Valley News -

I told my church about how I fell into temptation and ate the jelly beans from the centerpieces the ladies had set out for a women's event we were having. I couldn't help myself. They looked so delicious, and I just knew I had to have them. So I did... multiple handfuls of them.

After I confessed my failure, several of the ladies came up to tell me how dirty those jelly beans were.

"My kids played with those before we put them in the center pieces," they said with a chuckle.

So not only does everyone know that I ate the jelly beans, they all know I ate kid-contaminated jelly beans. I should have never given in to the temptation.

Have you ever been tempted? We all have. Temptation is a real battle, and we face it everyday. We are tempted to lie, cheat and steal, to gossip, hate, seek revenge and the list goes on.

The good news is that God promises to provide a way out so that we can endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 said, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

Here are two decisions you can make right now to overcome the temptation you're facing.

First, make God your priority and not your pleasure. Most of the time we give in to our temptation because it feels good not because it's right. When we make God our focus, we shift our focus to what's right and good according to God's word.

Next, run from the temptation. I call this "putting yourself in the position to succeed." When I ate the jelly beans I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I could have left, but I chose to stay and eat of the forbidden fruit candy. When you are in a situation that's tempting, you leave. Get a change of scenery and refocus your mind and heart on God.

Temptations are common to everyone. What's not as common is dealing with them in a Godly manner. Make God your priority and run from whatever is tempting you. You're better off without it.

Keep shining,

Pastor Zac

Zach Elliott is the lead pastor of Fusion Christian Church in Temecula. For more information, visit http://www.myfusionchurch.com.