Living Free - Mar. 18, 2011
The Scriptures Say ...
Today's Scripture
"Then the devil took him to 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 and guard 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.'" Luke 4:9-12 NLT (suggested reading for this week: Luke 4:1-15)
Thoughts for Today
The third temptation: Satan used Scripture to tempt Jesus to leap from the temple and land safely.
Again, Jesus could have done it, and it would have been the job of the angelic host to protect him. It was not a temptation to do an overt sin, but it was a test of the Father's care. It was a call to have the Father prove his care for Jesus.
Jesus responded by quoting other Scriptures that balanced out the context of what Satan had quoted out of context.
Consider this …
We learn from Jesus' response that we should trust God and his promises, and not test his reliability. He promises to take care of us, but we shouldn't step in front of a speeding car to see what he will do. He has promised to meet our needs, but we shouldn't spend money recklessly.
In all these temptations, Jesus relied on the Scriptures to give him a proper understanding of what he was to do, and he quoted it in times of temptation. He did not take isolated verses out of context but balanced Scripture with an understanding of the true meaning of the verses.
Having experienced temptation, Jesus understands our condition. He is sympathetic, but he is also the perfect standard. Yield to the will of God. Memorize Scripture. Quote it and live it. Make a specific plan of how to do this more consistently as the Lord enables you.
Prayer …
Father, help me better prepare to resist temptation by spending more time in your Word. Teach me to live the Scripture, and bring the right Scripture to my mind when I am facing a temptation. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
Crossroads: Choosing the Road to Sexual Purity by David E. Longacre. Crossroads deals with choosing the road to sexual purity and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Describes the sexual addiction process
- Shows how the sin of proximity often precedes sexual sins
- Shows the way out of sexual addiction
- Presents biblical insights to help a person break free and stay free
- Gives practical actions for renewing the mind
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then pointing them to Christ
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