Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
TO PONDER
I have to confess that I might be saying something that may be a bit controversial. These three temptations that Jesus faced seem to me to be a bit obvious. No rational person would fall for them. I feel that the temptations that I face and succumb to are a lot more subtle. I have also come to know that when I have an issue with something written in the Bible, there is very likely something that I am missing or have misunderstood.
The first thing we notice about Jesus’s responses, is that He quoted from the Old Testament, the Hebrew scriptures. This is great for refuting wrong theology where twisted theology is being used to tempt us to do something against God’s will. The challenge for us is, do we really accept that all of what God has organised to be written in the Bible is for our benefit. Or do we think that it is OK to pick and choose what we accept as applicable to us today (acknowledging that some of the guidance given in both the Old and New Testament was specifically applicable to the cultural norms of the day)?
But the other thing we notice about the three temptations was that Jesus was being tempted to do things that benefit Himself, all at the expense of carrying out God’s will for Him – and against achieving His redeeming work for us humans. Jesus had a very clear vision of why He was here on this earth.
Can I suggest we can look at temptation in two different ways. We can be very legalistic about living correctly and not succumbing to temptation, which can lead to pride and even the temptation to deny our failures. Or we can see temptation as trying to lead us away from our relationship with the Heavenly Family and from living as our loving Heavenly Father wants us to live. Knowing that our God loves us deeply, whether we succeed or fail in resisting temptation, tends to take the power out of the temptations. And, if we are busy concentrating on how God wants us to live, in love to all those we interact with each day, the temptations find less time to intrude into our conscious or subconscious minds.
Thank God for the gift of His Holy Spirit living in us!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we have no ability on our own to fight the temptations that lead us away from our relationship with You. Thank You for the way You are working in our lives to grow us in our relationship with You. And thank You for the activities You are calling us to be involved in as we work with You to bring Your saving good news to others. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.
TO PONDER
If you get to read all of Psalm 15, you will see that the psalmist answers the question of verse 1 with a list of activities and attitudes which show that the person who follows them has a very strong trust in the guidance God has given us in how to live in relationship with Him. And the psalmist ends with “Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”
David is identified as the author of this psalm. That means that there was no temple yet in Israel. God’s presence was identified with the Tabernacle or tent built by Moses in the desert during the exodus from Egypt hundreds of years earlier. The Ark of the Covenant, representing God’s presence, was located within this Tabernacle - in the Most Holy Place behind the curtain. The Holy Mountain in verse 1 would be referring to Jerusalem. So, the question of verse 1 could be paraphrased as “who can live in God’s presence?”
The answer to this has two parts. In one sense, none of us are worthy to come into God’s presence since we don’t live up to God’s infinitely high standards. In the Old Testament, people were warned that if they got too close to God they would be vaporised. However, Jesus, as a representative of all humanity, did live up to God’s infinitely high standards, and He paid the debt that we owed for not achieving these standards. So now, through what Jesus has achieved for us, we are welcome into God’s presence.
And in God’s presence, we are changed. Our priorities are changed; our personalities are changed; and we start doing those things listed by the psalmist.
We aren’t allowed into God’s presence on the basis that we have already reached this perfection that the psalm talks about, but because Jesus achieved the perfection on our behalf. Having now been accepted by God, we can thankfully surrender ourselves into His transforming work so that we start to live out the perfection that has been attributed to us. Then we will also experience the promise at the end of the psalm, “Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”
Prayer: Heavenly Father, when I face temptation and try to fight it, I invariably loose the fight. And then there is the weight of guilt and failure. Thank You that I can run to You so that You can refocus me on what You want me to be involve in, so that the temptations fade into the background. And thank You that You welcome me back to Your healing love when I succumb to temptation. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
TO PONDER
Do you love mountain top experiences? The awesomeness of standing at a high point and surveying the surrounding vista can be something else. However, to have this experience often requires trekking for some distances, often along a path that is not smooth and level. And we may need to concentrate to ensure we don’t trip or fall and injure ourselves. Then the challenges of finally getting there are forgotten while enjoying the inspiring views.
Our lives can sometimes be seen as a parallel to this. God’s ultimate goal for us is that mountain top experience of spending eternity with Him, one absolutely awesome experience after another with no thought of wanting the experiences to end. (No one could ever possibly be bored in Heaven.)
And yes, there is a journey we need to take to get there – it is called life on this earth. But we don’t take the journey alone. Our loving God is always right beside us every moment of the journey, whether we realise it or not, even whether we want Him there or not.
And He has given us a lot of resources to help us on our journey. On of the resources I really enjoy is this book full of the stories of people who have travelled this journey before us. It tells of their struggles, their failures, their successes, but best of all the way God has helped them when they finally stopped trying to go the journey alone and surrendered to God leading them on the journey.
And we mustn’t forget that God fully understands the struggles we face. Jesus took this journey too and faced all the same challenges we face on this journey of life.
But the journey is much more than struggles. There are many wonderful experiences of seeing our loving God in action as He guides us and all the other people on this journey.
Prayer: Heavenly Family, thank You for the fact that You are always with us on this journey of life. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit guiding us and for all of the fellow travellers supporting and encouraging us on the journey.Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?
TO PONDER
Joseph’s brothers, out of jealousy, had sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites as a slave. The Ishmaelites then on‑sold Joseph to an Egyptian official, Potiphar. Still as a slave, God blessed Joseph so much that Potiphar entrusted all his affairs to Joseph to look after them. Even though Joseph had the responsibility of looking after Potiphar’s property, he had no rights to any of this property. He was still a slave and owned nothing, just lots of responsibilities. Sure, he lived well, ate well and dressed well, but none of these were his as a right.
When we think of our relationship with our Heavenly Father and our brother Jesus, we can see some parallels. As a child of God, all the resources of Heaven have been bequeathed to us through Jesus’s death, but we have no rights to any of them. They have been made available to us to be used by us as children of our God to carry out his purposes – just as Joseph had use of all of Potiphar’s resources to carry out Potiphar’s purposes.
As a citizen of this country, we have been given some rights by virtue of our citizenship. And I guess we would like to think that we also have rights as a citizen of the Heavenly Family. But the reality is, we don’t have any rights at all, just the promise from God that He will provide us with everything He knows we need to live in the relationship He wants to have with us – as our loving Heavenly Father.
I could think that I have a right to enjoy my life, but God has promised to fill us with the joy of working with Him in the things He has planned for us. I could think that I have a right to share time with the friends of my choice, but God wants us to also experience the fellowship of spending time with people who may be in need of support and encouragement. You could probably come up with lots more examples.
We are often given the impression that being a Christian takes the joy out of life and that we will miss out on exciting experiences. This view encourages us to think of our rights and what we should be chasing after to get the maximum from life. It is interesting that often God lets us go and try this attitude to life so that we discover the eventual emptiness of living selfishly for ourselves, and then lovingly welcoming us back into living in His family.
When you think about it, all temptation is about what we believe are our rights and what we think we need at that moment to find fulfilment in our lives. Joseph was able to say no, because he knew he had no rights, but also that God was taking care of all his needs and blessing him richly with a full life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for providing us with all we need to live as Your children. Thank You for continually reminding us of Your love for us so that we don’t go looking for meaning and purpose in those things that lead us away from You. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping
Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.
But may you have mercy on me, Lord; raise me up, that I may repay them.
I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.
TO PONDER
I find this particular part of Psalm 41 a bit of a challenge because so often it can feel like my 'enemies' are triumphing over me.
Now when I say 'enemies' I don't mean it in the traditional sense. However, as a pastor and as a leader of a Christian church, it often feels like people and organisations who act in ways that are obviously in contradiction to the Word of God get the best of things in our culture and society today. It seems to me that often those who hold a position against Christianity or 'the church' usually receive a better hearing in the public sphere than those who would try to promote God's idea of the 'good life'. Sometimes, this can even be our closest friends or members of our own families.
I know there have been times, like there obviously was for the Psalmist, that I have wanted God to give me the opportunity to serve up a giant plate of humble pie to those who seem determined to put themselves in opposition to God and the spread of the gospel of Jesus. I want to 'repay' them for what I see as their attacks against the church. However, we also have to acknowledge that when 'the church' has taken it upon itself to 'repay' it's enemies all we have usually done is give them more valid reason to be against us.
The Psalmist's final verse here recognises that while people, institutions, groups, even the world, can seem against us that God doesn't let them have the final word. Even though they may score a few hits and win a few battles along the way, the final victory belongs to God and he will not let these 'enemies' have the ultimate victory. God has got your back - there is no need to retreat in the face of opposition, God has you covered. Instead, keep moving forward trusting that He will make a way.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you that you are with me in the battles of this life. Please help me to recognise that other people are not my enemies, they are people that you want to win into your kingdom. Instead help me to remember that my real enemies, sin, death, and the devil, have already been defeated by Jesus and his death and resurrection. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
TO PONDER
Perspective, it's an important tool when we encounter challenges in life. I remember as a child, when I would whinge about the vegetables that I had been served for dinner, my parents would remind me that there were children in other places around the world who were not able to find food for dinner at all and who would be so grateful for any of the food on my plate, even the Brussels sprouts. It often worked enough to guilt me into eating my veggies, but it didn't make me enjoy them.
Of course my parents had my best interests at hear too. They wanted to ensure that I consume a healthy diet of fresh protein, fruit and vegetables so that I would maintain good health and develop good eating habits. I know that now, but as a child I just didn't see why broad beans and Brussels sprouts were so essential when there were so many other vegetables I was happy to eat. They knew what was good for me, even if I didn't like it.
I think this is the kind of attitude Paul is encouraging the Roman Christians to adopt in today's verse. We are often so focussed on our immediate circumstances that we can fail to see or recognise what the challenges we face might be doing to grow and mature us in healthy ways. Like children who do not want to eat their vegetables, we can often be so concerned about our immediate comfort and security that our instant reaction to difficulties in life is to have a melt down like a child facing a plate of unwanted vegetables and insist that God just take them away.
However, if we can take a moment to try and gain the larger perspective and remember that our God loves us, has promised never to abandon us, and is always at work for the good of those who love him, then perhaps we can address the challenges of life with a different attitude. God's priority is not our immediate comfort, it's about helping us to forge a closer and more intimate relationship with him. Seeing things from this perspective doesn't make the hard things any more enjoyable (Brussels sprouts are still Brussels sprouts), but it can make them more endurable and it can remind us that we have a God who wants us to call on him and rely on him in our troubles rather than trying to deal with them on our own.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, for all my age I know I often still act like a child with you. I know that you are always at work for my good and yet, when I'm not comfortable or when life gets hard I can question your goodness and might even be prone to sulking and complaining. Please help me to see things from your perspective. Help me to see where I need to grow in my trust and relationship with you, and help me to see where you are calling me to help others in the same way. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”... Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
TO PONDER
Many of us will be familiar with the wider story of this text. Jesus is sharing the Passover meal with his disciples and at the same time he is trying to prepare them for what is about to happen to him. Jesus is under no illusions that he is about to be completely abandoned. Betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, and ultimately - on the cross - forsaken by God the Father. Jesus knows about betrayal.
We may not often think of it this way but our sin is a kind of betrayal of Jesus also. Jesus died so that we could be made new. Sin is one of the ways we reject that new life which Jesus made available to us and continue to live in open rebellion to God and His ways. But the beautiful thing about Jesus is that our betrayal doesn't stop him from dying for us so that we can be restored to God the Father.
In that Last Supper, and in Holy Communion, Jesus comes to those who regularly betray, deny, abandon and forsake him and he says, "take and eat, this is my body this is my blood, I given myself for you." If Jesus can do that for Judas, he can do that for you.
PRAYER: Jesus, I am sorry for the various ways I betray and deny all that you have done for me. I thank you that despite my repeated attempts to return to my old life, you are willing to meet me where I am and give yourself to me again so that I can live with you. Please help me to live in you and with you today. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death
TO PONDER
I wonder if you have ever felt like that. I was talking just the other day with other LifeWay pastors and we were discussing the idea of feeling 'forgotten' by God. When we are struggling through some kind of trouble or feel abandoned and completely alone, despite how it feels it's not as if God is in heaven thinking, "Now what did I do with Mathew?... Oh, that's right I forgot I left him sitting in the middle of that problem, I had better go and do something about that."
God simply does not forget us. The problems we face we face for just the right amount of time for God to do exactly what he needs to do, not only for us but for everyone involved in the situation. Sometimes exactly what we need to be drawn deeper into a trusting relationship with God is to be shown how helpless we are when we struggle to get through in our own strength. other times we need to see God step in with some kind of supernatural and divine intervention.
We think we know what we need from God, but he actually knows exactly what we need in our difficult times. Like the Psalmist, we can call out and demand an answer, but ultimately God's answer will be known only if, and when, he knows it's the right time to reveal his plans to fulfil all his purposes. If it feels like God is hiding his face from you, don't panic, he has promised that those who seek him will find him, so just keep looking.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you have promised to be with us always, even to the very end of the age. Please help me to know that when I feel alone, you are still with me; that even when I cannot feel or see our discern you at all, you are always there for me. Thank you, Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.
TO PONDER
I think the time I recall feeling most alone was when my dad was in hospital dying of cancer. It's not so much that I had been abandoned or betrayed by everyone like Paul seems to have been experiencing in today's reading. It was just that I had left my family on the central coast to finish celebrating Christmas and New Year together and flown back to Adelaide by myself, to pick up our car and then drive six hours to Western Victoria by myself, all the while hoping I would get there before dad passed away. It was certainly a lonely journey.
However, an hour or so in to my six hour drive I started playing some worship music on the car stereo. It reminded me that while I may have left my wife and family behind, I was not alone. The Lord was with me as I drove, exhausted, anxious, and grieving all the way from Adelaide to Warrnambool. He was with me in the weeks following my father's death as I prepared to preach my first public sermons at my childhood church just down the road in Portland, and he gave me the courage to stand up in front of all these people who had known and loved my dad as part of their church family and proclaim good news to them even in the3 middle of my own grief.
God had given me a job to do, and it turns out it was in much more trying circumstances than I was expecting. But God was certainly my strength in that situation and he will be that for all who put their trust in him.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to be like Paul and to find strength and comfort in you especially when things seem to be going against me and I feel alone or out on a limb, help me to know your presence and your strength. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.