Theme of the Week: Wandering In The Wilderness
Bible Verse: The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” Luke 4:5-8
One early morning, a friend and I decided to go golfing. The gate to the golf course was closed when we got there and wouldn’t open until 7am. Well, we decided to beat the system by climbing the fence so that we could start golfing and pay after the front nine. I went over first, and my friend began handing me our clubs.
Almost immediately, we heard a loud barking and I turned around to see a German Shepherd racing towards me. Well, it didn’t take me very long to get back over the fence. I went so hastily that I totally wiped out. I still have the scars on my hands.
All that pain could have been avoided if I had just been patient and played by the rules.
When Satan tempted Jesus, he tried to get Jesus to cheat a bit as well. He knew that Jesus was destined to have everyone worship Him; that was never in question. But Satan was tempting Jesus to bypass the long route. If Jesus would just bow down to him, then he could shortcut the process. In doing this, Jesus could avoid the challenging work of His three-year ministry and, most conveniently, avoid death.
But Jesus wasn’t fooled by Satan’s lies. He knew that there was God’s way and man’s way, and He was going to choose God’s way, the right way, the righteous way.
Satan wants to tempt us as well to cut the process short. Does this sound familiar?
Do you have sexual desires? “Satisfy them with porn.”
Do you want to have more money? “Cheat a little on your taxes.”
Do you want to get ahead at work? “Lie a little about what you are doing.”
None of these things will bring us the true satisfaction we are longing for. Obedience to God, however long the path, will bring us real peace.
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