Families are being divided and torn apart; religious faith has been shaken or just plain disregarded as nothing more than a fictional crutch that weak people have to put their trust in.

The secularist movement has led us to believe that in order for people to be equally treated, we have to give into what ever their point of view is, even though it goes against our own beliefs and moral convictions.

Society has put the things of this world ahead of the Kingdom of God, and now, we are suffering because of it. When you make God an irrelevant thought in your mind, and choose to believe that everyone and everything is OK, even though you know deep inside that there are probably going to be consequences, then it is really not at all OK.

We are constantly being tested in our walk through this life, there is not a day that goes by, where we aren't going to have to make decisions, that are going to effect us in the long and short term, that may or may not have profound effects on the way we live and see ourselves in this world.

Some are going to pass this test with flying colors, some are going to pass these test with slight damage, some are going to pass this test by the skin of their teeth and unfortunately, some are not going to pass at all.

We all have to decide what we will do with the choices that we are faced with, when these tests or temptations occur in our lives. We can overcome them, or we can try to put them off and act like they aren't there, or we can just give into them no matter what happens to us good or bad.

But we all have to decide how we will handle these tests, whether we want to or not, that come along daily in our lives.

Sometimes we feel weak, we feel like no matter what we do, the outcome will always be the same. Sometimes when these temptations come along, we feel strong, we feel there is nothing on earth that will be able to overcome us and bring us down, our cup is always have full and never half empty.

We can be a victim's to our lives, or we can be victors and be victorious !!

There is no situation that ever comes into our lives, that has not come into lives of someone else that we know, or a friend or someone we know. King Solomon, who was more blessed with wisdom than any man in history, wrote in Ecclesiastes towards the end of his life, a very profound statement:

All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. Eccl.1:8-10

That is so profound because people want to go through life thinking that they are an original creation, they want to think that they are so much of an individual that there is no one like them anywhere in this world, God broke the mold after He made them.

Have you ever known anyone like that ?

I have, Joe was really disappointed, when we told him that he wasn't the only one like him. He thought he was.

But that scripture also points out that no matter what we do, or how we do it, there will always be some labor involved, there will always be some toil, there will always be some effort that we have to put forth in order to bring about the blessings or curses that we experience in our lives.

That's right, there is effort that is made in our lives, to bring about good or bad. No matter what happens in our lives, it has already happened before. There is nothing new under the sun.

So we have to ask ourselves, what kind of effort do I want to put forth in my life ?

When Jesus came into this world, through a miraculous birth by a virgin, He knew what was in store for Him the moment He was able to reason out His life. He knew what His mission on this earth was, even from His childhood.

How do I know that you ask ?

Very simply as we read the scriptures:

41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother[ ] did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. 51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:41-52

At twelve years old, Jesus already knew who He was, He knew that He would sacrifice His life for our sins. The teachers, in the temple in Jerusalem, were the wisest of the wise, they were the most educated of all, throughout Israel there were none more educated. But there Jesus is, in the middle of them, rocking their worlds.

So they find Him, there in the temple, and they reprimand Him. But what does he say to them ?

“Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?”

At twelve years old he is about his father's business, already taking in what He needs, and then giving out what they lacked. He was preparing for a mission that wouldn't become His duty to fulfill for another 18 years.

But, do you know what else is interesting about this scripture ?

51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

Even though He knew that He was the Son of God, even though Joseph and Mary were like us, born into Adam's sin, He still humbled Himself at twelve years old, and He submitted to them no matter what. He knew what He had to do, He knew that He had to fulfill the Law of Moses and be obedient, no matter who He was.

Was Jesus tempted, was he confronted like we are with sin and rebellion ?

Yes He was, but He knew who He was, and what His mission in this life was, so He had to make all the right choices, His decisions had to be the right decisions, He had to go through everything that we go through.

Why ?

13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus is Our Compassionate High Priest. He was tempted just as we are, He was tempted with very same things that we are tempted with, so He knows what we are going through when we are tempted by these things. He understands us completely, even more than we know. There is no creature hidden from His sight,
 
9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, there is nothing new under the sun,

His sun, He created it, and every planet that orbits around it, everything belongs to Him, so He knows all about us and the things that we are faced with every day.

So what does that say about us ?

It says that we don't have to live defeated lives, because He died for our weaknesses, we can overcome the things that try to destroy us and ruin our lives.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6

He came here to reconcile man, who was fallen because of Adam and Eve, back to Himself, and fill him with the Holy Spirit, so that we can have the power to overcome every temptation and sin that we have to endure through.

The scripture says:

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1: 12-15

News Flash !!! God doesn't tempt anyone, some people thinks He does, but He doesn't because God does not have evil in Him to tempt with. God is a righteous God, a Holy God, He cannot tempt anyone with evil, it is impossible.
When we are tempted, we are tempted by Satan or his demons, or we can be tempted by the things that we lust for, things that entice us, the desires of our own hearts, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.If we give into these temptations the scriptures say:

15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

We all face a penalty for our sins if we give into them, and that is death.

So what do we do in order to survive this life of constant spiritual warfare ?

The scriptures say:
No temptation has overtaken 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. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I Cor.10: 13-14

Every temptation we face has already been face by someone else, but God is faithful, He always comes through, His hand is always reaching out to you to prod you into doing what is right for Him and you.

He will always provide an escape from that sin or that temptation that is provoking you, so that you can bear it and have victory and success over it, you can be a victim or you can be a victor, but you have to do one thing first.

When God provides the escape, you have to take it, if you don't take the escape then you will be overcome and you will die from it. That's why Paul said right after that, Flee From Idolatry, Run, Run Fast Away !!!

Repent, turn around and run the other way, take the escape and live a fruitful, peaceful life full of joy and happiness.

Who wants to escape today ?