WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.220 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons Podcast, where you can listen to audio from our most 00:00:09.220 --> 00:00:13.860 recent sermons and more. Thanks for listening, and be sure to add this show to your library 00:00:13.860 --> 00:00:16.820 if you'd like to automatically receive new episodes each week. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:31.880 Hey, good morning. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us in 00:00:31.880 --> 00:00:38.100 1 Corinthians 10 is where we're going to be this morning. If you do not have a Bible, we have one 00:00:38.100 --> 00:00:41.960 that we'd like to give you. So then the service, you can stop by this black table back here. I'll 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:46.280 be back there. My wife will be back there. Would love to give you one as our gift from our church 00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:51.740 to you so that you can have a copy of God's Word. If you're a first-time guest, we want you to scan 00:00:51.740 --> 00:00:56.300 the QR code. We want you to do all those things, but also we would love to meet you. We would love 00:00:56.300 --> 00:00:59.500 to be able to say thank you for being here personally, and thank you for worshiping with 00:00:59.500 --> 00:01:03.960 us. And so my wife and I will be back at that black table at the end of the service. And if 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:07.920 you wouldn't mind stopping by, we would just love to greet you, learn your name. Thank you for being 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:12.880 here. And then if you do happen to have any questions about us as a church, we would love 00:01:12.880 --> 00:01:21.140 to be able to answer those for you. So it has been a crazy, crazy month. And this month of July, 00:01:21.260 --> 00:01:25.420 really like leading back into June and coming in through where we're currently at with July 00:01:25.420 --> 00:01:31.560 with kids camp, two mission trips. The student ministry just got back yesterday from our second 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:37.720 trip in three weeks. We're doing the math. I think we spent like 13 out of the last 20 days 00:01:37.720 --> 00:01:43.040 in Black Mountain. So we are practically residents of Black Mountain now, North Carolina. And so 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:48.720 we've been there, 64 students and student ministry workers. Phenomenal, phenomenal week of ministry. 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:55.640 I want to tell you, church, if you're not aware of this, I hope that you are. You have a wonderful, 00:01:55.880 --> 00:02:02.960 wonderful set of students who partner with you in the gospel ministry that God is doing here at 00:02:02.960 --> 00:02:07.820 Willow Ridge Church and that God is doing outside of Willow Ridge Church. You know, we've said this 00:02:07.820 --> 00:02:13.600 from the very beginning that we don't view our children's ministry and our student ministry as the 00:02:13.600 --> 00:02:19.160 next church, the church of tomorrow. They are the church now. They are missionaries being 00:02:19.160 --> 00:02:23.520 mobilized where they live, work, and play to share the gospel with their friends, loved one, and often for 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.580 so many of them, their own family members that they live with. And so it's exciting to be able to 00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:35.160 partner alongside them. They worked so, so hard last week. They did so with a smile on their face. 00:02:35.700 --> 00:02:43.000 They did so with gratitude in their heart, in their words, and so did the adults who went. And so if you're 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:50.220 curious of who are the adults who went, look for the adults with really big bags under their eyes, shuffling 00:02:50.220 --> 00:02:56.140 their feet as they're coming in. I'll have to say this. Jennifer McPherson was one of them who went. She just stomped 00:02:56.140 --> 00:03:02.360 her foot at me. I know where this is going. And she walks into nine o'clock discipleship hour in here with her 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:09.080 sunglasses still on, just kind of shuffling like this. And I thought it was that, it was that level of week. But we're glad that 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:14.180 you're here. So if you see them, man, thank them, encourage them for going. And then just kudos to Joel 00:03:14.180 --> 00:03:19.200 and his team and how he leads in our student ministry. But we had students who made furthering 00:03:19.200 --> 00:03:23.740 commitments with Christ. We had students who make decisions to follow Christ and salvation for the very 00:03:23.740 --> 00:03:32.340 first time. And it's just exciting. Yeah, yeah, clap for that. And so a wonderful, wonderful time. Do want 00:03:32.340 --> 00:03:37.120 to encourage you. I'll be praying. I don't have, we don't have the time to get into all of the details, 00:03:37.660 --> 00:03:43.460 but the state of North Carolina will be making some decisions as far as the land goes in the Black 00:03:43.460 --> 00:03:49.460 Mountain Children's area and around there. And so I don't even fully understand all the legalities 00:03:49.460 --> 00:03:54.640 of all that is going on. But I am praying for what they, what the Black Mountain Children's home 00:03:54.640 --> 00:04:00.520 leadership desires in that land so that they can continue to be a light for Christ and reach that 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:05.760 community around them alongside the partnering churches there in that community. So be praying for 00:04:05.760 --> 00:04:12.200 that this coming over the next couple weeks. And I do want to say next Sunday, August the 3rd, 00:04:12.200 --> 00:04:18.520 we will have a time of prayer in our service. As I believe, every year I say this, I believe back to 00:04:18.520 --> 00:04:24.400 school is the mobilization of the largest group of missionaries that the church has. As we send our 00:04:24.400 --> 00:04:31.900 students into every aspect of their life to go and to serve. And that can be as students, that can be as 00:04:31.900 --> 00:04:39.720 teachers, that can be as educators, as, as district workers. But, but that is also as, as these adults are 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:44.600 influencing in the life of these kids. So at the end of this, at the end or sometime during the service, 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:51.040 we'll call all of our students up front through college, we'll call our educators, we'll call our 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:55.600 We'll call our homeschool parents, we'll call our district workers, we'll call our custodians, we'll call 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:00.860 anyone who works in a school system, whether they are paid or not to come forward, and we'll have a special 00:05:00.860 --> 00:05:06.860 time of prayer for them. And so if you know someone, if you know someone that works in the school system, I just 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:14.840 know, man, they need that prayer. They need that prayer. And so invite them to be here with us next week. And so we 00:05:14.840 --> 00:05:20.060 would, we would, we would definitely love to pray for them. I want to get into, we got a couple more weeks of our current 00:05:20.060 --> 00:05:26.720 series before we get into our study of Daniel. That will be a fun study to dive into God's word. I spent, I think 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:32.220 roughly about 14 weeks in Daniel. So we'll get in to that in a couple weeks. But let's go look at our verse this 00:05:32.220 --> 00:05:40.700 morning. First Corinthians 10, 13. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not 00:05:40.700 --> 00:05:46.440 let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape 00:05:46.440 --> 00:05:53.540 that you may be able to endure it. Would you pray with me? God, I thank you for this past week. 00:05:54.420 --> 00:05:59.260 God, I thank you for the time of fellowship and ministry that we had up in Black Mountain. 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:06.880 God, I pray for the work that you're doing there. God, in that system of foster care and the kids who've 00:06:06.880 --> 00:06:13.220 been forgotten, cast to the side, taken away, or whatever the situation is. It can be such a dark 00:06:13.220 --> 00:06:19.040 and hopeless situation. But God, you're, you're shining your light. And you're doing so through 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:24.660 the individuals and the, the, the partners there at Black Mountain Children's Home. So God, we pray for 00:06:24.660 --> 00:06:29.580 them. We pray for the, the governmental decisions that will happen and take place over the next several 00:06:29.580 --> 00:06:35.260 weeks for the state of North Carolina. God, we do not know what your will is, but we pray that, 00:06:35.260 --> 00:06:41.560 that your will would be done and that God, you would get all the praise and honor and glory. 00:06:42.180 --> 00:06:47.440 God, as we dive into your word this morning, may we do so with open hearts and minds to receive 00:06:47.440 --> 00:06:53.340 what you have to say. God, may I be faithful to teach, Lord, what you have taught, or not what I 00:06:53.340 --> 00:06:59.480 desire, not what I'll long for. And may it bring glory and honor to your name. It's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:06:59.980 --> 00:07:05.080 Amen. Amen. I do want to echo what, what Berger said also before we get into this. Um, be careful 00:07:05.080 --> 00:07:09.260 this week. It is getting hot. Uh, yesterday when I, when I was getting ready to leave about 1130, 00:07:09.320 --> 00:07:13.860 leave Black Mountain to drive back, cranked up the truck, read 82 degrees. 00:07:15.660 --> 00:07:22.080 Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? I got to the south side of Spartanburg and evidently somebody cut 00:07:22.080 --> 00:07:31.300 off the AC and it was 102, less than 60 miles and 20 degrees. So Lord, we'll praise you. We just don't 00:07:31.300 --> 00:07:36.420 really understand what you're up to right now with this, right? Uh, so be, be safe, be careful this 00:07:36.420 --> 00:07:41.280 week. So, uh, looking at God's word, looking at first Corinthians, continue on this series. God's word 00:07:41.280 --> 00:07:48.600 is full of promises. If, if you Google, if you do some research, if you try to count the, the, the 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:55.100 experts kind of debate on the different number of promises that you find in the Bible. But, but a 00:07:55.100 --> 00:08:03.900 consistent number that I found, uh, a conservative estimate was that there are around 8,100 promises 00:08:03.900 --> 00:08:09.880 in God's word. And that brings us encouragement. That brings us excitement to know that God has 00:08:09.880 --> 00:08:16.840 promises for us and he always fulfills what he says he's going to do. God doesn't promise something 00:08:16.840 --> 00:08:23.360 and then not live up to expectation. God is faithful. He's faithful to you to bless you. He's faithful to 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:30.520 you to forgive you. He's faithful for you to keep you and praise the Lord. He is faithful to save you. 00:08:30.520 --> 00:08:36.860 And his promises continue over and over and over again. And if you're like me, one of the ways that 00:08:36.860 --> 00:08:45.320 I like to encourage people who need encouragement is to speak the promises of God into their life, 00:08:45.380 --> 00:08:51.520 to remind them of the promises. These aren't my promises. They're his promises. And so to know that 00:08:51.520 --> 00:08:55.940 you're loved, to know that you're valued, to know that you're treasured, to know that you're forgiven, 00:08:55.940 --> 00:09:07.400 to know that you're saved. Oh, praise God for that. But oftentimes people are prone to speak a promise to 00:09:07.400 --> 00:09:17.520 one another from God, but there's a problem with this promise. God never made this promise. 00:09:19.400 --> 00:09:28.300 These words, this promise that we attribute to God isn't from him. And here's the promise. 00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:39.140 We say oftentimes to people, you know, God promises that he would never give us more than we can handle 00:09:39.140 --> 00:09:46.140 or more than we can bear. Now, this may seem like something great to say to someone who's 00:09:46.140 --> 00:09:55.560 facing a specific season of hardship or suffering, but this promise isn't found in the Bible. 00:09:56.800 --> 00:10:02.220 And in fact, to say to someone that God promises that he would never give us more than we can handle 00:10:02.220 --> 00:10:11.720 actually speaks against what the Bible teaches. I mean, start in Genesis and follow all the way 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:20.060 through in Revelation. Follow the people of God, those who are in themselves or pursuing the Lord and loving 00:10:20.060 --> 00:10:27.400 him and striving to be faithful to him and surrender to him. And we see them finding themselves in 00:10:27.400 --> 00:10:40.600 situations where they continue to face hardships, beatings, imprisonment, hunger, sorrow, and even death. 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:48.980 The apostle Paul writes 1 Corinthians, he writes much of the New Testament, and he was not removed from this 00:10:48.980 --> 00:10:56.440 layer of suffering in his own life. And in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, here's how he describes to the church at 00:10:56.440 --> 00:11:03.420 Corinth what he's gone through. He says, for we do not want you to be unaware brothers of the affliction 00:11:03.420 --> 00:11:13.680 that we're going through. He says, for we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 00:11:14.800 --> 00:11:23.240 Indeed, we felt that we'd received the sentence of death, but that was to make us rely not on ourselves, 00:11:23.800 --> 00:11:37.860 but on God who raises the dead. Look at the language that Paul uses here. Look at these strong descriptive words that he uses. 00:11:38.760 --> 00:11:48.300 Paul's not adding to the story. Paul's not making things up. Paul's writing under the guidance and submission to the Holy Spirit. 00:11:48.300 --> 00:11:57.800 This is God's Word. It's perfect. He describes the affliction we experienced. 00:11:58.680 --> 00:12:04.920 He says that he was burdened. They were burdened beyond our own strength. 00:12:06.920 --> 00:12:19.620 He says that they despaired of life itself and that that life felt like a sentence of death. 00:12:20.880 --> 00:12:32.160 And all of this happens while Paul is faithfully serving the Lord. 00:12:34.160 --> 00:12:43.200 I don't know about you, but to me, it sounds like God gave Paul a little more than Paul could handle. 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:48.300 A little bit more than Paul could bear. 00:12:49.820 --> 00:12:53.420 Burden beyond our strength. 00:12:55.180 --> 00:13:05.440 Here's the danger when we fall into these Christian-type sayings that sound good on paper but aren't biblical. 00:13:06.680 --> 00:13:11.640 What happens is we begin to build false foundations. 00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:15.120 False foundations of belief. 00:13:16.160 --> 00:13:17.720 False foundations of life. 00:13:18.380 --> 00:13:26.400 That may sound great, but it's not the truth of God's Word. 00:13:27.400 --> 00:13:33.440 Here's the danger of God promises that he will never give us more than we can handle, more than we can bear. 00:13:33.980 --> 00:13:41.860 Is that when God does give us, and let's put a slash there depending on which side you want to argue on of give or allow. 00:13:43.300 --> 00:13:52.580 When God does give or allow us more than we can bear, and he will, and we've built a false foundation of faith, that foundation will crumble. 00:13:53.540 --> 00:14:00.440 So we look to Christ in the fullness of his Word as the foundation that we can build our lives on and know that it's true. 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:04.120 The truth of God's Word, what we can hold to, what we can cling to. 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:15.420 When every lie of this world falls apart, when every lie that we've believed, when every trick and treachery of Satan falls short, 00:14:15.760 --> 00:14:22.480 you and I can trust every single word of this. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:26.080 The highlight of my summer. 00:14:26.640 --> 00:14:28.900 It was the highlight of my summer last year. 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:30.920 It was the highlight of my summer this year. 00:14:31.340 --> 00:14:36.700 Joel and I sat down last year and had a crazy idea for the high school or for the middle school mission trip. 00:14:37.040 --> 00:14:45.580 What if we took four of our high school students and challenged them and tasked them to work alongside with me and to become teachers 00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:48.960 and to teach these large group lessons and teach God's Word. 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:50.820 And so that's what I've had the joy of doing. 00:14:51.400 --> 00:14:57.960 This summer I've had the joy of text messages and phone calls and one-on-ones and lunches 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:05.080 and sitting down with this group of guys and girls and talking through them and helping them build a lesson based off of the parables 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:10.340 so that in turn they could take that and go and teach that to their peers at night on the mission trip 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:12.140 and then break out into small groups afterwards. 00:15:12.580 --> 00:15:13.560 And it's been a blast. 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:14.800 It's been so much fun. 00:15:15.100 --> 00:15:17.840 And I'm just going to tell you, we were this close to like, 00:15:18.180 --> 00:15:21.820 listen guys, I just need to tap y'all in for Sunday morning because I'm a little tired, right? 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:23.240 But we didn't, we didn't, we didn't. 00:15:24.060 --> 00:15:28.600 Here's, here's the counsel though that I've given them and that I'll continue to give 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:31.720 and that I often have to remind myself. 00:15:32.980 --> 00:15:37.780 Do not come to God's Word seeking what you want it to say. 00:15:39.460 --> 00:15:43.700 Come to God's Word seeking to find what it says. 00:15:44.920 --> 00:15:51.440 Like you and I, we bring our biases, we bring our experience, we bring what we want 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:55.000 and then when we come to God's Word, we can take it out of context, 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:58.800 we can manipulate it to get it to say what I want it to say. 00:15:59.060 --> 00:16:00.980 But the problem is, but that's not what it says. 00:16:02.420 --> 00:16:07.120 And so be faithful, be faithful to God's Word. 00:16:07.300 --> 00:16:09.780 Now, in the context of what we're talking about, 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:14.320 do I selfishly want God's Word to say that God will never give 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.660 or allow me more than I can handle? 00:16:18.160 --> 00:16:18.560 Selfishly? 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:19.940 Absolutely. 00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:22.180 Absolutely. 00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:25.200 Who doesn't want easy? 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:27.600 Who doesn't want simple? 00:16:28.400 --> 00:16:30.900 Who doesn't want 82 instead of 102? 00:16:32.900 --> 00:16:34.340 It's what we're prone to. 00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:36.740 It's what we want. 00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:38.620 I don't want suffering. 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:40.980 I don't want hardships. 00:16:42.060 --> 00:16:46.240 I don't want difficulties, struggles, persecution, worse. 00:16:47.620 --> 00:16:51.240 None of these sound good to my flesh. 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:59.320 None of those sound good to the old that wants to come up in my life. 00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:04.680 None of that says, let's fun and get a, let's get another slice of suffering this morning. 00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:07.100 But do I need them? 00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:09.600 Do I need them? 00:17:11.040 --> 00:17:14.580 Well, the truth is, that's, that's not up for me to decide. 00:17:15.780 --> 00:17:21.120 But the truth for every single one of us, even as a follower of Jesus Christ, 00:17:22.120 --> 00:17:31.880 not only does God not remove those from us, but His Word promises us that we'll face Him. 00:17:33.060 --> 00:17:33.940 We'll face Him. 00:17:34.940 --> 00:17:35.700 So why? 00:17:36.800 --> 00:17:37.320 Why? 00:17:38.540 --> 00:17:43.580 Why does a good and holy and all-powerful God 00:17:43.580 --> 00:17:51.120 allow these things to happen in your life and in mine? 00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:54.660 Let's look back to 2 Corinthians 1, 8, 9. 00:17:56.440 --> 00:18:01.640 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. 00:18:02.780 --> 00:18:08.120 For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:14.980 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. 00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:19.520 But here's what I have underlined in my Bible, and I would encourage you to underline it in yours. 00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:28.400 But that was to make us rely, not on ourselves, but on God. 00:18:29.020 --> 00:18:33.580 Who, by the way, let's remember, Paul gives us this, who raises the dead. 00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:37.260 Who raises the dead. 00:18:38.180 --> 00:18:45.600 Now, Paul is a pretty impressive person when you look at his life in the course of history. 00:18:46.540 --> 00:18:52.340 You can read the book of Acts, and early on, and you see the salvation from Saul to Paul. 00:18:52.600 --> 00:18:53.820 You see his salvation story. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.160 You see what happens and took place. 00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:59.560 You see where he came from as a terrorist, as a persecutor, as a murderer of Christians. 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:02.280 And God saved him. 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:08.020 And he radically saved him, and called him, and changed every part of him, and put him on mission. 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:12.400 We see Paul as a master of the Old Testament. 00:19:13.100 --> 00:19:19.740 He knew the Old Testament law through and through, and not just as concepts, but as a memorizing it, 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:21.360 and a mastery of the Old Testament. 00:19:21.520 --> 00:19:26.220 We see his writing ability, and the submission of the Holy Spirit found in the New Testament. 00:19:26.580 --> 00:19:29.360 He's the greatest church planner that the world has ever known. 00:19:29.360 --> 00:19:32.060 He's the greatest fundraiser that the world has ever known. 00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:38.260 His church is people who you couldn't just wire transfer money over in church after church after church, 00:19:38.320 --> 00:19:42.640 in spite of having things taken from them, and losing their jobs, and losing their homes, 00:19:42.800 --> 00:19:46.880 or raising money to fund the work of God all over the Mediterranean. 00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:50.440 All over the known world. 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:54.280 We see Paul performed miracles. 00:19:54.900 --> 00:19:55.660 Small sampling. 00:19:55.940 --> 00:19:56.900 He cast out demons. 00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:58.000 He healed the sick. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.040 He raised the dead. 00:19:59.120 --> 00:20:00.280 All through the power of God. 00:20:00.360 --> 00:20:01.260 Not through the power of Paul. 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:02.900 All through the power of God. 00:20:03.040 --> 00:20:07.140 I would say that when we look at this resume of what's here, 00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:14.900 that it is very evident that it is a man who depended and who leaned on the power of God in his life. 00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:21.860 But yet God decides in himself that Paul needs more and more and more 00:20:21.860 --> 00:20:25.500 so that he would rely not on himself, but on God who raises the dead. 00:20:26.320 --> 00:20:35.100 So if Paul needed that, how much more do you and I need that in our lives? 00:20:37.840 --> 00:20:43.160 You and I can have a tendency to believe that we're a little bit more capable than we really are. 00:20:44.320 --> 00:20:49.700 We can leave our hope of eternity with Christ. 00:20:50.360 --> 00:20:51.660 Leave that with him. 00:20:52.340 --> 00:20:54.860 But allow for our hope of today. 00:20:55.400 --> 00:20:58.820 Our ability of today to rest on ourselves. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:01.800 And so God's word promises us 00:21:01.800 --> 00:21:07.000 that God will give us more than we can handle 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:11.380 so that we too can rely not on ourselves, 00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:15.400 but on God who raises the dead. 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:19.360 Expressions that we use. 00:21:20.420 --> 00:21:23.180 That when these begin to come in your mind, 00:21:23.600 --> 00:21:27.000 as you face the difficulty of today and tomorrow, 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:30.600 as you walk through the suffering that came yesterday 00:21:30.600 --> 00:21:33.160 and still feeling the scars of today, 00:21:33.340 --> 00:21:37.060 when you begin to feel these sayings in your mind, 00:21:37.260 --> 00:21:39.560 would you use it as an opportunity 00:21:39.560 --> 00:21:42.620 to confirm your dependence on the Lord 00:21:42.620 --> 00:21:44.700 for every single moment? 00:21:45.500 --> 00:21:46.760 Have you ever thought to yourself 00:21:46.760 --> 00:21:48.260 that you're beyond what you can handle? 00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:50.540 Depend on God. 00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:53.760 Do you ever feel like you're at the end of your rope? 00:21:55.060 --> 00:21:55.940 Depend on God. 00:21:56.900 --> 00:21:59.260 Do you ever feel the weight of the world 00:21:59.260 --> 00:22:01.160 crashing down on you? 00:22:02.120 --> 00:22:03.180 Depend on God. 00:22:04.100 --> 00:22:06.060 Do you ever feel like when you get out of bed 00:22:06.060 --> 00:22:07.900 in the morning and you just can't today? 00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:09.680 Depend on God. 00:22:10.420 --> 00:22:13.200 Do you ever feel like you just can't 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:17.260 simply take one more thing? 00:22:19.260 --> 00:22:22.220 Depend on God. 00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:27.980 Stop looking at these as punishments of today 00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:31.200 and start looking at these things 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:34.180 of the reminder of the hope that we have. 00:22:35.780 --> 00:22:39.280 It is so good that I can't, 00:22:39.800 --> 00:22:40.740 but He can. 00:22:45.840 --> 00:22:46.600 Confession time. 00:22:46.660 --> 00:22:47.340 Y'all ready for this? 00:22:47.340 --> 00:22:51.960 A few weeks, months ago, 00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:55.640 the youth were here on a work day on a Thursday. 00:22:57.040 --> 00:22:59.120 And they were working, doing the pads 00:22:59.120 --> 00:23:01.180 and doing the fencing and doing all those sorts of things. 00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:04.040 And there was a railroad tie 00:23:04.040 --> 00:23:06.540 that was laid out. 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:09.180 And it needed to be moved. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:11.060 And I was over there with them. 00:23:11.100 --> 00:23:12.020 I was working with them that day. 00:23:12.060 --> 00:23:13.760 I had a great time working with them. 00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:16.340 Micah Hood was over there. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:18.440 And Micah said, 00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:19.700 hey, somebody come over here 00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:22.100 and y'all, plural, get this. 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:22.640 Micah was leading. 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:23.440 Micah was doing a great job, 00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:24.220 working hard, leading. 00:23:25.060 --> 00:23:26.060 And I said, 00:23:26.320 --> 00:23:27.820 I got this. 00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:30.580 I don't know why y'all laughing. 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:34.100 Mike Smith, I hear you laughing. 00:23:35.040 --> 00:23:35.620 Thank you, buddy. 00:23:36.560 --> 00:23:38.000 So, because here's what I know. 00:23:38.040 --> 00:23:38.860 About 10 years ago, 00:23:39.460 --> 00:23:41.200 we had some other railroad ties. 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:42.960 And I went out there 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:44.400 and spent probably two to three hours 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:46.100 moving railroad ties. 00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:48.740 Well, 10 years ago, I wasn't 46 years old. 00:23:50.560 --> 00:23:52.260 And so I got that railroad tie up 00:23:52.260 --> 00:23:52.920 and I thought, 00:23:53.060 --> 00:23:53.960 well, that's not too bad. 00:23:55.020 --> 00:23:56.740 And then I forget who it was. 00:23:56.760 --> 00:23:57.820 It was one of the middle school boys. 00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.720 You know, they say what they think. 00:24:00.060 --> 00:24:00.840 He said, 00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:04.560 are you going to pick that up? 00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:06.140 Like with, 00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:07.900 you can't pick that up. 00:24:08.360 --> 00:24:09.120 And I thought, 00:24:09.640 --> 00:24:10.840 oh, little boy, watch this. 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:12.760 I'm picking this up. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:15.760 So, really quickly, 00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:16.800 math. 00:24:17.040 --> 00:24:18.160 All right, so, gravity. 00:24:18.320 --> 00:24:18.720 Here's where we go. 00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:19.840 Here's where I need to position. 00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:21.220 And I positioned 00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:23.680 and the weight of it came down. 00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:25.020 And right here was good. 00:24:25.760 --> 00:24:27.760 But then it was having to come from here 00:24:27.760 --> 00:24:28.820 to here. 00:24:29.020 --> 00:24:29.980 That was the problem. 00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:32.080 But I said, 00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:33.120 Bo, you got this. 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:35.380 And I stood up 00:24:35.380 --> 00:24:38.540 and I was going to take it up the hill. 00:24:40.100 --> 00:24:41.000 But I thought, 00:24:41.360 --> 00:24:42.520 nah, they don't know that. 00:24:42.780 --> 00:24:43.880 In the woods works. 00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:45.420 So I took three steps 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:46.300 and chunked it. 00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:48.580 And then Micah said, 00:24:49.580 --> 00:24:51.500 I didn't know you had that in you. 00:24:52.920 --> 00:24:53.900 And I said, 00:24:54.260 --> 00:24:55.300 well, now you know different. 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:57.820 Here's the confession. 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:00.300 That's the last one that I had in me. 00:25:00.620 --> 00:25:01.320 That was it. 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:06.300 No more whatsoever. 00:25:07.760 --> 00:25:08.100 Right? 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:13.900 And I think that's how we take our life, though. 00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:19.580 I can, I can, I can, I can, I can. 00:25:20.580 --> 00:25:23.940 And we just need to let God say, 00:25:25.040 --> 00:25:27.360 hey, Bo, I got this. 00:25:29.360 --> 00:25:30.180 Because you see, 00:25:31.040 --> 00:25:32.260 when God does it, 00:25:33.840 --> 00:25:34.980 when God does it, 00:25:36.220 --> 00:25:37.760 then what we do is we stand up 00:25:37.760 --> 00:25:39.200 and tell a story about what God did. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:42.100 And we tell a story about how God's faithful. 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:44.480 And we tell a story about how God's powerful. 00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:46.660 And we tell a story about how God is good. 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:50.180 And then God's the hero of the story. 00:25:51.420 --> 00:25:52.940 And God's the point of the story. 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:55.500 And God's the hope of the story. 00:25:56.340 --> 00:25:57.740 So I know you just can't today, 00:25:57.840 --> 00:25:58.500 but God can. 00:25:59.140 --> 00:26:00.560 I know you're at the end of your rope, 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:01.400 but God's not. 00:26:01.900 --> 00:26:03.380 I know you feel like the weight of the world 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:04.420 is crashing down on you, 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:05.480 but God's holding it up. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.760 And God's with you. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.060 And God's faithful. 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:12.620 So where do we get this idea from? 00:26:13.400 --> 00:26:15.220 Where do we get this concept from 00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:17.400 that God will never give us 00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:18.200 more than we can handle? 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:21.140 Well, most think that it's from a misunderstanding 00:26:21.140 --> 00:26:23.040 of the first verse that we read, 00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:24.360 1 Corinthians 10, 13. 00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:26.460 I'm going to reread that to you. 00:26:28.020 --> 00:26:29.740 No temptation has overtaken you 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.860 that is not common to man. 00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.580 God is faithful, 00:26:32.780 --> 00:26:34.040 and he will not let you be tempted 00:26:34.040 --> 00:26:35.000 beyond your ability. 00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:36.620 But with the temptation, 00:26:36.760 --> 00:26:38.620 he will also provide the way of escape 00:26:38.620 --> 00:26:41.840 that you may be able to endure it. 00:26:42.280 --> 00:26:44.760 So what we see is the context of this thought, 00:26:44.760 --> 00:26:46.860 this idea that we come from 00:26:46.860 --> 00:26:48.660 is not found in hardships, 00:26:48.900 --> 00:26:49.920 it's not found in suffering, 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:51.880 but it's found in temptation. 00:26:52.760 --> 00:26:53.520 And here's the context, 00:26:53.560 --> 00:26:55.160 as we've now jumped from 2 Corinthians 00:26:55.160 --> 00:26:56.220 back to 1 Corinthians. 00:26:56.940 --> 00:26:58.920 Before coming to faith in Christ, 00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:01.020 most, if not all, 00:27:01.100 --> 00:27:02.680 of the people of Corinth, 00:27:02.800 --> 00:27:04.080 the Corinthian believers, 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.440 participated in idol worship. 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:08.500 And the worship of idols then 00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:10.400 was much like the worship of idols today. 00:27:11.080 --> 00:27:14.140 It had infiltrated every part of their life. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:16.220 It was a part of their daily routine. 00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:17.420 They had festivals. 00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:18.520 They had feasts 00:27:18.520 --> 00:27:21.060 that all circled around the worship, 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:22.240 the pagan practices 00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:24.020 of worshiping these idol gods. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:25.600 And these festivals were known 00:27:25.600 --> 00:27:28.740 to have deep, dark, sinful practices 00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:30.900 that were associated with them. 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:32.820 And now, as Christians, 00:27:33.140 --> 00:27:35.520 they want to no longer worship the idols, 00:27:35.520 --> 00:27:37.780 but they still want to participate 00:27:37.780 --> 00:27:39.580 in the social life 00:27:39.580 --> 00:27:41.080 associated with the festivals. 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:43.740 We're not worshiping it, 00:27:43.780 --> 00:27:45.420 but we still like to be around it. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:48.220 And so let's eat, 00:27:48.380 --> 00:27:49.520 and let's drink, 00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:50.980 and let's participate, 00:27:51.340 --> 00:27:52.260 but it's okay. 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:54.820 We're not going to get too close. 00:27:56.300 --> 00:27:57.480 So at the beginning of this chapter, 00:27:57.600 --> 00:27:58.540 what Paul does is 00:27:58.540 --> 00:28:00.300 he gives them examples 00:28:00.300 --> 00:28:02.020 of Old Testament Israel 00:28:02.020 --> 00:28:04.800 and how they constantly fell into temptation. 00:28:05.520 --> 00:28:07.040 And even though they knew 00:28:07.040 --> 00:28:08.300 who God was 00:28:08.300 --> 00:28:08.960 and they knew 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:11.620 what God was capable of, 00:28:12.340 --> 00:28:12.580 right, 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:15.600 they still began to partner up 00:28:15.600 --> 00:28:16.760 with temptation 00:28:16.760 --> 00:28:18.180 after temptation 00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:19.680 after temptation 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:21.480 until they themselves 00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:24.180 fell into their own pattern 00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:26.160 of sinful wandering from God. 00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:28.660 And so what Paul does here 00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:30.060 with this verse 00:28:30.060 --> 00:28:31.520 and the verses surrounding it 00:28:31.520 --> 00:28:33.560 is he gives the church at Corinth, 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:34.620 he gives them a warning, 00:28:35.120 --> 00:28:35.700 a promise, 00:28:35.840 --> 00:28:36.300 and an action. 00:28:36.300 --> 00:28:37.440 Those are going to be our next three points. 00:28:38.280 --> 00:28:38.720 A warning, 00:28:38.840 --> 00:28:39.240 a promise, 00:28:39.320 --> 00:28:39.880 and an action. 00:28:40.780 --> 00:28:41.880 So let's look at first, 00:28:42.040 --> 00:28:42.940 let's look at the warning. 00:28:44.700 --> 00:28:45.280 Paul's warning, 00:28:45.360 --> 00:28:46.000 verse 12. 00:28:47.580 --> 00:28:47.800 Therefore, 00:28:48.040 --> 00:28:49.220 let anyone who thinks 00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:50.400 that he stands 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:51.860 take heed 00:28:51.860 --> 00:28:53.300 lest he fall. 00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:55.300 Here's the warning. 00:28:56.280 --> 00:28:57.560 Don't become smug, 00:28:57.660 --> 00:28:58.620 don't become casual, 00:28:58.860 --> 00:29:00.360 don't be complacent 00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:01.800 in your ability 00:29:01.800 --> 00:29:04.340 to fight sin. 00:29:06.180 --> 00:29:07.560 Me with the timber. 00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:09.540 I got it, 00:29:09.580 --> 00:29:10.100 I got it, 00:29:10.140 --> 00:29:10.800 I got it, 00:29:10.800 --> 00:29:12.220 until I don't. 00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:15.900 One of my favorite movies 00:29:15.900 --> 00:29:16.540 growing up, 00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:17.760 still one of my favorite movies today, 00:29:18.520 --> 00:29:19.280 is the movie Goonies. 00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:22.040 I love the movie Goonies. 00:29:23.520 --> 00:29:24.540 I love the movie Goonies, 00:29:24.580 --> 00:29:25.300 I love the characters 00:29:25.300 --> 00:29:25.960 that are there, 00:29:26.120 --> 00:29:27.200 and my favorite character 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:28.240 is probably Chunk. 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:29.860 I like Chunk. 00:29:30.520 --> 00:29:31.480 And there's a clip 00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:32.480 in it 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:35.400 where there's a water bottle, 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:37.500 and he's going to pick it up 00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:38.000 and move it. 00:29:39.100 --> 00:29:40.460 And he picks it up 00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:43.000 and Chunk's the clumsy one, 00:29:43.560 --> 00:29:44.800 he breaks everything, 00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:46.160 and he says, 00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.040 he's holding, 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:47.360 he goes, 00:29:47.600 --> 00:29:48.140 I got it, 00:29:48.260 --> 00:29:48.900 I got it, 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:49.660 I got it, 00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:51.860 I don't got it. 00:29:52.760 --> 00:29:53.620 And then they say, 00:29:53.780 --> 00:29:54.760 you klutz, 00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:56.640 and he breaks it. 00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:58.660 And I think that's 00:29:58.660 --> 00:29:59.860 what you and I do. 00:30:01.060 --> 00:30:02.100 When temptation, 00:30:02.860 --> 00:30:03.780 when it's the temptation 00:30:03.780 --> 00:30:05.280 that we face, 00:30:05.520 --> 00:30:06.500 when it's the temptation 00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:07.300 that we see, 00:30:07.540 --> 00:30:08.760 it's the warning, 00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:10.340 don't get so close. 00:30:10.540 --> 00:30:11.680 I know you think you're good. 00:30:11.840 --> 00:30:12.560 I know you think 00:30:12.560 --> 00:30:13.260 you can handle it. 00:30:13.420 --> 00:30:14.280 I know you think 00:30:14.280 --> 00:30:15.680 that you're powerful enough 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:16.220 to do this, 00:30:16.340 --> 00:30:16.960 but here's the truth, 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:17.700 that you're not. 00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:20.800 And so here's this warning. 00:30:22.080 --> 00:30:22.280 Therefore, 00:30:22.380 --> 00:30:23.660 let anyone who thinks 00:30:23.660 --> 00:30:24.980 that he stands, 00:30:25.300 --> 00:30:26.560 that he's good, 00:30:26.780 --> 00:30:28.380 that he's got this, 00:30:28.780 --> 00:30:29.760 be careful. 00:30:30.760 --> 00:30:31.620 Be careful, 00:30:32.680 --> 00:30:35.920 lest he falls. 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:38.000 It's the warning. 00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:39.580 It's the warning 00:30:39.580 --> 00:30:40.640 of the goodness of God 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:41.460 that he gives us. 00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:42.820 It's a warning 00:30:42.820 --> 00:30:45.200 that as Paul instructs 00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:45.680 the people 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:46.960 that he shares, 00:30:48.180 --> 00:30:48.620 guys, 00:30:49.020 --> 00:30:50.320 do you have the freedom 00:30:50.320 --> 00:30:52.880 to be around this? 00:30:53.900 --> 00:30:55.300 Do you have the freedom 00:30:55.300 --> 00:30:56.680 to go, 00:30:56.800 --> 00:30:57.620 but you're not 00:30:57.620 --> 00:30:58.540 going to engage with it? 00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:00.440 Sure. 00:31:01.580 --> 00:31:03.040 But here's the warning, man. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:04.680 The warning. 00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:06.940 Take heed. 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:08.900 It's dangerous. 00:31:09.860 --> 00:31:10.520 It's dangerous. 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:12.260 Then here's the promise. 00:31:13.160 --> 00:31:13.880 Here's the promise. 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.380 Verse 13. 00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:17.420 No temptation 00:31:17.420 --> 00:31:18.560 has overtaken you 00:31:18.560 --> 00:31:20.500 that is not common to man. 00:31:21.820 --> 00:31:22.800 God is faithful 00:31:22.800 --> 00:31:24.920 and he will not 00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:25.960 let you be tempted 00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:27.020 beyond your ability, 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:29.300 but with the temptation 00:31:29.300 --> 00:31:31.520 he will also provide 00:31:31.520 --> 00:31:32.680 the way of escape 00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:35.680 that you may be able 00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:37.180 to endure it. 00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:40.380 Temptations are not sinful. 00:31:41.520 --> 00:31:42.380 We all face them. 00:31:43.600 --> 00:31:44.780 Some of us may have 00:31:44.780 --> 00:31:45.680 similar temptations. 00:31:45.820 --> 00:31:46.360 Some of us may 00:31:46.360 --> 00:31:47.960 have different temptations. 00:31:48.740 --> 00:31:49.680 It's not wrong 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:50.760 to face temptation, 00:31:51.320 --> 00:31:52.760 but it is wrong 00:31:52.760 --> 00:31:53.820 to give in to the temptation. 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:55.960 And we, 00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:57.480 the promise of God's word, 00:31:58.440 --> 00:31:59.060 the promise, 00:31:59.660 --> 00:32:00.740 I know you feel weak, 00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.480 I feel weak. 00:32:02.440 --> 00:32:03.440 The promise 00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:04.920 of God's word says 00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:06.800 we do not have 00:32:06.800 --> 00:32:08.060 to give in 00:32:08.060 --> 00:32:09.260 to the temptation. 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:12.160 That you have a choice. 00:32:12.560 --> 00:32:14.480 That God is faithful. 00:32:15.520 --> 00:32:17.240 That God is faithful. 00:32:17.840 --> 00:32:19.240 You don't have 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:20.120 to sin. 00:32:22.940 --> 00:32:23.760 You ever heard 00:32:23.760 --> 00:32:24.360 the expression, 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:26.740 the devil made me do it? 00:32:27.780 --> 00:32:28.740 No, he didn't. 00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:30.700 You chose to do it. 00:32:32.600 --> 00:32:33.720 He didn't make you 00:32:33.720 --> 00:32:34.160 do anything. 00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.380 You're a child of God. 00:32:38.280 --> 00:32:39.260 You chose it. 00:32:40.120 --> 00:32:41.220 I chose it. 00:32:42.260 --> 00:32:43.420 But we don't have to. 00:32:44.780 --> 00:32:45.960 Because God is faithful. 00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:47.900 And there's an out. 00:32:48.740 --> 00:32:50.240 There's always an out. 00:32:51.700 --> 00:32:52.960 Here's the question, though. 00:32:53.140 --> 00:32:54.180 When you're tempted, 00:32:54.660 --> 00:32:55.520 when I'm tempted, 00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:57.500 are we looking for our out, 00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:58.300 or are we looking for 00:32:58.300 --> 00:32:58.880 a justification 00:32:58.880 --> 00:32:59.880 for our way in? 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:03.620 Ah, just this one time. 00:33:04.620 --> 00:33:05.800 Just a little bit. 00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:07.200 Just tonight. 00:33:07.880 --> 00:33:08.680 Just now. 00:33:09.120 --> 00:33:09.940 Just in the moment. 00:33:12.080 --> 00:33:13.340 I know when I fail, 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:16.060 and I fail often, 00:33:17.060 --> 00:33:18.840 I'm not looking for the out. 00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:19.440 I'm not clinging 00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:20.720 to the promises of God. 00:33:20.820 --> 00:33:21.560 I'm not remembering 00:33:21.560 --> 00:33:22.760 that God is faithful. 00:33:23.300 --> 00:33:24.420 I'm not looking to Him. 00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:25.360 I'm looking to me. 00:33:26.040 --> 00:33:27.220 I'm looking to me. 00:33:27.640 --> 00:33:28.860 But the promise 00:33:28.860 --> 00:33:31.200 that God is faithful. 00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:33.500 So when you face 00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:34.640 the temptation to sin, 00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:37.560 there's always a way out. 00:33:38.520 --> 00:33:39.520 And when you choose it, 00:33:39.580 --> 00:33:40.020 praise God. 00:33:41.160 --> 00:33:41.880 And then lastly. 00:33:43.280 --> 00:33:44.600 Lastly, there's the action. 00:33:45.620 --> 00:33:46.360 There's the action. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:48.040 Therefore, 00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:50.020 my beloved, 00:33:51.040 --> 00:33:54.060 flee from idolatry. 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:56.960 Flee from idolatry. 00:33:57.060 --> 00:33:58.360 1 Corinthians 10, 14. 00:33:59.240 --> 00:34:00.680 We see a scriptural pattern. 00:34:01.740 --> 00:34:02.560 If God tells you 00:34:02.560 --> 00:34:03.260 something one time, 00:34:03.320 --> 00:34:04.260 that's one time enough 00:34:04.260 --> 00:34:04.860 to listen to it 00:34:04.860 --> 00:34:05.480 and take it to heart. 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:07.460 If God tells you 00:34:07.460 --> 00:34:07.940 the same thing 00:34:07.940 --> 00:34:08.580 multiple times 00:34:08.580 --> 00:34:09.780 over and over and over again, 00:34:09.860 --> 00:34:10.600 He may be saying, 00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.700 I know He's saying it to me, 00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:12.040 hey Bo, 00:34:12.100 --> 00:34:13.720 slow down and process this some more. 00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:16.360 We see a pattern in Scripture. 00:34:16.520 --> 00:34:18.140 This is just a sampling of them. 00:34:18.300 --> 00:34:20.200 In 1 Corinthians 6, 18, 00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:21.840 flee from sexual immorality. 00:34:24.020 --> 00:34:25.700 In 1 Timothy 6, 11, 00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:27.480 But as for you, 00:34:27.560 --> 00:34:28.300 O man of God, 00:34:28.660 --> 00:34:29.800 flee these things. 00:34:31.180 --> 00:34:32.000 Pursue righteousness, 00:34:32.340 --> 00:34:32.820 godliness, 00:34:33.120 --> 00:34:33.520 faith, 00:34:34.040 --> 00:34:34.520 love, 00:34:35.300 --> 00:34:36.240 steadfastness, 00:34:36.540 --> 00:34:37.040 gentleness. 00:34:39.040 --> 00:34:40.440 2 Timothy 2, 2. 00:34:42.040 --> 00:34:42.780 So flee 00:34:42.780 --> 00:34:45.020 youthful passions 00:34:45.020 --> 00:34:47.540 and pursue righteousness, 00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:49.480 faith, 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:50.940 love, 00:34:51.240 --> 00:34:51.820 and peace 00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:54.580 along with those 00:34:54.580 --> 00:34:55.540 who call on the Lord 00:34:55.540 --> 00:34:57.180 from the pure heart. 00:34:59.680 --> 00:35:00.580 What's the pattern? 00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:02.300 The patterns flee. 00:35:03.140 --> 00:35:03.860 The patterns flee. 00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:05.080 Did a little word study on that. 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:07.120 I've always just kind of 00:35:07.120 --> 00:35:08.100 gotten the picture of running. 00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:09.760 Running. 00:35:10.640 --> 00:35:11.760 Some of us are faster. 00:35:12.240 --> 00:35:13.440 Some of us are a little slower. 00:35:14.220 --> 00:35:15.380 I always kind of took it as the point 00:35:15.380 --> 00:35:16.640 is just get away. 00:35:17.260 --> 00:35:17.600 Get away. 00:35:18.200 --> 00:35:19.880 Did a word study on this word, 00:35:19.960 --> 00:35:20.880 on flee this week, 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:23.000 and it kind of carries with it 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:24.080 kind of two thoughts. 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.060 I want to share these with you 00:35:26.060 --> 00:35:28.240 when it comes to the temptations 00:35:28.240 --> 00:35:30.480 or the sins that we face. 00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:31.580 Whatever degree, 00:35:31.720 --> 00:35:32.120 temptation, 00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:32.440 sin, 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:33.520 we see both of them listed. 00:35:33.860 --> 00:35:34.960 Both of them commanded to flee. 00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:36.180 Flee the temptation. 00:35:36.680 --> 00:35:37.200 Flee the sin. 00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:39.080 The first thing is escape. 00:35:40.740 --> 00:35:41.100 Escape. 00:35:42.080 --> 00:35:42.440 That's the first. 00:35:42.520 --> 00:35:43.440 See, that's more than run. 00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:45.540 That's escape. 00:35:46.560 --> 00:35:47.860 When I think of escape, 00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:49.580 why are we escaping? 00:35:49.720 --> 00:35:50.820 Because something's after us. 00:35:51.120 --> 00:35:52.180 Something's trying to get us. 00:35:52.420 --> 00:35:53.920 Something's trying to entrap us. 00:35:54.180 --> 00:35:56.340 Something's trying to kill us. 00:35:58.120 --> 00:35:59.100 Makes us think of sin 00:35:59.100 --> 00:36:00.640 a little bit differently, doesn't it? 00:36:01.680 --> 00:36:02.820 Makes us think of temptation 00:36:02.820 --> 00:36:05.060 a little differently, doesn't it? 00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:07.220 Escape. 00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:09.920 Get away. 00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:11.860 Move. 00:36:12.680 --> 00:36:14.180 With urgency 00:36:14.180 --> 00:36:17.360 and a little bit of panic. 00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:20.220 Not too cool for the moment. 00:36:21.260 --> 00:36:22.060 Not thinking through 00:36:22.060 --> 00:36:23.080 what others are going to say. 00:36:23.640 --> 00:36:24.980 Not the things that we criticize 00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:27.200 as adults for teenagers doing 00:36:27.200 --> 00:36:29.640 of falling into the peer pressure 00:36:29.640 --> 00:36:30.400 around them. 00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:32.120 Teenagers, guess what? 00:36:32.220 --> 00:36:32.880 We follow 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:35.120 the exact same pattern sometimes. 00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:36.960 Escape it. 00:36:38.180 --> 00:36:38.700 Escape it. 00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:39.180 The second 00:36:39.180 --> 00:36:41.320 connotation of this word 00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:43.800 is avoid completely. 00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:46.280 Avoid completely. 00:36:47.440 --> 00:36:47.820 Ooh. 00:36:49.740 --> 00:36:50.140 Hmm. 00:36:52.140 --> 00:36:53.240 What about that temptation? 00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:54.100 I'm good, man. 00:36:54.100 --> 00:36:54.960 I'm strong in the Lord. 00:36:56.540 --> 00:36:57.140 I'm here. 00:36:57.140 --> 00:36:58.160 I used to battle with that. 00:36:58.220 --> 00:36:59.180 Don't battle with it anymore. 00:37:02.160 --> 00:37:03.580 God's word says flee from it. 00:37:03.640 --> 00:37:04.660 Avoid it completely. 00:37:05.860 --> 00:37:06.960 Here's the question. 00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:09.060 Is not, 00:37:09.480 --> 00:37:10.320 is it okay? 00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:13.360 Is not, 00:37:14.240 --> 00:37:16.320 can I endure this? 00:37:18.040 --> 00:37:18.360 The kind of, 00:37:18.420 --> 00:37:19.800 is it going to bring glory 00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:21.220 to God in this? 00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:23.900 Is it going to produce fruit 00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:25.440 in me in this? 00:37:25.640 --> 00:37:26.960 So God's word says 00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:28.100 that in temptation, 00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:30.020 that in sin, 00:37:31.040 --> 00:37:32.840 that I escape it, 00:37:34.100 --> 00:37:35.980 and now that I know the escape, 00:37:36.420 --> 00:37:37.580 here's number two, 00:37:38.200 --> 00:37:39.640 avoid it completely. 00:37:40.780 --> 00:37:41.680 Now that I know 00:37:41.680 --> 00:37:42.620 that this is this piece 00:37:42.620 --> 00:37:43.260 that is here, 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:44.980 that I do have a choice, 00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:46.700 and that I have a decision to make, 00:37:46.780 --> 00:37:48.400 and I don't have to walk down a path 00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:49.580 that's going to get complicated, 00:37:49.660 --> 00:37:50.580 that's going to get difficult, 00:37:50.940 --> 00:37:52.420 that I can do certain things, 00:37:52.460 --> 00:37:53.560 that I can build my life, 00:37:53.720 --> 00:37:54.620 that I can set my mind 00:37:54.620 --> 00:37:55.660 on the mission of God, 00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:57.520 of what God has for me, 00:37:57.600 --> 00:37:59.420 to avoid these things altogether. 00:38:01.640 --> 00:38:03.600 Not so that I'm holier than thou, 00:38:05.540 --> 00:38:07.220 but it's so that I can be obedient 00:38:07.220 --> 00:38:08.200 to the holy God, 00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:11.320 of what he's called me to. 00:38:13.680 --> 00:38:15.080 And so here's the action. 00:38:16.780 --> 00:38:17.260 Flee. 00:38:20.080 --> 00:38:20.520 Flee. 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:22.560 Escape it. 00:38:23.660 --> 00:38:24.260 Avoid it. 00:38:25.460 --> 00:38:26.840 Not so at the end of the day 00:38:26.840 --> 00:38:29.240 that we can look at ourselves 00:38:29.240 --> 00:38:31.540 and think about how great we are. 00:38:32.840 --> 00:38:34.280 That when I take the meaning 00:38:34.280 --> 00:38:35.780 of 1 Corinthians 10, 13, 00:38:36.780 --> 00:38:38.340 and I press it together 00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:41.800 with the meaning of 2 Corinthians 1, 00:38:42.040 --> 00:38:43.060 8 through 9, 00:38:43.540 --> 00:38:44.540 here's what we come to. 00:38:45.400 --> 00:38:47.080 That it is you and I 00:38:47.080 --> 00:38:48.400 press into God 00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:51.220 as we walk with Christ, 00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:52.960 as we're dependent 00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:54.140 upon the Holy Spirit, 00:38:54.680 --> 00:38:56.380 as we rely on Him. 00:38:57.100 --> 00:38:57.780 Praise God. 00:38:57.880 --> 00:38:59.280 The promises of Scripture 00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:00.000 are true 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:02.180 that He is faithful, 00:39:02.660 --> 00:39:04.500 that He is capable, 00:39:04.920 --> 00:39:06.580 that He is good, 00:39:06.920 --> 00:39:07.720 and church, 00:39:08.180 --> 00:39:10.680 He is worth it. 00:39:11.800 --> 00:39:13.120 He's greater. 00:39:14.320 --> 00:39:16.860 He's greater than anything 00:39:16.860 --> 00:39:19.780 this world promises. 00:39:21.600 --> 00:39:24.980 Press into Him. 00:39:26.060 --> 00:39:26.880 Would you pray with me? 00:39:31.600 --> 00:39:32.280 God, 00:39:32.280 --> 00:39:32.300 God, 00:39:32.360 --> 00:39:33.420 I thank You for the promises 00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:34.940 and for the truth of Your Word. 00:39:36.640 --> 00:39:37.060 Lord, 00:39:37.080 --> 00:39:38.420 there's been so many times 00:39:38.420 --> 00:39:40.100 every person in here, 00:39:40.180 --> 00:39:40.340 Lord, 00:39:41.600 --> 00:39:42.640 has misquoted, 00:39:42.820 --> 00:39:43.500 misused 00:39:43.500 --> 00:39:44.800 Your Word. 00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:46.220 God, 00:39:46.260 --> 00:39:46.820 and I thank You 00:39:46.820 --> 00:39:47.800 for Your faithfulness, 00:39:47.880 --> 00:39:48.040 Lord, 00:39:48.100 --> 00:39:49.100 that You forgive us 00:39:49.100 --> 00:39:50.740 when we've done so. 00:39:52.740 --> 00:39:53.180 God, 00:39:53.220 --> 00:39:55.520 as we go from here today, 00:39:56.700 --> 00:39:56.980 oh, 00:39:57.040 --> 00:39:57.280 Lord, 00:39:57.360 --> 00:39:57.580 how, 00:39:59.060 --> 00:40:00.120 to our flesh, 00:40:00.300 --> 00:40:01.680 how wonderful it would be 00:40:01.680 --> 00:40:04.200 to not have to face 00:40:04.200 --> 00:40:04.880 the hardships 00:40:04.880 --> 00:40:05.880 and the suffering. 00:40:07.620 --> 00:40:08.140 But God, 00:40:08.160 --> 00:40:08.660 we just know 00:40:08.660 --> 00:40:09.260 that we will. 00:40:11.180 --> 00:40:12.760 And when we face it, 00:40:14.060 --> 00:40:14.740 God, 00:40:14.800 --> 00:40:15.540 may we know 00:40:15.540 --> 00:40:16.900 we are not alone. 00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:18.760 May we know 00:40:18.760 --> 00:40:19.840 that it's our strength 00:40:19.840 --> 00:40:20.820 that comes from You. 00:40:21.240 --> 00:40:21.960 May we know 00:40:21.960 --> 00:40:22.920 that it's the power 00:40:22.920 --> 00:40:24.080 that comes from You. 00:40:24.640 --> 00:40:25.240 May we know 00:40:25.240 --> 00:40:26.380 that it's our hope 00:40:26.380 --> 00:40:27.260 that comes from You. 00:40:27.980 --> 00:40:29.360 And may we cling to You. 00:40:31.480 --> 00:40:31.940 And that, God, 00:40:31.960 --> 00:40:33.180 when we face temptation, 00:40:34.380 --> 00:40:35.700 we do not face it alone. 00:40:36.820 --> 00:40:38.020 And we have ability 00:40:38.020 --> 00:40:38.900 to walk away. 00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:40.180 We have an ability 00:40:40.180 --> 00:40:41.020 to escape. 00:40:41.400 --> 00:40:42.040 We have an ability 00:40:42.040 --> 00:40:42.860 to avoid. 00:40:43.400 --> 00:40:44.220 And it is found 00:40:44.220 --> 00:40:45.360 not in who we are, 00:40:46.240 --> 00:40:47.400 not in our own 00:40:47.400 --> 00:40:48.400 internal goodness 00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:49.140 of ourselves, 00:40:49.180 --> 00:40:49.860 but it is found 00:40:49.860 --> 00:40:50.820 in You and You alone. 00:40:51.240 --> 00:40:52.180 And it is evidence 00:40:52.180 --> 00:40:52.780 of the power 00:40:52.780 --> 00:40:53.560 of Your Holy Spirit 00:40:53.560 --> 00:40:54.680 who dwells in us, 00:40:54.780 --> 00:40:56.160 who is working in us 00:40:56.160 --> 00:40:57.100 and moving in us. 00:40:57.200 --> 00:40:57.540 And so, Lord, 00:40:57.640 --> 00:40:58.180 thank You. 00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:00.360 Thank You providing a way, Lord. 00:41:00.400 --> 00:41:01.500 And You are the way. 00:41:02.260 --> 00:41:03.060 You're the way. 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:05.760 We can walk. 00:41:08.240 --> 00:41:09.460 God, I pray for us here. 00:41:11.060 --> 00:41:12.460 I pray for the testimony, 00:41:13.740 --> 00:41:14.900 our faith, 00:41:16.360 --> 00:41:17.360 our willingness 00:41:17.360 --> 00:41:17.680 of obedience, 00:41:17.680 --> 00:41:18.340 our willingness of obedience. 00:41:20.020 --> 00:41:20.620 God, that we would seek 00:41:20.620 --> 00:41:21.380 to glorify 00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:22.880 and honor You 00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:24.820 in all that we do 00:41:24.820 --> 00:41:26.820 and all that we are. 00:41:27.960 --> 00:41:29.140 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:33.100 That's it for this week's message. 00:41:33.640 --> 00:41:35.080 Be sure to check back next week 00:41:35.080 --> 00:41:35.880 for a new episode. 00:41:36.500 --> 00:41:37.220 And in the meantime, 00:41:37.500 --> 00:41:38.720 you can visit us online 00:41:38.720 --> 00:41:40.680 at willowridgechurch.org 00:41:40.680 --> 00:41:41.980 or by searching for 00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:42.820 Willow Ridge Church 00:41:42.820 --> 00:41:43.540 on Facebook, 00:41:43.900 --> 00:41:44.320 Instagram, 00:41:44.640 --> 00:41:45.100 and YouTube. 00:41:45.560 --> 00:41:46.500 Thanks again for listening.