Living Free - Sept. 4, 2013

Living Free Every Day®

Today's Scripture

"Then the devil said to Him, If You are the Son of God, order this stone to turn into a loaf [of bread]. And Jesus replied to him, It is written, Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone [but by every word and expression of God." - Luke 4:3-4 AMP (suggested reading for this week: Luke 4:1-15)

Thoughts for Today

The Holy Spirit led Jesus to the desert, where he was fasting for 40 days. And the Bible says, the devil tempted him for the duration of that 40 days.

The first temptation Jesus faced in this wilderness experience involved hunger, physical need. Is eating to satisfy our hunger wrong? Of course not. But Jesus had been led by the Spirit and had made a commitment to fast during this time period. To break the fast by putting his desire for food above his commitment to the Father would have been sin.

There are many desires we experience day to day that are normal and good. To succeed on a job. To dress nicely. To engage in a hobby. To prosper financially. To enjoy shopping. To commit to a relationship. To spend time on the computer. Participating in a ministry. And the list goes on.These things are not wrong in themselves, but they are wrong if they become more important to us than our relationship with the Lord. God's plan and God's leading must always come first.

Consider this … 

Jesus responded to the temptation by quoting Scripture. "Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone [but by every word and expression of God." In other words, spiritual matters and faithfulness to God are more important than physical needs.

Take a moment to think about your life. Is there an area that is taking control? That is causing you to slide in your relationship with God? That is tempting you to make wrong choices? If so, now is the time to get back on track. To turn to God's Word. To say no to the temptation.

Prayer …

Father, I realize that there is an area in my life that is causing me to slide in my relationship with you. I am looking to the Scriptures for guidance. Please help me get back on track. 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