By Charles Stanley

      1 Corinthians 10:1-13

      Temptation is something with which we are all familiar. No matter who you are, where you live, how long you've been a Christian, or what you do for a living, you have been tempted. And you will be tempted again, probably even today. Therefore, let's stop and ask an important question: What is temptation?

      Quite simply, temptation is an enticement to take a God-given desire beyond our God-given boundaries. You may say, "God-given desire? There's no way that this desire came from God!" Well, let me ask you something: Who made you? Who built into you those drives and desires that you feel?

      The longings for food, intimacy, and relationships all come straight from God. The problem arises when we take these desires beyond the boundaries God has set for us. For example, He created sex for enjoyment within marriage. However, this God-given desire is horribly misused when the physical act of sex occurs outside of matrimony. Then, something that God designed for His purposes becomes the source of guilt and shame. That is not what God intended.

      You may sometimes feel at the mercy of your temptation. Know, however, that feelings of temptation are just that: feelings. They can be controlled, refused, and refocused into some other healthy activity.

      God has assured us that He will not abandon us in the midst of temptation, no matter how alone we may feel. When you feel the pressure to sin, call on Him to refocus your energies and attention.