The Temptation of Jesus
Matthew 4:3-11 - 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. 3 During that time the devil came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread. 4 But Jesus told him, No! The Scriptures say, People do 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, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. 7 Jesus responded, The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God. 8 Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world and all their glory. 9 I will give it all to you he said, if you will kneel down and worship me. 10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, you must worship the Lord your God and serve only him. 11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
Jesus was tempted by the devil when he was most vulnerable; he had fasted in the desert for forty days. But Jesus did not allow his physical hunger to weaken his resolve to resist temptation. Jesus’ strategy was simple: He used the Word of God to protect himself against Satan’s attacks. God’s Word is always the best defense against temptation.
As you answer the following question contemplate your relationship with Christ in His fasting and temptation in comparison with your view of Christianity.
1. What are some ways different you try to deal with temptation?
2. Who arranged this confrontation between Jesus and Satan? (1)
3. What three human desires did the devil tempt Jesus to fulfill? (3, 6, 9)
4. How did Satan twist Scripture in his attempt to make Jesus sin? (6)
5. How did Jesus overcome temptation? (4, 7, 10)
6. What tactics does Satan use to tempt us?
7. How do we rationalize giving in to temptation?
8. How does it help you to know that Jesus was tempted?
9. What temptations are most difficult for you to resist?
10. How can you utilize God’s Word to overcome temptation during this Lenten Season?
PJ
Thursday, February 25, 2010
What about this time of reflection during Lent?
Lent is the period of penitence and fasting before Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday. Lent lasts for forty days, not counting Sundays.
Many Christians observe Lent by giving up some daily food or activity to help them remember Christ’s suffering. If this is part of your observance – you need to make sure that you do it for the right reason. If you give up rich foods such as candy, etc or some activity and not replace it with meaningful time or activity that helps you in your spiritual journey then I feel you need to look at the reason you are giving something up for Lent.
We don’t know a lot about the forty days Jesus spent in the desert before His temptation. We know it was a time of fasting and probably of prayer. When the devil came to Him, the conquering words of Scripture were quick on Jesus’ tongue, so it may have been a time of meditation, a time of special communion with his Father.
Look at the comparison between Jesus’ forty days in the desert and the forty days of Lent. Traditionally, the Lenten season is a time of fasting. People “give up” something for Lent. The idea is not to punish ourselves, but to put aside something that may distract us from our communion with God. It is a time for special devotion to God, a time when He may “abide with us” in a special way. Lent is a time to refocus on our relationship with Christ.
When Jesus was tempted He was probably in the Judean desert—a cruel, hot, barren place with craggy canyons. In biblical times, wild jackals and other beasts may have roamed the area. Day in and day out, it must have been very uncomfortable. Yet Jesus had a greater purpose; comfort was not important. He was preparing for a crucial showdown with the devil that would set the tone for his whole ministry. The Bible says that we can count on Jesus because He “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). His strength to overcome temptation is available to us as we face temptations. He has been there before us and has won the battle. That assurance can help us not to “faint nor fail.”
During this Lenten season, pray about ways that you can come closer to Christ in your Spiritual Journey.
Matthew 4:17; “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Matthew 4:4; “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
PJ
Many Christians observe Lent by giving up some daily food or activity to help them remember Christ’s suffering. If this is part of your observance – you need to make sure that you do it for the right reason. If you give up rich foods such as candy, etc or some activity and not replace it with meaningful time or activity that helps you in your spiritual journey then I feel you need to look at the reason you are giving something up for Lent.
We don’t know a lot about the forty days Jesus spent in the desert before His temptation. We know it was a time of fasting and probably of prayer. When the devil came to Him, the conquering words of Scripture were quick on Jesus’ tongue, so it may have been a time of meditation, a time of special communion with his Father.
Look at the comparison between Jesus’ forty days in the desert and the forty days of Lent. Traditionally, the Lenten season is a time of fasting. People “give up” something for Lent. The idea is not to punish ourselves, but to put aside something that may distract us from our communion with God. It is a time for special devotion to God, a time when He may “abide with us” in a special way. Lent is a time to refocus on our relationship with Christ.
When Jesus was tempted He was probably in the Judean desert—a cruel, hot, barren place with craggy canyons. In biblical times, wild jackals and other beasts may have roamed the area. Day in and day out, it must have been very uncomfortable. Yet Jesus had a greater purpose; comfort was not important. He was preparing for a crucial showdown with the devil that would set the tone for his whole ministry. The Bible says that we can count on Jesus because He “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). His strength to overcome temptation is available to us as we face temptations. He has been there before us and has won the battle. That assurance can help us not to “faint nor fail.”
During this Lenten season, pray about ways that you can come closer to Christ in your Spiritual Journey.
Matthew 4:17; “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Matthew 4:4; “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
PJ
Thursday, February 18, 2010
The Smell of Rain
A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. She was still groggy from surgery. Her husband, David, held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news.
That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks
pregnant, to undergo an emergency Cesarean to deliver couple's new daughter, Dana Lu Blessing. At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs.
'I don't think she's going to make it,' he said, as kindly as he could. 'There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one'
Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Dana would likely face if she survived.
She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on.
'No! No!' was all Diana could say. She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four.
Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away.
But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Dana 's underdeveloped nervous system was essentially 'raw', the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Dana struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl.
There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew stronger.
But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there.
At last, when Dana turned two months old. her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time. And two months later, though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero, Dana went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted.
Five years later, when Dana was a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life.
She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she was everything a little girl can be and more. But that happy ending is far from the end of her story.
One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving , Texas , Dana was sitting in her mother's lap in the bleachers of a local ball park where her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing.
As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby, when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana asked, 'Do you smell that?'
Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, 'Yes, it smells like rain.'
Dana closed her eyes and again asked, 'Do you smell that?'
Once again, her mother replied, 'Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells like rain.'
Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, 'No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.'
Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with the other children.
Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along.
During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.
That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks
pregnant, to undergo an emergency Cesarean to deliver couple's new daughter, Dana Lu Blessing. At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs.
'I don't think she's going to make it,' he said, as kindly as he could. 'There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one'
Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Dana would likely face if she survived.
She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on.
'No! No!' was all Diana could say. She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four.
Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away.
But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Dana 's underdeveloped nervous system was essentially 'raw', the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Dana struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl.
There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew stronger.
But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there.
At last, when Dana turned two months old. her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time. And two months later, though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero, Dana went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted.
Five years later, when Dana was a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life.
She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she was everything a little girl can be and more. But that happy ending is far from the end of her story.
One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving , Texas , Dana was sitting in her mother's lap in the bleachers of a local ball park where her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing.
As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby, when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana asked, 'Do you smell that?'
Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, 'Yes, it smells like rain.'
Dana closed her eyes and again asked, 'Do you smell that?'
Once again, her mother replied, 'Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells like rain.'
Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, 'No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.'
Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with the other children.
Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along.
During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.
The Living Bible:
His name is Tim. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college.
He is brilliant, kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Tim decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Tim starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Tim gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Tim.
Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant very dignified and very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.
The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Tim and worships with him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the minister gains control, he says, 'what I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.'
'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!'
Are you a living bible?
He is brilliant, kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Tim decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Tim starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Tim gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Tim.
Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant very dignified and very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.
The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Tim and worships with him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the minister gains control, he says, 'what I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.'
'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!'
Are you a living bible?
Monday, February 1, 2010
Bible Study - Luke 14:15-35 Commitment
This Bible Study is about following through on our accepting Christ and commitment.
15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” 16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. 34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35 Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
Questions and thoughts:
Jesus told a story that makes it clear that, amazingly, not everyone who is invited to celebrate a feast with God in heaven accepts the invitation. When the banquet is all prepared, the master sends his servant to tell the guests to come. But they all make excuses. For each one, something else has taken precedence over the only thing that really matters in life: being in God’s wonderful presence. The master quickly replaces these guests with others, who know they need God’s care and understand the great honor of the invitation.
1. When have you accepted an invitation and later wished you could get out of the obligation?
2. What invitation did the master give to his guests? (14:16-17)
3. What had come to preoccupy the guests so that they declined the invitation?
(14:18-20)
4. Whom did the servant invite in order to fill the master’s house? (14:21-23)
5. What was the master’s attitude toward those who made excuses? (14:24)
6. What are some of your distractions from the kingdom of God?
7. What are some of the thoughts behind your not filling your obligations?
PJ
15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” 16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. 34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35 Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
Questions and thoughts:
Jesus told a story that makes it clear that, amazingly, not everyone who is invited to celebrate a feast with God in heaven accepts the invitation. When the banquet is all prepared, the master sends his servant to tell the guests to come. But they all make excuses. For each one, something else has taken precedence over the only thing that really matters in life: being in God’s wonderful presence. The master quickly replaces these guests with others, who know they need God’s care and understand the great honor of the invitation.
1. When have you accepted an invitation and later wished you could get out of the obligation?
2. What invitation did the master give to his guests? (14:16-17)
3. What had come to preoccupy the guests so that they declined the invitation?
(14:18-20)
4. Whom did the servant invite in order to fill the master’s house? (14:21-23)
5. What was the master’s attitude toward those who made excuses? (14:24)
6. What are some of your distractions from the kingdom of God?
7. What are some of the thoughts behind your not filling your obligations?
PJ
STRENGTH FOR THE DAY
OUR STRENGTHS OFTEN GET IN THE WAY OF TRUSTING GOD. Genesis 49:1-28 - In the middle of his prophecy to Dan, Jacob exclaimed, “I trust in you for salvation, O Lord.” He was emphasizing to Dan that he would be a strong leader only if his trust was in God, not in his natural strength or ability. Those who are strong, attractive, or talented often find it easier to trust in themselves than in God who gave them their gifts. Remember to thank God for what you are and have so that your trust does not become misplaced.
GOD WANTS US TO APPRECIATE STRENGTH WITHOUT BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT. Judges 7:1-25 - Self-sufficiency is an enemy when it causes us to believe we can always do what needs to be done in our own strength. To prevent this attitude among Gideon’s soldiers, God reduced their number from thirty-two thousand to three hundred. With an army this small, there could be no doubt that victory was from God. The men could not take the credit. Like Gideon, we must recognize the danger of fighting in our own strength. We can be confident of victory only if we put our confidence in God and not our self.
WE CAN DEPEND ON GOD AS OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH. Isaiah 40:25-31 - Even the strongest people get tired at times, but God’s power and strength never diminish. He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen. When you feel all of life crushing you, and you cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength. Hoping in the Lord means expecting that his promise of strength will help us to rise above life’s distractions and difficulties. It also means trusting God to fulfill this promise found in his Word.
OUR STRENGTHS ARE ACTUALLY A POINT OF SPIRITUAL VULNERABILITY. Luke 4:1-13 - Often we are tempted not through our weaknesses, but through our strengths. The devil tempted Jesus where he was strong. Jesus had power over stones, the kingdoms of the world, and even angels, and Satan wanted him to use that power without regard to his mission. When we give in to the devil and wrongly use our strengths, we become proud and self-reliant. Trusting in our own powers, we feel little need of God. To avoid this trap, we must realize that all our strengths are God’s gifts to us, and we must dedicate those strengths to his service.
STRENGTH FOR DAY WITH GOD’S WORD:
A weightlifter’s strength is defined by the number of pounds lifted. The strength of a building is measured by its resistance to external forces exerted by wind or earthquake. The strength of a corporation is often defined by its net assets. But what is spiritual strength? The Bible teaches that spiritual strength involves the power to lift burdens, a foundation deep enough to resist external pressure, and the security of unlimited resources. A life transformed by the gospel of Christ is evidence of God’s power.
HOW CAN I EXPERIENCE THE STRENGTH OF GOD IN MY LIFE? Isaiah 40:29-31 - Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. God promises to renew our strength as we depend on him in trusting expectation. The power of the Resurrection is experienced by all who trust Christ for salvation.
HOW CAN I BECOME STRONGER IN MY FAITH? Jude 1:20 - Continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.
Nehemiah 8:10 - The joy of the Lord is your strength!
Isaiah 40:29, 31 - He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. . .But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. God supplies power to the weak.
When we step out in faith we begin to experience God’s power. We grow stronger through the mutual encouragement and accountability of other believers.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. God gives you the strength to mature.
PJ
GOD WANTS US TO APPRECIATE STRENGTH WITHOUT BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT. Judges 7:1-25 - Self-sufficiency is an enemy when it causes us to believe we can always do what needs to be done in our own strength. To prevent this attitude among Gideon’s soldiers, God reduced their number from thirty-two thousand to three hundred. With an army this small, there could be no doubt that victory was from God. The men could not take the credit. Like Gideon, we must recognize the danger of fighting in our own strength. We can be confident of victory only if we put our confidence in God and not our self.
WE CAN DEPEND ON GOD AS OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH. Isaiah 40:25-31 - Even the strongest people get tired at times, but God’s power and strength never diminish. He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen. When you feel all of life crushing you, and you cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength. Hoping in the Lord means expecting that his promise of strength will help us to rise above life’s distractions and difficulties. It also means trusting God to fulfill this promise found in his Word.
OUR STRENGTHS ARE ACTUALLY A POINT OF SPIRITUAL VULNERABILITY. Luke 4:1-13 - Often we are tempted not through our weaknesses, but through our strengths. The devil tempted Jesus where he was strong. Jesus had power over stones, the kingdoms of the world, and even angels, and Satan wanted him to use that power without regard to his mission. When we give in to the devil and wrongly use our strengths, we become proud and self-reliant. Trusting in our own powers, we feel little need of God. To avoid this trap, we must realize that all our strengths are God’s gifts to us, and we must dedicate those strengths to his service.
STRENGTH FOR DAY WITH GOD’S WORD:
A weightlifter’s strength is defined by the number of pounds lifted. The strength of a building is measured by its resistance to external forces exerted by wind or earthquake. The strength of a corporation is often defined by its net assets. But what is spiritual strength? The Bible teaches that spiritual strength involves the power to lift burdens, a foundation deep enough to resist external pressure, and the security of unlimited resources. A life transformed by the gospel of Christ is evidence of God’s power.
HOW CAN I EXPERIENCE THE STRENGTH OF GOD IN MY LIFE? Isaiah 40:29-31 - Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. God promises to renew our strength as we depend on him in trusting expectation. The power of the Resurrection is experienced by all who trust Christ for salvation.
HOW CAN I BECOME STRONGER IN MY FAITH? Jude 1:20 - Continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.
Nehemiah 8:10 - The joy of the Lord is your strength!
Isaiah 40:29, 31 - He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. . .But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. God supplies power to the weak.
When we step out in faith we begin to experience God’s power. We grow stronger through the mutual encouragement and accountability of other believers.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. God gives you the strength to mature.
PJ
ASSURANCE FOR THE DAY
HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE BASING OUR SECURITY ON THE WRONG THINGS?
Luke 18:18-30; verse 24 - Jesus watched him go and then said to his disciples, “How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God!”
This man’s wealth smoothed his life and gave him power and prestige. When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, he was touching the man’s very basis for security and identity. The man did not understand that he would be even more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth. Jesus does not ask all believers to sell everything they have, although this may be his will for some. He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important to us than God. If your basis for security has shifted from God to what you own, it would be better for you to get rid of those possessions.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS DEPENDENCE ON GOD’S PROMISES. Exodus 4:1-17 - Moses clung tightly to the shepherd’s staff as he left for Egypt to face the greatest challenge of his life. The staff was his assurance of God’s presence and power. When feeling uncertain, some people need something to stabilize and reassure them. For assurance when facing great trials, God has given promises from his Word and examples from great heroes of faith. Any Christian may cling tightly to these.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON GOD’S WORD. Exodus 13:17-22 - God gave the Hebrews a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire so they would know day and night that God was with them on their journey to the Promised Land. What has he given us so that we can have the same assurance? The Bible-something the Israelites did not have. Look to God’s Word for reassurance of his presence. As the Hebrews looked to the pillars of cloud and fire, we can look to God’s Word day and night to know he is with us, helping us on our journey.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON GOD’S CARE FOR US. Luke 21:5-19 - Jesus warned his followers of coming persecutions in which they would be betrayed by their family members and friends. Christians of every age have had to face this possibility. It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Holy Spirit stays with us. He will comfort us, protect us, and give us the words we need. This assurance can give us the courage and hope to stand firm for Christ no matter how difficult the situation.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON CHRIST’S RESURRECTION. Romans 6:1-14 - Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, his followers need never fear death. This frees us to fellowship with him and do his will. This will affect all our activities-work and worship, play and Bible study, quiet times and times of caring for others. When you know you need not fear death, you will experience renewed vigor in life.
IN WHOM SHOULD WE PLACE OUR ASSURANCE? Jeremiah 17:5-8 - This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”
1 Peter 1:21 - Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God. While it is good and necessary to trust others, God is the only one in whom we can completely trust. We can have complete assurance that what he says is true and what he does is reliable. That’s because people, who are not perfect, will sometimes fail you, but God, who is perfect, will never fail you.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF PLACING OUR ASSURANCE IN GOD? We can approach God knowing that he gladly welcomes us and will never reject us because of Jesus Christ. God will never say, “Sorry, I don’t have time for you,” or “Sorry, don’t bother me.” He always listens, always hears, always loves, is always there.
Philippians 4:7 - If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Placing our assurance in God gives us inner peace regardless of our life circumstances. The God of peace is the only reliable source of true peace.
Because of our assurance in God and his promises, we have confidence to face the challenges of our lives.
We can sing praises to God because we have rightly placed our confidence in him. When it finally dawns on us that God is who he says he is and will never fail us, it’s time to burst into praise and thanksgiving.
HOW CAN WE BE SURE OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US? John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Romans 8:35, 38-39 - Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? . . . And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We can have full assurance in God’s love because God is love. His love is woven into his character. Love is not merely something God does, but love is who he is.
PJ
Luke 18:18-30; verse 24 - Jesus watched him go and then said to his disciples, “How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God!”
This man’s wealth smoothed his life and gave him power and prestige. When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, he was touching the man’s very basis for security and identity. The man did not understand that he would be even more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth. Jesus does not ask all believers to sell everything they have, although this may be his will for some. He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important to us than God. If your basis for security has shifted from God to what you own, it would be better for you to get rid of those possessions.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS DEPENDENCE ON GOD’S PROMISES. Exodus 4:1-17 - Moses clung tightly to the shepherd’s staff as he left for Egypt to face the greatest challenge of his life. The staff was his assurance of God’s presence and power. When feeling uncertain, some people need something to stabilize and reassure them. For assurance when facing great trials, God has given promises from his Word and examples from great heroes of faith. Any Christian may cling tightly to these.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON GOD’S WORD. Exodus 13:17-22 - God gave the Hebrews a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire so they would know day and night that God was with them on their journey to the Promised Land. What has he given us so that we can have the same assurance? The Bible-something the Israelites did not have. Look to God’s Word for reassurance of his presence. As the Hebrews looked to the pillars of cloud and fire, we can look to God’s Word day and night to know he is with us, helping us on our journey.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON GOD’S CARE FOR US. Luke 21:5-19 - Jesus warned his followers of coming persecutions in which they would be betrayed by their family members and friends. Christians of every age have had to face this possibility. It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Holy Spirit stays with us. He will comfort us, protect us, and give us the words we need. This assurance can give us the courage and hope to stand firm for Christ no matter how difficult the situation.
FIRM ASSURANCE IS BASED ON CHRIST’S RESURRECTION. Romans 6:1-14 - Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, his followers need never fear death. This frees us to fellowship with him and do his will. This will affect all our activities-work and worship, play and Bible study, quiet times and times of caring for others. When you know you need not fear death, you will experience renewed vigor in life.
IN WHOM SHOULD WE PLACE OUR ASSURANCE? Jeremiah 17:5-8 - This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”
1 Peter 1:21 - Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God. While it is good and necessary to trust others, God is the only one in whom we can completely trust. We can have complete assurance that what he says is true and what he does is reliable. That’s because people, who are not perfect, will sometimes fail you, but God, who is perfect, will never fail you.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF PLACING OUR ASSURANCE IN GOD? We can approach God knowing that he gladly welcomes us and will never reject us because of Jesus Christ. God will never say, “Sorry, I don’t have time for you,” or “Sorry, don’t bother me.” He always listens, always hears, always loves, is always there.
Philippians 4:7 - If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Placing our assurance in God gives us inner peace regardless of our life circumstances. The God of peace is the only reliable source of true peace.
Because of our assurance in God and his promises, we have confidence to face the challenges of our lives.
We can sing praises to God because we have rightly placed our confidence in him. When it finally dawns on us that God is who he says he is and will never fail us, it’s time to burst into praise and thanksgiving.
HOW CAN WE BE SURE OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US? John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Romans 8:35, 38-39 - Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? . . . And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We can have full assurance in God’s love because God is love. His love is woven into his character. Love is not merely something God does, but love is who he is.
PJ
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