
outreach of itiswritten,
00:25:50.23\00:25:52.60
to make it possible for
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00:25:52.60\00:25:54.40
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00:25:54.40\00:25:57.43
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00:25:57.43\00:26:00.06
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Thank you for your continued
00:26:00.06\00:26:02.53
support.
00:26:02.53\00:26:04.33
Our toll-free
number is: 1-800-253-3000.
00:26:04.33\00:26:07.73
And our web address
is: itiswritten.com.
00:26:07.73\00:26:11.86
I'd like to pray with you
right now and ask that God
00:26:13.93\00:26:15.26
would strengthen you in
your battle against temptation,
00:26:15.26\00:26:17.90
whatever that temptation is.
00:26:17.90\00:26:19.80
Let's pray.
00:26:19.80\00:26:22.53
Our Father in heaven,
we thank you that you have
00:26:22.53\00:26:25.00
promised that you will
give us a way of escape.
00:26:25.00\00:26:27.76
Oh Lord, in our lives
day by day, temptation comes
00:26:27.76\00:26:31.70
and before we know what
has happened, we find that we
00:26:31.70\00:26:36.06
have fallen when we
did not want to fall.
00:26:36.06\00:26:37.90
I pray that you would help
us in the midst of temptation
00:26:37.90\00:26:41.26
to call on you, to pray,
to trust completely in you,
00:26:41.26\00:26:44.73
to believe that you can deliver
us and to claim your promises
00:26:44.73\00:26:47.70
knowing there is
power in your word.
00:26:47.70\00:26:50.83
Lord, as we pray
in the Lord's prayer,
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lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
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Let that be our
experience, we pray.
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There are some people
right now, someone right now who
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knows they are in
a terrible struggle.
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Oh Lord, bring deliverance
to that person and let them find
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strength in you.
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I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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[Prayer Music]
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Thanks for joining me today.
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I look forward to
seeing you next time.
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Until then, remember, It
is written, man shall not
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live by bread alone but
by every word that proceeds
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from the mouth of God.
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[Credit Music]
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