Jesus Can Relate to Our Temptations – Monday

Week 2 | Been There

Listen instead of reading

Take a Moment

Ask God what He wants to show you before reading today

Read The Daily

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)

Do you ever want to do something even though you know it’s wrong? For three years, everything about Jesus’ life was uncomfortable. He shared uncomfortable truths with people in power, endured daily attacks from His critics, and regularly heard about plots to kill Him. On top of it all, He was constantly on the move and living off the generosity of others. But His path could have been different. Early in His story, He received an offer to skip past all the suffering and take an easier route.  Jesus was tempted by the enemy, but notice what the enemy offered Him:

An easy way to meet an immediate need (hunger).

An easy way to convince people of Jesus’ power.

An easy way to change the world.

Jesus is fully human and hasn’t eaten for quite a while, so He’s hungry. He gets offered a shortcut to food and so much more. At the end of the Bible, there’s a vision of the future where Jesus rules the world and everyone recognizes His power; the enemy knows this and offers Him what sounds like an easier way to get there—even quoting Bible verses to make his proposal sound like spiritual wisdom. How does Jesus overcome this hard-core temptation? Because Jesus knew the Bible, He also knew His purpose—and how it would include hard, uncomfortable choices for the good of others. His road to changing the world required pain, suffering, and death. No easy way out, and no shortcuts.

We can also relate—in some ways—to Jesus’ purpose. We too are called to make hard, uncomfortable choices for the good of others. We can be tempted to compromise or abandon our calling, so how do we stay consistent under pressure? When we rely on Jesus to lead us through the temptations He has already conquered Himself, His example reminds us that resisting momentary pleasure can lead to lasting joy. Some of Jesus’ closest friends gave in to temptation. He didn’t judge them. Instead, He offered a chance for a fresh start. If you’ve given in to temptation or even made a habit of giving in to temptation, today is your opportunity to start again and choose a new path.

Prayer for the Day

God what are you  showing me?  What am I going to do about it? 

God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?

Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.

Read The New Testament In A Year

4 x 6 Plan | Read: Mark 13:1-13 & 2 Corinthians 4:7-18