Finding Your Creative Bones® 365-Day Devotional © 2023
Temptation and the price could have affected all believers.
The Lord became angry at Israel again and turned David against them. David decided to perform a census of Israel and Judah. This was a sin in God's eyes, and he gave David 3 choices of penance. David chose three days of plague. An angel delivered the Lord's affliction, and more than 70,000 were killed. David admitted he was at fault, not Israel and Judah. He asked the Lord to punish him personally instead of the people he loved so much. David offered sacrifices, which he paid for himself, and the Lord removed the plague.
Jesus was tempted three times by the devil in the desert. The temptation ended after Jesus said
... Away, Satan: for it is in the Writings, Give worship to the Lord your God and be his servant only. Then the Evil One went away from him, and angels came and took care of him. (Matthew 4.11-12 Bible in Basic English (BBE))
Temptation is all around us, as both David and Jesus experienced. It is confirmed in small and large ways. Some not so bad and some horrific.
Temptation and the price we may pay for it is something to consider seriously. Sometimes, it is driven by ego or greed. Other times, it comes from loneliness, grief, or other emotions. No matter the cause, it must be watched for and turned away from. Temptation is a destroying evil to your faith. It creates an invisible wall between you and the Lord. A barrier that can become a huge hurdle to overcome. It is easiest to refuse the temptation, but if you stumble, break the barrier by repenting and praying to God so that you can recover and regain your relationship. Believe in yourself, but first, believe in God.
Prayer:
Loving Jesus, you were challenged three times in the desert with promises that may have seemed very tempting, yet the price of that temptation could have eliminated eternity for all of your believers. Had you agreed, we would not have you as our savior. I don't want to think of the terrors of a world without you. Instead, I want to thank you for turning evil away and for your strength of conviction. You are an excellent example of standing by your principles no matter the difficulty. I will seriously consider this and use it as a light while making decisions. I marvel at how you laid a path of examples for my life, and I am excited to continue growing my understanding of the legacy you gave all of us who believe. Thank you, precious Jesus. Your grace is inspiring in so many ways. Amen.
a tangle originated by Zentangle, Inc.
Word of the Day
Temptation
Read the scripture in context on the Bible in Basic English website.
I have always believed in God, through the good and bad parts of my life. But as Dominque said, I too would not like to be growing up in today's world. Even though there is so much going on in the world, I know God has a plan and we just need to be patient. Your daily prayer needs to be read by many.
I agree with Dominique that temptation has gotten so much worse with technology today. Lots of temptation out there. But I believe in an ever-loving G-d that shows forgiveness because they know we are all human and can learn from our mistakes. - Elisa
I am glad I am not growing up today. temptations have always been there, but it seems like it's way more intense today. Raising your kids correctly is very important today
Have a lovely day! -Dominique