Oops !!! There’s a fork in the road !!! Matthew 7:13-14
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7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
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7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
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These two Bible verses actually are kinda road maps ta help us find the right trail in life !!!
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At first the trails are kinda merged together and we make choices as we go along as to which direction we go---we come upon a fork in the road !!!
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We can take the broad road---which is the world’s way---the road on which much of the human race is travelling---or we can choose the narrow way which the bible says---few there be that find it !!!
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The broad way has very few additional forks and detours cause Satan already has these folks where he wants em !!!
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Those choosing the narrow road on the other hand can expect that the Devil will make sure thars plenty-a detours, obstacles, and forks in the road to try n’ draw them away from God !!!
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Matthew 3: 19 tells us that mankind loves the darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil !!!
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Lets suppose we decide to take our car out on the road in the middle of the night---it’s one-a those nights when thar ain’t no stars and thar ain’t no moonlight---the kind-a night horror movies are created !!!
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Not only do you take your car out on the road---but none-a yer lights are workin---yer drivin in total---absolute---pitch-black darkness !!!
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What’s gonna happen under them thar conditions ???
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Yer more than likely gonna end up drivin off the road and hit somethin or wind up in the ditch.
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Now lets imagine that thars another car drivin in front of us with it’s lights on---heading down the trail !!!
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If we just carefully follow that light---we should be able to drive that car down the road cause someone is guidin our way through the darkness !!!
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In John 8: 12 Jesus says---I am the light of the world---he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness---but shall have the light of life !!!
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God’s word is also our guide---Psalms 119: 105 says---Thy word is a lamp unto my feet---and a light unto my path !!!
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Jesus and God’s word will guide us to the narrow gate---but we have to be willin ta foller Him !!! Amen !!!
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Lets say we decided to become Christians and we’re follerin Jesus up the narrow trail when all of a sudden ya come upon all these detour signs and a fork in the road !!!
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The confusin part is that the signs fer both trails say------ "Heaven---that-a-way"---cause the devil always tries ta trick ya inta believin you can always have it both ways !!!
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A lotta folks take the wrong trail fer a spell---some stay on the wrong trail and get drawn away from God---others realize thar mistake n’ head back to that fork in the road and get back on the right track !!!
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God gave the human race a thing called "Free-Will" so we all have the choice as to which path we decide ta foller in life !!!
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Today we’re gonna talk about two men from the Old Testament---Joseph and David---who both came to a critical fork in the road of life !!!
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Both men are faced with a sin called "LUST"---especially the temptation to indulge in sexual pleasure outside of marriage !!!
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Both Joseph and David loved the Lord with all their hearts---but when tempation came along---their reactions were quite remakably different !!!
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Genesis 39: 7-20 shares the story of how Joseph handled sexual temptation !!!
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7: And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
8: But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9: There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
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10: And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
11: And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
12: And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
13: And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
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Joseph had gone from slavery to being an important part in the service of an Egyptian ruler named Potiphar !!!
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He was so trusted that he had become a trusted part of Potiphar’s household.
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It turns out that Joseph grew up to be quite a HUNK and caught the eye of the ladies---especially Potiphar’s wife !!!
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Seems her husband was away from home a lot---opening the door for temptation---and she began to desire after Joseph !!!
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Put yourself in Joseph’s place---he was young---he had hormones racing through his veins---besides---no-one would ever know !!!
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Youthful lusts can be compared to holding on to ropes tied to a herd of wild horses---how can we keep the wild horses in our lives---under control---they constantly strain at the ropes---trying to break free ???
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Potiphar’s wife tried her best to lure Joseph into the bedroom but Joseph resisted her advances and he honored God by running away from her !!!
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Joseph did the right thing---II Timothy 2: 22 tells us to---FLEE YOUTHFUL LUSTS---in other words---the best thing we can do is what ???---RUN !!!
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Is doing the right thing always going to make life’s road easier---many times doing the right thing is the toughest---roughest---and
loneliest trail you kin take ???
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What happens to Joseph next---he did the right thing---will life be a bed of roses from here on out ???
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Genesis 39: 14-20 tells us............
14: That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:
15: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
16: And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
17: And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
18: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
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19: And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
20: And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
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Even though Joseph honored God by doing the right thing---we can learn yet another valuable lesson here !!!
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I Thessalonians 5: 22 says to---abstain from all appearance
of evil !!!
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How many of us here have heard that saying---sure---it looked kinda bad---"but nothing happened" !!!
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In Joseph’s case---he was in a situation where folks could easily get the wrong idea !!!
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He was livin in a household where he was home with the wife whils’t the husband was away---openin the door for gossip and slander !!!
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It’s a warnin fer us taday---even if somethin just looks bad---
RUN !!!---run from anything that kin damage yer Christian testimony !!!
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Joseph winds up gettin falsely accused and thrown into the "caliboose" fer doin the right thing---he likely thought to himself---thanks a lot God !!!
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Things were lookin mighty bad---but as the years went by---the Lord stands by Joseph---and Joseph not only gets his freedom back---but becomes a powerful authority in the Egyptian government---just under the Pharoah himself !!!
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In our world today---it’s always a whole heap easier ta go along with the crowd thats headin down the broad trail !!!
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Standin up fer God’s truths is the narrow road and the toughest road---but God will always honor that commitment !!!
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Now lets take a look at David---whom the Bible calls---a man after God’s own heart !!!
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David too---comes to that same fork in the road---sexual temptation---lets see what happens !!!
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II Samuel 11: 2-4 says......................
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2: And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
3: And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4: And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
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Here we see King David---not only being tempted and lusting after another mans wife---but actually committing adultery with Bath-sheba !!!
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David took the wrong fork in the road and he would pay dearly for his sin !!!
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We don’t know for sure if David was only thinking about a "ONE NIGHT STAND" as they would say today or if he already had ideas of making Bath-sheba his wife !!!
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David’s plans quickly changed as we read further........
II Samuel 11: 5--------And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
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Now David had a real problem---suppose someone finds out---I must find a way to cover this up !!!
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These days---taking a trip to the nearest abortion clinic would be our societies solution !!!
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Proverbs 28: 13 tells us that---He that covereth his sins shall not prosper---but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy !!!
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Even today---people try to cover up one sin by committing another---or one lie covering up yet another lie---the Bible says it won’t work !!!
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Trying to cover up one sin with another---will never succeed---nor will trying to hide them.
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How many remember that old Christmas song Santa Clause is Comin to Town---he knows when you are sleepin---he knows when you’re awake---he knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake !!!
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It’s just a silly song but in a way it very much describes God !!!
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Psalms 90: 8 tells us---Thou hast set our iniquities before thee---our secret sins in the light of thy countenance !!!
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Ya kin fool most-a-the-people-most-a-the-time and some-a-the-people some-a-the-time---but ya can’t never fool God !!! Amen !!!
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Now David begins what he figgers is a fool-proof cover-up !!!
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I’ll just bring Bath-sheba’s husband Uriah back from the front lines so he can sleep with his wife---then ever-one will think the baby is Uriah’s---i’ll be free n’ clear !!!
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II Samuel 11: 6-11 tells us............................................
6: And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7: And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8: And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
9: But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
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10: And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
11: And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
12: And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
13: And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
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Here we have Uriah puttin a kabosh on Davids plans---seems he was a man of honor---he wouldn’t enjoy the comforts-a-home whils’t his men were sufferin out on the battle fields.
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Now David comes up with plan B.......................
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David was desperate---Uriah’s gotta be out-a the picture---he’s got to die somehow---so’s I kin marry up with Bath-sheba---but it’s gotta look legitimate !!!
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II Samuel 11: 14-17 tells the story......................................
14: And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15: And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16: And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17: And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also !!!
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Looks like David got away with his sin---and no one’s the wiser---NOT !!!
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II Samuel 12: 9-13 tells the story---as the truth is revealed to the prophet Nathan................
9: Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10: Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11: Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12: For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13: And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
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As the villains on the old movies would say---
"curses---foiled again" !!!
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Numbers 32: 23 warns us......................and be sure your sin will find you out !!!
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No matter how clever we think we are---no matter how well we hide the things we do---one day the truth will be exposed !!!
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Today we learned about Joseph and David---two Godly men---both coming to the same fork in the road !!!
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One chose wisely---one chose foolishly---how do you choose today ???
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Every one of us are faced with forks in the road and choices every day---maybe you’ve gotten yerself off-n’ God’s trail !!!
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Maybe you need ta turn back to that fork in the road and get yerself back onto the narrow road again !!!
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If yer life has taken a turn down the wrong trail---if God’s been speakin ta yer heart---taday’s a real good time ta get right
with God ???
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Prayer/Invitation/closing hymn
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Departing Song---Happy Trails
