I listened to a interesting sermon Sunday at my church about the parable Luke 4:1-13 where Jesus is tempted in the Wilderness by Satan. After 40 days of fasting, meditation & prayer, the devil appears to him to tempt him. He tells Jesus he can be the ruler of the world... Jesus refuses as he is the son of God and doesn't have to prove him self. Jesus tells us we are all sons of God. We only needs to listen to realize we are guided by Spirit.
He says in Mark 4:10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside (non-believers) everything is said in parables so that,
“ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’
He also told his accusers in John 10:34-36-"The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? [Psalms 82:1-7]
What is the 'evil' Satan to you? I'm not sure if anyone I know has had a apparition appear with a fork and force them to do a evil act... if you look at every mean thing you ever did, you will realize it was your sub-conscious or ego that lead you to the door-way. We only need to realize that the deed was done for spite, revenge, greed, jealous... only to name a few 'sins'.
~ Temptation requires certain conditions to get you!
1-Resisting temptation requires preparation. -Luke 4;1
2-Temptation attacks when you are weak and where you are weak. -Luke 4:2
3-Temptation always involves half truths- Luke 4:5-7
4-Temptation always comes back.-Luke4:13
What to do about this? Realize that God's Kingdom is with-in your grasp...it is in YOU! Luke 17:21
"Temptation can be half way around the world before Truth gets its shoes on."
~ Sir Winston Churchill
"Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
And remember,any thing done in love to good to God.
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