I'm Not Allowed

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 4: 1-13

TO CHEW ON: "Jesus answered, 'It is written ...' ... Jesus answered, 'It is written ...' ... Jesus answered, 'It says ...'” Luke 4: 4, 8, 12

Has this ever happened to you? Your friends are getting involved in an illegal or dangerous activity. Your parents have forbidden you to join in. One day your friends really put big pressure on you to join them. But you don’t want to. What is the best thing for you to do?
- Discuss and argue with your friends about why it’s not a good activity?
- Simply tell them, “ My parents say I’m not allowed”?

The last way is a bit like what Jesus did.

After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Him into the desert. There He stayed by Himself for days, fasting (not eating).

"Christ in the Wilderness" by Ivan Kramskoy - 1873

But He wasn’t alone. For Satan was with Him, tempting Him to sin. After forty days, when Jesus was famished with hunger, Satan’s temptation was especially strong. “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread,” he said.

Command these stones to be made bread - Artist unknown

Jesus answered:

1. "__ __ ________: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'” (Luke 4:4)

Then Satan led Jesus to a high place and showed Him all of earth’s kingdoms. “All this can be yours if you worship me,” he said.


Jesus answered:

2. "__ __ _______: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'” (Luke 4:8)

Finally Satan took Jesus to the top of the temple and challenged Him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself from the temple, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you ….’”

'The Tempter" - Artist unknown

Jesus answered:

3. "___ ________: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'” (Luke 4:12)

When the devil tempted Jesus, He didn’t get into a discussion with the devil about why the thing the devil wanted Him to do was bad. Instead He said: “It is written...” and then He quoted God’s words from the Bible. That is like saying ‘God, My Father, says...’

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to learn to face temptation with Bible words. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Facing Temptation Head-On
What Bible words or verses could you read or quote if you faced the temptation:

- to tell a lie?

- to steal?

- to swear?

- to disobey your parents?

- to badly want something your friend has?

ANSWERS

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.