Steven Garofalo
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HOW TO HEAL YOUR NATION-Not Through Half Repentance
By Steven Garofalo, May 20, 2024
May 20, 2024

HOW CAN WE HEAL AMERICA-Not Through Half-Repentance. Today, I am going to show you that America, like much of the West has been sinning, following false idols, and only half-repenting. When we put away as opposed to eliminate the things in life that distract us from God, we become “As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly"- (Proverbs 26:11)

NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN 3000 YEARS

Like Proverb 26:11, we find Israel, in the book of Judges returning over and over to their sin and judgement. The book of Judges was written over 3000 years ago between 1050-1000 B.C. Today we are going to look at Judges chapter ten as one of many examples of Israel’s relapsing found in the Book of Judges.

Below, starting in verse 6, I provided a sample of the many times that God’s people forsook God, repented and repeatedly went back to their sin of Baal worship before being judged by God and crying out for His help-starting the sinful cycle all over again. In judgement, What is God’s judgment? It means that God gave or “sold” them over to their enemies. Better yet, God allowed them to buy their own destruction. You can’t forsake God and expect His blessing, provision and protection anymore than you can buy a car on credit without having to make payments. Let’s jump right in and read for ourselves, picking up in verse Judges 10:6.

“6 The people of Israel AGAIN did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lordand did not serve him. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilea” (Judges 10:6-8).

GOD’S PEOPLE-THE ISRAELITES REPENT…KIND OF

13 Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15 And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel” (Judges 10:13-16).

GOD OFTEN GIVES US WHAT WE ASK OF HIM

In verses 12-13, God gives the Israelite what they asked for in that that worshipped false gods-so go to those gods and ask them to help you. I find this most interesting. Why would God’s people the worship false gods and then come to the real God of the universe to save them? The answer is that God’s people more often than not want it both ways-they want to live life with their man-made idols and still lean on God as an escape button. Not too long ago, I had a friend whose wife was having an affair on him and wanted to keep the marriage going while she was having the affair. She wanted it both ways. This example is an excellent analogy of the infidelity to the bride and groom we find in the Bible speaking of God’s people and Jesus as bride and groom.

SAME STUFF-DIFFERENT DAY

Today, we are basically in the same situation. We want to keep all the false gods of materialism and spiritual idols while receiving God’s protection from other hostile nations and His blessings upon us for a great economy. This insatiable lust on our part to feed our passions and desires while going to church with God as a side note as opposed to living our faith biblically and visibly in a fallen world is no longer being tolerated by God. This is why we are suffering and why we will suffer even more-until we repent, call upon the Lord, and learn to live within the lines of Word and ways of God. Capitalism is the best system-only when lived out in accordance to the Word of God.

Looking ahead to verse 15, the Israelite confess that they have sought false gods and asked God to do whatever HE SEES fit to do but to please deliver them from their enemies. I find this ironic in that to ask for what God sees fit to do or give to them was already at hand-and to deliver them was quite the opposite in that it would not be what God sees fit in delivering them once again.

THE KICKER-WHY DID THEY SIMPLY PUT AWAY THEIR FOREIGN GODS?

16 “So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel” (Judges 10:16).

Why did the Israelites only “put away” their idols? This perplexes me. Does the alcoholic in rehab simply put his or her liquor away in the cabinet or thrown it out? Here, the Israelites failed to burn and destroy their idols! They simply “put them away”. I don’t know about you, but when I want to eliminate something sinful from my life, I get totally rid of it. When I want to “return” to something or retrieve it later in time, I store it on a shelf, in a closet or in a drawer. God is a loving God in that “He became impatient with their suffering”. The Israelites ought to have completly destroyed, melted down or burned their false god-idols.

IN APPLICATION FOR YOU AND I

I believe this why God is allowing America and the West in general to experience loss of freedom, free speech, value of the U.S. dollar as the world default currency and U.S. military dominance. WHY? Because we have only “put away” our idols and false gods. Looking in the rear-view mirror it becomes clear that we are guilty of manufacturing a self-sustaining self-made god like outlook on life. W find God’s warning signs in and through the September -1, 2001 attacks, through the financial crash of 2008, godless national leadership, from the president to congress, and the list goes on. So now, God will strip us of the very things that have given us a false dependence on the temporal things that have no real power in life or eternity.

THE GOOD NEWS

Is there really any good news? Of course there is. When we return to God, He will restore us to a new way of life that is much lesson clouded by the artificial things of this world. Right now we mourn the loss of material wealth and national power that is quickly eroding in America. It’s important that we own this as a nation in that the consequences of our sin is of our own making. We departed from God a very long time ago and we now scratch our heads, wondering why He has abandoned us and why he has taken His hand of blessing and protection from us, allowing us to literally be taken over by our enemies.

OUR HOPE

God eventually restored Israel and God will eventually restore America in one form or another. Let’s focus on becoming what God wants and not wanting what was in our sinful ways in recent past.

CONCLUSION AND WHERE WE CAN START

Let’s not be like the dog depicted in Proverbs 26:11. “As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly"- (Proverbs 26:11). Remember, NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN 3000 YEARS. Like Proverb 26:11, we find Israel, in the book of Judges returning over and over to their sin and judgement. Where can WE start in helping turning things back around and right side up? By opening our drawers and closet and destroying the idols of over abundance, distorted affluence if it has misled us, and the self-dependence that has led us astray from God to begin with. Verse 16 tells us what to do: “So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel” (Judges 10:16).

By being in God’s Word daily, and living our lives in accordance with God’s ways through Prayer, Bible reading and fellowship with authentic Christians willing to take action and not just talk about the state of the country and world in apathy. Lastly, by repenting our own, honest sinful idols that have added to the problem as opposed to help resolve it. We are all affected if honest. Once we do this, God will hear our cries and become impatient with our calling out to Him. And at that time, He will restore us, our nation-His people.

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GOD PREPARES HIS PEOPLE FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD
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I typically do not post an article I did not write myself-but today is different. I am in a Bible study with men in Europe and my friend Tom wrote such an excelllent article, I wanted to share it with all of you. It challenged and blessed me, and I hope it does the same for you as we wrap up the year and head into the New Year. Blessings-Steven

GOD PREPARES HIS PEOPLE FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD  Acts 10:9-16

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven._

*BACKGROUND*

Following Jesus three years of His ministry life, Peter was one of Jesus' closest disciples, and the clear leader of the apostles (although James, the half-brother of Jesus, served as the leader of the church in Jerusalem). Following Jesus' example, Peter and the early church had active prayer lives (Acts 2:42), a spiritual discipline critical to looking at the many challenges from God's perspective, and enriching the development of mature disciples of Christ. Just as Jesus frequently _"would withdraw to desolate places and pray"_ (Luke 5:16), Peter ascended onto the rooftop of Simon, the tanner´s house to escape the lively activity associated with meal preparation and instead commune with God. As we studied in Acts 6:4 when the apostles realized they needed to delegate practical tasks so that they could _"devote [themselves] to prayer and to the ministry of the word,"_ this time of prayer was especially important as Peter was yet unaware that Cornelius' trusted servants and a devout soldier were enroute to his location with a mission to fulfill the command the angel provided him to fetch Peter from Joppa and bring him (back) to Caesarea Maritima.

*TAKE THE TIME TO COMMUNE WITH GOD*

_About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance._

At around the noon hour, Peter went to the rooftop to pray to communicate with God despite the impending lunch hour. On this particular occasion, God used his hunger to teach him about Gentiles. Although he became hungry, he sat quietly and fell into a trance, a state where one's vision becomes hyper focused on a particular issue/thing while awake (as with Paul, in Acts 22:17–18), whereas a "dream" happens when the person is asleep.

*SMALLER CHALLENGES PREPARE US FOR BIGGER DECISIONS*

_He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”_

Although God is present everywhere in His creation (John 4:24) and He doesn't live in the sky (like some sort of satellite), He often uses the image of clouds parting and the sky opening as a metaphor for revealing something previously hidden/obscure to mankind on earth (as in Ezekiel 1:1; Matthew 3:16; Acts 7:56). At other times, God gathers clouds to hide His presence from His fragile creation (as in Exodus 19:16; Mark 9:7). In this case, the skies open to reveal God's message.

The four corners of the sheet may represent the "four corners" of the world. In the sheet are _"all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds"_ representing the full array of animals described in Deuteronomy 14 as food fit to eat (like sheep, goat, ox, deer, antelope, gazelle, and finfish) and those restricted in the Mosaic Law, such as birds of prey, reptiles, camels, rabbits, pigs, scavangers, and winged insects. A voice tells Peter to kill and eat the animals, an action which would contravene the Mosaic law. Unaware that the animals represented the people of the world who have been elected by God — some devout Jews and some Gentiles, Peter would have been confronted by such a strange order but once he understood what God was telling him metaphorically, it would make sense when Cornelius' messengers finally arrived.

*RECOGNIZING WHEN IT IS GOD WHO SPEAKS*

_“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven._

Peter may be a Jesus-follower, but he was also a devout Jew. He was not going to eat animals forbidden by the Mosaic law without a major realignment of his understanding even though Jesus had already declared all foods clean in Mark 7:15, saying, _"Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean'  by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean' "_ explaining in verse 19, _"For it doesn't go into his heart, but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (in saying this, Jesus declared all foods 'clean')._ Yet Peter failed to internalize His explanation that what makes people defiled is when something unclean resides in their heart, like evil thoughts that lead to sin (Mark 7:16–23). It's not the literal, physical touch of certain foods that's a problem, it's when someone knows God has told them not to eat it and they do so, anyway (Matthew 15:10–11).

But as a Jew, Peter understood the animals on the restricted list as "unclean food".This concept of "clean" and "unclean" is a little confusing. If something is "unclean," it doesn't necessarily mean it's bad or sinful. In some cases, it means it's not fit for the worship of God — like a sacrificial animal with a blemish or a person with a particular type of wound. The differentiation existed to remind the Jews to separate themselves from the pagan nations around them; if they could do so with the foods they ate, they'd remember to do so with the gods they worshipped.

Ironically, Peter was staying with a man who was perennially unclean for the tanner, Simon, would regularly touch the carcasses of unclean animals in order to treat the leather.God was teaching Peter about people. Because Gentiles were considered unclean because they did not follow the Mosaic law, eating with them would be to tacitly approving of their non-Jewish lifestyle. This flew in the face of what Jesus had already explained in Peter's hearing: that the purpose for unclean food laws had been fulfilled and the literal substance was not the issue, but the heart of the person eating (Matthew 15:10–11).

Mark´s line of logic in Mark 7:1–23 went from unclean hands, to unclean hearts, to an understanding that the kosher dietary laws were fulfilled and no longer in force. Peter's vision and application goes from unclean foods, to unclean dinner mates, to salvation to the Gentiles. The food the Jews ate was part of the deeply cultural tradition of the meal and to share a meal with someone was to publicly declare your allegiance with them. This is why the Pharisees were so offended when Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners (Mark 2:13–17).

The kosher laws were designed to show the neighboring nations that the Israelites were different. The worship of Yahweh was largely hidden from Gentile eyes, but eating was more obvious. If someone tried to sell a Jew pork, the Jew could refuse, explaining his God forbade it. As time went on, this prohibition grew into a general rule against eating with anyone who wasn't Jewish, including Gentiles who worshiped the Jewish God but were not circumcised and proselytes, such as Cornelius.

The number of times Peter saw the vision of the animals descending on the sheet and heard God's words (three) were especially significant for Peter because that it helped him recognize the vision was a message from Jesus. While Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin, Peter denied knowing Him three times (Mark 14:66–72). After Jesus had risen from the dead, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, and told Peter to take care of Jesus' followers (John 21:15–17). It certainly allowed him to link the vision of the animals on the sheet and assertion not to call anything God made clean as impure with Peter's responsibility to proclaim Jesus' message and care for His followers to the three messengers coming to bring Peter to a Roman centurion to share the gospel with the Gentiles!

*APPLICATION*

Brothers, today's passage provides us assurance that God continues to equip those who follow Him for the challenges, decisions and opportunities ahead. As children of God, we can expect Him to discipline, guide, and lovingly hear our heart's concerns. It also reminds us that not only do we have access to His “throne of grace” through prayer -- at any time and from any place, it is critical that we make the time each day (and frequently) to hear what God has to say to us. When we meditate on His Word and listen, we will realize His promise that _“we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”_ (Hebrews 4:16), no matter what situation comes our way. God is faithful and He knows exactly what we need for what He knows is coming ahead. The question we have today, is: "Are we listening to Him?"

We can trust our Heavenly Father to supply all our needs (not wants!!!) _“according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) and we can be confident that our _“Father in Heaven [will] give good gifts to those who ask Him!  (Matthew 7:11). Oftentimes we fail to see how the Holy Spirit has transformed (is transforming) us to develop the sufficient character, spiritual backbone, and hone our discernment to respond in a way that our testimony points the way for non-believers to Christ.

Our eternity in Heaven is guaranteed by God (Ephesians 1:13–14; John 3:16–18) for Jesus has already paid the entry fee for every person who trusts in His death and resurrection. And as we go about our lives, eager to do good works (Titus 2:14) may we fulfill His purpose for us in the hope of seeing Jesus face to face and worshipping God as one, united as a family from _“every nation, tribe, and tongue”_ (Revelation 7:9; 14:6) when God finally calls us to our eternal home. But until then may we wisely commune with God in prayer and recognize the good work the Holy Spirit is doing in us as we apply what God has told us to do!

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GenZ IS NOT HOPELESS!
By Steven Garofalo, Citing CBN Article, December 20, 2024

Gen Z is often talked about as a very conservative but sometimes depressed generation. Today, through an article by CBN, Christian Broadcast Network, published on 12/17/2024 04:55:30 PM by writer Charlene Aaron, I am going to show you that there is new hope, new life, and new energy happening with Gen Z. Let’s get started.

A Gallup survey found a surprising number of teenagers feel the pressure to be perfect all the time, leading to negative emotions. Young Life, a Christ-centered ministry that focuses on helping kids to know Jesus wanted to learn more in hopes of turning those feelings in a more positive direction through something called the “Relate Project”. What is “Relate Project?” It’s a study aimed to bridge the gap, offering a deeper understanding of Gen Z.

The study starts with communicating that "Around 40 percent of young people don't know or don't believe that they're worthy of love," Dr. Arthur Satterwhite, Young Life Ministry Vice President told CBN News. "It's something that should burden us all." 

The study found that relationships and communication, not online but in person, are on the minds of this generation.

More than half communicate most often one-on-one with their closest friend.  Another 20 percent talk through phone calls, Facetime, or WhatsApp. The remaining 25 percent tend to use texts, email, and direct messages to communicate with friends.

The research also found that friends and family are the primary sources of help for adolescents. 

THE REALITY OF MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES

Sadly, 40 percent of Gen Z worry about their mental health. When it comes to technology the study found that over 35 percent turn to social media when they feel anxious. This is an opportunity to reach out.

"The opportunity for us is not so much how do we get them off of it? It's how do we help them leverage it for positive aims? How can we equip them with a theology of technology that helps them to process, 'Where and how can this help me think and go deeper in my relationship with God?'" he said.

It is a goal that Stafford Craymer with Young Life in Virginia Beach, VA wants to dive into with young people.

Cranmer wrote that, "It can't just be verbal proclamation," said Craymer. "There's gotta be something tangible that kids can remember that they can hold onto, that they can touch, can relate to in their personal lives."  

COMBATING THE PANDEMIC’S AFTERMATH

Sadly, today, kids are a little less innocent, said Young Life volunteer Casey Heron. "This crazy pandemic I think took away some of their innocence and kind of forced them to grow up a little bit too quick."

“Satterwhite believes such challenges can be solved by the gospel through new strategies.” 

"This research is helping us understand what is the context that might inform what are today's methods. What are the new wineskins and what is then the new wine," Satterwhite commented.”

It is a shift that other ministries such as InterVarsity and CRU are also considering as they review Young Life's findings.

They say that it's been fun to see these other organizations who are struggling with some of the same things with a similar heart for young people, wrestle with, writing, “'Man, what are the implications for our ministry? How might we be more intentional about creating belonging for the young people that are calling our community home or being drawn to our community?'" Satterwhite described.”

"I think that we have had to and have become people where we're constantly sharing our lives with these students," said Young Life Staffer Gabby Brubaker. "We are entering into the lives of kids day in and day out consistently."

SIGNS OF REVIVAL AS GenZ RESPONDS TO TRUTH FAITH

When it comes to faith, GenZ is responding positively. Study and Young Life found that faith as a framing story helps folks, especially young people, to contextualize: 1) “what does belonging mean?” 2) 'Where do I fit in?' and 3) What could that look like as we help them to know not just who they are but who they are and what they're called to. That's what we're seeing as a direct correlation to increased flourishing."

It is a flourishing that Young Life as a ministry continues to shape. "There are 60 kids showing up every Friday before school to go to Bible study," Heron said. "We started, there might've been 10 people and that was a big number for us. So, to have 60 and it's just continuing to grow again, I think these kids are really resonating with the purpose, the love, the consistency that Jesus gives and they're really grabbing hold to that."

Natalie Browning, Young Life Volunteer said: "I know and have seen kids walk from death to life,". "They're not hopeless. This generation is not hopeless."

AS PARENTS OF GenZ CHILDREN

I would like to interject as a parent of three GenZ children that this generation is great source of hope for the country and world at large. They have seen what evil, sinful men and women leaders can do to other people. They sadly have seen the aftermath of the experiment called divorce on a wholesale level. They have seen corruption in government, business, school shootings, and people turned into literal zombies through drug abuse. And the list goes on. 

GenZ are more conservative in many ways and those in this special generation who currently trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as well as those who will trust in Christ will turn the United States and world around for the good. Genz has seen the greed, selfishness and immoral side of humanity to a degree that most of us over the age of 50 didn’t. And they are turning to Christ through the love of others who would share God’s love with them. 

So today, I call on GenZ, on the parents of GenZ and the grandparents of GenZ to become proactive in building deep family relationships first and helping this young generation connect in human terms to God and to one another instead of or at least more so than a phone or computer screen.

There is hope for this generation and God has a plan for them. And it’s for this reason that “This Generation Is Not Hopeless'” While 40 Percent of Gen Z Feels Unlovable, Signs of Revival are emerging and you and I can help them grow in their faith, in relationship skills, and in their love for God and one another.

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TEMPTATION
By Steven Garofalo, December 16, 2024 (Copyright 2024)

Temptation comes to all of us on a daily basis. Temptation to eat too much or eat bad things. Temptation comes in many forms, ranging from sexual to money and power. The list is lengthy. In Luke 4:10-14 God shows through the life of Jesus, not only that temptation comes from the evil one, but what that temptation looks like. Today, without reading the entire passage, which I will up to you to do on your own, I will comment on various key points. Please read this passage and let’s get started!

TEMPTATION IS UNBIASED BUT POTENT FOR CHRISTIANS:

Temptation comes to all people, but to Christ followers, temptation is applied even more. WHY? Because Satan leaves well enough alone and doesn’t have to do much to keep the typical secular man or women from sinning because they don’t subscribe to biblical “Sanctification”-hence they are not working on becoming better moral agents according to biblical standards. As such, Satan and his demons, being limited in how many places they can be at any one given time, focus on taking down Christian marriages, business men and women, government leaders and the like. Let’s look a key points of the story of Jesus being tempted directly by Satan as our truth text today.

SETTING: “And Jesus, ‘full of the Holy Spirit. “Returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1-2)

THE WILDERNESS: To give you some idea of where exactly Jesus was tempted, the traditional site of the temptation is North West of the Dead Sea, near Jericho. 

TEMPTATION #1-JESUS TEMPTED: Jesus was, “…tempted by the devil” To get a good gospel cross-section of this story, check out Matthew 4:1. Satan’s intention in the temptation was to make Christ sin so as to thwart God’s plan for man’s redemption by disqualifying the Savior. God’s purpose (note that the Spirit led Jesus to the test) was to prove His Son to be sinless and thus a worthy Savior. It is clear that He was actually tempted; it is equally clear that He was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:2)

THE POWER OF SATAN: In verse three, Satan says to Jesus, “if you are the Son of God…” The particular Greek construction of the words in this verse indicates that the devil did not doubt that Jesus was the Son of God, but was prodding Jesus with temptation like a kid on the elementary playground. The word “IF” can be translated “SINCE”. Notice that Satan acknowledged that Jesus had the power to turn stone to bread to begin with. So it’s made clear here that Satan knew all to well WHO Jesus is and what He was capable of doing as the Son of God.

DEPENDENCY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE AND TEMPTATION: In verse four, “And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘ Man shall not live by bread alone.” The Lord acknowledged His dependency  on His father here by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. And Satan, knowing the Scriptures all too well, knew exactly what Jesus was saying. As a result, Satan cut his losses to move onto a different way of tempting Jesus since this way failed.

A NEW TEMPTATION: And when they were ended, “…He (Jesus) was hungry”. Why is this important? Because most all of us get weak, hangry and easier to give into temptation when we are hungry. 

TEMPTATION #2:
It’s at this point that Satan takes Jesus up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him…

“To you I will give all the authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. IF YOU , THEN, WILL WORSHIP ME, IT WILL ALL BE YOURS” (vss. 6-8).

It’s important to note that Satan had the right to make this offer to Jesus because he is the prince of this world. If Christ had accepted Satan's offer, it would have bypassed His crucifixion.

THE REPLY: Jesus gives a one-liner reply, rejecting Satan’s offer by quoting Deuteronomy 4:8: “And Jesus answered him, It is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” (v.8). And it worked!

TEMPTATION #3:
Satan takes Jesus to Jerusalem and sets Him on the pinnacle of the temple and tells Jesus to throw himself down God will command His angels to catch Jesus, not even allowing His foot to strike the ground (vss. 9-11).

The pinnacle of the template can be explained as one of the battlements or towers that overlooked the courtyard of the Temple. If Jesus had cast Himself off and landed unharmed among the crowds below, He surely would have been acclaimed the Messiah.

Instead, Jesus makes clear that, “It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (v.12). And when the Devil had ended every temptation, he departed form him until an opportune time” (v.13). Notice Jesus' weapon of choice was the Old Testament Scriptures!

BE ENCOURAGED
After all that Jesus had been through. Under the condition of having not eaten for 40 days, Jesus withstood all of Satan’s temptations, and verse 14 says, “AND JESUS RETURNED IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GALILEE, AND A REPORT ABOUT HIM WENT OUT THROUGH ALL THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY. AND HE TAUGHT AT THEIR SYNAGOGUES, BEING GLORIFIED BY ALL” (v.15)

Verses 14-15 show us three things.
1) FIRST: That God allows us to be taken through temptation to strengthen our faith and relationship with Him.

2) SECOND: That when we return from temptation, we do so “IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT”. In other words, it’s not just about gritting it out but about relying on God’s strength (if we allow Him) to keep us out of falling into temptation. And we do fall, it’s God’s strength that can get us out if we trust him.

THIRD and LASTLY: Notice what Jesus was called to do straight out of these three, non-stop temptations by Satan himself. God calls Jesus to preach all over town and was glorified! In other words, Satan's temptations backfired and the gospel truth spread even more.

SO WHAT?
Now that we dissected this passage, the big SO WHAT question comes out. Let me simply say that temptation comes to all of us. We live in a very depraved world full of temptation and immorality. This passage clear that we are to depend on God who will “take us in His Spirit” to where we need to go according to His will. 

Furthermore, studying the Bible and knowing the Scriptures is a crucial part of the spiritual warfare we all face and will face as time goes on. Notice that Jesus quoted the Old Testament numerous times as a spiritual weapon against the tempter Satan. And it worked!

Lastly, it’s important for all of us to know where our areas of temptation lie. For some, it’s wealth trappings and for others it’s alcohol, pornography, laziness or being a workaholic. This list goes. In closing, let's remember the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians: 

1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. wGod is faithful, and xhe will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

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