beware the hook

9/18/2015 Beware the Hook. Lesson 9 in "Timely Topics for Teens"

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Lesson 9: Beware the Hook

The devil made me do it!

No, he didn't! You did it, and you are responsible for it. The devilmay have tempted you, but YOU made the choice.

There's nothing good about sin, but the devil deceives peopleinto thinking it's good. In every temptation, there is this elementof deception. That's the way the devil goes about his work ofdestroying people—he deceives them. It's the same thing afisherman does to catch a fish.

Think of your favorite fishing lake. In it is a great big fish. Foryears, the fishermen have wanted to catch this big fish, but theyhaven't been able to do it. Why? Because that fish has a place ofsafety under a big stump. Nobody can get him there.

How does the fisherman go about trying to catch that fish? Doeshe go out there, build a nice fire, put a frying pan in it, dangle ahook in front of that fish and say, "Come on, fish, bite that hook,so I can catch you and eat you?" Of course not!

What does the fisherman do? He slips up quietly behind that stumpso the fish can't see him. He puts something on that hook that he



thinks will appeal to that fish—a nice juicy worm—he dangles that in front of the fish.

The battle is on! The fish is hungry—he hasn'teaten for days, and that worm sure looks good.But something warns him of danger. He's beentangled up with a hook before. Finally, his desiregets the best of him. He convinces himself that hecan run out there, grab that worm, and run back

under the stump.

He grabs it! He's got the worm. Yes, buthe's got something else—the hook!

That's the way the devil deceivesus. He dangles something in front of usthat appeals to us. He knows us, and heknows exactly what 'bait' to use for each ofus. The devil tempts me at my weak point;he tempts you at your weak point. TheBible says,

"each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away

and enticed." (James 1:14)

Now, it's no sin to be tempted. Even the Lord Jesus wastempted. The Bible says that He"has been tempted in every way, just as

we are—yet [he] was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) Just because youare tempted doesn't mean that you have to sin. When does sincome in? Sin comes when we give in to the temptation. We sinwhen we say, "Yes" to it.

Each time you are tempted youmust choose between twothings: God's will and your ownlust. Certain definite resultsfollow each choice. If you



choose God's will, the result will be righteousness and life. If youchoose your own lust, the result will be sin. The Bible says, "the

wages of sin is death…"(Romans 6:23) The Bible also says, "Then, after

desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives

birth to death." (James 1:15)

Remember, in every temptation,there is a hook.There is nothinggood about sin. It may look good,but since it comes from Satan, it isnot good.

The Bible says,

"Don't be deceived…Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming

down from the Father…" (James 1:16-17)

Get that—Every good gift and every perfect gift is from God. Andit comes in God's way and in God's time. If it doesn't come inGod's time and in God's way, it's not from God, and it's not good.

Actually, it is the PURSUIT of sin that is so appealing to us. Assoon as sin is committed, it is no longer attractive. Satan has youhooked, and he no longer cares to hide its ugliness.

For example, 2 Samuel 13 tells the story of Amnon, one of KingDavid's sons. Amnon was infatuated with his beautiful halfsister,Tamar. He lusted after her. Finally he conceived a plan to get her.He pretended to be sick and asked Tamar to come and cook forhim. When they were alone, he forced his attentions on her andraped her.

Afterward, how did he feel about Tamar? His 'love' turned to hate.But the story doesn't end there. Later on, Amnon was murdered byTamar's brother in an act of revenge.

We can learn a valuable lesson here—there is always a hook insin. Sex is a wonderful gift of God; and, in God's way and in God's



time, it is a great blessing. But, if you reach outand take it outside of His will, it becomes a curse.If a boy really loves a girl, he won't try to takeadvantage of her; and if a girl really loves a boy,she won't lower her moral standards for him. It's afoolish girl who gives in to a boy 'to keep fromlosing him.'

But you ask, "How can I overcome temptation?" First, acceptthe fact that you will be tempted—we all are. Next, realize thatthere is a hook in every temptation—there always is. Remember, ifit doesn't come from God, it isn't good, no matter how good it maylook.

God will provide you a way outof every temptation if youchoose not to sin. He promises todo this in His Word. You shouldmemorize this verse, It will helpyou when you are tempted.

"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)

Are you tempted? Tell the Lord about it. Tell Him that you choosenot to sin. Ask Him to keep you from sinning. Trust Him to make away of escape for you. Then, take that way of escape.

ESCAPE!

"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 [an escape] so



that you can stand up under it." (1

Corinthians 10:13)

God has a tremendous message for us in this verse and everyteenager should get it. Let's look at the verse carefully and seewhat God is saying to us.

You will be tempted.The Christian life is not a life free from temptation. When youbecome a Christian, the devil doesn't decide to take a longvacation. I wish he would. I would pay his expenses! As long as weare in this world we will be tempted. But remember this—temptation in itself is not sin. The Bible says of the sinless Savior,He "has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet [he] was without

sin."(Hebrews 4:15) Sin comes when we say, "Yes"to temptation.

Everyone is tempted.Remember when you aretempted that such temptationis "common to man." Christians arenot a new order of angelic beings.They are made of the same stuff asother people and are subject to thesame temptations and trials. Often,when we as Christians are tempted with unclean thoughts, we areprone to think that we must be the most wicked or weakest of allpeople. The devil likes for us to think that way. He likes for us tothink that our case is hopeless. But this is not true. Others aretempted in the same way. Many of them have come through withflying colors, and you can too if you really want to do so.

God will not let you be tested beyond what you canbear.Here is a fact that we can count on.[God] "will not let you be



tempted beyond what you canbear." God keeps His word. Ifwe go down in defeat it will beour own fault. There are three

steps down into sin, and the last two steps are ours.

Someone has said, "Temptation is like an egg—easily broken, butalso easily hatched if we give it a warm reception."

There is a way of escape."But when you are tempted, he [God] will also provide a way out [an

escape] so that you can stand up under it."

When an old black preacher wasexplaining this verse to his congregation,he said, "What the Lord says here is thatHe will never let the devil hem you up in acorner without leaving some little knothole that you can squeeze through." Thisis true.

Sometimes the way of escape is to avoid a situationthat you know will bedangerous.Sometimes, the way of escape is to break some friendship or associationthat is leading you the wrong way.Keep busy. Find something constructive to do.Idleness is the devil'sworkshop, and if you don't want to do business with him, stay out of his shop.Be careful about what you feed your mind. You cannot keep a pure mind ifyou feed it on all the filth that is printed and shown today.Don't neglect your Bible. A note in D. L. Moody's Bible reads, "This Book willkeep you from sin or sin will keep you from this Book."

God is faithful.Our verse says,"GOD IS FAITHFUL."When God says He will notallow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, He means justthat. When He says He will make a way of escape, He means just



that. We may fail Him, but He neverfails us.

But, suppose you do fail. Oceanliners carry life boats for use inemergencies. God has made such aprovision for us. 1 John 1:9 says,

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins

and purify us from all unrighteousness."

When you do sin, come to God at once and confess your sin openlyand frankly.

But you must not be expecting to fail all the time. If you expect tofail, you will fail. Determine in your heart that you will succeed inthe Christian life.

Jonathan Edwards made two wonderful resolutions:

"Resolved first, that every man should live to the glory ofGod.

Resolved second, that whether others do this or not, IWILL!"

The young person who determines in his heart to glorify God inhis life, no matter what others do or think, is more precious to Godthan all the starry universe.

beware the hook

Documents

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deceivedevery good

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