Month: January 2019
Jesus triumphed over temptation!
Day 11
Title: Jesus triumphed over temptation!
Reading: Matthew 4: 5-7
v. 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again,‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Jesus was in the wilderness praying and fasting. His earthly body was tired and hungry. The devil took the opportunity to tempt Him. (Matthew 4:1-2) The devil tempted Jesus to use His power to prove Himself as the Son of God. The devil knew Jesus had the power to turn the stones into bread since He needed food for His body’s nourishment, (v.4). The devil also tempted Jesus to test God’s ability to protect Him. The devil knew Jesus could call on His angels if He was in danger or needed protection (v.5-7).
Jesus once again answered the devil with the Word of God.
Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” (v.7)
Jesus first of all knew who He was. He was the Son of God. The devil knew that too. But the devil wanted to try and tempt Jesus to use His power as the Son of God. When Jesus was still on the earth, though He was fully God, He was fully human too. He chose to limit Himself to live like other men. Like any other person, He needed food and water to nourish His body. Jesus needed shelter and protection from the elements. Jesus, though He was fully man, was also secure in His identity and His relationship with the Father.
Jesus knew He could use His power to turn the stones into bread. Jesus knew He had the power to ask God to send His angels if He needed help, protection or safety. However, Jesus did not take advantage of the power He had. Jesus knew who He was, the Son of God. Jesus knew His Father God loved Him very much and would always be there to help Him when He called upon Him. However, He also knew the written Word of God as He quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 in the Old Testament:
16 “You shall not [d]tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah.
Yes, Jesus knew He was the Son of God and God loved Him. Jesus knew God would help Him anytime He asked and called upon Him. However, Jesus knew also that He did not need to put Himself in a dangerous situation like jumping off the pinnacle of the temple and expecting the angels to rescue Him as the devil had tempted Him to do. (v.5-6)
Reflection:
Jesus knew He was the Son of God. As a follower of Jesus, I am also a child of God. God and Jesus love me and are taking care of me. I know I can always call upon the Lord Jesus when I need help. However, I should not put myself into a dangerous situation, expecting God to help me. The Lord God gives us wisdom and the Holy Spirit gives us power not to put ourselves into situations where we can be tempted or be vulnerable to sin and temptation. The Lord God gave us His written Word to resist the devil.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, please help me to be strong in the spirit and to have Your wisdom to resist the temptations of the evil one.
Your Thoughts:
Your Prayer:
Bible reading from Bible Gateway
Jesus and the Word
Jesus and the Word
Reading: Matthew 4:1-7 (NKJV)
v.4 – But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus submitted Himself to be baptized by John the Baptist to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Then Jesus felt led to fast and pray for 40 days in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-2). His human flesh was tired and hungry.
“Now the tempter came to Him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread’”(v3).
Jesus replied, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’”.
Jesus was hungry. He had not eaten for 40 days. He was tired and very hungry in the middle of the wilderness. There was no food at all nearby. The devil tempted Him to make stones into bread. The devil knew Jesus had the capability and the power to do whatever He needed. Jesus knew His power, too, and what He could do. Perhaps, He could ask God to send food from heaven. The devil wanted Jesus to use His power to prove Himself. The devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God…”
But Jesus knew who He was. He did not need to prove Himself. He was secure in who He was. He knew He was the Son of God. Jesus knew His power and what He could do, but He did not use that power just to prove who HE was.
Jesus was tempted by the devil at His weakest point. However, even when His body was weak, His spirit was strong.
Jesus used the power of the written Word of God to resist the devil. Thus, He declared:
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God’”.
Jesus knew the written Word of God and how to use the power of the Word of God to resist the devil and his lures.
Reflection:
The Word of God is as important as human food. The Word of God is food for the soul and nourishment for the spirit. Like Jesus, it is important for us to know the written Word of God to resist the devil, his lures and temptations.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your written Word. Please help me to know Your Word and to learn Your Word. Help me be strong in Your Word to resist the devil and his schemes. In Jesus name, Amen!
Your Thoughts:
Your Prayers:
The Creels Christmas 2018 Prayer Letter
Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew Devotion Studies
Only Jesus
Only Jesus
Only Jesus can save
Only Jesus can do the impossible
Only Jesus can do what no human can do
Because only Jesus can save
Only Jesus can love the way He does
Only Jesus is the Savior
Only Jesus is the King of Kings
Only Jesus is Lord of lords
Only Jesus is the Almighty God
Only Jesus is the God of love
Only Jesus is the God who came from above,
Only Jesus is the One who gave His life for us
Only Jesus can save our soul
Only Jesus can satisfy a hungry soul
Only Jesus can fill me up
Only Jesus is the bread of life.
Only Jesus can bring lasting peace
Only Jesus can give true happiness
Only Jesus can give eternal life and bliss,
Only Jesus!
– Vicki Creel
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2&version=NKJV
The Creels' Catch 