When Tempted

[The Temptation of Jesus]
[4:1] Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. [3] And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” [4] But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

[5] Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple [6] and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

[7] Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” [8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. [9] And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” [10] Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”

[11] Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
(Matthew 4:1-11 ESV)

I have a tendency to read this section of scripture and think to myself, "This is God being tempted here, how hard could it have been." God cannot be tempted, right? I tend to forget that this God who come to earth to destroy death and sin was also a man. I don't know about you but I have a hard time understanding what exactly the God\man is.

I am thankful (though not thankful enough) for what this God\man accomplished for me on the cross! I am thankful that He was tempted. I am thankful that He was victorious over sin, and temptation! I am thankful that He can relate to me!

[14] Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, [15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. [16] For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. [17] Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. [18] For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
(Hebrews 2:14-18 ESV)

The Very Word of God

Scripture. Breathed out by God so that we, men and women of God my be competent and equipped to do every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16.)

Scripture. Living, active, convicting, life altering, sharp, pointing, discerning. (Heb.4:12)

Scripture is God's very word to a world that is lost. It is the history of God reaching out to his people. It is the gospel, the good news that Jesus the God/man, lived, died, rose again to conquer sin and death!

Yet, we have a tendency to soften what it says. 1 Pet. 1:15b that we are to be holy in all of our conduct. I tend to think sometimes that I am OK in the area of holiness, especially when I use the world as a lens to interpret this scripture. When faced with a holy God who hates sin, my mind quickly turns to the wretch that I am!

How about Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires". I don't know about you but sometimes I like to change that ''no provision" to ''a little provision is OK''. I know that is not what scripture says, I'm born again, how bad can a little provision be anyway!?

I have been singing to myself "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". I love that song just a little more then I hate it. "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love". That's me. Scripture comands me to be holy, to make no provision for the flesh. Fail, flee, hide.

Hebrews 2:1, "Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."

We (I) need to pay closer attention to what scripture says and not so much to what the world says we (I) may or may not need.