Escape

"No, I'm not quite sure how you got there. Why don't you try the Escape Key."
"It looks pretty messed up to me. Why don't you try the Escape Key."
"No! You don't want to do that! Quick, Hit the Escape Key!"

The Escape Key. That wonderful key whose main function is to get you out of whatever you just got into. I teach computers, and everyday, I have a student that somehow, someway, gets into a menu that I have never seen before and have no idea what it does. The menu usually says something like "Click on OK if you would like to reinstall the entire system at this time" or "You have accessed a secured government system; any further tampering will cause your location to be bombed." My advice is always: "Use the Escape Key!"

There are times when it is useful to read all the options on a menu and try to figure out how to solve the problem. There are times when it is useful to call the help desk and get some advice from the experts. But there are also times when the best way to handle the problem you have created is to simply use the Escape Key.

"Flee! Run for your lives;" Jeremiah 48:6 "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace..." 2 Timothy 2:22

"No, I'm not quite sure how you got there. Why don't you Flee!"
"It looks pretty messed up to me. Why don't you Flee!
"No! You don't want to do that! Quick, Flee!"

The Biblical command to Flee. (Or as Monty Python might say it: "Run Away! Run Away!") It is a command that is sometimes hard for us proud humans to heed. We feel we know ourselves well enough to know our strengths and our areas of weakness. But God knows us much better than we will ever know ourselves; and He knows the power of fleeing. He knows that fleeing gives us time to think. It gets us out of the middle of a situation and allows us to see things clearly. He realizes that the best way to resist temptation is to avoid temptation. He realizes that some temptations are better to out-run, than to out-smart. The problem is, we seldom see this for ourselves. We allow ourselves to go deeper and deeper into Satan's territory until all of a sudden we're surrounded, and the human strength we were so proud of is no longer sufficient:

"I can handle this temptation. I'm strong enough. Don't worry about me, I'll deal with it."
"It's OK if I spend time with those guys. Their words and actions and attitudes won't rub off on me! Besides, I am supposed to be 'In the World.' Right?"
"Just because I fell into this sin last time doesn't mean I'll fall again! I learned a lot from that experience. I'm ready to take this one head on."

"But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." 1 Timothy 6:11

The command is simple: Flee.

Give it a try this week. When you feel the urge to fight a battle you have had trouble with in the past. When your mind or eyes are tempted to tarry too long where you know they should not be. When you are tired and need a shelter: Flee.

Then let God refresh you and strengthen you for the battles that He will choose for you to fight.

If you're interested, there is more information about:
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The most important Book of all time.

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