"Man, These Temptations!"

From The Dive @ 6:45 Young Adult Bible Study-Taught 4/4/17
From "(Mis)Handling Temptation" Series

Doughnuts! Oh how I love thee! Especially those sugary, juicy, Hot Sign Flashing Krispy Kreme doughnuts! I know that they are bad for me...I know that they have no place in my daily eating routine. But I just seemingly can't stop thinking about them! Those doughnuts truly are a weakness in my life! If you put a box in front of me, I just don't know if I can keep my hands off. But those doughnuts aren't my only weakness...!

Throughout our every day lives, we are faced with many "weaknesses" that we can so easily allow ourselves to give in to! These weaknesses are often what we call temptations. (Naw, not the "My Girl" singers). Using my girl Merriam-Webster Dictionary, temptation is defined as a strong urge or desire to have or do something, especially something that is bad, wrong or unwise. We all have faced temptations at some point in our lives. But the handling of our personal temptations is another story. Buuttt before we go too deep, let's talk about two topics that need to be explored!

1. Point 'Em Out AKA I.D. Them!
• Can you say without a shadow of doubt that you know all of your temptations? No? Neither can I. We often spend time focusing on the main attractions of temptation, such as lust, doughnuts and cussing everyone out, that we negate other "minor" temptations that we can better get a handle on. It's time to Point 'Em Out! Why though man? I'm all good if I know a few. Because knowledge affords you the opportunity to tackle temptations before they become habits. But man, how do we do that dude? Glad ya asked...check this out disciple: 
1. Ask and Seek: If you don't know something, you don't just sit and wait for the answer to fall in your lap. You take the time out to get on Google, phone a friend/mama/daddy/the genius you know, or even consult a book. You are actively asking and seeking. The same concept should apply for temptations. You and I should take some time to check in with God to see what are some of our weak areas that we may have missed. If we ask and seek, we shall receive and find! (Matthew 7:7-8)
2. Understand What Was Revealed:After you receive knowledge about something, it can be hard to understand it, even with temptation. How can I be so easily tempted to do one thing but not as tempted to the other thing that is closely related? Sometimes, we have to turn ourselves away from distractions and tune our ears to wisdom (Proverbs 2:2-3). Remember, every word that sounds good to you is not good for you. Seek discernment on how to turn to!
3. Write It Down!:There is something to be said about a person who writes things down, whether they are good or bad. Journaling for me has been an outlet to release things from my heart and mind and put it on paper, as to be not forgotten. We can do the same with temptation revelation! We should write down these items for memory's sake but also to make it more believable. Writing is seeing and seeing is believing!
2. Prepare For A Secured Stumble! 
• One of the worst concepts in the world are stairs without rails. Seriously, how is this even legal and possible? Rails with stairs provide the opportunity to hold to something. But also they serve as assistance when we stumble. Could you imagine life full of temptations but nothing to help us when we stumble into temptation? Or even further, not considering that we actually may stumble. We are human, not Jesus! (though we strive to be more like Him every day!) You should be prepared for stumble but guess what...it's secured!
1. Stay Woke: This particular phrase has become one of the most used phrases over the past 2-3 years and it is very true. We have been operating in a coma on certain social issues and we need to be awaken. When it comes to temptation, we too have to be awaken to knowledge that the enemy is attempting to take us down and make us fall into temptation (1 Peter 5:8). Awakening your senses better prepares you for what you know the enemy can and will do to attack you!
2. Brace With Grace: To do something with grace means that you do it with a simple elegance or poise. Grace would allow one to know how to act or behave in certain situations. Fortunately, we have another grace that assists us with our stumbles. This grace is unmerited favor God grants to God's people. For when we receive this grace, though we stumble and fall, we are not completely shut down or shut out (Proverbs 37:24). We have the opportunity to brace our fall with grace! 

Ask Yourself: What are my personal temptations that I am dealing with? Am I prepared for a secured stumble? 

Drop your comments, questions or concerns below. 

Be Blessed!

-Darren