2002-01-01
Good Morning Faithful Readers,
Today, I am led to continue discussing MT 4: 1-11, the story of Christ’s temptation in the wilderness. Yesterday, we took a careful look at the lessons contained in this amazing passage. However, a question does arise: Could these temptations really happen, or are they unrealistic? The need even to ask this question where Christ is concerned arises from our propensity for staying “in the box” meaning having trouble considering things that don’t obey the physical laws of the universe. However, as I have often said before God has no such limitations, nor do Christ and the Holy Spirit. Supernatural things really do exist, such as the power we are given by God to battle against Satan and his evil ways [EPH 1: 18-20]. In case there is still question, anyone who believes, as I do, that the Scriptures are completely true and consistent must look into them to see God’s perspective given there. MK 10: 27, “Jesus looked straight at them [His disciples] and answered, ‘This is impossible for a man but not for God; everything is possible for God.’” There are so many cases where someone was healed or some other event took place for which modern science has no explanation. Here’s a beautiful example: LK 6: 19, “All the people tried to touch Him [Christ], for power was going out from Him healing them all.” How could God give people like Daniel, Ezekiel, and John the visions they had of their future (and ours), some of which we have already seen fulfilled, if He didn’t have supernatural powers? So, the bottom line is that what is reported about Christ’s temptation could certainly be realistic.
Yesterday, I cited MT 12: 38-40 which deals with some Pharisees [Jewish leaders and teachers of the Law] demanding that Christ perform a miracle. As I said then, this kind of demand is an arrogant effort to usurp God’s sovereign power and to take control. Christ saw it for what it was and his response in MT 12: 39-40 was, “You ask Me for a miracle? No! the only miracle you will be given is the miracle of the prophet Jonah. In the same way that Jonah spent three days and nights in the big fish, so will the Son of Man spend three days in the depths of the earth.” These Pharisees undoubtedly had no way to understand the true implications of what Christ was saying. That is because of the principle taught in 1 COR 2: 14, “Whoever does not have the Spirit cannot receive the gifts that come from God’s Spirit. Such a person really does not understand them; they are foolishness to him, because their value can be judge only on a spiritual basis.” The main point here was that Christ had every right to answer the way He did. The Pharisees were trying to be clever and trap Him into yielding control the Satan. Christ wasn’t about to do that. Only God gives Christ the authority and the power to perform a miracle. Christ would never do something without God’s approval. That is the nature of their relationship, and it should be a model for our relationship with the Trinity as well.
Our motives are very much at the heart of our faith. James, the one I call the “parent-apostle,” is a hard-hitter when it comes to that. He pulls no punches. JAS 4: 3-4, “And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures. Unfaithful people! Do you not know that to be the world’s friend means to be God’s enemy? Whoever wants to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” We must remember that God knows the contents of our hearts, even through something different might be uttered from some people’s mouths. The people who must really live in fear are the ones who profess to be faithful servants of God and yet, who harbor evil, self-centered motives. The rest of us can take real comfort in knowing that God is aware of our struggles to be faithful in the face of temptation to do otherwise, and that He is rooting for us to fight the good fight against Satan. He knows that with Him on our side, we will win. Remember the story of a young David winning his battle against the giant Goliath in 1 SAM 17: 45-47? God was on his side, despite the odds against him. David, and not Goliath, came out ahead.
We must also remember that God has made it clear in EX 20: 3-5 that we are to worship Him only, we are not to worship any other gods, that He tolerates no rivals, that those who break this law will be punished through the third and fourth generations of their families. That’s how important this to our Deity. I feel God is telling us to examine the particular temptations we are dealing with in our own lives. If a believer tells you he has none, then he is not in contact with himself. We all have them. Once we isolate what tempts us to sin, then it is our assignment from God to find a way to stop committing that sin. One that I’m working on is impatience. I’m the type of person who wants it all yesterday tied in a neat package. Being disorganized drives me crazy, and so does losing things. God has made it clear to me in so many ways that I must slow down, take time to allow things to happen on His schedule, and look for the lessons from Him as I observe them happen. I’m not in control. Praise God, that He is! Meditate today on your own situations and see what God is telling you to do about them.
PRAYER: O Lord, we have no right to demand things from You or to try to usurp Your sovereign right to decide when things will happen and what the outcomes of our challenges will be. You have given us the power to overcome the temptations that Satan sets before us, even through You never promised doing that would easy. PS 139: 1-5 are words we should heed. “Lord, You have examined me and You know me. You know everything I do; from far away You understand all my thoughts. You see me, whether I am working or resting; You know all my actions. Even before I speak, You already know what I will say. You are all around me on every side; You protect me with Your power.” Dearest Lord, I am so grateful that You give us messages like the one David wrote in PS 31: 3-5, “You are my Refuge and Defense; guide me and lead me as You have promised. Keep me safe from the snare that has been set for me; shelter me from danger. I place myself in Your care. You will save me, Lord; You are a faithful God.” You are indeed our Supreme Ruler. We praise You for Your patience and guidance. While it is hard for us to reject temptations placed in our paths, we must remember Christ’s example set for us in the wilderness. We want to be on Your side in these matters, Loving Abba, and we acknowledge Your superiority in every facet of life. PS 47: 5-9 reveals the content of our hearts. “God goes up to His throne. There are shouts of joy and the blast of trumpets, as the Lord goes up. Sing praise to God; sing praise to our King! God is King over all the world; praise Him with songs! God sits on His sacred throne; He rules over the nations. The rulers of the nations assemble with the people of the God of Abraham. More powerful than all armies is He; He rules supreme.” We stand at Your altar in humility to confess our sins and pledge You our eternal loyalty, worship, adoration, diligence, honor, glory, trust, obedience, praise, and thanksgiving. In Christ’s name. Amen.
Tomorrow, I am led to deal with other questions arising out of MT 4: 1-11. Would there have been any temporal benefit to Christ had He yielded to the temptations? How would yielding to temptation affected His relationship with God? What can we learn from how the Christ handled the devil? Let’s see where the Holy Spirit takes us with these. In the meanwhile, we must know that we are surrounded by the love of our Creator, that He is sovereign and supreme, and that He grants us the ability to endure in faith and battle to victory in Christ’s name against Satan. These are the acts of a loving Abba Who protects His children. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn