Do You Want to Ride The Comet?

        Temptations always look good at first.  Years ago, I was tempted to take a ride on a roller coaster, named, “The Comet.”  Our high school band would make an annual trip to Riverside Park in Chicago which was a really big park for a kid from the country. The roller coaster went and always came back so I began to talk myself into going on the short ride. After all, the rest of the group was doing it so it seemed like a good thought to me at the time.  It would be over in a couple of minutes so how bad could it be. Temptations always look good in the beginning.  I got on the ride and as it went slowly up that first hill, I asked myself over and over again why I had talked myself into doing this in the first place.  Realize that at this point, this kid is afraid of the third step on a step ladder. Since that time, when I am tempted to ride a roller coaster, or any other dangerous ride of any type, I remember the experiences of my youth and the temptations, while there for only a few seconds, soon flee away.  We deal with all kinds of temptations in our lives almost every day that we live.  Most of the temptations that we encounter have consequences and we seem to brush them off and began to rationalize that the act is only a one time thing and what could possible happen. First Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 

        This verse of Scripture, while a general verse on temptation, is important as it is saturated with various principles of the victorious Christian life.   First of all, temptation is common to everyone.  You don't need to feel bad just because you are tempted.  Next, we can learn that God is faithful.  In fact, He is always faithful in all things.  There is not one thing nor one time that God will not be faithful.  We can always count on Him.  Third, He won't allow us to be tempted above our capabilities.  He knows our limits and He can control the amount of temptation that we get.  There is also, a way to escape.  This fourth item is very important.  The avenue of escape is there and God provides that.  We cold say “no” and walk away. God gives us that road to victory midst of the temptation.  The problem often comes when we don't accept the road that He has provided.  Now, this is a general verse on temptation and there is something else that is quite important.  You need to know the Scriptures in order to use them during your temptation.  Avenues of escape are always present especially in God's Word.  If you know 1 Corinthians 10:13, then you probably know many other verses of Scripture that can be used in your hour of temptation.  So, it is always good to be in God's Word and memorizing it in order to use when you are tempted to do something that you shouldn't.  When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, we notice that He quoted sections of Scripture for each temptation that Satan brought forth.   It is no wonder that we need to do the same thing.  Get involved in a good Scripture memory program and begin putting verses away in your temptation arsenal.  You won't regret it when the occasion arises.