Thy Word:

Teaching About The Law

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”

Matthew 5:17-20 NLT

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My Thoughts:

People have a love hate relationship with the law, wouldn’t you agree? We love the law when we see it protects us, but we can hate the law when we perceive it restricts us.

The Law of Moses was God’s moral and ceremonial laws and they were given to protect his people, and to also help people love Him. Unfortunately, the religious leaders had turned the original laws into a confusing tangled mess of rules. Jesus wasn’t speaking against the laws, but against the abuses of God’s laws.

So if Jesus didn’t come to abolish the laws, it begs the question, does that mean the Old Testament laws still apply to us today? The answer is a somewhat confusing ‘yes and no.’

My NIV study Bible breaks the law down into three categories and provides details behind each one:

1. Ceremonial Law
2. Civil Law
3. Moral Law

“Ceremonial Law (Leviticus 1:2, 3 for example) relates specifically to Israel’s worship and it’s primary purpose was to point to Jesus Christ. Therefore, these laws were no longer necessary after the death and resurrection of Christ. While we are no longer bound by ceremonial law, the principles behind them—to worship and love a holy God—still apply.

Civil Law applied to daily living in Israel (Deuteronomy 24:10, 11, for example). Because modern society is so radically different from that time and setting, all of these guidelines cannot be followed specifically. But the principles behind the commands are timeless and should guide our conduct. Jesus demonstrated these principles by example.

Moral Law (the Ten Commandment for example) is the direct command of God, and it requires strict obedience (Exodus 20:1-17). The Moral Law reveals the nature and will of God, and it still applies today. Jesus obeyed the moral law completely.”

Let’s look at the verses for each piece of the law:

Ceremonial Law-“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present an animal as an offering to the Lord, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats. “If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be a male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the Lord.” Leviticus 1:2-3 NLT

So how often were they to do this? “This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.” (Leviticus 16:34) This once a year offering was called the Day of Atonement and all Israeli’s did this. However, other sacrifices were necessary throughout the year in order for God’s people to approach Him for different reasons. Can you imagine?

Listen, I cannot abide the sight of blood and if you read the entire chapter of Leviticus 1, it might make you a little sick. There is no way I could do any of that! Praise God Almighty that He gave His only begotten Son as the final and perfect sacrifice!

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NLT

I am still overwhelmed when I consider the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us! He died for all of our sins so we would never have to go through this sacrificial process again once we believe in Him. Praise Him!

Civil Law-“If you lend anything to your neighbor, do not enter his house to pick up the item he is giving as security. You must wait outside while he goes in and brings it out to you.” Deuteronomy 24:10-11 NLT

This portion of the law concerned private relations between people and can be summed up in the Golden Rule:

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12 NLT

Raise your hand if you think our world has become very “me-istic” and we are in dire need of reinstating this law! (My hand is raised high in the air!)

Moral Law-this is the Ten Commandments. Simply listed they are:

1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol
3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God
4. Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy
5. Honor your father and your mother
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not give false testimony [lie] against your neighbor
10. You shall not covet [desire what belongs to another]

Jesus obeyed these laws completely; I wish I could say the same.

But none of us are perfect and we are all sinners, (“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 NIV), so how do we fulfill all three categories of the law in order to become righteous enough to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven?

“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” Matthew 5:20 NLT

We do it with Jesus.

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NLT

On our own, we simply cannot become righteous without Jesus, it’s impossible. There is not a day that goes by that any of us don’t sin. If you don’t believe me, I dare you to pray a dangerous prayer I once prayed when I thought I had gone a whole week without sinning! My prayer was simple and reckless:

“Father God, open my eyes to my sins so I can repent and be forgiven.”

Can I tell you that I almost came undone? Can I tell you that the revelation of my daily sins (notice that’s plural) were almost more that I could bear? When I thought I could not take one more minute of the wretchedness of my sins, Jesus reminded me that His death was the final sacrifice and because I believed in Him, I was “made right with God.” I have His forgiveness, I am saved, and that makes me righteous, therefore, I will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!

Praise God Almighty, and brothers and sisters, I pray you have this righteousness as well!

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law as the final and costliest sacrifice ever made, so we could be made righteous in Your eyes. Father thank You that because I believe Jesus died for my sins and was raised in three days, I have forgiveness of my sins and eternal life with You. My prayer today includes the desire of my heart that all those I love surrender to Jesus so they too can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Do you need to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Remember what Jesus tells us: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NLT

If you believe this in your heart, follow this link and pray this prayer from the late Billy Graham (you may have to copy and paste the link into your browser) and you too will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven:

https://binged.it/2pwNzyJ

 

 

 

 

 

Thy Word:

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:13-16 NLT

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My Thoughts:

Salt has been used for thousands of years to preserve and season foods. It was once difficult to obtain, so it was a highly valued trade item. For a time, it was even considered a form of currency. Today salt is more readily available and relatively inexpensive (excluding designer salt, of course, but that is a whole other topic!)

I love salt! There was a short time in my life I couldn’t get enough which made me wonder if my body was deficient in sodium. I now only lightly sprinkle salt because I know it doesn’t take much to enhance or improve what I’m eating.

In many ways, this is a picture of my relationship with Christ. In the beginning, when I was deficient in my knowledge of Him, I took in large quantities of information to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Over time, I altered the way I studied and began to sprinkle myself with daily readings and savor what I learned. That sprinkling enhances what I learn and hear as I walk through His word.

In our verses today, salt is used as a metaphor to show how the disciples were to be like salt and preserve their society and the world around them from moral decay by sprinkling them with the knowledge and love of Christ.

There is a story in the Old Testament where Elisha, the prophet, is asked to help a city that is located in a beautiful place but the water is putrid. He sprinkles a little salt and the water is restored to good:

“The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”

“Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.”

So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’ ” And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.” Kings 2:19-22 NIV

That’s what happens to us when we accept Christ as our savior and we are sprinkled with the word of God. We become healed from our impurities and forgiven of our sins.

Salt also makes us thirsty, so it’s natural the more we know about God, the more we thirst for Him. Jesus says we should know Him so well our words should always have the seasoning of salt so others will thirst for more:

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6 NIV

Then Jesus continues this theme when He says we are a light in the world and cannot be hidden. He is basically saying the same thing again with a slightly different emphasis. He stresses we are not to keep the Good News of what has happened and changed in our lives quiet or hidden once we have accepted Jesus. Rather, we are to always be prepared to explain the hope we have as believers:

“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” 1 Peter 3:15 NLT

When we reflect Jesus in our daily lives, we have the opportunity to influence others and that could be very thing that ultimately leads them to Christ:

“Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.” 1 Peter 3:1b-2 NLT

We see from all of these verses, what we say and do as Christians can have a dramatic influence on others.

Therefore:

“Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.” Psalms 119:172 NLT

Finally, there are two words I don’t want you to miss in our verses today: ‘you are.’ Jesus does not use passive language (you could be, you should be, etc.), but rather a truth, or a fact, about who we are once we become believers in Christ. We ARE the salt of the earth and the light of the world; therefore, we must share what we know!

My heart feels the call of the Lord to be salt and light as I read all of these powerful words. Would you, could you, be the salt and light that enhances someone’s life today so they are drawn closer to Jesus?

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank you for teaching us the value of learning more about You. Today I pray that all who read these words surrender their hearts and lives to You so they can continue the forward movement of Jesus by being salt and light for others. Father, I pray as I go about my day, that I find opportunities to sprinkle Your truth and bring Light to someone who needs to hear about You. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

Thy Word:

The Beatitudes

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Matthew 5:3-12 NLT

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My Thoughts:

Of all the writings about Jesus in the Bible, the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, chapters 5-7, is the first, the longest, and the most prominent. Up until this point, the disciple Matthew’s writings are mostly an introduction of Jesus. However, not only does this body of principles hold a place of prominence in the New Testament, this sermon is about to directly confront the reader (that would be us!).

Jesus starts with a section called the Beatitudes that list a series of blessings with a Proverb-like proclamation. Although Jesus does not include narrative for each of these blessings they are precise and full of meaning. Simply put, Jesus is describing the traits He was (and still is!) looking for in his followers. If our goal is to be more like Jesus (and it should be!) these beatitudes will challenge how we live every day.

Unfortunately, as we read through each blessing, we get a sense that they directly contradict how our society tells us we are to behave, wouldn’t you agree? Jesus even points out in the last blessing that our efforts to develop these characteristics will result in opposition and persecution from our peers.

Let’s look at what Jesus says versus what the world says:

1. Instead of being poor in spirit, our world encourages us to be prideful and have personal independence.
2. Instead of mourning, our world encourages us to attain happiness at any cost.
3. Instead of being meek, we are encouraged to ladder climb or seek power.
4. Instead of seeking righteousness*, we pursue personal desires.
5. Instead of showing mercy, we exhibit strength without feeling.
6. Instead of being pure in heart, deception and immoral practices are acceptable.
7. Instead of being a peacemaker, we seek personal peace without concern for the world’s chaos.
8. Instead of standing firm even in the face of persecution, we avoid it by having weak commitments and standards.

(*Definition of righteousness-acting in accord with divine or moral law.)

I don’t know about you, but these truths hit home in my heart and I am faced with my weaknesses and failure to mirror Jesus in several areas!

Jesus ends this section by telling us we will be rewarded in heaven if we live our lives according to His blessings. Notice He doesn’t refer to them as hardships, but as blessings, and that is how we need to see them as well.

In the Kingdom of Heaven, wealth, power, and authority are unimportant. Kingdom people are to seek different blessings, benefits, and attitudes.

Today let’s ask ourselves a very hard and revealing question: which attitude are we reflecting? Are we reflecting the selfishness of world, or the humility of Jesus?

(See section titled “Extra” that list verses from my NIV study Bible about how we are to develop the attitudes Jesus lists as blessings.)

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Closing Prayer:

Lord this is a very convicting lesson and I confess to You I must make changes in my life right now. I ask for a hedge of protection to surround me as I face some very fast paced months with multiple commitments, coupled with some difficult personal challenges. During these times of weakness may I remember Your power and glory are mightier than the devil who seeks to destroy me in my weakness. I ask this in the name of my savior Jesus. Amen.

*****

Extra:

Poor in spirit-James 4:7-10

Mourning-Psalm 51, James 4:7-10

Meekness-Matthew 11:27-30

Righteousness-John 16:5-11, Philippians 3:7-11

Mercy-Ephesians 5:1-2

Pure in heart-1 John 3:1-3

Peacemaker-Romans 12:9-21, Hebrews 12:10-11

Persecuted-2 Timothy 3:12

**Two options for reading the Bible online include Blue Letter Bible and YouVersion.

 

Thy Word:

“One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.” Matthew 5:1-2 NLT

“Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot ), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).” Matthew 10:1-4 NLT

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My Thoughts:

Before we jump into the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7), let’s take a look at two key words in these verses: disciples and apostles. We see Jesus call these followers disciples in chapter 5, then both in chapter 10.

Maybe you (like me) wondered “are they disciples or apostles? Do they mean the same thing? If not, what is the difference?”

Although the words disciple and apostle are sometimes used interchangeably, they mean different things. A disciple is a follower or student of someone. An apostle is someone who is sent out with a message or mission.

Jesus’ disciples were a group of followers who listened and learned from him. When Jesus chose twelve of his disciples to accompany him and later sent them on mission’s to preach/teach about Him, they became apostles.

As I was preparing this blog, our Sunday Bible Class leader gave a fabulous comparison with biblical references I’d like to share with you:

• “Disciple & Apostle – not synonymous (both – Matt 10:1-2; Luke 6:13)
• Disciple – Learner, pupil
• Apostle – emissary, representative, one sent with the authority of the sender

Qualifications of an Apostle:

• Chosen & sent by Jesus (Mark 3:14)
• Witness to the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22; Acts 10:41-42)
• Confirmed by the signs [miracles] of an Apostle (2 Corinthians 12:12)

The Apostles, being sent by Christ, spoke with the authority of Christ; when they wrote, they wrote with the authority of Christ. That’s the highest authority there is.”

Courtesy of Mr. John Adams, Blog: www.written4u.com

(Biblical references listed after my closing prayer.)

(Side note: Don’t you love it when you are studying something and the Lord drops the same information in your lap in another place or from another person, like He did here? That always lets me know I’m on the right track with what Jesus is teaching us through this blog!)

In Matthew 5:1-2 we see Jesus call his disciples to teach them. He was preparing them for their calling.

In Matthew 10:1-4 we see Jesus give twelve of his followers authority and a mission, which as Mr. Adams tells us, “is the highest authority there is.” At that point Jesus refers to them as apostles when He identifies them by name.

The same process happens for us when we agree to follow Jesus. First we immediately become His disciples. It’s our responsibility to learn as much as possible about Jesus from:

1. Joining and regularly attending a Bible believing/teaching church.
2. Participating in a small group class or study that teaches the Bible.
3. Reading our Bibles (try just 20 minutes a day and not only will you learn, but that’s how God speaks to us!).
4. Having other believers as friends and mentors.

Once we become trained (although I find myself learning something new all the time and I love that!), Jesus makes us an apostle and sends us out to teach others about Him. How each of us does that, is based on how God has gifted us, or called us to teach about Him.

Now don’t get nervous because when Jesus calls us, He equips us.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT

I hope that clears up the difference between these two very important roles and helps all of us understand the critical role each of us play in sharing the story of Jesus Christ with others.

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Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank you for giving us this valuable pause in our lesson so we gain a better understanding of our own role for the Kingdom. I ask for a special blessing to be poured out on Mr. John Adams as he teaches and leads our class every week and mirrors what it looks like to be an Apostle for You. Father, I ask that each person reading (and writing!) this blog takes a hard look at their own role and evaluates where improvements can be made, so we can all accomplish our goal for you, Lord. I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.

*****

Biblical References

“At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:” Luke 6:13 NLT (see list of names in our verse from Matthew 10:1-4 in “Thy Word” section)

“Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach,” Mark 3:14 NLT

““So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”” Acts of the Apostles 1:21-22 NLT

Then God allowed him to appear “not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.” Acts of the Apostles 10:41-42 NLT

“When I was with you, I certainly gave you proof that I am an apostle. For I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles among you.” 2 Corinthians 12:12 NLT

 

Thy Word:

The Ministry of Jesus Begins

He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

The First Disciples

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

Crowds Follow Jesus

Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.

Matthew 4:13-25 NLT

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My Thoughts:

With the passing of John and the remembrance of his legacy…., ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!” (Matthew 3:3b) and “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:2)

The ministry of Jesus begins and His words start where John’s legacy ends: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

Every time we share the gospel (the Good News about Jesus) with our words, our lives, and our actions, we become one of His disciples and clear the way for Jesus.

Our actions, or the way we live our lives, can sometimes speak louder than our words:

“Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.” 1 Peter 3:1b-2 NLT

I learned early on as a believer that WE can’t give everlasting life to sinners; all we can do is share what we know. Jesus does the rest because He IS the Savior and He gives salvation. (Phew! That’s a huge relief, isn’t it?)

However, Jesus promises us when we follow Him, He will teach us how to share the Good News, just as He taught his first disciples, so He can catch them:

“Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” Matthew 4:19 NLT

When Jesus calls us and we agree to follow Him, we receive several gifts:

1. Forgiveness for our sins and eternal life.
2. The Holy Spirit comes and lives in us to guide us.
3. As we read the Bible, we learn how to be more like Jesus.
4. God buries His word (the Bible) in our hearts to help us grow and “fish.”
5. God communicates to us personally as we read the Bible.

My decision to follow Jesus was the most important choice I have ever made because “he healed every kind of disease and illness” that was broken in my life and heart. I once was a woman who lived a life of fear, anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness. It was a lonely and hard existence.

Jesus taught me I had nothing to fear because He was trustworthy and always with me. Because Jesus forgave me of my sins, it taught me how to forgive those who hurt me. Therefore, the sickness that anger and bitterness had created in my soul was removed and I was healed. I praise God!

(Please know that forgiveness and association are two different things. You forgive as an act of obedience and to help yourself heal. But, if someone is hurting you that does not mean you have to continue to associate with them.)

May we honor the Lord by learning more about Him, that we may communicate with Him and reflect Him. When we do that our reward is freedom from our burdens and we accomplish our own calling! This pleases God and as a bonus we leave a worthy legacy for those who come behind us!

*****

Extra:

Note: if you would like an excellent resource to study God’s Word, Debbie Stuart & Lisa Rose wrote: “20 Minutes A Day For The Rest of Your Life” and it can be purchased on eBay.com for $6.00 + shipping.

Disclaimer: I do not receive royalties from recommending any books to you in this blog. I recommend because they have been an important part of my growth, and I hope they benefit you as well.

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Closing Prayer: Father God, we are so excited to get started on this journey with Jesus as He begins his ministry for you, Lord. Please open our hearts and let us hear a personal Word from you as you guide us on this journey. We love you Lord, and thank You for the encouragement we received today to become disciples for You. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

Thy Word:

For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ “

Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,

‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’ ”

Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’ ”

Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’ ”

Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.”

Matthew 4:2-11 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

Today we see Jesus walking through 40 days and 40 nights of trials and temptations, and he fasted! Let that sink in: a month and ten days with no food.

The longest I have ever prayed and fasted was for a week, and during that time I allowed myself one meal a day in the evening. Those first few days, I had to really focus on what I was praying about because all I really wanted to think about was the food I would have later that day!

Jesus was in the wilderness, he was hungry, weak, and on top of that he was being tempted by Satan. Remember in our last blog I talked about how Satan introduces partial or skewed truths to confuse us? Let’s look at what he says to tempt Jesus:

1. You can turn these stones into bread and eat. Jesus could have done that but God had called him for a set time to fast and pray to prepare Him for what was coming.
2. Jump off this cliff, you know the angels will protect you. Jesus could have commanded the angels to catch him, but He wasn’t there to use His power to impress Satan or test what God would do to protect Him before His appointed task.
3. Everything you see can be yours if you kneel and worship me. Although Satan does have temporary control and free reign of the world, Jesus knew God was the only God he was commanded to worship.

Jesus countered every temptation from Satan with God’s truth from verses in Deuteronomy:

“He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3b NLT

“You must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at Massah.” Deuteronomy 6:16 NLT

“You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name.” Deuteronomy 6:13 NLT

My NIV study Bible explains what Satan was doing when he tempted Jesus this way, “The devil’s temptations focused on three crucial areas: (1) physical needs and desires, (2) possessions and power, (3) and pride. [Jesus] knows firsthand what we are experiencing, and he is willing and able to help us in our struggles.”

Remember these very important words; Jesus is willing and able to help us in any struggle. I love that!

The study notes continue with this information about the devil tempting Jesus with food: “Jesus was hungry and weak after fasting for 40 days, but he chose not to use his divine power to satisfy his natural desire for food. Food, hunger, and eating are good, but the timing was wrong. Jesus was in the desert to fast, not to eat. And because Jesus had given up the unlimited, independent use of his divine power in order to experience humanity fully, he wouldn’t use his power to change the stones to bread. We may also be tempted to satisfy a perfectly normal desire in a wrong way or at the wrong time.”

Many of our desires are good but God wants us to satisfy them in the right way and the right time. I doubt any of us will ever be called to fast for 40 days and nights, but if you are called to fast and pray for a day or more, be prepared for the devil to encourage you to break that fast.

Satan also tried to entice Jesus to test God and the loyalty of the angels by jumping from a high point and calling for the angels to catch Him. However, Jesus is not a magician to perform at Satan’s or anyone else’s whims! God wants us to live by faith not by magic!

The last thing Satan did was try to seduce Jesus’ pride by offering him power and material things, at which point Jesus reminds Satan that we are to worship only God.

Caution: You better know and be especially prepared for this temptation because Satan does the same thing to us! Anything we worship before God will lead us into terrible sin and eventually to a very hard fall.

We must know what the Lord says when we face a temptation so we can recite verses from memory, or locate His truths in the Bible to help us fight them. I have heard some say, “I can’t memorize verses because it’s too hard.” Hmmm, don’t we sing along with songs on the radio? Yes, we do! The devil says you can’t memorize God’s Word, but this is proof you can!

Also, the devil will use any lie he can to confuse us, including the partial use of scripture or a skewed version of scripture. That is why it is so important to know the word of God in order to fight this particular lie.

A common example is when people say that the Bible says money is the root of all kinds of evil. That is absolutely NOT what the word of God says! This is what scripture says:

“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10 NLT

Money isn’t evil; it’s the love of money that gets us into trouble!

There have been cults that have used this partial truth about money as a means of keeping their followers in poverty. Had those followers known what the Bible really said, perhaps they would not have been so easily conned.

Here is the last truth that is my favorite: when we use the word of God to combat trials and temptations we are told “then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.” The same will happen for us. At the very least call on the name of Jesus and that alone will send the devil away and give you strength to fight any temptation!

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank You for this lesson that reminds us of the power of Your holy name and Your holy word. I pray that we all seek Your guidance before we jump into any temptation. Forgive me for where I have failed to do this, Lord. I confess that lately I have been feeling especially weak and vulnerable because of all the changes in my life, so I ask for a strong awareness of the presence of evil and the reminder that You are stronger. Teach me to know my weaknesses so well, I can stop and pray before I jump into the middle of those temptations. As difficult as it is for me to face (because I’m human and a sinner) I know because I follow You, I am held to a higher level of accountability. I ask for a strong reminder of this truth every moment of every day. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Thy Word:

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.” Matthew 4:1 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

I don’t know about you but this one verse struck fear in my heart! Here is what is happening in the opening of today’s Word:

• Jesus was led to a lonely place.
• Jesus was in the wilderness.
• Jesus was tempted.
• Satan was there with Jesus.

I can almost hear ominous music, thunder, lightning, and the sound of creepy trees rattling, with fingerlike branches threatening to reach out to snatch or harm Jesus as he entered the wilderness.

If this verse were a movie on TV I’d change the channel immediately!

But, wait just a minute!!!!!

Didn’t Jesus just leave one of the highest moments in His life in my last blog? He was baptized in obedience to God and then his Father demonstrated and vocally expressed his pleasure and joy? Yes! So why did this happen?

What we are about to see in this one verse and in the following verses in my next blog, is Jesus will be facing something you and I face every day: temptation.

We like to think when we become Christians we get a shield of protection around us that keeps us from troubles. But we live in a world that is filled with the same kind of people that lived during the time of Jesus. Those are people who have the same freedom of choice we do to say “yes” to temptations or “no.”

Most of us don’t usually walk into trouble or temptation willingly, however, if we aren’t paying attention we can cluelessly walk into temptation. Sadly, there are people who run into temptation thinking it will be fun or they will get a thrill. I think we are about to learn that there is nothing isolated, thrilling, or fun about temptation.

However, in this one verse Jesus walked willingly, with intentional purpose, filled with the power of God, directly into a place where He knew there would be temptations. He did this to demonstrate the wiles of Satan and how the devil works to deceive us, especially when we are at our weakest. But the most important thing Jesus will be showing us is how to battle those temptations when they happen.

Today, we are going to look at some verses that will prepare us, in advance, for those temptations, and Jesus will give us even more as we walk through the wilderness with Him in my next blog.

A great place for us to start is to always be alert! Jesus wants us to stay focused, leaning on the Spirit that lives in us, when we face temptations of any kind. He says:

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NLT

Temptation looks very much like the nightmare from above; it’s dark, it’s ugly, it separates us from those who love us, and it might even be so disguised, it sounds tempting at first, but it will harm us. In fact, Satan’s true desire is to cause temptations to kill and destroy us. Temptation is a challenge we will always face; it is not a “once and done” thing, so it’s critical that we stay alert.

We can ask ourselves some direct questions like “am I willing to tell someone I’m about to do this?” Or, “is what I’m about to do illegal, immoral, or unjust?” If you don’t want to tell someone or if it falls into one of the three categories, you better STOP before you pass temptation and land right in the middle of sin.

Do you know what is the most terrifying thing about temptation? It’s our choices, and make no mistake about it, our choices will have an impact on someone else.

When we knowingly or willfully jump right into the middle of temptation it becomes sin and that is when the real horror story starts. Some examples of giving in to temptation are:

1. When we succumb to the effect of alcohol or drugs, then we lose control of ourselves and unthinkable things happen to us and/or others.
2. When we give in to anger, it can quickly become rage and we may find ourselves searching for a weapon to inflict harm against property or life.
3. We selfishly want something another person has and we do whatever it takes to obtain it, even if that means irreparably harming or killing someone.

These are just a few examples in the chamber of horrors that happen when we give in to temptation.

But Jesus gives us something to help us overcome temptation. Knowledge and tools to prepare us for battle: the Bible.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”” John 16:33 NLT

Jesus walked into temptation to show us how crafty the devil is and how he speaks a little truth but not the whole truth, to confuse us. With authority, Jesus warns us that life will have trials and temptations, but he also tells us He has overcome the world, therefore we can too!

Let’s take one more look at today’s verse before we get scared or give up hope. There is one word I don’t want you to miss; that word is “led.” Jesus was led by the Spirit, meaning He was not alone with Satan, nor are we alone with our own temptations when we walk with Jesus! Here are a few of His promises:

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NLT

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.” Psalm 73:23 NIV

This is so encouraging to me and I hope it is to you too. If you still have concerns you may not have what it takes to fight temptations, Jesus gives us the best news of all: for every temptation we face, God offers a way out.

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

God WILL NOT ALLOW any temptation to be more than we can stand! Isn’t that amazing and encouraging? When we face temptation, remember those three words from God: “will not allow.”

Today we learned the hard news that in this life we will face temptations and trials.

However (that word we love!), we also learned these important truths:

1. We are not alone
2. We are to stay alert
3. We have God’s victorious hand holding ours
4. We will not face more than we can endure
5. We will always have a way out

That, my precious friends, will turn what may look may like a potential horror story, into a story of victory!

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank you that you are preparing us for the battles we face by revealing the truth to us; yes, we will face temptations, but You always provide us with a way out. Hallelujah and we praise You! Thank You for the best weapon You left us to fight temptations, which is Your Word, the Bible. Father I pray today that we go in Your strength knowing we have the power to say “no” to temptations because Your victorious hand holds ours. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Thy Word:

“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”

But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

Matthew 3:11-17 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

There is s much to learn in today’s words so don’t run away too soon!

Baptism: To start with, John wasn’t just baptizing anyone who showed up and asked they first had to make a commitment to change their lives from the inside out. That meant words alone weren’t going to save them, they had to believe it in their hearts. The Apostle Paul explained this clearly when he said:

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NLT

We also learned in a previous lesson these were people who were ready for a change, they saw the futility of their lives trying to live by the law alone, or by just trying to be good enough. But who defines the accuracy of “good enough?” Certainly not any man! God says this:

“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;” Romans 3:10 NIV

Their only option was to surrender their hearts to the good news of the coming Messiah and repent of their sins. With hearts committed to this truth, they stepped in the water to outwardly demonstrate their inward decision (commitment).

In case you weren’t sure, Baptism doesn’t give you salvation, however, it is your first public act to show others you are a new person in Christ. If you have refused baptism, ask yourself why? Maybe it’s because you are still putting more importance on what others think of you than your relationship with Christ? If you have been saved, but have refused baptism, I encourage you to take that first step of obedience. There is no better visual for washing away our sins than going under the water, then being raised to walk in the newness of life with Christ, than there is with baptism.

Jesus chose to be publicly baptized, not because he needed forgiveness from sins (He was sinless), but as an act of obedience to God. It was also his way of showing support for what John was doing, and it was His inauguration into public ministry. In addition, He wanted to identify with the people who had repented and returned to God.

Jesus, the perfect man, accepted baptism in obedient service to His Father, and to also align himself with us! How awesome is that?

John was initially confused when Jesus asked to be baptized because:

1. He knew Jesus was sin free,
2. He knew Jesus was the Messiah, and
3. He felt unworthy.

But Jesus helps John understand the wisdom of baptizing Him when he tells John “we must carry out all that God requires.”

That sweet truth should be all we need to motivate us to get baptized. If you have had shame, or embarrassment, or don’t want to be the center of attention (sadly, the older we get the more likely our feelings get in the way of our obedience!), let me boldly say, Satan is stealing a huge blessing from you! Don’t let that happen!

Are you chaff or wheat?

There will come a day when God will “separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork.” Chaff is the hull or outer husk around wheat and once it was separated with that large pitch fork, it would be gathered and burned because it had no value. The wheat is the part of the plant that has value and is gathered and saved.

This description for separating wheat from chaff is often used as a picture of God’s judgment of believers (wheat) and non-believers (chaff).

Which am I? Will I be saved or will I be burned? Will I be used for nourishment, and help produce new wheat? Or will I just exist, producing nothing to increase the harvest, and eventually wither away and die? These questions are very compelling, aren’t they? I pray you ask them of yourself, just as I am doing.

Jesus loves us and we bring Him joy!

Finally, “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

Beloved readers! God doesn’t just love Jesus, He loves us! Jesus wants to show us the same approval He received from God and His precious hand is extended for us to grasp firmly. He never tires of holding out His hand waiting for us to take it and say:

1. Yes, to salvation
2. Yes, to baptism

We see when Jesus committed to baptism that obedience led to receiving the Holy Spirit, and God’s pleasure and joy. I want that too, don’t you?

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, I am so grateful I said “yes” to your life saving salvation and obediently followed with baptism. Thank You for the gift of Your presence and guidance that followed my obedience, and may I continue to honor You by the harvest I produce. Lord, it’s been a difficult week and I know I have failed you in my weakness and I surrender my sins to you right now. I thank You for Your forgiveness. Father God, your eternal hope is my endless highway and I thank you for always being ahead of me. I pray this in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.