I Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  In any walk of life be it personal, family, work or even church, the most common temptations come from immorality and money.  Look at today’s headlines involving sexual abuse and harassment.  We will never live in a world that does not have temptations as long as the enemy is still at work or until Jesus comes back.  Temptations are common to man as clearly stated in our Scripture this week. In fact, temptation is a sign that Satan hates you, and wants to move you from living for Christ to yielding to his lies.  Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”  Temptation only becomes a sin when we give in to it.  The promise is that God will always provide a way of escape.  There is always a way out.

The leader must realize that temptations begin by capturing our attention and minds which then arouse the emotions.  Emotions activate our behavior and subsequent sin.  Lust in the mind is the most common temptation for men.  Most all affairs begin with this progression.  To reduce temptations and thoughts that are unholy, keep your mind absorbed in God’s Word.  This replaces evil with good.  Look at what the Bible says in Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.”  This is exactly what the enemy wants you to believe and that you are missing out on something good or better than what God provides.  Cotton candy may taste good at first, but it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and a sour feeling in the stomach. The best practice is to not eat it.  Once it is in your mouth and stomach, you have already taken it into your body.  It is easier to stay out of temptation than to get out of its after effects once it becomes a sin.  Remember: “No one of us is safe from sin until we get to heaven.”  Take every thought captive and resist the Devil with all your mind and heart.