Oooo . . . tempting . . .

Over the last couple of weeks I have begun reading through the Gospel of Luke.  I really felt the desire to try looking at these stories with fresh eyes, gaining insight into stories I've heard hundreds of times before . . . you know the ones.  The ones where the skim over it quickly recounting the story paraphrased in your head without actually reading the words on the page.  In taking the time to slow down and read this Scriptures as if I've never heard them before, I have heard the Lord speaking new lessons to me. 

I'm sure many of you have read of the temptation of Jesus.  You know the story.  Jesus has just been baptized and it says the Spirit led Him into the desert to be tempted by Satan.  It shares how Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and then hear comes Satan on the scene with an attempt to entice Him into turning stones to bread, jumping off the temple so they angels would rescue Him, and bowing down to Satan with the promise that Satan would give the earth to Him.  Now try reading it anew in Luke 4:1-13. 

Here's what stood out to me as it never has before.  Satan showed up after Jesus hadn't eaten for 40 days.  Have you ever noticed that the Enemy shows up strong when we're already down or stressed?  Like when you have a huge project at work or school and then you get sick on top of it all.  Or just those times when it seems everything is happening at once.  If you're anything like me you can find yourself getting so overwhelmed that your time with the Lord diminishes, prayer life seems like a dream, and fellowship - who has time for that!?  Satan loves to come in when we're vulnerable because we tend to open ourselves up more to his ploys - his little whispers that say you can't finish in time, it's not worth it anyway, you aren't worth it, it will never turn out like you want, you better get used to it because this is life, and on and on . . .

It says later on in Luke 4:13 that Satan "left Him until an opportune time."  He wasn't done with Jesus.  Our Enemy is very persistent and he knows the times we are most vulnerable to his tricks.  So what do we do?  Give up?  Understand that Satan will always have the upper hand?  NO!!!  Consider your own life - when does our Enemy most gain ground in your thoughts and actions?  Take note of those times and guard yourself.  Memorize Scripture that helps in those areas where he tends to be most effective, be sure to guard your time with the Lord - He is our strength after all (Psalm 28:7), and talk to someone about it.  Accountability is a powerful thing.  The Enemy loses ground when you have someone else to encourage, support, and speak Truth into your life.  Secrets, lies, and darkness lose their power in the Light.

We have not been promised a life of constant peace, but that we will always have the Peacemaker with us.  We have not been promised that our Enemy will never try to draw us away from God or bring temptations against us, but we have been promised that the Lord will fight with and for us (check out the Psalms)  and that there is no temptation that we cannot overcome with God's help.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. - Proverbs 4:23

"When they had seen Him . . . "

First, a completely unrelated thought - Some days we feel so close to and on fire for God and the next day He feels distant.  Don't be discouraged, for God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8).  He never changes!  When we feel distant, we shouldn't give up or think He has left us, for those who ask, receive; those who seek, find; and those who knock find the door opened (Luke 11:10).

Now back to those shepherds (Luke 2:8-20):

Another thought to ponder - why shepherds?  There were plenty of other "common" people around.  Many people were in Bethlehem because of the census, yet God called some shepherds who were tending their flocks in a field outside of the city.  At the moment, the most logical answer for me is that God announced His Son's birth to shepherds first because Jesus would be the ultimate shepherd, laying down His life for His flock (John 10:11).

The next lesson came from Luke 2:17.  I have a passion for discipleship.  I love to support, encourage, and share in others' walks with Christ.  There is nothing more exciting than to see someone seek out and run full-force towards Him.  But the shepherds reminded me of something very important.  Notice the order of events in this verse.  "When they had seen Him . . . "  The first step was to encounter Christ for themselves.  They heard what they angels said, but before they told anyone else, they went to see for themselves.  It was only after they had that experience that they "spread the word concerning Him."  The crucial first step in living a life all-out for Christ is encountering Him for ourselves.  We cannot rely on the faith of our parents, grandparents, friends, etc.  We can't "ride their coattails" along this journey of faith.  We must make it our own by having our own encounter and experience with Christ. 

Finally, the shepherds' story ends in Scripture by saying they saw everything "just as they had been told" (Luke 2:20).  Our God is a God of Truth.  We can trust what He says!!

So . . . wanna check it out?

I would just like to share a few thoughts from my quiet time with the Lord this morning.  Each day He highlights different things and not always do they fit in a Facebook status update!  :)  Today felt like such a day.

I have been reading through the book of Luke (very slowly so as not to miss anything) and have taken particular interest in the experience of the shepherds in Luke 2 on the night Jesus Christ was born.  You can read the entire passage here. 

The first thing that stood out is in Luke 2:15.  After seeing an angel, being told of the birth of Christ, and witnessing "the heavenly host" appearing and praising God, they had a choice to make.  I picture these men standing around, seeing this, and then one turns to the other after the angels have gone and says, "So . . . wanna check it out?"  The point is, they had a choice to make.  They didn't have to hear that message and go into the city to see if it was true.  It took a bit of faith to make the trek there to verify what they were told.  The same is true in our faith walks.  When God speaks something to us (a truth, correction, or a command to go somewhere or do something), we have a choice to make.  We can follow Him and see where it leads us or we can keep standing in the field outside the city wondering if it's true.  The choice is entirely ours.

As time is getting away from me, I'll have to post my other thoughts on these gentlemen later.  Who knew there was so much to get out of a story we have heard so many times!  I praise God that His Word is not like any other book. 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12