The Heart of Temptation

Jesus was tempted to turn stone to bread

Who better to learn from than Jesus about how to win against temptation? This Man lived a life of perfection! Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us that Jesus "knew no sin". Obviously the Man knew what sin was, but He never experienced sin. As difficult as that is to imagine, our salvation is based on that fact!

In Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-13 the Holy Spirit gave fantastic insight into the struggle against sin. We see the incredible scriptural insight Jesus possessed. We see a perfect example for dealing with sin. Who does not need such lessons?

Consider these facts about the first of those three temptations:

The Tempter Appealed to Legitimate Need

Jesus needed food. Have we not used legitimate needs to excuse sin?

• I need to fit in, so I must...
• I need to have friends, so I must...
• I need to have a girlfriend or boyfriend, so I must...
• I need a job, so I must...

The Tempter Appealed to Something Small

We often think Satan will use the "big sins" to tempt us. But he knows that if he can convince us that the "little sins" don't matter, it is much easier to entrap us. All he needs is for us to sin. The "size" of the sin does not matter. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The first temptation of Jesus was turning a stone to bread. No one would know. It was for a good cause (self-preservation). It was a very minor thing.

The Tempter Appealed to Distrust

What we fail to realize sometimes is that Jesus lived by faith in His Father. He did not have a magical pass on sin. He was tempted just as we are (Hebrews 4:15). The only way he overcame was by faith. This was God's design for all His followers. Habakkuk 2:4 tells us that the just will live by faith. If we make it to Heaven, it will only be through our faith in God.

The Savior Saw Himself

The temptation was not about food. It was about faith. He did answer with a verse that mentioned bread, but that verse was not about bread either! It was also about faith. Jesus understood the temptation because He understood Himself. 

Jesus could easily have answered Satan with Genesis 3:19 where we are told that "in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread" meaning that there must be labor for the food we eat. He could have said He would not "cheat" this process by performing a miracle. But He did not say it. 

He could have mentioned something about eating the "bread of wickedness" mentioned in Proverbs 4:17, or other such passages. He could have quoted Proverbs 25:27, "It is not good to eat much honey. So to seek one's own glory is not glory." These could be applied to some degree to the appeal for bread. But Jesus understood the heart of the matter because He understood Himself and what the temptation appealed to inside Himself.

The verse that He quoted in defense shows the true heart of the temptation. He quoted from Deuteronomy 8. In that passage Moses was recounting the experiences of Israel in their years of wandering in the wilderness. He reminded them that God caused them to wander for 40 years, but also that He provided all the food and water they needed. He even ensured that their clothes and shoes did not wear out. God intended for them to learn a lesson--and that lesson was the same lesson Jesus understood. Man does not live by bread alone. We are sustained not by the physical but by God. Jesus was not about to misuse His gifts in order to feed Himself. He trusted in His Father to take care of Him.

How often we misunderstand the schemes of Satan! Underlying any temptation is a reason for it. There is a weakness. There is a natural inclination. There is some subtle desire that is trying to manifest itself. Or perhaps there is ignorance and naivety. Unless we understand WHY we are tempted, we will only treat the symptom and not the disease. When we understand ourselves, then we will understand how to combat our temptations. We need to ask ourselves the difficult questions and find out WHY. 

The Savior Saw the Answer

It was no accident that He quoted the verse He quoted. Jesus knew the scheme was to tempt Him into doubting the Father's provisions. He knew that the Scriptures taught a lesson about that very topic, and He saw that the answer was provided very clearly. That is because Jesus knew the Bible.

If we want to understand how to resist Satan then we must know and understand the Bible. If Jesus had not learned that lesson by understanding the Scriptures, He would not have had the ability to stand against Satan's scheme. He would not have even understood the issue.

We must understand, not just know what it states. As mentioned before, there were other passages that could have been used to some level of success. But Jesus chose the perfect instructions because of the perfect understanding of the situation.

We are not perfect, but with practice we can understand what the real issue is and also learn what God states about that issue.

Practical Application

Scenario 1:

A young man is tempted to look at pornography. Until he comes to grips with WHY he wants to look, he will not understand how to fight against it. 

• Perhaps he does not respect women because he was taught (by various methods) that women are to be treated as objects instead of human beings. 
• Perhaps he is curious about sexuality and innocently thinks pornography will give him a realistic view of it.
• Perhaps he feels lonely and wants to reach out to women but is afraid.
• Perhaps he lacks faith in God to provide for his physical needs and is seeking ways to meet those needs in his own way.

In each circumstance above, that young man would face that temptation differently. There is not a "one-size-fits-all" answer to the temptation for looking at pornography because the reasons for the temptations vary. Of course, we know that looking at pornography sinful. But quoting verses that condemn the practice is not necessarily the best way to combat it.

Scenario 2:

A young girl is temped to have sex before she is married. Why would she be tempted?

• She might want to fit in with her friends who are sexually active.
• She might fear losing her boyfriend.
• She might want a taste of danger to get back at her parents for perceived wrongs.
• She might want to ease an emotional pain by falling into the arms of one who "loves" her.
• She might want to feel attractive.

Each answer above has different roots.

Bottom Line

Ultimately temptations come down to one thing: Faith. We either trust God and do things His way or we trust ourselves and do things our own way. The young man in Scenario 1 must face this. He must learn to trust God's reasoning in creating women. Studying Genesis 2 would help. He must trust God's directives for sexuality and wait until marriage to have his curiosity resolved. Reading and memorizing the passages that condemn uncleanness and fornication would help him (Hebrews 13:4, et al). He must learn to seek out company in proper ways, which can be reinforced by understanding the Song of Solomon, Proverbs, or other passages. He must learn to trust God to provide for his needs in God's own time-frame.

Similarly, for the young woman, she needs to learn what true friendship is by reading Proverbs. She needs to trust God to fulfill her life, not a boyfriend. She must learn that to be forgiven she must first learn to forgive (Matthew 6:14-15). She must learn to go to God for healing of emotional pain by understanding passages like 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and other passages. She must learn that inner beauty is greater than outer beauty (Proverbs 31:30).

Until the problem is understood the solution is guess-work. These brief excursions into some of the motives we face for just one type of sin should show us the extreme difficulty any of us have in fighting off temptations. The good news is, however, that God has made us a promise. We can trust this fact. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted. but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The Blessing of a Wife

Why is it that the most important things in life are often taken for granted and unappreciated? It is a great tragedy in life that we often do not appreciate what we have. It is tragic because such a lack of awareness robs us of great joys we are meant to experience. God has blessed us in so many ways that we would have a difficult time listing them completely.

I want to focus on us men. Do you realize that if you have a wife you have received a gift from God? Proverbs 18:22 says that "He who finds a wife finds good and obtains favor from the Lord." That is not to say that every wife is a blessing to her husband, but generally speaking, men, we have it good!

Think about all the ways your wife helps you. She's there for you even when others abandon you. She's a helper. She's loving. She's pleasant company. She lets you be a man and even enjoys the distinction. She keeps order in the home. She tirelessly puts up with us and helps raise our children in an atmosphere that is often thankless. She willingly accepts the monotony and constant pressures of family life that most men find almost impossible to maintain consistently. There are many, many ways a good wife is a blessing to her husband! She was created differently from us. And we are glad! It would be terrible to imagine marrying someone just like me. Have you recently considered how your wife is a blessing to you?

God Designed Your Wife

God arranged things so that both the husband and the wife can find joy and fulfillment in marriage. Genesis 2:18-25 gives us hints and glimpses at the differences between men and women. Both genders and roles are vital. Neither is superior in worth.

The section starts with the realization from Adam that there was something missing in his life. God had created all the animals and brought some to Adam to see what he would call them (verse 19). After naming all the cattle and birds, Adam came to the realization that he was alone (verse 20). The Bible states that God then put Adam to sleep and removed a rib. From that rib a woman was formed and God presented her to Adam.

Consider for a moment some of the subtle implications of these facts.

1. God performed this "surgery" only after Adam realized that he lacked a mate. It would be easy to surmise that God led Adam to this realization so that Adam would appreciate what God was about to do.

2. God took out a rib. Jewish tradition states that God did not take from Adam's head for her to rule over him, nor from his feet that he would step on her. He took from Adam's side so that she would be close to his heart and he would put his arm around her and protect her in life.

3. God took a part of Adam to create Eve. All males must come from a mother, obviously, but the first mother came from a male. There is equality of worth because we are all made from the same "cloth". See 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 for more on this idea.

4. The fact that God took from Adam to create Eve was masterful work from God. No animal on earth was created in this way. God's method of creating her was unique, special. This emphasized to Adam her worth. How could he mistreat her if she was a part of his own flesh? He was taught an important lesson that is echoed in the New Testament book of Ephesians, "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it..." (verses 28-29).

5. Eve was created for a special reason. Adam realized that he needed a helper through life. So God created a woman for him. In fact, God presented her to Adam after He created her. This served two purposes.

• It showed Eve that her special circumstances of creation did not make her better than Adam. In fact her existence revolved around the man for which she was created.
• It showed Adam that he should appreciate and adore her. Adam knew that he was alone. It would be easy to understand that his realization was as much emotional as factual. And now, here is a gift from God that takes care of his lack. He should adore and appreciate this woman! 

6. God PRESENTED her to Adam. God did not leave her in the woods for Adam to find. Adam would not have understood her significance in that case. But God showed her significance and worth in the way He arranged things to happen.

There are many other things in this passage to consider, but these show that God created woman for a special reason, and we men should appreciate their existence and their roles in our lives. Looking at these great implications of Genesis 2, it is easy to agree with the wisdom of Proverbs 18:22. "He who finds a wife finds good, and obtains favor from the Lord." Have you told your wife lately how much you appreciate her?

Paper Airplanes and Church Growth

The world record distance for the flight of a paper airplane is 226 feet, ten inches. Joe Ayoob was the thrower. He was a quarterback and had the arm strength to make the record, but the design came from a man named John Collins.

Joe's job was to throw the airplane. That is not too difficult, but the more powerful the throw, the more distance can be expected. So John's selection was a wise one. However, the design is the most important part. 

I have no idea what the design is. If you are interested, you might enjoy going here. Make a few planes and try for the world record if you want. Then come back and finish reading. There is a connection between church growth and paper airplanes.

Paper airplanes do not technically fly. They either glide or are simply thrown like darts.The world record was set by a gliding plane. That is the best way to make a paper airplane. And if you want the record, the design is the key. Those things "fly" because they were designed for it. There is no need to put a computer on board to keep it in the air. They just coast along on the air by themselves. Just give them a good throw and the design will do the rest.

The church of Christ is the same in principle. Jesus built it. He designed its doctrine, work, and faith. All a church needs is a good "push". We do not need to reinvent the wheel. We do not need to change the faith, add to or take away from the design. If we will be the people God wants us to be, the church will grow. It was designed for growth.

Its foundation ensures growth. Ephesians 2:20-21 tells us Christ's church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord."

The works of the members ensure growth of the congregation too. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that God prepared in advance the good works that Christians would perform. These were for the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). Christians have been created in Christ for these good works (Ephesians 2:10). We are products of His workmanship. God knows the works He intended for us to do and through the word of His power we have been created to perform these deeds. The end result is expected, but that should not be taken to mean there is no personal development on our part.

As we live God's word, the church will develop and grow. It works because God designed it that way. Just as John Collins' paper airplane design showed his wisdom, the church's design shows God's. Ephesians 3:10 tells us that the church shows the "manifold wisdom of God". The existence of the church shows it. The work of the church shows it. The fact that it grows naturally as a result of its activities shows that wisdom.

There are great and powerful implications to this idea that we should consider.

1. If we design a church according to our own ideas and reject the ideas of God, are we not claiming greater wisdom than God in determining how a church should operate?

2. A design should not be judged based on what seems to work or what works short-term unless we are willing to argue that the best design is the one which lasts the least amount of time. God's design coincides with His proclamation that the kingdom would last until the end of time (1 Corinthians 15:25). Short-term success does not prove that it is God's design. It does not rule it out either. So we must use a different standard than "big numbers" to determine authenticity. The Bible is the only reliable guide to the pattern of the church.

3. If we are not growing as a church, the possibility exists that our pattern may have flaws in practical application. That is not to suggest that we cannot KNOW the pattern. But an honest person will recognize that if the church is not growing, but it was designed by God for growth, then perhaps one reason is that the problem lies with us.

4. Just get busy. The church is designed for the long term. It is designed to operate by laws God designed which we may not even recognize. We should take for granted that God knows what He is doing and that He wants us to succeed. To illustrate, one notable law that supports the natural growth of the church is the law of cause and effect. We might also think of it as the law of sowing and reaping. Unless the seed is sown, there will be no growth. If we are not growing, perhaps it is because we have not taken the time to plant seed through our good deeds and teaching.

What other implications come from understanding that God designed the church for growth?
What are some of the deeds which God has designed us to do? How do those relate to growth?

Leading Toward Goodness

from http://tinyurl.com/c2mhps7

There was a wonderful showing of support for Chick-fil-A on August 1. Stores all around were selling out of food by the end of the day. The lines stretched out the doors and in some cases wrapped around the buildings. Traffic was terrible. And what may be the best thing about it is that there were protestors but no one was hurt. Everyone seemed to behave with dignity and integrity.

It was a great start. But what were we starting?

I like to think that we were starting a renewal of some kind. Maybe it was a step toward a spiritual awakening. That might sound silly, but only if you misunderstand the reason people gathered.

Undoubtedly a few people went to Chick-Fil-A to see if there would be fights. Others went because it was an issue of "free speech". The "media" in our country might consider that explanation to be preferable to the real agenda. In my opinion, people went because they are sick and tired of feeling like the minority always wins. For one shining day, decency and goodness prevailed! The media could not control what happened. They could not twist the information. The militant homosexuals were not able to intimidate as they usual do. For one day people felt like they won something important. It was a spiritual statement about our changing culture.

Perhaps this is a step toward renewal for the country. It really all depends on what people do today and in the future. Let's build on that and encourage more participation in spiritual matters. Apathy is a comfortable blanket and slips around us easily, but warm fires of encouragement will help them shed those blankets!

I want to share a few thoughts to help encourage people to be more involved in the important things.

Don't browbeat or guilt-trip

Guilt has no place in the discussion. If someone does wrong then they ought to feel guilty so that they might avoid that wrong the next time the opportunity arises. But when people do a good thing, they should never feel guilty about it.

We are not consistent. We ought to support Christ's church as much as we supported Chick-Fil-A.
We ought not to be hypocrites. We ought to be at church and have lines going out to the streets while the church leaders try to find places for the people to sit. No one can deny that growth is always possible and desirable. But let us also recognize the good that people do and build on that.

Encourage


The last thing we want to do is make people feel guilty for doing what is right.

"You support a chicken store but can't find your way to church!" This is not a good way to encourage anyone to attend a worship service. People respond to encouragement. We all like hearing that we did something good. We all like feeling like we won or that our actions matter in life. If we tell them that they did well and that they can continue to do well by going to church, we stand a chance of them listening to the advice.

Many people will go back to life as usual after their support of Chick-Fil-A, but perhaps they can be persuaded. We can teach them that they are doing what it takes to make a difference in the country and in their own lives. We can remind them that the outpouring of support included a spiritual dimension. Some people may not even realize the connection. If we lovingly show them, maybe we can encourage them to seek more spiritual activities that are more important and have long-lasting consequences.

Put them to work.


If we want people to be active, let us give them things to do and encourage them to do them. Let us teach and remind people of their spiritual duties. For example, let us remind them that worship is something people do, not something people go watch. Let us remind them that gathering together on Sunday shows support for more important things. If they are Christians, remind them that they have a purpose in life, and that purpose is as important as anything they can imagine. Remind them that their contributions to the work in money and in efforts make a difference. Let them know that they are appreciated and that they are vital.

It seems obvious that there are many people who want to be involved in spiritual matters to some degree or another. Some people may not understand. Some people may not know how to get involved. Some people  may need an encouraging word to get them going in the right direction. Wisdom seizes opportunity and makes the best of it.

So here is an opportunity, you intrepid spiritual soldiers of Christ. Here is a great opportunity to help people make one more step toward the Almighty. You who are leading the charge, have you rallied the troops behind you? You who are supporting the work and working diligently to help change people's lives, are you taking the opportunity to encourage and build up others in good work?

The process of personal growth and development is difficult. It is slow and often disappointing. But there are many up to the challenge. We need people who will create vision, give answers, and direct us toward noble adventures and achievements. Are you one of those people?


What are ways you can use a person's past achievements to encourage them to achieve more?