"Lead Us Not Into Temptation" | Lee Morris

Man, good morning. >> Morning. >> You know, all all the stuff that hap the the issues last night, the process this morning, whatever was going on this live, like all of it falls in the category of what what we're going to go over right now, right? The temptation to choose myself. Uh let me pray for us real quick. I think we I think sometimes we rush we try to rush through prayer to like cover the bases. You know what I mean? And so like sometimes I just want to just sit there for a minute cuz I really expect him to show up. Uh Charles, will you grab the door? I really expect him to show up. I want him to show up. Like if he doesn't show up, like we're just men. You know what I'm saying? Like even the instructors, we're just men. And our hope is just like the way he moved so much in our lives, that thing that happens inside of you whenever you really catch something and it begins to change you a little bit. That's our hope, right? And so that's the point of praying in the beginning. The point of praying like especially us in unity that we would Matt Jones that we would come into agreement and pray in unity so that he would come into the room because if not, you're just going to get the same things you've always gotten and nothing will shift and change. You know what I mean? So like, so that's what we're going to do. We're just gonna we're gonna be quiet for a minute, right? Wait on him.

And so, Father God, Lord, we just we just wait on you, Lord. [sighs] We are We are mere men desire who desire you, Lord, who desire that you would come into this room, Lord God. That you would fill us and possess us. That you would give us an understanding, Lord God. that you would draw us to yourself, that you would give us the ability to praise you, that you would give us the ability to worship you, that you would give us the ability to receive your word in the way that you intended, God. Father God, that you would mold and shape and guide us. That you would make us aware of our flesh. That you would make us aware of where we uh begin to navigate away from you, Lord God. That we would be on guard, Lord. That you would reveal the tactics of the enemy so that we could begin to be a participant in this battle, Lord. That we would partner with you to help grow your kingdom, God. Father God, have your way with us, Lord God. Work in us a pure heart and a right spirit. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> Uh are you done with question? >> No, I'm just now starting. >> Oh. Um I was going to walk over with G and get the code. >> Yeah, go for it. >> Um on the I'll just text you. >> All right, perfect. Uh did it mess some stuff up when I merged it? >> No. No, it it's got two of one of the transits, but I think because it's two different types. Okay. >> Okay. >> I'm going to erase all the >> text it to me. Text it to me.

Uh so our our the today is lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. This is the only one that I break into two parts because I think it's I think one it's uh I think there's a part of it where we have to learn what it looks like in the beginning and then what it looks like as a believer. I think the temptation I I say that because like the the temptation to you know for boobs the temptation for booze the temptation for you know those things we have to address how do we identify those but then also what I've seen is a lot of people become believers and they get puffed up in their own knowledge and then it's uh and we got to guard against the temptation to prove uh prove the uh Jesus right. Yesterday, Anto and I got in a conversation because he was like, you know, you have to defend the gospel. I'm like, where? There's nowhere it says to defend the gospel. In fact, if you're defending the gospel, you're doing it wrong. And he so he pulled up the scripture and it says, always be prepared with the defense for why you have hope. But that word isn't to defend it. It's to state the case of why you believe. What does it look like to state the case that I why I believe? Anybody? What would it look like if you stated the case for your beliefs? >> Look at my life. >> What is that called? >> Testimony. >> My testimony. The always having a defense for why I have my hope set in him is literally just being always prepared with my testimony of the why I needed to die with him and why I needed to be resurrected with him and then what my life looks like now. >> Super simple, right? And so I think there's the two things, right? We're going to today we're going to dive in uh what it looks like for us now and then tomorrow and and part of as a believer and then tomorrow Ronnie stand up in the back baby. You you're bobbleheading on me. >> It's okay. Just stand up. You can't do it while you're standing.

So, uh the first scripture is Acts 2:25. It says, "David said about him, I saw the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand. I will not be shaken." Listen, the reality is this. I can be focused. I can be focused on Jesus every day in this place. Get up, get in the word, get some worship, sharpen with the brothers. And then as soon as I go into phase two, uh, my bed gets busier and everything else. And so, it's not that the Lord isn't in my vision. He just shifts a little bit. So, I still have him. you know, now I'm walking this way. If that camera is him, I still see him. He's still there. But if the further the more I go down this road, the the more he goes into my peripheral vision, he goes into this other place. And if I get into phase three and then transition and then life and the busyiness of life, I will get it where he'll barely be in my vision and I'll still say, "Well, I've got him there, but he's not always before me. And if he's not always before me, then he's not at my right hand." and I will be shaken. And so the whole thing is every day, not for months at a time, not for weeks at a time, not for days at a time, but for today, we stay we try to stay focused on him. We try to stay focus cuz what what else [clears throat] has worked for you? You know what I'm saying? What else has worked? The only thing I I had a conversation the other day. The only thing that has worked for me is every day I get up and I'm desperately trying to chase after him. that looks different. There's no there's no step one through 10. I I I wake up. I try to thank him when I you know, all the normal stuff. Thank him. I try to pray. I'm trying to listen to Christian music while I'm I'm working out. I'm I'm trying to listen to a message when I get on the treadmill or I get in the sauna. You know, I get home and I've got a couple different devotions that I got going on. I'm trying to crack the word, maybe listen to some more message, right? And I and I'm just trying my my heart, my intent, my my overall motive is to pursue him. And uh and for me that is keeping him before me. And there's some things that I constantly do like right I leave my Bible on the table. I always lay my hands on my wife and I pray uh before I leave I make sure to do that every day. And and I and I do those things to keep me in a place where I'm always focused on him. I know that it says pray without ceasing and I don't do that. I wish I did. Right? I I just don't. Uh but my date constantly circles back to where he's my primary focus. He he's what I'm focused on. And if I do that, then even in the midst of, you know, if I'm walking down the street and, you know, Judy Judy big booties walking by and I I make the horrible mistake of looking one too one too many long moments or two too many times. Uh in that moment, because I am circling back to him, there's something that occurs where I'm like, "Lord, help me, Lord." Right? And so it always brings me back to where he's at my right hand and I can't be shaken because my focus is on him. I'm not making an excuse for any of those things. What I'm saying is because I'm diligently fighting for him, he reenters me. And it doesn't mean I don't have to come and expose it, right? I got to come in and say, "Man, today is a struggle. Today I lost my temper. Today I looked one, man, I just, you know, there's something in my heart because I paid a little too much attention to to whatever it was or or or when I was scrolling on YouTube, you know, it was start it went to, you know, exercise videos and, you know, I watched that one 17 times. No, I'm just kidding. >> It was a delt workout. That's all it was. Uh, but you know what I'm saying? like my my desire to pursue him corrects the ship. I'm not going to pretend like I I it doesn't get out of out of uh center or out of true north every once in a while, but because I'm pursuing him and and I have these rhythms and patterns within my day where I'm always coming back to focus on him, praying at meal times and and and different and teaching and and different stuff, right? It allows me to see myself, surrender some things, desire to be more like him, and and and know that he's with me, and he and I'm not going to make the same mistakes I once did as long as I'm open and honest about it. Right?

I'm going to come back to the second scripture. I'm going to jump down to James 1. I I think I'm going to do 2 Corinthians tomorrow. James 1 2 says this. It says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance." Let's talk about this a little bit before before I go any further. Right? Who here uh considers it pure joy when you're in a trial? Listen, I'm going to share my one or two only experiences that in in the midst of the trial when I was able to do this. So, uh afterwards, I'm good at it. Like, oh, thank you, Lord. I see your goodness. you brought me through. And I know that with everything I am, I know that every time I hit a trial, every time something's circumstantial, everything time there's a crisis that it's going to lead me to understand how how much better God is, he's doing it as a setup to either show up for somebody or show up for me or do something spectacular. And always has to do and it hurts and it's a trial because it's breaking something off me that I don't know that I need to let go of. Does that make sense? And so the only time I I've ever been able in the midst of it to be like I have joy Lord and start singing was uh whenever I get real sick cuz it's the only time I'm conscious of like you know I don't know if y'all get sick like me but like I only get sick like maybe every other year. And whenever I get sick maybe every couple years I get sick like yeah I'm about to die or at least that's what I'm hoping for at that point. And I remember like a couple times where I was like, "Oh." And I'm just done, right? I'm so sick. I'm like, "This is what that scripture means." And so I remember like feeling like at death, you know, and sitting up on the side of my bed and I started trying to sing, "Thank you, Lord." Cuz like in my brain, I'm thinking, "This is the one time I can actually live this scripture cuz this is a trial. I want to die right now." And so I remember thinking like, "Okay, Lord, I'm going to sing thank you Lord from a real place right now." And it was one of the I've done that two different times, both when I was sick. It was the only time I was conscious enough of it where I was like, "Okay, I'm going to count it joy right now in the in the midst of this." I'm not talking about a and and that's instantaneous. So, there's been processes, right? The stuff me and my wife have gone through. There's been processes that last a few days that I knew was a trial that we worshiped through, that we celebrated through, stuff like that. But I'm talking about like right in the heat of it. The only time was ever whenever I was like death sick. What? >> Uh, I was just going to say like what a trial is or like what would be considered a trial? >> Well, be bro, that's so I I would say the easiest. So, I guess I for me I would have to define what a crisis would be, right? What would a crisis, a life crisis, a personal crisis be? Uh, let's use Christian him getting that news Sunday that puts him in crisis. He's here. there's this thing going on. He has no control over it. It doesn't look good. And so that would be crisis, right? The trial. So I think a trial has to come with a crisis. So there has to be a crisis, right? An emergency uh uh uh calamity uh uh something broken, something that uh that just didn't go right. Right? You know what I'm saying? And then the trial is the surrendering it to God or not. So you have the crisis and then the trial is do I trust God? Does that make sense? I believe for me that's all lead definitions. So I think to enter into trial like it's talking about and there's there many kinds right because the trial is dictated by the crisis. My mom dying, my wife having a miscarriage, right? All those are crisis. The trials are do the trial is do I keep my eye on him and know that he's good? Do I trust that he is everything he says he is and he's this good he's good for all of his promises. Does that make sense? >> Uh but know that prior to that is also suffering. And it says so it says because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. This is what I'll say. Perseverance is the one that we need to define. Right? What is perseverance? >> You gotta raise your hand so we can mic you up. We'll go here and then we'll go here because I'm gonna add a little to it. >> Perseverance for me would be uh finally releasing yourself from that bondage of being free from it. >> Okay. >> Like overcoming that trial of not going the negative way but surrendering to God. >> Okay. I hear what you're saying. I do think it's a little different though. I'm going to add to that. Go ahead with Roger and then go over here. >> Oh, I think it's like when you reach a place of I give up and then you don't. You keep going. >> You've been in too many of my classes. Let's hear the next guy. >> Let's hear this next guy right here. >> So, you keep going. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you get up and you keep fighting. >> That's good. So, so this is what I'll say. Who here has convinced themselves to quit? something. Once you fully convince yourself to quit and then you keep going, that's perseverance. Perseverance for me isn't uh like I'm just not going to stop, right? That is a a that's kind of to persevere for me. Real perseverance is that next step whenever in my mind I've already made the plan. I've already in my heart. I've already let everybody know. And then right at that last moment, something says just hang on. >> Because everything else is external. But that internal voice that says quit, that internal voice that says give up, once you've overcome that internal voice, then it's really perseverance. You see I, you know, there's a lot in the military portion of that. You see a lot of guys go try to go through elite training that have trained their entire life for it. Those guys never make it. They never make it cuz they're doing it just to have a label, just to have say their It's never those guys. There's something different in the guys that do. And it's never the ones that you think would do it. It's the ones that they have an internal voice that says, "Uh, five more seconds. Five more seconds. I'll quit in five more seconds. I'll quit in five more seconds. I'll quit in five more seconds. I'll quit in five. You get it? And it's like, okay, I'm quitting after lunch. >> And and then after lunch, okay, I'm going to make it to the pork roast. See what I'm saying? Like I'm I'm done, but I don't Nobody wants to leave hungry. You know what I'm saying? Like I at least should eat first. That's for because we want to grab onto this heroic type of perseverance. It's not. That's why I always just say just make for me. Listen, I'm naturally a fat kid. You know what I'm saying? Like my natural state is I want to eat most all the time. And so I'm not going to leave hungry. So a lot of times by the time I get to sit down and eat, I'll convince myself I can make it to the next time we eat. And I just try to take it in those small bites, right? I get done eating breakfast and then I come and I know I got to teach and then I know an hour later I get to eat and I live my life like that. You know what I mean? >> That's what it is for me to persevere cuz if not there's no way that this place could have got built. It's just too much. It's too big. There's no way that I'm coming up on eight years clean. There's no way if I would have thought I'm but there's no way that I listen I've never looked at it as like I'm going to get 10 years. I'm like, "Lord, just protect me for till dinner time." You know what I'm saying? Cuz I know my dope don't look like dope. It looks like a pinion. It looks like boobs. It looks like, you know what I'm saying? It don't look like a bag of meth. It doesn't look like that anymore. But so, I'm just on guard. I'm just like, "Protect me for today. Protect, get me through the dinner time." I know I'm grilling pork chops tonight for my wife. Just get me to the pork chops, Lord. You know what I'm saying?

So it says, "Let persever perseverance finish its works that you may be mature mature and complete not lacking anything." It means listen, if you can continue just to make it five more seconds, he's going to do all the heavy lifting. That's what that's saying. If you just don't quit, he'll mature you and make sure you lack nothing. That should take an incredible weight off of trying to be holy. It doesn't say nothing. It just says don't quit and you'll end up being mature and lack nothing. That should take you should be able to take a breath of air from that. You understand? When it says that just hang on, don't quit. That's why I try to tell you all you got to do is just stay. You literally just got to stay. The hardest thing you'll ever do is sit in that chair until you get moved up to the next one. And then you get moved into the next one. And then you get moved in the next. It's the hardest thing you'll do here cuz up here is going to convince you to abandon it. That's why I just say just stay. It says it's it's so clear in scripture. It right here. It doesn't say listen to be mature and complete. It does not say anything about stop sinning. It does not say anything about stop lying. It doesn't say anything about uh about making yourself pure or walking in sexual. It just says don't give up. Count it joy when it's hard. Who here had a hard morning? Raise your hand. Okay. Say joy. Joy. Joy. >> Joy. Joy. Down in my heart. >> Down in my heart. >> Down in my heart. >> Down in my heart. >> Down in my heart. >> Down in my heart. >> And then just stay. >> You get it? >> Yeah. >> That's literally what the scripture says. Yeah. Go for it. You're good. Go. >> Sorry. >> Yeah. You ain't got to be dismissed to go to the bathroom. We try to keep it on the bathroom breaks, but if you're in the office, it is what it is. Do you understand? He's saying, "Count it joy when it sucks. Let me in. Let I'm going to let y'all in on something. >> It's going to suck. It's just life is going to be hard. There's going to not everybody's built. You're built to for people to shade underneath you. >> As men, you're meant for people to take refuge underneath you. Do you know what that means? >> It means you're built to endure the elements so other people can have rest. It's gonna suck sometimes. You know what I'm saying? I have this I have a gigantic uh cypress tree in my front yard. When we bought the house, it was bro, it's it's as big as this one that's over here, right? We had the house 2 weeks and a storm comes through and the entire top of it gets ripped off. Like it's th this this big, right? I'm talking probably 20 ft up and the and the base of that where that trunk was that got ripped off at the height of my house was like this. Luckily, it just got ripped off and and thrown over in the yard. It didn't go on the house or anything. But it made me think it was like, man, that's what it feels like sometimes. Like that tree is still standing. It's still green. It's still alive. It still provides shade for my home. You look up at it and it's still mincing that big. You can tell it got some damage, but it's still there and it's still doing its job. It still has life and it's still beautiful. Doesn't mean it didn't get jacked up. That's what it is to be men. You're going to take the licks. You're gonna take the hits. You just got to keep standing. >> That's it. Just keep standing. Did uh you had your hand up. >> He's coming. >> I'll do on that statement because I I really like that saying what you were saying to just sit in the chair. It's just funny just yesterday um I went to go meet with my probation officer and I was just saying the most encouraging thing I heard her say through my whole um meeting with her. She said, "You don't really don't have to say nothing to me cuz you're there. That's all I need to say." And you know what I mean? And that really was a powerful like encouragement knowing that she knows I'm trying cuz she knows I'm just there. When they listen, there's been so many men. Listen, you need to when you see graduates come through those doors, when you see guys that have been through this program, if you're on probation and you got a great relationship with your probation, you need to thank them cuz that comes from the men that came before you doing the right thing. It took I was the first one I got arrested. I so I had a charge pop up about a month after I opened this place. I had five sheriffs show up to arrest me during my class and they were like, "We're men of God. What time should we come back?" And uh and they came back. I ended up sign I ended up getting on paper for six years and uh and that and that was I was the first person on probation and and then and then we had other staff that came in and they were on my probation and we all and basically everybody goes in there and they're excited. We're excited about life. We're doing the right things. were willing to comply. And so it's just built a reputation within probation that if a man comes here and he's willing to lay down his life and he's willing to put forth the effort that they're going to work with you. And so I'm glad you got encouraged in that way. You know, I'm I'm very glad. Just keep staying. That's it.

This is difficult. It's going to be get more difficult. The further along the program it gets, it gets more difficult because you get more freedom. you move from under under absolute authority into under being just under his authority. I mean, you're gonna still have pastors and stuff like that, but the reality is like our goal in third phase is for you to have an opinion of me. You have to have an opinion of leadership so that you don't hold us in such high regard that you're not at the feet of Jesus cuz this he's the only solution. We're going to fail you. And so, the program is literally designed to make that exit. So, that's why it's going to get more difficult. That's why it's going to get harder because you're going to have to really figure out how to go directly. I' I've used the analogy of of of right now I go hunt, I go kill, we we prepare it and we feed you and we spoon feed you. And then phase two, you got to start feeding yourself. In phase three, you got to kill it and cook it and feed yourself. And in in uh in transition, you're doing all the work on your own. And so it goes it gets progressively harder, right? And and it's supposed to be that way because listen, because by the time you leave here, you need to be able to kill, cook, and feed your family. You get it? That's what you need to That's what we're trying to raise you up. The only way you're going to do it is at the feet of Jesus cuz he's the one that's actually going to do it. He's going to sustain.

So it says, "If any of you lacks wisdom," listen, this is really good. Who Who knows Proverbs 8? Anybody know Proverbs 8 about wisdom? Anyway, it came up this morning. Uh, it's not on this. I We need to pull it up. Who's got a Bible? Pull up Proverbs 8. We'll read it after I read this. It says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." Now, listen. I'm going to read the whole thing now in context because it ties together perseverance with wisdom. For me, the wisdom is that God is good. And then we're going to read Proverbs 8 here in a second. And so, I'm going to read the whole scripture again. James 1 2. says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. We're going to life's going to suck because you know that testing your faith produces perseverance." Listen, the other thing I want to touch on is what is Listen, I know faith is the substance things hoped for, the evidence of things unseeded. But when do you know that it's real faith and it's of your own? When do you know it's your faith? Anybody? When does it become your re your faith? When you're seeking yourself, >> that's a part of it. Listen, I'm going to challenge. It's the same thing as perseverance. >> When you test, when this voice when this voice in this head says, "Is he real?" And something inside of me says, "Shut the up. He's real." You get it? So, the testing of the faith is he going to take care of me? Is he going to take care of my family? Whatever that crisis and trial is, right, that unbelief moment, whatever that is, will produce perseverance. Once you convince yourself you're ready to quit, but you stay, then that perseverance, the heavy lifting, take a deep breath in this one. Perseverance, not trying to be holy, not trying to be perfect, not trying to be a superch Christian, not trying to be all that stuff, but literally just by sticking and staying will make you mature and complete, powerful, not lacking anything. Everybody say nothing. >> Nothing. >> That's what that's saying. If you just stick and stay, you ain't going to lack nothing. See ye verse the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. The beautiful thing about all is you don't even know what the all that is you want. says this, "And if any of you lacks wisdom, why would it accompany wisdom with perseverance? Because if you know God is good, you're wise." If you know that all of these circumstances are just circumstantial, they will pass away. But the only thing that does not pass away is God. >> You should ask God. It says, "If you lack wisdom, who lacks wisdom?" I lack wisdom. You know what prayer I pray more than anything else over me and my wife? Give us wisdom and discernment. Give me wisdom to lead your people. Give me discernment to understand your word, your seasons, your heart. [sighs] You should ask God who gives generously to all. Say all. >> All >> without finding fault. Listen, it doesn't matter if you're an idiot. He's willing to give you wisdom. That's basically what it says. >> Short, tall, ugly, the majority. >> He's willing to give you wisdom. What? >> JD. >> JD, you're needed. and it will be given to you. Read Proverbs 8. Who had it? Read aloud. >> Listen as wisdom calls out. Hear as understanding raises her voice. She stands on the hill. >> Hold on. Hold on. Start again. Listen as wisdom calls out. Hear as understanding raises her voice. She stands on the hilltop. And at the crossroads, at the entrance to the city, at the city gates, she cries out loud, "I call to you, to all of you. I am raising my voice to all people. How naive you are. Let me give you common sense. Oh foolish ones, let me give you understanding. Listen to me, for I have excellent things to tell you. Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and hate every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing crooked or twisted in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those who want to learn. Choose my instruction rather than silver and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it. I wisdom live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discrimin. All who fear the Lord will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. Good advice and success belongs to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign and rulers make just laws. Rulers lead with my help and nobles make righteous judgments. >> Who is that? How much more you got? Is that it? >> Well, I mean that was No, there all of chapter 8. You mean? >> Yeah. All of chapter 8. Is that it? >> No, sir. It's not. >> Keep going. >> I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. Unending riches, honor, wealth, and justice are mine to distribute. My gifts are better than the purest gold. My wage is better than st steering silver. I walk in a righteousness and paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth for I will fill their treasures. The Lord formed me from the beginning before he created anything else. I was appointed in ages past. At the very first before the earth began, I was born before the oceans were created. Before the springs bubble forth their waters, before the mountains and the hills were formed, I was born. Before he made the earth and the fields and the first handfuls of soil, I was there when he established the heavens. When he drew the horizon on oceans, I was there. He set the clouds above. When he established the deep foundations of the earth, I was there when he set the limits of the sea. So they would not evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of Gowi will last. Golly people find life. Evil people find death. The Lord hates people with twisted hearts, but he delights in those who have integrity. He you can be sure that evil people will be punished, but the children of godly will be goofree. A woman who is beautiful but lacks discretion is like gold ring in a pig's snout. The godly can look forward to the happiness while the wicked can expect owing wrath. It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy. But those who are stingy will lose everything. >> You're reading. Are you reading more than eight? >> Skip eight. >> I was going to say you went way into >> 12. You went to 12. >> Right. >> My apologies. >> Yeah. No, you're good. So, I just listen. I >> Sorry. [laughter] >> I was like, "Bro, I picked the biggest chapter in all of Proverbs." >> Uh, you picked 119. >> No. So, listen. It's funny cuz Proverbs 8 came up when I was working out with Nick this morning and then we tal we're talking about wisdom and it has to do with wisdom. That's what I want. I I would say this. If you're praying for wisdom and discernment, if you if this chapter in some part or in this verse James 1 2 5, if it struck you where you want to persevere and you want to ask God for wisdom, I would dwell and meditate on Proverbs 8 and understand what wisdom is. What? >> On Proverbs 8. It says, "For those who find me find life." Is this saying like Jesus? >> So that's a lot a lot of people that read that was the conversation that Nick and I had. It seems like wisdom is Christ, right? And he gives So that's a lot of people's interpretation. I don't know. I I I if anybody said they did, they're, you know, a better theologian than me. What I'll say is there's so much in that description of wisdom in Proverbs 8 that would point you to that it is the image of Christ. Even when he says, "I was before the foundation of the earth. I was formed before ages and ages." My truth is this. God says, or in the book of James, the Lord says he's willing to give that to us without measure. I want it and I want to know what it means. Who wants to ask for something that you don't know what it means. I want to know what it means. So, I want to know what wisdom is. Read Proverbs 8 because it says, "For those of you who lack wisdom, ask and he'll give it generously." Proverbs 8. What? Proverbs 9. >> Hold on. We're not going to Proverbs 9. >> We're We're stay We're actually on something else. But I appreciate you just uh the the point in into Proverbs 8 is just uh if you want to dive into wisdom. We're going to flip over. We're going to go to James 1 to go to the next page. Page 142 in this book. Uh is that Jose? This book. So all of our stuff we work out of this book. The Bible's just for you for later. So, if you go to page 142, we have the scripture already broke in there and we do we're doing everything out of NIV primarily, but this is your curriculum workbook. This will have every class you got. So, uh, and you're required to have it all the time. So, listen.

So, here we go. Lead us not to temptation, right? We're jumping back in. James 1:13 through 18 says this. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Okay, listen. Now, we're going to try to break this out. We're going to simplify. We're going to try to make this not so supernaturally fantastical. We're going to try to bring it down to earth a little bit. Okay, this is the simplest way I can explain this. If I see boobs, I start thinking about them. Right now, I have a moment. I have a moment where I can say, I take this thought captive. I lay it at your feet. Yeah, that's what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to learn to bring these thoughts into subjugation. This is the thing is the enemy, there's nothing new under the sun. Lust of the eye, lust of the flesh, pride of life, and fear. Those are his tactics. Those are that's his weapons. And so what he'll do is he'll drop lust of the flesh in this room, right? It's just airdrop cuz he can't read your mind. So he'll drop lust of the flesh. Now, you might like big girls, you might like Asian women, you might like dudes, you might you know what I'm saying? Like what whatever it is, I'm just saying the lust of the flesh drops and because of the evil desire within us, our own flavor, right? You know, something like the gordas boy, you know, whatever the said, [laughter] calm down, calm down. But you see what I'm saying? Like our own flavor, like it's going to look different. You know what I'm saying? And so he'll drop that and then my own evil desire will have an opportunity to connect with it. That's what he's that's what it's saying right here. It says, "But each person is tempted with their dragged away by their own evil desire." So he drops the airdrop and I'm sexual temptation is what I'm going to touch on cuz I that's you know I mean that's a real battle for every man in this room. I promise you that. And so that thought will come sometimes in the middle of worship, right? With no women around. That's how you know it's a thought of the enemy. It's an intrusive thought if you don't take it captive and you step into fantasy. You understand what I'm saying? Like it's one thing boobs drop. Lord, no. I'm trying to worship. I take stuck captive. No boobs right now. Right. Okay. Boom. Set aside. However, you ever see somebody worshiping and they go and they just they're not even present anymore. That's the next part of this scripture. It's this. It says by their own even desire and enticed. So the the boob drops, they have the thought, they're enticed. The next place it goes is fantasy. It manifests in the mind. It says then after desire has conceived. So now boob enticed fantasy. Get it? There's a whole chemical reaction happen in your body at this time. There's uh with uh epinephrine, norepinephrine. I can't remember all the the dopamine and and all that stuff, right? It's a it's a small trigger. That's why you like people get addicted to porn like they get crazy addicted to porn because the dopamine response. So, you begin to chase. You don't know it, but you're chasing a chemical response. The same thing is what the enemy is trying to induce in you. He's trying to get the airdrop to connect and entice so that you can be dragged away. It says, "After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin." So now I have this fantasy, right? And man, I know none of you men have ever struggled with this, but I have this fantasy and it's playing over and over and over. Then I get in the shower and I'm all by myself. And then right when I'm about done with the shower and I've been a good boy, the fantasy comes back. And listen, as soon as I grab onto it and I encourage myself in the fantasy, it becomes sin. He says, if you've done it in your heart, you've done it. You've committed the sin. So listen, in that place, whenever I grab onto the fantasy to connect it physically to act out in reality, it becomes sin because my heart is now connected to the thing. Does that make sense? No, it does. Yeah. Okay, good. It says, "And sin when it is fullgrown gives birth to death." Now, I don't think that like boom boom punch went out, then I'm dying, right? What I think is it creates a secret place that I can retreat to to relieve pressure outside of surrender to God, which makes it which takes a toll. Every little G, God has to have a sacrifice. In a relationship, it's going to be the sacrifice of intimacy. You're going to be going away to have this fantasy life because it's easier. It's so much easier, right? It's way easier. You ain't got to put no work in. You ain't really got to put much effort in it, but it's still, you see what I'm saying? And so, it gives it it kills little things. I don't believe that the I believe if he could kill it all at once, he he would would in a heartbeat. But I think what but he's satisfied with the death by a thousand l uh cuts, right? >> And and and because it kills over time. It says, "Don't be deceived, my brothers and sisters. Listen, because this is the truth. Why would it be so important that why would the every single struggle of every single human being at its core be sexual?" Does anybody So this is part of this is my own, right? I got to throw out that disclaimer. Uh I believe every man and most every woman struggle in one form or another with sexuality. Maybe not all, but I believe most, right? One, they say uh one in three men have been molested. Uh half of all women, I believe it's half of all men as well. I just it doesn't go as reported, right? And so if you take those statistics, it means no matter what, 50% of the world's population struggles with sexual sin, sexual immorality, sexual identity in some way, shape, or form because you can't endure that kind of trauma without for some part of your life having some issues. It's just what it's going to be. And so why would he attack that so young and so innocent? Why would the enemy do that? Right? And this is my own, like I said, this is as I've delved in, I've asked the Lord and I've tried to understand like how did angels that weren't created with free will rebel? They didn't have free will. How could they what were what were the angels created to do? >> Huh? >> Worship. >> Worship God. Right? So listen, if you take two images, you take God created man, right? And it was not good for man to be alone. So he split us in two. So they say, and this is just me stringing some stuff together just because of my own thought process, right? So this I'm just that's my disclaimer. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? To imitate somebody, to do their impression, to it's the highest form of flattery. So if you took two halves of one image and you brought them back together, wouldn't that be the highest form of worship? To unite in perfect harmony, setting aside all differences that man and woman would come back unified in spirit and flesh to reflect the very image of God. You get it? Wouldn't that be worship? >> And so I think what because the enemy because Satan because Lucifer, the great deceiver, was a legalist, right? He knew all of the laws and all the functions. And just like any attorney, you it's not about what you did. It's about what I can prove, right? >> Or or anybody that's ever been to jail or prison, listen, there's ways to get you what you want around the rules and use the rules against them. You definitely use the rules against them, right? >> So, I think this is what he did. I think he said, "Let's go have sex with those girls." And they're like, "We we're not allowed to." And he goes, "You're created for worship. You're created for worship." Cuz they didn't have free will. Like I said, this is my own like trying to understand the whole thing cuz it's hard to understand, right? And there's mysteries. I'm going to ask the Lord like, "Hey, is this what happened?" Because in that, I also see the attack against it. If the the intimacy that can be shared, the the unity, the the the being brought together as one flesh with one woman, never giving yourself to another, her never giving herself to another. This is the truth. We're so deceived in what we believe intimacy is that we think it's what they give to us, and it that has nothing to do with it. It's actually

What you open yourself up and give away to someone else. That's intimacy. You'll never feel intimate with someone that you can't fully expose yourself with. And it's only then that you'll be fulfilled in intimate relationships. Outside of that, it's just obsession and possession because you're trying to possess what they can give you without giving anything back. Anybody ever struggle with that a little bit? You know what I'm saying? That's mine, bro.

This is what I found out as a saved believer, right? With tons of sexual history and all that. The reason why now as a believer I could never imagine compromising my marriage and I'm on guard, bro. I don't think it I think it can happen to anybody. I don't do I don't put myself in bad situations cuz I know people are one mistake away from making the wrong mistake of their life. But I'll say the one thing that would keeps me so stringent on those boundaries is that I've now given a secret deep and innocent place to my wife that I never even knew existed. I my sexual identity was stolen at such a young age that I never had innocence until God restored me and showed me that it was always there. And then I've given that secret place to my wife. She possesses my secret place. I possess her secret place. Does that make sense? And it's not that I hold sacred. I do hold her secret place sacred, but I hold more sacred that she holds mine. That and that is what creates us so intimately bound. That's what makes it so important and so special and it makes it where I I would ne I don't want I don't there's a lust part, right? There's the evil part that wants boobs, but there's a part of me that says there's no intimacy there. Before Jesus, I couldn't have said that. You understand what I'm saying? Before Jesus, it was like, "No, that's what it is, right? It's just not. It's so different."

I say all that to say this next part. It says, "Every good and perfect." It says, "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters." I think he's saying, "Listen, sex isn't bad. Don't get messed up on that first part and think whenever you have sexual when you sex in marriage or uh h wanting to have sex with your wife or or having a healthy sex life or having a a a large sex life with with your wife. That's that's good. He says every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the heaven. Father of heaven, father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created."

Listen, I I say all I say all of that because my hope is that you guys have the most healthy sex lives ever, right? With your wife, not the girl that you've been with for a while that you call your wife, cuz that's just you lying to her and lying to yourself. That ain't your wife. Listen, there's something about entering into real covenant in the eyes of God and men. You can say, "I don't want to put a piece of paper." What? That's all stupid. It's all It's just ignorant. If If she ain't worth being a wife, let her know she ain't worth it and move around. You know what I'm saying? If she is, you there's no show me dating in the Bible. What's wrong, George? You okay? I know that's always a hard one for you. All right. All right. God wants us to engage. It even references how often to come together as married couples. It says do it often so that the enemy has no room to come between you, right? It's a good and perfect gift and the enemy is constantly trying to corrupt it and you will have to be on guard and you h it starts as soon as the thought hits. You have the ability to combat it. You have the ability to fight it. You have the ability to overcome it. But not if you start the if you let the fantasy begin. And that has to do with anything. That's tits, booties, dope, cars, jobs. You know, you see what I'm saying? Anytime that thought points back to the I, the me, or the my to fulfill my own needs, to make me look a certain way, to the things that I'm going to have or the things that I'm going to do. Anytime it does that, that fantasy takes you out of this moment. It takes you to a future or it takes you to a past. And you're not time travelers. You're meant to be in this present moment. The enemy wants to distract you through sexual fantasy, pride, arrogance, ego, fear, and all of those are places outside of this present moment. You understand that? If I get afraid, I'm living in a future that doesn't exist except up here. If I'm in sexual fantasy, I'm living either one that happened a long time ago or in a proposed future that could happen. You see what I'm saying? But I'm not here. I'm not available.

In John chapter 17, Christ prays that we would have a mind at one with God like he was one. And the only way we do that is if we're present and available right now in this moment here, to not covet. Do you know what to covet is? Do you know what covetousness is? It means you know better than God. Like if listen if you look at somebody and you think like you look at the rank and you're looking at Rudy and you're like man Rudy I I should be the staff sergeant that's you saying that you know better than God. You know that right? I'm not saying I'm God but the the word says who believes in the word >> if you believe in the word. The word says >> all authority is in place by God. >> So if you're looking at Rudy or John Spencer or Charles or Hose and you're thinking he doesn't deserve to be there. You're saying you know better than God. That's literally what covetousness is, right? The lust of the eye, the pride and fear. It's all meant to take you out of right now. Lead us not in temptation. God, keep me present and available until we get to the sandwiches. >> Right? Don't go further than that. >> If you go further than that, you're going to end up off track. You're going to you're going to put God in your periphery and and and eventually when you get over here, he's not going to be anywhere and you're going to be as lost as you once were. You're going to be looking around to try to find him again. >> And it's so subtle, so simple, so so easy to get off track. >> And it doesn't have to be these big grandiose things. It could just be listen, keep a thank you, Lord, on your lips. It I It sounds crazy, right? But keep a thank you Lord on your lips. who's never had grits before coming here. Thank you, Lord, for the grits. You know what I'm saying? >> Easy stuff. That gratitude, that little thing of gratitude. Thank you, Lord, for my breath, the breath in my lungs. Listen, that the name of God, Yahweh, right? It had no vowels. It was YWH. [sighs] That was the name, the breath. You do it 19,000 times a day, 23 times a minute. You've said the name of God since the moment you came into this earth. If nothing else, say thank you for that. Thank you for the breath of my lungs because it can always get better. Listen, that wisdom means it's always going to get better cuz he's good. So whenever I ask for the wisdom, I have to have the thank you on my lips to know that as long as there's breath in my lungs, he's going to be better than he was yesterday. >> Huh? >> I >> Oh. Oh. >> Oh, okay. Fair enough. It's very disruptive. Just kidding. Just giving you a hard time. Father God, I thank you for these men. I thank you for this class. Uh Lord, teach us your ways. Lord, leave us on a re. If there's something we read and navigate in this word, Lord God, that you would like us to have a deeper understanding for, reveal it to us, God. We don't have it all figured out. We don't know everything. We want to be on guard. We want to overcome temptation. We want to have a better understanding of how to live and walk and persevere and have faith and be strengthened by your presence, God. Lord, help us to stay in position just to the sandwiches. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. >> Amen. 10 minutes,