This is part one and two of a series entitled "Temptation" by Impact Church and Pastor Olu Brown
Scandal
"Was it worth it?"
Proverbs 1:7-19
Part 1 (I've been hucked)
Temptation can be singular or plural.
We all have temptations.
Temptation will always be a part of our lives. It will mess you up if you don't acknowledge it.
The way you over come a temptation is to release it to someone who can hold you accountable.
Solomon in proverbs is speaking to us so that we see that you can't overcome temptation without the Lords strength. Solomon states that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lords wrath is the beginning of His sweet understanding.
Types of temptations
Materialism-do you value helping others or looking nice
Pride-how much do you give of yourself
Self-centered-how much of you is available to God so you can be used
Laziness-how often do we read our bible, how much time do we have for God
Anger/bitterness-do you hold secret anger or bitterness towards others
Sexual lust-how often do you give in?
Envy-who do you envy? Who do you wish you were?
Gluttony-what can you not turn down? Is food your God?
Lying- white lies, there are degrees of lies. But how many do you tell, and how do you justify your lying?
These can seem insignificant, but think on these. Many fall into these categories and fall in sin because they don't acknowledge these.
The design of temptation- your temptation is custom made for you. It is shaped by your experience, by your desires. Take time to think about what your personal temptations are.
Temptation has layers.
Personal-your custom temptations, that you don't tell anyone
Communal- your friends decide what you stand for
Professional-your job can influence your beliefs and what you speak up for
International-the news, your country tells you who to love and hate. the media tells us to judge others because of how they dress or what they believe.
There is always collateral damages when our temptations go unchecked.
The collateral damage in your life, if you don't check your temptations, they will manifest into your death.
Proverbs 1:19
There can also be collateral damage that's positive to. The good you do can help others, it helps some you will never know. The life you live today will either kill or bless your children and those attached to you.
Like 8:1-3
Scandal part 2
"Every scandal has a Harrison"
2 Samuel chapter 11:1-5
2 Samuel chapter 12:1-7
David was second king of Israel after Saul.
David had more wives than anyone, he didn't need Bathsheba.
David finds that Bathsheba is pregnant and he goes into Olivia Pope mode.
David tries to get Uriah to come home, and have sex with his wife so he can cover up his child with Bathsheba
David then throws a party to get Uriah drunk and try to get him to sleep with his wife.
Then after all fails David sends Uriah to the front line, to have him killed and after David married Bathsheba.
Harrison's or Nathan's are necessary, but prophets and truth speakers are judged, mocked and killed.
Why did this happen to David?
1. David was in the wrong place
2. He was home while his soldiers were fighting.
3. David was in the wrong space, his mind was in the wrong place, he shouldn't have been even thinking about a woman, he should have been at war with his troops.
4. This wasn't the David that defeated Goliath. David was a fighter. But he wasn't fighting, he was relaxing. David was the closest to God when he was fighting.
5. David was a king and had a lack of discretion. He lived in the margin, he did what he wanted. Because he was out of place he was on the edge because he lived in the margin, he fell when he saw Bathsheba. But the sin begun when David said home and didn't fight.
Whenever you are in the wrong place you are opening yourself up to greater trouble.
Successful people know how to be in the right place in the right time.
The question is, who do you hang with. Who gets your time and attention, who gets your resources and energy. Do you devote time to those who stretch you and push you?
Do you take time to locate yourself? How often do you ask yourself what am I thinking? How often do you stop to make sure your in the right mental space?
If your in the wrong mental space your chances for failure are greater.
There are beautiful things everywhere, if your in the wrong space you might take what doesn't belong to you.
David was wrong for what he did because he was a leader, Bathsheba wasn't in sin. David had the power and the person with the most power takes the blame. Leaders are always held to a higher standard.
