Enduring Temptation: Flee and Pray

e e praise God brothers and sisters um I'd like to read from uh naam 1 verse 7 the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knows those who trust in him you know this verse reminds us that God is always good and he's always there no matter the circumstances and it assures us us that God is a safe refuge for us you know and we have someone that we can count on no matter the situation no matter what happens to us we have someone to look to and when we put our trust in him he personally watches over us and cares for us um so that being said let's stand up and let's pray and let's give God some praise Lord God we thank you for this morning you've given us today Lord and we ask you God fill this place with the Holy Spirit God bless the service Lord bless the preaching bless the singing Lord help us to listen to what is being said to our hearts today Lord and help us to put it deep down into our hearts Lord and to walk by the spirit not by the flesh Lord guide us and lead us by the holy spirit in Jesus name we pray amen and as we're standing we're going to be singing all together a song by the name of and can it be and if we can make the Maybe the lyrics a little bit uh bigger the text um but yeah we'll be singing a song by the name of and can it be [Music] and can it be that I should gain and enter rest in the savior's blood died he for me who caus his name for me to death to death soon amazing love how can it be that oh my God should die for me amazing love how can it be that th my God just die for me he left his father's throne above so free so in fin night his grace emptied himself of all but love and bled for Adam selfless R his Mercy all in man and free for oh my God found help me his Mercy all in man and free for oh my God is found down me B my impress spirit L has found in sin and nature SM th I diffuse the quick Moon rain I walk the D is flame with my chains fell love my heart was free I Rose and for and all me my chains fell off my heart was free I Rose went forth and follow me no condemnation now I dread just and all in him is mine of Al in him my living hand and clo in rightousness div hold th approach Eternal thr and in the ground Christ my own B I cross Eternal ground and cl to ground to Christ [Music] my there's a name above all others wonderful to hear bringing open Che is the lovely name of Jesus more the same what a lovely name what a lovely name the name of Jesus Jesus reaching higher far than the brightest [Music] star sweet than the songs they sing in heav Let the world Proclaim what a lovely name he turnning cloud of Glory Saints of every race shall be all his SP and with him enter Heaven City ever to aaim what a lovely name oh what a lovely me this name called Jesus reaching High than the brightest star and it's sweet than the songs they sing in heaven let the world Proclaim what a lovely name oh what a lovely name this name call Jesus reaching higher far then the brightest star and it's sweet than the songs St sing in heaven let the world Proclaim what a lovely name praise God praise the Lord Brothers s and sisters uh for this morning that we we can all come here to get I can't I can't speak this morning that we can all come here this morning and uh just praise His name and glorify his name um and I'm going to read a quick Bible verse in Titus 3 verse 9 and it says here but avoid foolish conf uh controversies and genealogies and arguments and quels about the law because these are unprofitable and useless praise God and I also want to announce our program for this morning and we'll have brother Mark sing a song for us and then right after that we'll have brother Tim continuing his series God bless when brother Tim asked me to sing this Sunday I was not expecting so many people to be here so I'm I'm stressing probably like d Tre was um so uh forgive me if I mess [Music] up when I am weak that's when you are strong when I let go I fall into to your arms when I am weak that's when you are strong and when I let go I fall into your arms I take up your Yol I know that it's so easy I take up your bird and that's life I take up your Yol I know that it's so easy I take up your bird and that's Li I look into your eyes of Mercy I look into your eyes of love I remember that your heart is for me Lord it's for for me I'm holding on to your Divine love I'm holding on and I'm not letting go it's not my SE it's that your love is strong it's not my strength it's like your playful [Music] when I am weak that's when you are strong when I let go I fall into your arms when I am weak that's when you are strong when I let go I fall into your arms I take a your yoke I know that it's so easy I take up your bird that's SL I take up your yoke I know that it's so easy I take up your bird that slide I look into your eyes of Mercy I look into your eyes of love I remember that your arm is for me Lord it's for me I'm holding on to your Divine love I'm holding on and I'm not letting go no it's not my Zeal it's that your love is strong it's not my strength it's that you're faithful I look into your eyes of Mercy I look into your eyes of love I remember that your heart is for for me Lord it's for me I'm holding on to your Divine love I'm holding on and I'm not letting go oh no it's not my S it's that your love is strong it's not my strength it's like your p I look into your eyes un Mercy I look into your eyes of love I remember that your heart is for me Lord it's for me praise God Mark be careful you know after that uh beautiful song don't ruin it no just joking very well yeah you did you know I I was uh thinking while sitting there that I should just have Mark sing the whole time you know and uh because it's it's nice to to know how how God gives people talents and um some have to try some have it naturally and I bless you guys may you use your talents for the glory of God and to encourage us but um I'd like to get into the word let's to to those that I handed out the Bibles let's open to page 174 46 we're going to be reading from the book of James and um we're going to be continuing our lesson but I just want to share a quick Story I Heard where one man was traveling to work and on the way to work he sees a donut chop and he's like I will only stop there if there's a parking spot right in the front and sure enough after seven times around the block he found a parking spot right in the front our topic today is about enduring Temptation enduring Temptation and sometimes temptation is sweet looks sweet but as we know that it's very unhealthy for the spiritual body and you know people have different weaknesses that Satan knows and he tempts us differently some he tempts with donuts some he tempts with uh jealousy some he tempts with anger some he tempts with sexual sins you know and the devil he does not stop tempting that's his goal to bring us down especially those who are um after God the devil's job is to destroy them and destroy us and we don't see in uh James when we're going to be reading that the the Believers are somehow um I would say not tempted or are excluded from temptation but over here here James he's actually talking to Believers how to endure Temptation and temptations come to Believers or not it comes to absolutely everybody so I would like us to open up to James chap 1 and we will be reading verses 12 to 18 I repeat James 1: 12-8 blessed is the man who endures Temptation for when he has been approved he will he will receive the the Crown of Life which the Lord has promised to those who love him let no one say when he is tempted I am tempted by God for God cannot be tempted by evil nor does he himself tempt anyone but each one is tempted when he is drawn Away by his own desires and enticed then when desire has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin when it is full grown brings forth death do not be deceived my beloved Brethren every good gift and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creature blessed is the man who endures Temptations first of all we got to understand what are Temptations you know in like in the first passages of James he was talking about trials and we spoke about Trial trials but trial trials are different than Temptations you see trials they come from the outside of us from circumstances that we cannot control it could be losing somebody we loved or um how we heard uh recently the the hurricane coming over North Carolina a lot of people lost their homes you can't stop it trials can be I would say hard but they are there to actually build us up and make us stronger whereas Temptations are different they are the source that come within us within our flesh and temptations come into our life all the time believe it or not but over here James he's teaching us those who endure meaning that those who endure through or overcome like in other translations Temptations those will receive the crown of life because many don't overcome you know many actually take the bait and then the devil he drags them by the string with that bait in their mouth and over here we see that Temptations are actually desires of the flesh that war against our spirit that's what Temptations are they are desires of the flesh the things that I want the thing that the world offers me but the spirit says don't do that it will ruin your life it's not healthy for your spiritual body don't fall into that and over here James teaches us those who overcome They will receive rewards I would like for us to well I'm just going to read Galatians 5:17 you don't need to go there but it says over here for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh you see it's a war going on the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh for these are opposed to each other they're enemies of each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do and we as Believers what do we want to do we want want to be more like our father we want to be more like Jesus Christ right because we know that's the right path that's what we want to do that's what we want to be we want to do good but there's something that keeps on Waring against that part in our life you know many people believe that Wars between nations are the biggest conflicts in this world world and they do a lot of damage but the greatest battle I think happening today isn't between countries it's the battle that every person being you you you me somebody in Asia somebody in Europe is facing and that's the war against spirit and flesh this this war is bigger than everybody than any War because every everybody is included every time we get up every time we wake up there's Temptation music something we saw friends pulling them pulling us you know to to do things that maybe we shouldn't be doing the biggest Temptation right now is our cell phones right that's the one thing that actually brings a lot of people down that actually is the one biggest problem that brings people down if people are not able to endure and so every time we get up the battle rages the battle starts so what kind of temptations that the does the bible actually tell us what what are Temptations um how do we know if we are battling a Temptation and over here also in Galatians chapter 5 Galatians chapter 5 is like is there any water there um I'm going to be reading 19- 21 and over here it says you see like we talked about Temptations are fleshly desires that war against our spirit the acts of the flesh are obvious sexual immorality impurity and debauchery which is also translated for corruption idolatry and Witchcraft I mean those like are you know those sound bad right it's like well I don't do that I'm not I don't do witchcraft I don't do sorcery um I don't um I stay away from corruption but look over here then it says hatred H hatred you know there's a lot of people that have that have enemies they just hate people hate somebody and that's a Temptation that over here Paul writes in Galatians hatred conflicts jealousy jealousy is a is a big one right a that brother has this for that I'm not going to like him because because I can't have what he has jealousy jealousy comes into the heart that person starts becoming enemy of someone okay let's read further fits of Rage or anger selfish ambition me myself and I everything everything revolves around me you know divisions factions and envy drunkenness and the like I warn you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God my dear friends over here it says and the like anything that hurts others that hurts our spirit is a Temptation that we need to overcome every human battles every day but you know over here in verse 12 it says for when he has been approved he will receive the Crown of Life which the Lord has promised to those who love him you know enduring Temptation like we said it's another word for resisting temptation or fleeing Temptation what happened does does everybody know the story of Joseph when he was tempted by a Piper's wife what happened in that situation right he was alone he was a young man he was alone there was nobody around him but believing in God knowing that God sees him he knew he cannot overstep that boundary and he fled he didn't negotiate with her he didn't try to say you know people might hear or see he fled he didn't dance with it but then we know another story of King David when he saw be Sheba taking a bath or whatever she was doing and he did not flee he was mesmerized he was stuck his eyes were on that temptation and what do we know next that Temptation brought forth sin and for that sin we know that he was punished and so over here like we may ask what happens like what should I do if if something is tempting me Joseph gives an example a very good example flee flee you know a lot of people are being tempted with maybe the the certain apps they have on their phone fleeing means to delete delete that thing it doesn't need to be there you know there was time when when I was younger and uh social media was just taken off and I just saw how through the the social media you know I was getting angry I was getting jealous of other people looking better than me you know um other people being stronger than me you know and I'm like what am I doing what am I doing other people being more successful than me it's like all these things they were all these Temptations they were uh bringing what we just read in Galatians anger jealousy all that stuff was arising in my life and I said what am I doing so I deleted it and the first couple days it was hard but then you know what you realize is that you don't miss it at all you don't miss it at all you throw that bait away and you are set free you know and over here says that those who endure will receive the the crown of of Life see when we endure when we overcome when we are able to to win it's not for no reason we're actually winning battles and God rewards us you know those who who are are constantly I would say um taking the uh bait those who are are constantly doing what they should not be doing I'll just say it like that it has effects it has side effects you know it has side effects it has premature death right overdose um drunk driving car accident death uh there's there's also people that that are tempted to to prove themselves oh I'm this and that I'm going to jump off this uh cliff into this Lake you know because I'm so cool and then on the way down he hits the lake but there is a rock on the bottom Temptation causes premature death if we take the bait trials are things that we cannot control but Temptations are things we can Temptations are things that we have the power to run from trials we don't have the power to run from trials they come but God helps us through them makes us stronger makes us wiser makes us Holier but with temptation we are able to flee we are able to turn away we don't have to prove nothing to nobody but only to God how much we love him overcoming Temptation also proves our love for God you know we can only love somebody I would say that to to love somebody more than something right I think maybe you're getting my gist over here to love something more than something else okay let me say my point here what I'm trying to say is that if we love God more than than anything we love on this Earth then we are able to overcome but if we love something more than we love God then we're going to keep on taking the bait we're going to keep on taking the bait and don't think that over here you know Satan is like uh he took the bait I'll come to him later I'll come to him later he already took the bait no he's right there trying to bring you down he's right there trying to destroy your life he's right there trying to have you die prematurely he wants your soul as fast as he can but over here we see in Matthew 26:41 another way that we can flee from Temptation another way that we can endure Temptation another way that we can overcome Temptation and over here Jesus says Watch and Pray lest you enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Watch and Pray Why Watch and Pray what does that do prayer as we know that's the C uh the communication with our lord Jesus and when we pray when we have a communication route with God he is able to give us the strength to say no we cannot do it on our own the spirit is willing the spirit in us the spirit of Jesus in US is willing to endure but the flesh is weak if we don't watch and pray and over here another way that we can endure that we can flee temptation is when we ask Lord lead me not into temptation and those who pray that prayer every day The Lord's Prayer lead me not into temptation but deliver me from the evil one God hears that and he will answer your prayer and going down James 13 and below it says let no one say when he is tempted I am tempted by God for God cannot be tempted by evil nor does he himself tempt anyone but each each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed then when desire has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin when it is full grown brings forth death James wants to make it clear here that Temptation does not come from God you know even when Satan was um crucifying or when the people were crucifying Jesus and Jesus says these words like in the evil one has not found any evil in me so over here once again it shows that Jesus Christ had zero evil If he if he even had one evil in him Satan would had his hands on Christ but if Satan didn't even find one evil thing in our Lord Jesus Christ it just shows that God does not tempt you with evil The Temptations Only come from the devil but God gives the strength to overcome God gives us the strength to endure to go through to walk away that's what he does he gives us that strength um I like the the example that our pastor Henry like he brought one time where you know when when there's a bad guy pulls up to your 2-year-old and he shows the 2-year-old a sucker but you as you know her parents are looking at this 2-year-old and seeing a bad guy tempting this 2-year-old with a sucker well the 2-year-old is going to go for that sucker because it does not see anything around it it doesn't see all the danger over here God he steps in and he removes us from that situation he does not leted us to be tempted knowing that we may fall when Satan is tempting God is testing when Satan is tempting God is testing but in certain situations God sees that we are not able to overcome such Temptation so he lead us not into temptation he leads us away but say that you're now 20 years old and a bad guy comes and shows you that sucker and my dear friend if you go for that sucker oh my I tell you what you are doing something wrong in life you are doing something wrong in your spiritual life and many people being spiritual fall for that sucker you know and then the devil takes their whole life for one little Temptation Temptation begins in our thoughts you know that's where the conception starts the conception of sin of Temptation starts in our thoughts and like how does it work I mean like we all know we we live a life we all you know had our ID say um times when we were tempted times where we fell times when we understood that you know know what damage that has done times where we were wise enough the second time to flee but we all know that Temptation comes through our eyes into our mind you know I mean it like it's kind of hard to be tempted when it comes through your ears well you listen to something um you know well I guess music and stuff but but usually Temptation when when we see something that's when we want it the most and then when we are playing around with what we saw that's where the devil wants us at he wants us in that state of mind where we are playing with our thoughts but Jesus says flee Jesus says rebuke rebuke those thoughts turn those thoughts away flee from them but in order to flee in order to rebuke in order to remove they can't be empty because again Satan is going to put that in your mind so we have to transform them transform our thoughts we have to I would say even do something that our thoughts are captivated by things that do good and what are some of those things that that we can like replace those those evil Thoughts with turn on turn on some some Christian music start singing songs at least that worked for me I don't know about you start praying you know there there was times when I was being tempted and thoughts came in and you know what i notied is that when I'm like deep in the Bible when I'm really studying it and I'm mowing the lawn I'm always thinking about you know oh that that passage you know um I'm connecting dots when I'm slacking off when I'm slacking off in my spiritual life the thoughts that come to my mind is I can't believe he said this to me I can't believe that guy did this to that person this guy is so I'll say evil or you know thinks highly of himself that's the thoughts that come to my mind when I start slacking off spiritually and when we have those thoughts we have to recheck what are we doing that those thoughts keep coming in but even when they do come in the Bible tells us to pray Jesus tells us to pray Jesus tells us to pray for what lead me not remove those flee flee those thoughts we will continue our lesson uh next week but I just want to say my dear friends that if you in your life are being tempted today the Bible teaches us two ways that we can endure and that's through prayer and by the example of Joseph not to negotiate with the sin but walk away if your friends want you to do something with them bad walk away it's better to be to be single drawing to Jesus Christ rather than to be with them and having them draw you away from him Amen to that amen and with that let's pray amen and as we all rise we're going to sing a song by the name of uh The Old Rugged [Music] Cross on a hill far away stood The Old Rugged Cross the emblem of suffering in shame and I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost Sinners was slain so a chish the all Red Cross till my trophies I last I lay down I was CLE to the old ruged cross and exchanges someday for a crown to The Old Rugged Cross so attraction for me for the dear Lamb of God let his glory above to Bear it to dark calary so I'll cherish the all druged cross till my trophies At Last I lay down I pleas to the oldet cross and exchanges someday for a [Music] crown that Old Rugged Cross stain with blood So Divine a wonderous Beauty I see for on the cross Jesus suffered and died to paron in sanctify me so I'll cherish the old ruged cross till my trophies At Last I lay down I will cling to the old Dred CR and exchanges somay for a ground chorus again so I'll cherish the old roed Christ change suay for a [Music] crow praise God my dear friends well our service has come to an end and um after service I would like for all of you to join us in the gym We'll have breakfast there coffee um and we'll continue our service I would say over there but uh before I read this does does anybody have any needs that they want us to pray about if not I would like us to also pray for brother Doug he had a surgery on his arm arm his arm got amputated and um he had some complications with the heart but then some issues happened and then they had to amputate his arm and what he told me at least he said announced couple things to the church that my arm is going to get amputated and that uh like for us to not kind of like ask him so so where's your arm you know uh he said he wants everybody to know and kind of lay that uh uh conversation aside but we're going to pray for him he's in good spirits he's a strong man I think he's an example to all those that are going through trials right now it's not easy but he is strong and he has hope in Christ that God will help him through and let's pray for him today Lord God Lord God we thank you for the message that you teach us Lord God to endure Temptations but before that Lord God we were talking about trials Lord God and you test us Lord God you make us stronger Lord and brother Doug is going through his trial right now Lord we ask and we pray Lord God that you give him the strength you give him the strengthen the wisdom to endure Lord God to overcome to stand strong to draw near to you Lord may you bless him and his wife and his child Lord that they are all on the same page Lord God and that they seek hope and comfort in you Lord thank you God for brother Doug for having him at church at our church Lord God he's been a blessing here and we bless him there in Jesus name we pray amen Our Father in heaven Hallowed Be Your Name Your Kingdom Come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us lead us not temptation but Deliver Us from the evil one for your kingdom your power and Glory forever are yours amen be blessed