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Matthew 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 3:1-4:25.

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! for it is written, ” ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” ‘ ” (Matthew 4:8-10).

Don’t miss the real temptation. Satan is not tempting Jesus with kingship, rule, and power. According to Psalm 110:1-7, Jesus was already promised all this from His Father. He was going to rule all the kingdoms of the world anyway. The temptation was that God’s way to the throne was going to be hard. He had already had to leave heaven to accomplish it. He was going to spend 3 years wandering as an itinerant teacher. He was going to be rejected, mocked, ridiculed, and eventually crucified to get to rule. Satan essentially said, “Hey, why bother with all of that? Here is an easier, softer way. Just bow down and worship me once. Just once. You don’t have to do it for the rest of your life. If you just worship me here and now, you won’t have to take up that cross.” But Jesus refused. He chose God’s way, though it included the cross. And I’m so thankful, because God’s way allowed me to be saved. Satan’s way might have given Jesus rule of the world (though I’m convinced Satan is a liar and would have yanked it out from under Jesus instead of really giving Him the rule), but it would have kept me and you from being saved.

I’m so glad to see this. First, because it lets me know I’m not alone. Satan tempts me all the time. Sometimes I begin to think I’m the only one going through this pressure. But even Jesus went through it. Second, it lets me know how to defeat the temptation. Just rely on God, His Word, and His way. God’s way always works. Third, I’m glad to read it because it helps me really identify Satan’s temptations. I often overlook temptation and sin with a dismissive, “Oh, surely God wouldn’t have a problem with that.” What I need to look for is when my choices include God’s way and the easier softer way. Satan often promises me the very same thing God does. He simply says I don’t have pick up my cross to get the promise. I need to be able to say, “Not today, Satan. I’m going God’s way. It may be harder, but it works.”

Which way are you going today? God’s way or the easier softer way?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Add your input by clicking the following link: Post a Comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:34.

“Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

“Oh, I’ll never do that.” “I can’t believe that so-and-so did such-and-such, I’d never do that.” “I used to have that problem. Now I’ve got it under control.” These are the words of those who think they stand. They are words that I’ve said far too often. Usually I’ve said them just before a colossal fall. It almost seems like Satan is just waiting around to hear these kinds of words so he can jump on the attack and prove us wrong.

The real problem here is not with standing. It is actually thinking we can stand on our own two legs. Not so. We must quit standing and instead lean on God. We will only overcome the tempter if we rely on God. Sadly, the world wants to tell us God is a crutch. When we hear that, we think it is a negative. The problem with the world is they desperately want to stand on their own. They think they can. Yet, they are falling. I need a crutch, not in the negative connotation of  the word. But, I need to recognize that I’m broken. If I try to stand without God as my crutch to lean on, I’m going to fall.

The moment I decide that I’ve healed enough and can stand on my own without the crutch of Christ’s cross to lean on, that is when I will crumble under the weight of sin again.

Today, I’m not going to stand. I’m going to lean.

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Click Here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Romans 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Romans 3:1-4:25.

“For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring–not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all” (Romans 4:14-16).

For too long, I have tried to gain the promise of God by adhering to His law. My problem has been I continually fall short. It is not that I don’t like the law or don’t want to follow God’s law. I do. But I have repeatedly fallen. What hope do I have?

Great in every respect. I have hope because I have discovered it is not the adherents of God’s law that receive the promise. In fact, so long as I’m trying to receive the promise by keeping God’s law, I won’t receive it. Rather, I make it void. How great is God!? It is not those who keep the law that receive the promise. It is those who share the faith of Abraham.

Why was Abraham righteous? Not because he kept the law. He lied and tried to get around God’s plan and who knows what else (God knows). He was righteous because he came to believe God and live by that belief. I don’t have to live in fear today because I’ve violated God’s law. I can live in faith today that He sent His Son to wipe my sins away. I can rely on His grace and know that I’m guaranteed His promise. I believe and therefore have access to His grace. I am free today to simply serve God as best I know how, turning to Him when I mess up because He is my gracious and loving Father.

Praise God!

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Today’s reading is John 19:1-20:31.

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).

A disciple’s testimony. Evidence submitted for review and consideration. But submitted for an ultimate purpose. John, as tradition tells us, wasn’t simply telling us stories about some man. He was telling us about a Savior. He was telling us about the hope we might have of life. Over and over again he talked about the life we might have through Jesus. In fact, Jesus is the life.

I have been dead in my trespasses and sins. There is only one way to have life. That way is not to somehow pay for my sins. In fact, the only way I can pay for my sins is through my death. But Jesus has paid for my sins that I might have life if I will simply believe Him.

As John had just written, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?