First Sunday in Lent - Mar 9
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This First Sunday in Lent, Christ takes center stage. The Old Testament lesson in Genesis highlights the Garden of Eden, where humans had an opportunity to choose righteousness by obeying the Word of the Lord, who is Christ. Instructed to eat anything except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were given a fairly simple guideline. Total freedom, except for one thing.
The snake appealed to Eve and Adam by tempting them with it ‘good to eat,’ appeared ‘beautiful to the eyes’ and would give them superior status in wisdom—in essence the same as 1 John 2:16 says ‘lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life (hubris).’
The Psalmist reiterates the importance of following what God says—God’s Word equals Christ—for God is a hiding place, a security; and if we keep our eyes on God, we’ll get the proper instruction of what to do. When I was a child, I could meet my mother’s eyes across the room and I knew what she meant without her having to speak the words. If I did wrong, I saw disappointment; if I did well, I saw approval. That same kind of effort to become so familiar with God that we know what brings God pleasure should be our goal.
The New Testament Epistle lesson in Romans reviews what happened—sin entered the world through Adam; true life entered the world through Christ.
And that true life happened because Christ endured the greatest temptation: the full on attack by the devil with the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Satan waited until Christ was hungry, in a weakened condition. He used Christ’s circumstances against him—just like he does with the rest of us. I’m weaker when I am hungry, tired and in pain.
The Devil suggested Christ had the power to make bread from stones. Just do it. It doesn’t seem that big, but it meant that Christ would have obeyed the devil instead of God. The devil didn’t stop, but upped the ante. If you are the Messiah, show me a sign—like Christ had to prove himself to the devil. He used Scripture to support the temptation—a reminder of the way the Devil can use the Bible for his own aims.
Several times in the New Testament, Christ resisted the demand of Jewish leaders for a Messianic sign. Christ does not answer to whimsical demands. Christ responds to genuine requests, not arrogant I-am-better-than-you-prove-me-wrong-if-you-can capricious attitudes.
The final temptation by Satan appealed to power and pride. These are the biggest failings of church leaders—we become proud of our territory—forgetting that God is the real power in the church. This is why churches fail. Why the institutional church has failed people. We succumb to temptation of the flesh, eyes and pride.
Christ freed us by showing the way to win against temptation.
The Devil plays on the old tricks; he’s been using them since before written history. Tempt their survival needs; their mental needs and their soul needs for power and pride. We draw from Christ strength of purpose and his words:
“‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive. Their lives depend on what God says.’”
“‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
“Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
I hold onto these promises. May it empower us all to be kind, be loving, do good and be humble.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer for Bible Study and Encouragement
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sig ht. Amen
Season of Epiphany Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7;Psalm 32;Romans 5:12-19;Matthew 4:1-11&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;GNT;NIV (multiple versions)
First Sunday in Lent
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Psalm 32
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
Daily Bible Verse to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 32:8-9
King James Version (KJV)
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Matthew 4:1-11
King James Version (KJV)
4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we give you thanks for giving us your Son, Christ Jesus. Help us to keep our eyes on you and receive instruction in the way we should go. In Jesus name. Amen.
I hope you found a chance to encounter your Creator and experience the Love of God and the joy of Christ in this Epiphany season.
This First Sunday in Lent directs us to do what Christ did and resist the Devil. Our dedication to study God’s word so that we know what God wants from us. The Word of God is a light on our path—guiding us every step of the way. We have to pay attention, do our part and study. We can resist temptation by obedience to God’s Word. This is Christ’s legacy for us. Christ—the Word of God—is our source and power. Don’t let the Devil fool us into thinking it is our doing.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
I would love to hear from you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins, will also do.
The snake appealed to Eve and Adam by tempting them with it ‘good to eat,’ appeared ‘beautiful to the eyes’ and would give them superior status in wisdom—in essence the same as 1 John 2:16 says ‘lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life (hubris).’
The Psalmist reiterates the importance of following what God says—God’s Word equals Christ—for God is a hiding place, a security; and if we keep our eyes on God, we’ll get the proper instruction of what to do. When I was a child, I could meet my mother’s eyes across the room and I knew what she meant without her having to speak the words. If I did wrong, I saw disappointment; if I did well, I saw approval. That same kind of effort to become so familiar with God that we know what brings God pleasure should be our goal.
The New Testament Epistle lesson in Romans reviews what happened—sin entered the world through Adam; true life entered the world through Christ.
And that true life happened because Christ endured the greatest temptation: the full on attack by the devil with the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Satan waited until Christ was hungry, in a weakened condition. He used Christ’s circumstances against him—just like he does with the rest of us. I’m weaker when I am hungry, tired and in pain.
The Devil suggested Christ had the power to make bread from stones. Just do it. It doesn’t seem that big, but it meant that Christ would have obeyed the devil instead of God. The devil didn’t stop, but upped the ante. If you are the Messiah, show me a sign—like Christ had to prove himself to the devil. He used Scripture to support the temptation—a reminder of the way the Devil can use the Bible for his own aims.
Several times in the New Testament, Christ resisted the demand of Jewish leaders for a Messianic sign. Christ does not answer to whimsical demands. Christ responds to genuine requests, not arrogant I-am-better-than-you-prove-me-wrong-if-you-can capricious attitudes.
The final temptation by Satan appealed to power and pride. These are the biggest failings of church leaders—we become proud of our territory—forgetting that God is the real power in the church. This is why churches fail. Why the institutional church has failed people. We succumb to temptation of the flesh, eyes and pride.
Christ freed us by showing the way to win against temptation.
The Devil plays on the old tricks; he’s been using them since before written history. Tempt their survival needs; their mental needs and their soul needs for power and pride. We draw from Christ strength of purpose and his words:
“‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive. Their lives depend on what God says.’”
“‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
“Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
I hold onto these promises. May it empower us all to be kind, be loving, do good and be humble.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer for Bible Study and Encouragement
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sig ht. Amen
Season of Epiphany Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7;Psalm 32;Romans 5:12-19;Matthew 4:1-11&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;GNT;NIV (multiple versions)
First Sunday in Lent
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Psalm 32
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
Daily Bible Verse to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 32:8-9
King James Version (KJV)
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Matthew 4:1-11
King James Version (KJV)
4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we give you thanks for giving us your Son, Christ Jesus. Help us to keep our eyes on you and receive instruction in the way we should go. In Jesus name. Amen.
I hope you found a chance to encounter your Creator and experience the Love of God and the joy of Christ in this Epiphany season.
This First Sunday in Lent directs us to do what Christ did and resist the Devil. Our dedication to study God’s word so that we know what God wants from us. The Word of God is a light on our path—guiding us every step of the way. We have to pay attention, do our part and study. We can resist temptation by obedience to God’s Word. This is Christ’s legacy for us. Christ—the Word of God—is our source and power. Don’t let the Devil fool us into thinking it is our doing.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
I would love to hear from you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins, will also do.
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Replies
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Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Sounds easy enough. But oh. When temptation strikes. Many years ago, I was a struggling mom with two little ones. Driving an old, run-down car, living in a ramshackled big old house that had been divided into three apartments. I went to the bank to withdraw some money and when I counted it, it was $20 too much. No problem. I buzz the teller at the window and send it back. A week later, I go to the bank and withdrew money. I count. $20 too much. No problem. I buzz the teller who very gratefully took it back. Two weeks later, I go to the bank to withdraw money and I count. $20 too much. I would love to say I did the right thing this time. I started to justify it in my head. Well, don't these tellers know how to count? I really need this money. Maybe God is trying to help me out (which, of course, is a ridiculous way to justify my actions). I kept it. The following week all hell broke loose. My car died. My financial woes increased ten fold. I knew why. I had stolen that money no matter how I looked at it. I learned a huge lesson. Our biggest lessons are in the times when no one is looking, when you may not get caught, when it's just you and God. May God bless me to do my best work when no one is watching but God!0
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Thank you for sharing. It takes such courage to share such a personal story. You are awesome Sharon.
I know that many people have experienced the same sort of thing.
Blessings,
ChapLynne0
