INTRODUCTION:

A.      CHILDREN OF GOD CALLED SAINTS - SANCTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD.

          1.       Yet many saints fall into sin( 1 John 1:10 ). Written to us.

          2.       Saints at Corinth fill with sin( 1 Cor. 1:2 ).

B.      MANY THINGS TO LEARN FROM THE OT THAT HELP US KEEP PURE.

          1.       Many great men sinned because they were in the wrong place.

          2.       Much temptation can be avoided by avoiding the wrong place.

          3.       Many times the wrong attitude accompanies us to the wrong place.

I.      ABRAHAM WAS THE WRONG PLACE( Gen. 12:10-20 ).

A.      KNEW EGYPT A PLACE OF DANGER BECAUSE OF SARAH'S BEAUTY.

B.      BECAUSE OF SUPPOSED DANGER, ABRAM LIED TO PHARAOH.

C.      HE WAS IN A PLACE WHERE HIS FAITH WAS WEAKENED.

          1.       Disbelief causes one to part from God( Heb. 3:12 ).

          2.       Our hearts are guarded by faith( 1 Pet. 1:5 ).

          3.       What irony when we ask God not to lead us into temptation & we do nothing

                   to avoid it ourselves.

          4.       We must avoid places where faith in God is berated or where people's lives are

                    not harmonious with our faith.

II.     ELIJAH WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE( 1 Kings 19:8-18 ).

A.      "WHAT DOEST THOU HERE?"( vs. 1-3 ).  FEAR!

B.      BACKGROUND FURNISHES THE ANSWER...ELIJAH'S REPLY( vs.14 ).

C.      WHAT WAS HE DOING?

          1.       Hiding( Rom. 8:31;  Heb. 13:5-6 ).

          2.       Nothing( Eph. 2:10;  James 1:22;  1 Cor. 15:58 ).

III.    JONAH WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE( Jonah 1-2 ).

A.      JONAH SHRANK BACK FROM RESPONSIBILITIES.  DISTASTEFUL.

          1.       We of course, have responsibilities( Rom. 12:4-8 ).

          2.       We dare not shirk or neglect( Heb. 6:9-12;  2:3 ).

B.      JONAH SOUGHT TO HIDE FROM GOD IN A SHIP TO TARSHISH.

          1.       We can hide neither sin nor neglect( Heb. 4:12-13 ).

          2.       All will be brought to light( Ecc. 12:13-14 ).

IV.   LOT WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE( Gen. 13:12-13 ).

A.      NOTICE THE EFFECT IT HAD ON HIS FAMILY( 19:14-17, 26 ).

          1.       Lot didn't think of the influence sin would have on his family( 1 Tim. 5:8 ).

          2.       Or himself( 1 Cor. 15:33 ).

B.      LOT WAS SILENT ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS IN EVIL SODOM( Eph. 5:11 ).

V.    DEMAS, A NT MAN IN THE WRONG PLACE( 2 Tim. 4:10 ).

A.      TOTAL DESERTION?

B.      ARE YOU WHERE DEMAS WAS?

VI.   NOAH, WHO WAS WHERE HE OUGHT TO BE( Heb. 11:7 ).

A.      THE CHURCH IS GOD'S "ARK" TODAY( Eph. 5:23 ).

B.      ARE A MEMBER OF THE LORD'S BODY?( 1 Cor. 12:13 ).