You and I would never be tempted to turn a stone to bread. Why? Because the devil knows it is outside our power to do so. You and I would never be tempted to bow down and worship satan in order to receive a kingdom (thought maybe in other areas). Why? Because we know that it would not be in our power to just suddenly be given a kingdom. You and I would never be tempted to throw ourselves off a tall building in order to prove that angels could catch us? Why? Because we know it is not within our power to call down angels to protect us in our presumptuous acts…well maybe we don’t know this one as well.

But my point is this, Jesus was tempted as we read at the beginning of Luke chapter 4 in the areas in which He had POWER to act and actually have the temptation become reality.

Our temptations thought different in actual outward action are no different in manner, in as much as most of us are only tempted to the degree we are able to achieve the sin.

Luke helps us to understand this in John chapter 3,

“And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” 12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” -Luke 3:10-14

The issues John the baptist addresses with these people are directly related to the areas in which they have power to act or not act as the case may be. If a person has two tunics they then possess the power to either share with one who has none or to hoard selfishly for themselves. That decision is within their power and this therefore is an area where satan would tempt them. Tax collectors they had the power to rob from the people. The soldiers likewise. So these are the areas they would be tempted.

Let me give another example a modern example. Someone that has a temper is likely NOT going to be tempted be verbally or physically abusive to their employer, because they do not possess the power to ultimately control the situation. That individual will hold their tongue and watch their words in the company of their boss. This same person though may go home and berate his or her children or his or her spouse. Why? Because we are tempted in the areas we are most likely able to be in the position of power or control.

Most right thinking individuals are not tempted to pursue an illicit relationship with their favorite actor or actress. But many right thinking individuals are tempted to lust over their favorite actor or actress. Why? Because they know one is not realistic but the other they can control.

Where are you most secure? Where are you most comfortable? Where do you have the power?

This is likely the area you will be most tempted!

Next Reading: 2 Corinthians 11-13

The storyline which runs from Jeremiah 37 through Jeremiah 39 is all set-up by these verses…

Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. 3 Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf.” -Jeremiah 37:1-3

King Zekekiah didn’t “listen” to the words of the Lord, “YET” he still asked Jeremiah and others, “Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf.”

The story continues several times God gave messages to the King through Jeremiah, each time hearing but never truly listening. The king in fact wanted to hear these messages, he kept asking for Jeremiah to be brought to him, “Do you have another message?” But the King though hearing failed to truly listen (do as God instructed).

The spiritual lesson for us is easy and clear, but I will point it out just in case. Just like King Zekekiah many talk to the Lord every day. They pray. They ask God to bless them to guide them. They ask God for answers. But their lives are such that even when God does answer (which He always does) they may hear but they don’t really listen (do what He instructs).

It would be like this, every day a person wakes-up and prays, “God please give me enough energy for this day. Please give me strength and make me productive.” They come to the end of the day and they don’t have energy, they didn’t have strength, they weren’t productive. Then the next day they pray the same prayer, but again they fill like their prayer isn’t answered. They start to question, “Why isn’t God answering my prayer?” But then we look at another part of their day, it turns out that each and every night this individual stays up to the wee hours of the morning playing video games, watching TV, working late. Here is God’s answer to that person,

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” -Psalm 127:2

God did answer in the scriptures He told us to make sure we get enough sleep. Yes there are times this is impossible, but for most it is just bad late night habits. This is obviously an over simplification of what happened in Jeremiah’s day, but the principal is the same.

In this case the answer is get more sleep. If someone read their Bible or even if they listened to the Holy Spirit they would know that, yet they keep praying each day for more energy never getting it. All the while God has answered their prayer, “get more sleep” they just didn’t truly listen.

You see real listening is to also “do.”

King Zedekiah kept hearing from the Lord, but hearing is useless unless we do then what the Lord calls us to do.

One more example. If a person has no money, but they have the ability to work. Yet every day they ask God, “please provide for me, please send me some money.” Yet everyday they are still broke…is God not answering? No. More than likely they just aren’t listening,

“If a man will not work, he shall not eat” -2 Thessalonians 3:10

There are truly some that can’t work, but many can, yet they don’t. What do they do, they pray, “God please answer my prayer I need money, I need food for my table.” God’s already answered…”I provide through the opportunity to work.” Again hearing is not enough we must actually “listen” which means to do that which the Lord has instructed us!

Next Reading: Luke 3 & 4

One idea caught my attention in these Psalms and it appears at the very beginning of Psalm 57 and again at the very end of Psalm 59.

It is the idea of God as our refuge. Almost daily I speak with people who are going through distress…distress may be too mild of a term as to what is going on in many lives. I don’t believe the Bible guarantees immediate or even eventual delivery from that distress as long as our residence is in this sinful world. But what the Bible does guarantee and what I do believe is absolute truth in that distress as long as it lasts the Lord will be our refuge and through it all the constant in this refuge will be His “steadfast love.”

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
    he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! -Psalm 57:1-3

For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love. -Psalm 59:16b, 17

Next Reading: Jeremiah 37-41 (Remember I already did Job 39 & 40 with a previous day)

There are so many amazing leadership lessons in just these 5 chapters, but I am going to focus on just one in this blog post.

In 2nd Samuel 15:13-29 the story is shared of David fleeing Jerusalem in the wake of his son Absalom’s power move. What I see in this story and admire so much about David and am so grateful for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to have this placed in Holy Writ, is that David does not presume that God sees him as irreplaceable. Nor does David see potentially burning down all that God has built worth trying to hold onto power. He leaves Jerusalem to protect God’s Holy City. He sends The Ark of the Covenant back recognizing God is for everyone not just the King. He sends back the priests, because they are to be loyal to God (represented by the Ark) and not loyal to the King. And finally David acknowledges that he does not know if this is his end or not and he’ll leave that call in the hands of God not his own conniving,

“Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. 26 But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” -2 Samuel 15:25, 26

The lessons are obvious but I will state them just in case you didn’t pick-up on them in the reading:

• Don’t fight to hold onto power if it risks damaging what God has built. Whether that is an individual ministry, a volunteer position in the church, a pastoral position, an administrative position. Just walk away rather than seeing the work of God brought lower.
• The people that are loyal to you but that can be a blessing in the transition teach them and encourage them to use their gifts to serve the people not just “you” the previous leader.
• Those of us in leadership will all have our end of leadership and that is not for us to decide but God. Trust Him in that. “If God brings me back so be it, if not let Him do with me what best serves His cause.”

David was a brilliant leader mainly because he didn’t grasp power too soon (overtaking Saul) and he didn’t try to hold onto it when someone was trying to grasp it from him to soon. In both instances he waited on the Lord and the Lord established David’s authority. Oh that I would be found to be such a leader. Lord help me!

Our Next Reading: Psalm 57-59

You may have wondered, “What will Chad find to write about in these chapters.” I have to tell you the three things God impressed me with came quick and easy.

1. The people are to supply the materials for the building and the upkeep of the house of worship. I wrote on giving yesterday so I won’t say anything more about that here now.
2. God deserves the very best in the presentation of our buildings. God shows by the materials used and His own personal care in laying out the design of the sanctuary and all the article within the sanctuary that that which represents Him should be the best we can give. Almost all our churches (not just my church at Spencerville) all our churches allow for disrepair to manifest itself our churches that we would never let happen in our homes. Granted sometimes the repairs to a church are much more expensive, but if every member saw as their responsibility the upkeep and maintenance of the quality of God’s houses of worship then things would not be nearly as “expensive” per member. Also God shows that everything should have a function. We should have the highest of quality in our churches but we don’t need ornamentation just for the sake of ornamentation. Someone may say “the OT sanctuary was filled with ornamentation!” No, no it wasn’t, everything in that design had a purpose and reason for being where it was and the color it was and the layout it was, etc.. So our churches should be high-quality, kept-up/maintained by the generosity of the members, and have purpose and function in its design.
3. Call me old fashion but I still believe preachers (“priests”) should wear their best when they stand before God’s people to preach. Now what the priests wore in the OT I understand had functional purpose. The stones, the engraved names of Israel, the Urim and the Thummim. But still the best of materials went into the clothing of the priests. I don’t judge pastors that don’t wear suits. I love many of them, but I think in our modern culture if you’re going to go to a funeral in a suit or to see the President, then you should also stand before God’s people in a suit. I know some say, “Well I want the people to feel comfortable so I dress down.” Look I’ve been to Brooklyn Tabernacle, Jim Cymbala wears a suit and he makes all his deacons and elders wear suits and they are packed-out with people dressed in tank-tops and cut-offs. Dressing their best for Jesus doesn’t keep those who dress less away. If we want people to feel comfortable we should love on them and welcome them as they are, I don’t think it has anything to do with how the preacher is dressed! Like I said, call me old fashion.

Next Reading: 2 Samuel 15-19