#020: Temptation

In this episode I talk about Temptation, what it is and how we should handle it.  We consider temptation from a Biblical spiritual perspective as well as physical and psychological.

Here's what I have lined up for you this week: 

[00:25] Intro and Personal - Catch up with me on this past week. The good news about working a month ahead. Going to the museum with Grayden. Celebrating my sister's 49th birthday. Intro to rest of podcast.

[14:41] 5 Steps of Temptation - Here are the basics of temptation, what we might call Temptation 101.  Lessons from Satan's temptation of Eve in Genesis.  The devil uses the same strategies against us today.  Many thanks to Dr. Clay Hallmark for his 2004 sermon, "Dealing With Temptation."

[26:53] Don't Resist, Refocus! - This comes from Pastor Rick Warren's July 9th tweet on Twitter: "You defeat temptation by refocusing, not resisting. What you resist, persists. Instead just turn your attention elsewhere."

[31:21] Use Your Mind To Change Your Brain - If we've learned nothing else, we know this: resisting temptation can be extremely challenging. None of us is a stranger to temptation, but nothing makes it clearer how powerful craving and desire can be than when you watch a person's life begin to unravel because he/she gave in. Dr. Rebecca Gladding provides tips on the Psychology Today website about resisting temptation.  Read about her 4 steps to change your brain... and cravings.

[45:54] 3 Temptations That Can Destroy Your Marriage - Denver clinical psychologist and marriage therapist Dr. Susan Heitler writes about the 3 "A's" - three main temptations that destroy marriages.

[59:45] CR Sermon "Playing With Seduction" - This is the talk from Sunday evening at Church Requel.  Our text is from Judges 16, the story of Samson and Delilah.  We learn about 4 sin danger zones to avoid. You can follow the sermon notes at YouVersion.com.

[1:35:00] Wrap Up - I wrap up the podcast with a short review of the Church Requel service Sunday night.  It was an emotional evening.  I talk about how I have struggled in the past recovering from such emotional involvement with a sermon.  You can watch the video, "Free" by Journey Box Media at YouTube.  You can download it for a fee at WorshipHouse Media.

Music for this week's podcast comes from "Temptation" by Diana Krall on her Temptation album.