2. Temptation: What is temptation? – James 1:12-16 – Desires of Sin Is it sinful to be tempted? – Jesus was tempted (Heb. 2:18, Heb. 4:15) A fine line between desire/temptation and lust – 1 john 2:15-17 – our desires of the spirit (to do what’s right) must outweigh the desires of the flesh (to do what’s wrong)

3. Ways to Beat Temptation: Eliminate those desires. – Change the way you think about sin – Not “I can’t do that” but “I don’t want to do that!”

4. A Common View of Sin:

5. A Godly View of Sin!!

6. Ways to Beat Temptation: Eliminate those desires. Steer clear of Temptation. – Matt. 18:7 – Flee situations of Temptation.

7. Danger Zones:

8. Danger Zone: Anonymous Situations Vegas John 3:19-20 evil deeds love darkness. 1 Samuel 28:8- Saul disguises himself. Adulterous woman (Proverbs 7:8-10, 18-21) – Practical application: No computers/cell phones that go unchecked Computers that are out in the open “I don’t want my parents/spouse to find out about this” = Danger zone!!! Num. 32:23- “Be sure your sin will find you out”

9. Danger Zone: Feeling Spiritually Superior Key Danger phrases: – “Yes, but I’m stronger than others” – “but that won’t affect me” – “I’ve been a Christian for far too long” No asterisks for “new Christians” 1 Cor. 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall”

10. Challenger Disaster 1986

11. Challenger Disaster McDONALD: “What really happened was typical I think in large bureaucratic organizations, and any big organization where you’re frankly trying to be a hero in doing your job. And NASA had two strikes against it from the start, which one of those is they were too successful. They had gotten by for a quarter of a century now and had never lost a single person going into space, which was considered a very hazardous thing to do…”

12. Challenger Disaster McDONALD: “…And they had rescued the Apollo 13 halfway to the moon when part of the vehicle blew up. Seemed like it was an impossible task, but they did it. … So it gives you a little bit of arrogance you shouldn’t have. And a huge amount of money [was] involved. But they hadn’t stumbled yet and they just pressed on. So you really had to quote “prove that it would fail” and nobody could do that.”

13. Danger Zone: Feeling Spiritually Superior Can That Happen to us? – “look at the Bible Reading I’ve done” – “look at how I’m so involved” – “look how strong I am” – “I haven’t sinned that way before” No one is too strong – Nehemiah’s warning (Neh. 13:25-27)

14. Danger Zone of Success: We can be tricked by financial success. (Luke 12:14-20) Success can provide more temptation than we can handle. – More things to be concerned/worried about. – More things to be distracted by. – More reason to take pride in self.

15. Danger Zone of Success: Trials (if we endure them) can make us stronger – James 1:2-4 – We depend on God more – We work harder and don’t act as if at ease! People who were successful when they fell. – David – Uzziah 2 Chron. 26

16. Danger Zone of Weakness: More prone to give up and give in through discouragement Experiment: Radishes and Chocolate

17. Cookies and Radishes

18. Danger Zone of Weakness: More prone to give up and give in through discouragement Experiment: Radishes and Chocolate Take a break! – Don’t take a break from doing the right thing – Take a nap – Take time off – Take time for yourself

19. Matt. 18:7 "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!”