Looking for a way out?

We've all gotten ourselves into situations we knew we shouldn't be in. It's seems that we go down a road we have no business being on, then when the road dead ends well we have a decision to make? Do we turn left? Do we turn right? Or do we turn back? This decision at this point and time is critical for us. Huge consequenses await us if we make the wrong choice.

Let's paint a picture here. The road of sin you are on is leading you into more and more temptation. Whatever road that may be; anger/bitterness, bad habits, being unfaithful, additions, lying, stealing, cheating and I could go on and on... we know this is a bad road because of our convictions. The Holy Spirit within us is screaming out saying... "Stop, don't go there! This is a place you do not need to be going." So most of the bad roads we go down, we usually know it's not a good road. (The decision to begin down a bad road begins in the mind or our thoughts) We think about it, we fantasize about it, and we begin down the road of temptation. Now sometimes we don't realize how bad the road is in the beginning as we start down it, but this road quickly gets worse the farther we drive down it. Examples of this are temptations are getting stronger. It becomes more difficult to abstain from the temptation. We think we're strong enough to resist or only go so far, but the farther we drive down this road of sin the greater the temptation and the weaker we become. While driving down this road we see all kinds of warning signs that this is a bad road, but we ignore them. It's like seeing a flooded river over the road and we know it's dangerous to cross it, but we think we can do it anyway and get to the other side without getting hurt. So we press on taking risks along the way. My point is this... we know this road is bad and we know we have to drive very cautiously or we could get hurt. Eventually we hit a dead end, the road ends. This dead end I compare to a decision that has to be made that crosses the line. We're going past the point of no return. Up to this point we have somehow justified in our minds that we haven't crossed the line. We think because we haven't committed the actual act of sin that we haven't crossed the line... BIG MISTAKE! If you thought it, Jesus says you committed it! There's no difference according to the word of God, which is the standard of course rather than how we feel about it.

This point of no return is the moment I want to focus on for us. Remember, we should never have allowed ourselves to get to this point. If we are here, we have not listened to our convictions, we have ignored the Holy Spirit's warning signs along the way. In our own selfish desire we went on down the road anyway, and now we find ourselves at a crossroads. Do we turn right, left, or back? Well there's only one answer isn't there? Turn back of course. To turn right or left confirms only one thing... we're still on this bad road. We have to turn around and go back. We have to get off this road and by turning around we are no longer going in the wrong direction anymore, we know we're headed back to safety and a road that is good. It's called repentance of our sin. It's when we realize we're headed the wrong way and we turn around and head the right way. Sin is always leading us away from God... to repent means we turn from our sin and head back towards God.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

So now we know the way out of the temptations we face... Turn back to God, and He will provide you a way out so you can stand up under the pressure of this temptation. God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. So remember, when you are tempted... there's always a way out, an escape route just for you! Seek God's face and allow the Holy Spirits conviction to turn your focus away from temptation and back on the Lord. What a loving and compassionate God we have. A God that always gives us a way out so we don't fall into the traps of sin that Satan sets for us. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness!