2 Samuel 11

Today in church, our pastor started a new series titles "The Thing". 

The Thing = Satan. 

The Thing is lurking, stalking us . . .daily. 

He has a daily goal to disrupt our lives with temptation, but he ultimately has a strategy to blow up our lives. Because God loves us, we have a huge target on our back. 

Take a moment to read about David's sinful story in 2 Samuel 11.

It's a story about David and his affair with Bathsheba while her husband was away at war. David was tempted and Satan won. Bathsheba became pregnant and when David found out he sent for her husband, Uriah to come home from the war. David figured Uriah would come home for a little rest and relaxation and everyone would believe it was Uriah's son. When Uriah chose not to go home to Bathsheba, David sent for him to be put in the front lines of the war. This was his death sentence. When Bathsheba was done mourning, David took her as his wife and she bore him a son. In the end, it looked like David was a hero, comforting and saving a women whose husband died at war. 

At the end of this chapter the bible states:

"But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord."

This is such a scary and unnerving statement. 

When we sin God still forgives us and He will never bring up our wrongs again. 

Even though He forgives, the sin still punishes us. 

The monster we created still lives on.

Our sermon today was on affairs.

How common they are.

How easily they begin.

How much destruction they cause.

Pastor Hoover gave us some advice on how to avoid The Thing.  

1. Don't toy with temptation

2. Watch out for your vulnerable seasons

(change, boredom, and anger)

3. Don't develop an unhealthy appetite