Cancel The Invitation To Temptation I Jentezen Franklin

0:00 Hello, this is Jensen Franklin, and thank you so much for joining us for this week's podcast. Our goal is to provide you with biblically-based teachings that will challenge, inspire, and equip you to live for Jesus. If you haven't already, I'd love for you to go ahead and subscribe today to this podcast so you can get the latest updates from us and you don't ever have to miss a new message. Let's go right into the service. Record it at Free Chapel. I believe it's going to bless you today.

0:33 Proverbs chapter 7. Go there with me. Proverbs chapter 7 and verse 6. There are two different women that this text is talking about. One that I'm going to read, there are two different chapters we're going to read from. But this one, both of them are sending out invitations. Two invitations, they're sending, they're two beautiful women according to the scriptures. Beautiful women sending out beautiful engraved invitations, basically. and they required a decision. And I want you to see in verse 6 the first invitation.

1:32 For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice and saw among the simple I perceived among the youth a young man devoid of understanding. Passing along the street near her corner, he took the path to her house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. There was a woman who met him with an attire of a harlot and crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious. Her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking in every corner. So she caught him and kissed him with an impedent face. she said to him, Notice this.

2:24 I have peace offerings with me. Today I have paid my vows. According to Leviticus 7, she would have had to have done that at the temple. She would have had to go to church. She had a religious cloak about her. She had some religion. but she's a married woman, and she says these words, I have a peace offering with me today. I've paid my vows. I came out to meet you. diligently to seek your face. I have found you. I have spread my bed with tapestry-colored coverings from Egyptian linen. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, cinnamon. Come, let us take our feel of love until morning. Let us delight ourselves with love, for my husband is not at home.

3:20 He's gone on a long journey, and he has taken a bag of money with him and he will come back home on an appointed time. With her enticing speech, she caused him to yield. With her flattering lips, she seduced him. Immediately, he immediately went after her as an ox goes to the slaughter or a fool to the correction of the stocks. and then I want you to read and go over to chapter 9 now here's another beautiful woman and she's sending out an invite and her name is Lady Wisdom Verse 1 begins, Wisdom has built, notice it's her house. And usually in the text of Proverbs, every time wisdom is mentioned, it's referred to as her.

4:18 And I want you ladies to get that smirk off your face because you know you're smarter than us and we know you're smarter than us. But wisdom has built her house. Notice this, she has hewn out herself seven pillars. She has slaughtered her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also furnished her table. Wisdom has a table furnished. She has sent out her maidens notice. She cries out from the highest place of the city. Whoever is simple, let him turn in here. As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine that I have mixed. Forsake foolishness and live and go in the way of understanding.

5:15 I'll stop reading there. So this is what I'm talking about. I'm talking about canceling the invitation to temptation. there's two invitations giving and there are two parties that are prepared you can't be in two places at one time all of you got are getting the same invitation that's being extended continually and you have to choose you have to rsvp one and you cannot stay neutral. You're either going to enter into the house of folly, into the house of temptation, into the house of sin, or you're going to enter into the house of wisdom. Both have sent you an invitation. It's your decision, not God's. It's your decision. which party will you attend?

6:15 That's the question I want to answer, and I want you to answer this morning. I want to point out a few things about both parties. Number one, both parties are fun and enjoyable. Both parties have good food. Both parties have entertainment that has been provided.

6:35 Both parties are held at the same time, so you can't go to both. You can't go back and forth. You got to choose one or the other. And if you choose one, you are giving up the other. All of you must RSVP ahead of time which party you choose. The hosts of both parties are beautiful, attractive women. the first invitation is from a lady that the Bible calls I wanted to sweeten it up I was going to call her Charlotte but her name is Harlot in the text And the second invitation is from a lady that is called Wisdom. and I want to describe the difference between the two parties.

7:36 The first party is hosted by this woman called the harlot. It's a spirit, really. It's the spirit of the world. And Proverbs lets us know that her party is all about the sensual and the carnal, and you're invited to that party and every one of us get that invitation every day of our lives. It's about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. It appeals to that. It's designed to appeal to the sensual and the carnal. Lady Wisdom sends an invite and she is inviting you to the spiritual, the eternal. The invitation of her party is to appeal to you spiritually, to appeal to you in your spiritual desires and longings and spiritual tastes.

8:42 And if you were to summarize the two parties in one word, the first party is a party to enter into temptation. The second party is a party that God himself says, if you move in this direction and you accept this invitation to wisdom's house, you can sum it all up in one word. The promise is opportunities.

9:10 One is temptation, one is opportunities. If you take the wrong temptations, you can see the opportunities. affected. And I'm preaching this morning to young people. And I'm preaching today to young couples. And I'm preaching to older men and elders. And I'm preaching to middle-aged people. You have to respond. You cannot just ignore. You will end up in that temptation if you don't respond. Which party will you attend? And I want to compare the two. The first thing I want to show you in this comparison is the preparations both women made. Both women have worked hard. Both women have different preparations. In Proverbs 7, we're told the harlot's preparations, notice it, they're all superficial. She said, I have decked my bed and decorated it. I have fine linen from Egypt. I have carvings on the bed. I have tapestry. I have perfumed my bed with special spices and smells.

10:39 It's designed to appeal to the senses. It's designed to appeal to touch, to smell, to taste. It's designed, listen, to catch your eye. The house of temptation is designed to catch your eye. It's temporary. It's a one-night stand.

11:02 She even makes reference to my husband is out of town. I'm not interested in a long-term relationship with you. I'm only interested in temporal, momentary satisfaction. There's pleasure in sin for a season. Then comes destruction. Every time. and the man is on a trip, so there is a finish date that sin has. Anytime the devil gives you a pleasure, everything in his bag of tricks, there is an expiration date on it. I don't care. And I'm not denying that it's not pleasurable.

11:47 But the devil is after every man, every woman, every marriage, every family, every teenager, every child that I'm preaching to right now. And it's designed, the house that she had prepared, the setting that she had prepared was designed to catch the eye. It was a party that was appealing to the flesh. Listen carefully. It's preparation for a one-night stand plan. She has a one-night stand plan. Notice that there's nothing in the enemies, in the temptation plan that has to do with the long haul. No plan for generations. No plan for the future in it. No plan but a one-night stand. No plan, no destiny, no future, no marriage in it, no commitment in it, no concern for the children, the children's children.

12:54 Your marriage, nothing. It's a decision to attend the harlot's party is to say yes to the temporary. That which thrills and then kills. that which fascinates and then assassinates. I want something that will last in my life. I want something that is based on more than just the sensual, the temporary, the one-night stand plan. The enemy will lie to you and tell you everybody's doing the one-night stand plan, and it's just how it is. I've had people tell me it's how God made us. He did make us with desire, but it is to be in the marriage covenant.

13:52 Lady Wisdom's invitation sounds like this. Listen to the difference now. Listen to the difference. One is temporary, a one-night stand plan. That's it. He's coming back. There's an expiration date on this affair. Now listen to Wisdom, the Lady Wisdom's invitation. She begins her first verse by saying, Wisdom has built her house. She has dug out seven pillars. Notice the words houses and pillars speaks of tremendous preparation. You don't just build a house on a one-night stand. You don't just build a foundation for generations on a one-night stand plan. You build pillars not out of temporary relationships, but out of those whom God hath put together, let no man pull asunder.

14:58 It speaks of foresight. It speaks of planning. It speaks of great future, a great future together and generations. It speaks of generations. It speaks of thinking about the long haul, not the momentary sensual fulfillment of the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. if you take the invitation to the harlot's house, it will lead you to pain and sorrow. And my objective in this sermon, and I didn't expect to get any amens, and I don't need any because I've come with a word from the Lord. And he said, if you'll tear up the harlot's invitation and fully choose the house of wisdom, opportunities.

15:50 Oh, God has everything we could ever dream and even so much more. Life and life more abundantly. I want to respond to Lady Wisdom's invite. I want something lasting. And I'm preaching this morning, get your eyes off of the cheat. Get your eyes off of the temporary. And get your eyes on that which will stand the test of time. Build your life and your future on something that will last. A house with pillows that has been prepared. It's got strength. It's got future in it.

16:43 It's got blessing in it. It's got the favor of God in it. Don't think that you're too godly for those of you who sit and say, this sermon is not for me. don't think that you're too godly for the harlot's invitation to get to you.

17:04 We have to constantly embrace lady wisdom. We have to constantly choose between the invites and embrace wisdom that says my flesh may want to do one thing, but wisdom says this is the solid thing, the right thing, the godly thing, and the thing that will bring joy. you have to constantly hear and think and let God guide you by the Spirit. I'm here to preach and prevent pain and shipwreck. If you sin, God will forgive you. He loves you. But you've got to cry out and choose wisdom.

17:57 You've got to start eating from wisdom's menu. You've got to start feeding your spirit. You've got to start hearing God's Word above every other voice. Notice another clear distinction between the two invitations. The harlot's party, an invitation. Notice this. She describes a private, isolated, just you and me affair. It's secret. It's be quiet about it.

18:33 It's just us too. Lady Wisdom says, get in the highest building that you can find in the city and shout with a loud voice, everybody come. I want to preach right here. Notice what she said. She found this young man and she said, I have been to the temple and offered a peace offering and paid my vows. she carried her seduction in a cloak of spirituality. You got to watch anybody who starts trying to do secret stuff. Secret stuff versus open stuff.

19:29 You ought not to have those kinds of secrets. One of the dangers of social media is it's just you and me. It's just us. It's just texting and apps that even disappear after a few seconds, and it's a message just between me and you. There are pictures just between me and you.

19:58 Boy, it's quiet in this Presbyterian church this morning. I'll tell you that. But this is some serious stuff. A married man has no business texting with a woman at midnight when we're talking about the Lord. No, you're not. You're opening a door to the devil. I'm not against the use of social media. I'm against the stupid use of social media.

20:34 Why would any Christian have an app that sends a message and it disappears 30 seconds later or whatever? I don't know. I don't have one. I don't know how to do an app. I have no apps. And I want it that way. They try to do it. I don't want it. I don't look at my Twitter. I don't even have it. All I have is Instagram. That's it. and my kids know my code, and they can look at my phone, and my wife can take my phone. I'm just telling you that the enemy's invitation is one of secrecy. There ought not to be no secret conversations if you're a married man or a married woman. Got no business. Notice the harlot said, I've just come from offering sacrifice at church, and I just feel like the Holy Spirit put us together.

21:40 It's crazy. I've been doing this a long time. That's not right. Why in the world would you have an app to post pictures and they disappear? Why? there's no accountability in it. That's the point. And that's the invitation of temptation is no accountability. Keep secrets. Keep things. And if someone does challenge you, cloak it in over spirituality. Well, the Lord has led me so that you don't have to listen to anybody. The Bible said that there is wisdom in counsel. If it's just you and Jesus doing your own thing, and Jesus ain't nowhere around you when you're doing your own thing.

22:41 But if it's just you and Jesus, there's no accountability. I don't need a pastor. I don't need a church. I don't need spiritual authority. You know that it's an invitation from the devil. When nobody godly is invited and told about it, You don't want your pastor there. You don't want your prayer warrior friend there. You don't want... Let's take them off the list. Take that one off the list. That one off the list. That one is way too straight for us. Let's just go. Let's just leave all of them off. sneak off by ourselves sneak off for a freak off What a real person.

23:28 Isolation She sends her invitations out. But when wisdom sends her invitation, notice the direct contrast from the highest place in the city, public. Everybody come. Oh, no secrets. No isolation. Lift up your voice and shout, she said. There's no secrets. There's no sneaking. There's no whispering. There's no disappearing. There's no hypocrisy. There's just integrity. I'm almost done. But I want to show you one more thing.

24:29 the harlot and lady wisdom offer a meal, but they're totally different. Proverbs 7 said that she said, I have, the reason she brings up the peace offering is she said, I have some leftovers. That's really what she was saying. If you understand the text, she was saying, I have leftovers and we'll have something to eat, but I'm not going to prepare you a banquet or anything because it's just a one-night stand plan. And so I have some leftovers, and we can eat what I have left over that I didn't give to the Lord. It's a fling. C.S. Lewis said this about sex outside of marriage.

25:28 Sex without love and commitment is like eating food that you never swallow and digest. It's like tasting the food but then spitting it out. You just enjoy the flavor, but beware of the harlot's meal. It doesn't last. it doesn't satisfy. All the devil can do to you young people through multiple partners is give you finger food, give you a... I don't know how to say it, Sharice.

26:22 I should have checked with you. A cuttery board or whatever it's called. that's the best you're going to ever get from the devil. It will not satisfy. The world, the lust of the flesh, will not satisfy the hunger. But notice the woman of wisdom. She slew, quote, plural, beast, animals. She had some chicken. She had some roast. She had some beef. She had a table, a feast at the table of wisdom. And it satisfied. The world will not satisfy you. The lies and if you enter in and you accept the invitation to the house of temptation, it will leave you empty and unsatisfied.

27:26 It will not bless multiple generations. it will not have pillars, beams that are rock solid that when the storm comes when the attacks come but wisdom builds her house for the generations the dramatic consequences to which invitation you accept are told and finalized in Proverbs 7. He took the wrong invitation. He ignored the invitation from Lady Wisdom, and he took the invitation of Proverbs 7, and this is what it says in conclusion.

28:23 It says, verse 21, with her enticing speech, he yielded and flattering lips seduced him. Immediately he went after her as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool to the correction of the stocks to a prison. That's what he's describing, a prison house. Now listen to this. Now therefore, verse 24, listen to me, my children.

28:59 Pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not stray into her paths, for she has cast down many wounded. and all who were slain by her were mighty and strong. They said it couldn't happen to me. That's what he's saying.

29:31 Her house is the way to hell descending to the chambers of death. But boy, I hear wisdom. saying, if you come to me in Jesus' wisdom, If you'll embrace me, I have a plan. I have a future. I have opportunities. I have favor. I have destiny. I have generations. but you have to RSVP.

30:19 You have to make a decision. You have to choose life or death like I preached last week. Man, y'all probably wish I would have stayed on vacation. I come back and preached on hell and heaven last week and now I'm preaching this. I think y'all backslid while I was gone and the Lord wants me to have massive repentance services or something. But seriously, I mean... Kids are going back to school and the peer pressure's on and everybody's doing it and the enemy's sending out his invitations to the parties. It's going to take some young people who will grab wisdom and embrace her and say, I believe, I believe, I believe. I think something is happening with this generation that's very positive.

31:19 I see in this new generation, Generation Z, something I never dreamed I would see, and I can't put my finger on it. I saw it at Forward Conference. I see it every time I get up and preach. I see young people leaning in more to the Lord. And I think it has something to do, even artificial intelligence. The first question young people are asking when they look at something, is this fake or is this artificial intelligence or is this real?

31:54 And I think when you preach sermons like this, deep in your heart, whether you like it or not, deep in your heart, You know that I'm not just standing up here giving you a good little feel-good sermon. I'm telling you what leads to life, what leads to destiny, what leads to purpose, what leads to opportunity. That's what I really felt. The Lord said, tell them I've got doors of opportunity they cannot even imagine.

32:25 And you've got to choose. And I'm here to say, well, I guess I'll use my notes. I want a piece of paper. Is there a piece of paper? I'm here to say, I want to tear this off. Is there a piece of paper anywhere? I want an illustration so bad right now.

32:49 Thank you, Amy. I want hundreds, even thousands of people who've been getting the devil's emails and been getting the devil's invitations to hell's party. to take hell's invitation and cancel the invitation to temptation and failure. In Jesus' name, I'm never looking back. In Jesus' name, I'm never going back. In Jesus' name, I choose and embrace wisdom. I'm done with that. The old is over and I choose you, Lord. Build my house with your wisdom and your word and your life. I'm going to ask you to stand to your feet all over this room and please no one moving.

33:52 This is a critical, critical moment. Is there anyone here this morning? And I was amazed in the nine o'clock. Jason, come up here. Bring your phone. Now, if you don't think, if you don't think God can confirm a word, you got your phone? Yes, sir. He walked in after the nine o'clock, and I did not see this. I did not see this. I don't know where that is online, whose that is, or is that yours? but he's, tell what you told me real quick.