Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
Luke 4:1,2

Victory and Strength

Daily Devotion – March 10, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 4:1,2

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“You’re not you when you’re hungry.” That was the tagline of a successful series of commercials run by Snickers. The commercials featured people who were not at their best when they were hungry. Their hunger had transformed them into crabby versions of themselves. They would yell at people and behave in ways that were rude and selfish until someone would give them a Snickers candy bar. Then they would suddenly become themselves again.

As funny as those commercials were, they illustrate something we all experience: we are not at our best when we are hungry, or our needs are not met. Think of what you are like on a bad day or when things don’t go as planned: we lash out at people at work or school; we complain about minor things; we get short-tempered with the kids and sarcastic with the spouse, we may even threaten worse behavior. The devil has a way of kicking us when we are down. He knows when we are not at our best, and he moves in for the kill. All too often he succeeds in leading us into temptation when we are not at our best.

But he did not succeed with Jesus. Even after not eating for 40 days, Jesus was not led astray. He fought temptation. He resisted the devil’s attacks. He did not take out his frustrations on others or behave in a way that was less than godly. And he did this all for us. We are saved by the perfect obedience of Jesus. His life and death has saved us from our sins. Even when he was physically weak, he was still strong enough to defeat temptation for us and to win our salvation.

So, when you are not at your best, look to Jesus. Look to the One who has saved you. Find victory and strength in Christ.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, when I am weak, you are strong. Help me to look to you and find strength in your victory for me. Amen.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Hebrews 4:15

Temptations

Daily Devotion – March 9, 2022

Devotion based on Hebrews 4:15

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How many temptations do you suppose you will face today? Temptations will come every day in different ways: at work, on the internet, in our thoughts, with the words we choose, when interacting with friends and spouses and siblings, etc. For our purposes, let’s imagine that you will face 100 temptations today. That is likely a low number, but let’s go with it—100 temptations a day. That’s 36,500 temptations a year. If you live to be 80, you will have faced 2,920,000 temptations in your lifetime.

That’s a large number! How many times do you suppose you have failed to fight off those temptations? The Bible says one sin is enough to condemn us for all eternity, but we have all failed far more often than that. Even if we said we avoided temptation half the time, that still means we will have failed to defeat temptation roughly one million times. That means we fall woefully short of the perfection God requires.

Isn’t it remarkable, then, that Jesus faced at least that many temptations and never once sinned? “Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Amazing! And he did that for you. Jesus knew that you would fail, so he came to make it right. He came into this world to live a perfect life on your behalf. Jesus’ perfect obedience crushes your temptation and sin. As your perfect substitute, Jesus earned forgiveness and salvation for you. His perfect life in your place and his death on the cross for you assure you that you have a place with him in heaven forever.

And this same Jesus, who has already died for you, also knows what it is like to face temptation. He has been there and done that. So go to him! When you are tempted, turn to Jesus. He has the power to help you defeat temptation.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, forgive me for my sin. When I am tempted, help me to turn to you. Give me the strength to say no to temptation and to trust in you. Amen.

A champion named Goliath . . . came out of the Philistine camp. His height was [over nine feet tall]. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.
1 Samuel 17:4-7

Our Warrior

Daily Devotion – March 7, 2022

Devotion based on 1 Samuel 17:4-7

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Could you imagine taking the field of battle that day? You would only have to face one enemy, but he was like no enemy you had ever seen. He was almost as tall as a regulation basketball hoop. He was stronger than anyone you had ever seen and could throw that weighted spear right through a brick wall, let alone a human being. All of Israel’s army looked at this giant enemy and was convinced there was no hope.

Do you have enemies like that in your life? A giant against whom you have no chance to defeat on your own? Maybe the enemy is a bottle filled with alcohol or pills. Perhaps the enemy is a website where your fingers are itching to take you on your phone. It could be that the enemy is doubt, fear, greed, or any other temptation that comes your way.

On our own, we are lost. We cannot defeat these powerful enemies by ourselves. Thankfully, we are never alone. Our Savior, Jesus, is with us, and he has already defeated an enemy even greater than Goliath. Jesus has faced off against sin, death, and the devil and has crushed them all. By his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave, Jesus has forever defeated our enemies. And he has shared his victory with us! Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are the rewards he has earned for us all through faith in him.

Goliath was a foe like no other. Jesus is a warrior like no other! He has forever crushed the enemies we could not defeat on our own. When those strong temptations come back around, look to Jesus. Trust in him and ask him to fight for you.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for defeating sin and temptation for me. Help me when I am tempted and lead me to trust in you to bring me the victory. Amen.

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.
2 Corinthians 3:12,13

Hidden No Longer

Daily Devotion – March 4, 2022

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 3:12,13

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The youth group at our church sometimes plays a game called “Reverse Hide and Seek.” One person is chosen to be “it” and goes and hides, and everyone else must seek that person. The twist is that whenever someone finds the hidden person; they quietly join them in their hiding spot. It can be hard at first, but by the end, there are so many people trying to hide in the same spot that it is impossible to stay hidden.

The Israelites asked Moses to put on a veil so that they wouldn’t have to look upon his shining face. Whenever Moses went into God’s presence, his face would shine, and it terrified the people. Their solution to this fear was a thin piece of cloth to hide his glory.

When Jesus came and brought life for all, his glory could not be hidden. Jesus’ ministry was no thin veneer or provisional instruction that was passing away. Jesus himself was no hazy image or dim light that could be ignored. Rather, he was God himself that came to make people right with God. Accomplished in plain sight, his words and actions had an eternal significance that could not be ignored.

Since we have such hope, we are very bold. There is nothing to be afraid of and nothing hidden. Our eyes are confidently fixed on Jesus. Nothing separates us from the glory of Jesus, and that glory is reflected in our lives. With full assurance, we look to the one whom God uncovered.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, make me very bold in my trust of you and the work your Son has done for me. Amen.

If the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory . . . will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
2 Corinthians 3:7,8

A Better Ministry

Daily Devotion – March 1, 2022

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 3:7,8

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Almost thirteen percent of Americans struggle with a fear of flying and would rather drive, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. When people are asked why they have a fear of flying, the answer is almost always found in a fear of losing control. While driving a car is much more dangerous, that steering wheel in front of us gives a false sense of security and an illusion of control.

It is easy to find a false sense of security in the laws of God. The ten commandments engraved in letters on stone with their “You shall…” and “You shall not…” provide an illusion of control. If I can love God a little more and stop hating others the way I do, then God will love me, and I will be safe. The commandments allow us to be in charge and we foolishly think that if we are in charge that we will be safe.

The reality is that if we were in charge, we would create a lot of accidents. We may try our best, but we can never obey those commandments perfectly and consistently. We all put ourselves in danger by recklessly disobeying what God said to do through Moses, and it leads only to death.

God provided a better way, but it would mean that we would need to turn over control to him. He would send Jesus to obey the commandments perfectly in our place. It would not be our own obedience or control but the obedience of Christ that would land us safely in heaven. This ministry is uncovered for us by the Holy Spirit of God, and it brings righteousness that comes by faith. It is nothing we are in control of but is a gift that only God gives.

It can be difficult to give up control, but God has provided a better way for our salvation than obedience to the ten commandments. Letting Jesus be in control, we find something far more glorious: He has obeyed the commandments in our place and freely gives us salvation as a gift.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, lead me to trust not to my own obedience of the commandments, but to the more glorious work of Jesus. Amen.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.
Exodus 34:29,30

Gazing Into the Face of God

Daily Devotion – February 27, 2022

Devotion based on Exodus 34:29,30

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There’s a famous work of art by Michaelangelo, in which Moses is pictured with horns on his head. Why is that? It’s because the Hebrew word for “shine” is the same as the word for “horn,” and apparently, the Bible Michaelangelo used had translated it as “horn.”

While that’s just a bit of (interesting?) trivia, there’s an important truth behind it. The word “horn” denotes “power, majesty, authority.”

Now think about this scene: Moses’ face is shining because he’s been in the presence of God. What kind of power and authority would it take to cause that to happen? Why, it would take amazing power, stupendous power! And God has that kind of power.

Do you and I fully realize the amazing power of our God? Do we comprehend his majesty? Do we approach life in such a way as to make it clear that we recognize God’s power, God’s majesty? The Israelites—when they gazed at Moses’ face—were afraid! How much more would we fear if we were to gaze into the face of God himself! At Jesus’ transfiguration, Peter, James, and John got a taste of it, as Jesus gave them a glimpse of his full glory. They were terrified!

But thank God that Jesus walked back down that Mount of Transfiguration. He again veiled his glory, exchanging it for the humility of going to the cross to win salvation for us. The amazing grace of God!

That amazing grace of God is yours, for he won forgiveness for you. And so someday, you and I will get to gaze into that face of God, and we will get to do so without fear.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for failing to appreciate your full glory. Fill me with appreciation for your saving love, that you were willing to lay aside your glory to save me. Lead me to reflect your glory in my life now, and to look forward to that day when you’ll receive me into eternal glory. Amen.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.
Romans 12:14-16

Our Compassionate Savior

Daily Devotion – February 26, 2022

Devotion based on Romans 12:14-16

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The Bible is not the only book to instruct us to “live in harmony with one another.” Buddhism, Hinduism, and other world religions—even secular philosophies—give us much the same guidance for life. Our consciences warn us that we would do well to treat others around us with love and compassion. But no matter who gives us this advice or how often we hear it, we still struggle to put ourselves in the shoes of others or to put their needs and feelings ahead of our own. Our natural inclination is so turned inward that we are blind to the ways that we could be a blessing to others. And when we do think of others, it is often with jealousy, envy, contempt, and pride.

Fortunately, the Bible not only tells us what we should be doing, it tells us what God’s Son has done for us. Jesus Christ perfectly considered what others needed from him. He offered forgiveness to those who crucified him. He wept along with the mourners at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. He performed his first miracle at a wedding reception to help the joyful celebration continue even as he revealed his glory as the Son of God. At Christmas, we rejoice at the news that God loved us so much that he took on our own flesh and blood. He took our sorrows on himself. He took on the weight of our sin. And he carried the guilt of our selfishness to the cross where he paid for it in full.

Jesus has shared in our sorrows so that he can share his joy with us. In him, we find God’s grace and the promise of forgiveness. In him, we find compassion so deep that it spills over into our own hearts. In Christ Jesus, we find joy in serving others and in bringing his message of peace to everyone.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you loved me when I was unlovable. May your compassion for everyone be reflected in the way that I live. Teach me to see the ways that I can be a blessing to others as you are to me. Amen.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21

Overcome

Daily Devotion – February 24, 2022

Devotion based on Romans 12:21

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Rome, 165 A.D. According to early Church history, the Christians living there at that time do not have an easy life. Persecution seems to be on the rise. Then conditions grow worse. A plague arrives. As many as two thousand people in Rome die every day. The dominant cultural mindset has little regard for the dead and the dying. Anyone with the financial means to move out of the city does so.

The Christians, however, do not. The Christians stay, and they stay for a reason. Because God has demonstrated mercy to them in Jesus Christ, they desire to demonstrate mercy to the sick and the dying in Rome. They care for them, bury them, and do not do this just for a little while. They do it for the duration.

Whenever Satan and this broken world team up to make life difficult for me as a Christian, it’s easy for my old sinful self to talk me into feeling overcome, defeated, resentful, bitter. When I do, I conveniently forget that nowhere in the Bible does God ever guarantee that I can expect my life to be comfortable, convenient, trouble-free. On the contrary, God’s Word fairly shouts that I can expect pushback of every kind. To forget God’s voice on this matter is more than some simple oversight. It’s deliberate, sinful denial—sinful denial for which I need to repent.

But the wondrous thing is this. When I once again receive the refreshment of God’s forgiveness through faith in the One who suffered and died to wash me clean—that very forgiveness empowers me to look at the difficulties in my life with new eyes. When the troubles of this world press down upon me, I can see them as opportunities for my fruits of faith to shine. As the old saying goes, the light of my candle is much more visible in times of darkness than in times of light.

And remember those early Christians facing all that trouble in Rome? Many, many new souls came to faith in Jesus during that time. As people watched these Christians reflect God’s love for them in Christ, they wanted to learn more.

Prayer:
By the power of your love and forgiveness, Lord Jesus, move me to overcome evil with good. Amen.

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19

Revenge

Daily Devotion – February 23, 2022

Devotion based on Romans 12:19

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“Revenge is a dish best served cold.” This old saying about revenge goes back at least to the early 1800s. It means that taking revenge on someone is more satisfying when you allow a good amount of time to pass by first. From caper movies like Ocean’s 11 to westerns like Once Upon a Time in the West, the cold dish of revenge makes for a compelling plotline.

But there’s a downside to revenge. English philosopher Francis Bacon put it quite well. He wrote, “A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.”

God, of course, knows us far better than we will ever know ourselves. He knows that revenge is simply a broad opportunity for my old sinful self to run amok. In the name of righteous indignation, it’s an opportunity for my old sinful self to indulge in all kinds of toxic impulses, from bitterness and resentment to arrogance and self-absorption. All of which threatens to harden my heart. All of which threaten to pull me away from the only Savior you and I are ever going to have.

When Jesus walked this earth on our behalf, not once did he ever give in to the temptation to plot revenge on someone who had wronged him, not even as he hung on the cross. And because of Jesus’ perfect faithfulness, God has washed us clean through faith in his Son—and that includes even our poisonous thoughts of revenge against someone who has wronged us.

Cleansed and embraced by our Savior, you and I are now free. In the words of Francis Bacon, you and I no longer have to study revenge, keeping our own wounds green. Instead, you and I can bask in the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. We can entrust all things to our just and good God. Instead, you and I can get on with the business of proclaiming Jesus Christ with our lives.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when someone wrongs me, purge my heart of revenge. Fill me with the same spirit of forgiveness you have shown me. Amen.