1 Corinthians 10:11-11:1 - Part B

God will make the way of escape. You have to take the landscape select automatically to sort of sit around and veg out in the spirit and then the temptation goes away. You have to look to God makes take me what is that sometimes that it is like always avoid temptation can choose to not act on today on connect with Skip Skip shares hope God empowers you to have victory over your temptations before we begin, we want to let you know about a resource that will help you experience hope and renewal in your life.com. We published an article with 22 tips for how to completely change your life, and one year. Sounds complicated. The Bible tells a different story about how to change your life. The Bible says repent and return to God reminds us we need to always insert but God into every situation here. Skip, I think what God is a phrase that appears 45 times in Scripture. It's a game changing phrase means that no matter who you are what you have done no matter how you may have failed. The truth is God can make things different for you, from now on, but God discover the power of God in Scripture and why it's a game changer for your life with the black-eyed teaching series from Pastor Skip I think our thanks when you get $35 or more to help keep this Bible teaching ministry on the air. Get your CD collection today. Call 819 to 1884. Get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer much Jewish series expound today. Skip starts off part in the book of Ezekiel now I'm turning to return there are not mine.

This profit by the way, what do you 7% of the Bible is prophetic is about 1/3 right 27%, almost 1/3 of the entire Bible is predicting the future God through the prophets predicting the future.

About half of those predictions are past tense have already been fulfilled about another half were waiting for them to be fulfilled, but because half have been fulfilled pretty good indication the rest to be fulfilled specially when you look at the detail so in Ezekiel 36 and 37. It talks about the rise of Israel. Keep in mind, Israel has been kicked out of its land when in captivity, God promised it would come back, but in chapter 36 me just give you a quick rundown verse eight it says, but you are mountains of Israel. You shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel. Or they are about to come. For indeed I am for you and I will turn to you and you shall be filled and sewn.

I will multiply man upon you all the house of Israel all of it all. The city shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt that presupposes a destruction of sorts, it presupposes a return into the land to rebuild it. I will multiply upon you, man and beast initial increase in very young. I will make you inhabited, as in former times and do better for you then at your beginnings, then you shall know that I am the Lord. Yes, I will cause men to walk on you. My people Israel. They shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance no more shall you bury them of their children. So God promises a restoration, a repopulation, even a spiritual restoration at the end of the chapter, but in chapter 37 we have a an image a picture of that principle.

The principle is given in chapter 36 or the promise is given of Israel coming back in the land being strengthened, repopulating it, inhabiting it growing stronger, producing fruit, etc. chapter 37 is a prophetic image of that verse one the hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley and it was full of bones and he caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley. Indeed, they were very dry and he said to me, Son of Man can these bones live so I answered the Lord God, you know good way to answer God when the actual question you're not sure is the right answer right Lord you know all things what is again he said to me, prophesied of these bones and say to them all dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones. Surely I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. Most of your familiar with his vision of the dry bones keep what he sees in the vision is the bones coming back to life this and use the muscles.

The flash and grows into a strong army verse 11 chapter 37 they said to be Son of Man. These bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, our bones are dry.

Our hope is lost and we ourselves are cut off when what is really ever said that. Well, they would've said that in the Babylonian captivity.

They would've said that previously in the Assyrian captivity, they would've said that at the fall of Jerusalem and the incursion of the Romans and the destruction of the Temple and the banishment of Jews from the land during 70 A.D. they would've said that in World War II, and 6 million were slaughtered in the Evans of Nazi Germany were a lot of times that they could say were done were kaput. It's over. Therefore prophesy and say to them, thus says the Lord God, behold, oh my people. I will open your graves, and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel. I'm in a bring you as it were back from the data and resurrect you as a nation will be strong again in the land that I gave your forefathers great. We got the promise.

We got the picture we keep moving on in Ezekiel you set your teaching first Corinthians all get their short chapter so I get there.

We covered half of it already.

Chapter 38 of Ezekiel, we come to a challenge and this is where it gets interesting and contemporary now verse one the word of the Lord came to me saying Son of Man, set your face against Gog, of the land. Magog, the Prince of Roche me shack and tubal, and prophesy against him and say, thus says the Lord God, behold, I am against you, O God, the Prince of Roche me shack and tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws lead you out with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them. All of them with shield and helmet Gomer and all its troops the house of two garment bar from two garment from the far north and all its troops.

Many people are with you, prepare yourselves, be ready.

You and all your company. Companies that are gathered about you and be a guard for them.

The chapter, chapter 38 describes a coalition of armies that gathered together at some point it's never happened before in history.

Given given the names and will come from the north and sweep down to attack and invade the nation of Israel. The chapter goes on to say what's interesting is the people that are mentioned in this chapter.

First of all, in verse 10, thus says the Lord God on that day, it shall come to pass. Thoughts will arise in your mind and you will make an evil plan. You will say I will go up against a land of unwalled villages. Israel always had villages around it cities around its towns, but today they don't. Today there unwalled villages and towns because it's a modern culture in modern society very very wealthy. One night I would add, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, having neither bars nor gates to take plunder to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against the people gathered from the nations who have acquired livestock and goods who dwell in the midst of the land she would need an emergency purchase all their young lions on and on and on.

The coalition mentioned here are between a few different interesting names. The names of in antiquity are given in this chapter.

Let me give you their modern counterparts. First of all there's Russia that is Magog me shack Ross all of that are our areas to the north of Israel in the far north the area. Russia Persia is mentioned. Thus, the ancient name for Iran. Also in verse six Gomer is mentioned. That's the ancient name for Turkey. So here the text says that at some point in the future. These countries that include today Russia and Iran and Turkey and others are going up, make a coalition together and that is never happened before. Now it has happened is happened today. It's in it is that it is contemporaries you can get now when that day is and I'm not here to predict when that is. But it will come to pass. Verse 18 of chapter 38 there were am about done here and will come to pass at that time when God comes against the land of Magog against the land of Israel, says the Lord God. My fury will show in my face, for in my jealousy and in my and in the fire of my wrath I have spoken, surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field all the creeping things that creep on the earth all the men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at my presence, the mountain shall be thrown down the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground goes on to describe that when that battle takes place.

The coalition of these nations that come against Israel that God will intervene and wipe out those armies and shake Israel and establish no-win win that battle takes place is a debate among human evangelical eschatological scholars is to is it before the rapture of the church is that after the rapture. I've got my own ideas. However you're seeing right now in Russia with Ukraine with their presence in Syria with their interest in Iran and Lebanon and Syria and with the coalition with her want to Turkey by the way, the Russians have sold an anti-ballistic defense missile system to the tune of $2.5 billion to Turkey so they are they have already formed a political alliance in coalition and again this is never happened historically, it has happened.

Now, so were reading and hearing about this invasion into Ukraine. He reaches the yeah you know that's the side of the world.

We are watching, and alignment take place.

Unlike we have ever witnessed before. Now one hand it's very frightening but for for those of us were Bible believers. It's awfully exciting at the same time it is what I want to say if there's ever a time for you to get right with God.

It's now if you're fudging and I've got time. Maybe I've heard about this now is the time to walk with God and faith because Jesus said in Luke chapter 21 he was giving signs for his coming. He said when these things begin to take place when they begin to take place.

Lift up your eyes and look up for your redemption is drawing near.

So these things these news these tidings of Vladimir Putin and what's going on with the Ukrainian people and that the tragedy that is about to unfold in that part of the world. It is being set up and all of that cause us to lift up our eyes and look up because our redemption is closer than it's ever been before. So, because I was happening overseas and that we should release frame that for you biblically, so you know what to look for and you're not surprised when it happens so all these things verse 11 chapter 10 of first Corinthians happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition are instructions on whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall that the timeless principle is it not, it's a principal right out of Proverbs chapter 16. Pride goes before us destruction haughty spirit before a fall. And then verse 13 no temptation is where we ended last week. No temptation has taken you except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. All of us are common men and women because we are common men and women we have common temptations. It happens to everyone who has a flesh who has a fallen nature. We all get tempted. We all have unique areas in which we get tempted. I bet you have a hunch what those areas are and so the Bible says it's common that you get tempted, but God will provide a way home. Make away of escape. Now here's the deal in a touchdown last week, God will make the way of escape.

You have to take the way of escape is like automatic disorders sit around and veg out in the spirit and then the temptation goes away. You have to look for the way of escape, that God makes and then you have to be the one to take what he is made, take it.

What is that mean sometimes you gotta just use your legs turn around and run.

That's what Joseph did when Potiphar grabbed his cloak and let's go to bed your handsome my husband's not home.

Let's have sexual relations.

He was smart he realized I'm in a tight spot. I'm in a tough situation. He just turned around and ran out the door. God gave them a way of escape. He took it for others of you. It's change the channel. Go to a different website get off the computer stop talking to that person. Don't go near that facility. That place God gives you a way of escape take the way of escape with the temptation will also give you a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it no a lot of us flee temptation. But then we give the devil are forwarding address. I love her. Martin Luther said he said you can't stop birds from flying around her head, but you can certainly stop them from making a nest in your hair so the devil does tempt your flesh because you are common man common mankind.

Men and women in temptation will knock at the door, but it's your fault if you invite temptation into come to dinner.

So when Satan knocks at the door so Jesus would you answer that, please and call upon the name of the Lord, call on the name of Jesus ask him to be surprised just what a simple, heartfelt prayer during a moment moment of temptation can yield.

Therefore back to the point of what we began with therefore and I will finish the chapter see where we are the, not a problem. Therefore, my beloved, I love that about Paul. You know the Corinthians were not the easiest people to get along with.

They were divisive. Some, like Paul, some like Apollo.

Some, like Cephas, they they were divided as to what leader they follow some of them challenge Paul's authority over them as an apostle, and even with all that challenge all that blowback. I love that the apostle take this to heart pastors staff pastors men and women of God who lead groups. Therefore, my beloved, even with that in say therefore you idiots you lowlifes who don't trust my authorities in my beloved, I love you deeply and dearly flee from idolatry flee from idolatry.

Now, again, let me frame this for you.

He said the children of Israel were given their liberty. They fell into idolatry in the wilderness. They abuse their liberty. You have freedom in Christ you live in Corinth I told you that in Corinth it was replete with idolatry. They were polytheistic, that is, they worship many gods, they were also probably be monistic. They believe there were demons everywhere in the air and they believe that demons attach themselves to food member that a couple weeks ago and that they would light up on the food and they would work their way into your life by a person eating that meat. The only way to get rid of it in paganism was to sacrifice an animal or sacrifice the meter dedicate the animal or the meat to an idol to a God, the God would be so flattered that you called upon him or her in that sacrifice that they would neutralize the demons on the food.

True story selector was so it was, was a city filled with idolatry idolatrous notion. So Paul writing to Corinthian Christians is, therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Now he's going to explain that in detail and answer all of these issues we have been sort of using other examples to fortify now is going to gonna bring it all to a close.

Keep in mind there still wondering okay they sacrificed to idols. They sell the meat in the market. Also, I have unbelieving friends who invite me over to their house. They serve me meet that may or may not of been probably was offered to an an an idol and in the city so I have knowledge. I know that the idol is nothing fake news, not a real God. Not a real goddess is only one true living God. So what's the big deal. I'm not participating in idolatry and it also seems, according to most scholars that the Corinthians were many of them red Corinthian Christians believe they could go to pagan festivals with the idea that I want to use this as a platform to lead people to Christ, so I'll go to these pagan festivals, but I will really worship the demon god or goddess of the worshiping, but I'll be there so so though those people weaker in the faith, or just starting out in the faith, or considering the Christian faith can see me there.

I can use that as a platform to witness. So just keep that in your mind as we go through this.

Therefore, my beloved flee idolatry. I speak to wise men judge for yourselves what I say use your logic here Lou use your mind has a sick luger might do that.

Use your mind. Now here's here's an example of a couple examples that he's gonna make the point. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ, the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ, he is speaking about the Lord's supper and in those days the Lord supper was often accompanied with a meal called a love feast of agape feats that we gather the church together, they would have a meal together sharing in what people brought like a potluck. Some Chris likes a pot faith is Christians don't have lock and so they get a make a big deal out of anyone. I've been around too many Baptists that have told me that so and then at the end of the meal they would take communion together and by the way, the Lord's supper. We also call it communion, and here's why we call it communion because it shows up in verse 16.

The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ, the bread which we break is about the communion of the body of Christ. So when we take the Lord supper together. There's two dimensions is a vertical dimension us with God communing with him and there's a horizontal dimension communing with each other subscription message you Skip to tell you. Encouraging messages like this 1 Coming Your Way as you help connect others to God's truths. We are called to worship the Lord with our lives surrendering ourselves over to him so that he can work in and through us. We want to encourage and inspire you in your walk with the Lord. That's why we share these messages to equip you in your faith and your generous support today means we can continue to connect you and others to God's word. Here's how you can make that possible. You can give online@connectwithskip.com/donate. That's connectwithskip.com/donate or call 800-922-1888, 800-922-1888. Thank you tomorrow Skip Heitzigs of shares how love can guide you to encourage and influence others for Christ.

The third test here in verse 23. All things are lawful, not all things edify that is charity dimension shaft you have knowledge of all things by telling you balance that out