Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Trust

Then The Devil Left Him

Trust

Then The Devil Left Him

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to Him.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:11‬

Dealing With Temptations

Temptation has always been a struggle for mankind ever since Adam was tempted in the Garden.  Scripture is filled with examples of people who have struggled with Satan’s attack of temptation.  But there is good news. God has provided a wonderful plan for victory.

Matthew presented the temptations of Jesus to show that the conflict with Satan was real and to prove that temptations can be overcome by the power and authority of the Holy Spirit.  If Satan could get Jesus to sin then the entire redemptive plan of God would be destroyed.

Three times Jesus was tempted by Satan. The first temptation was a temptation of the flesh.  Satan wanted Jesus to satisfy the flesh and distrust the Father’s ability to provide.  Satan’s plan of attack is always with “if” to create doubt in people’s mind.

The second temptation took trust to the next level. Satan says, “Ok, if you really trust God then jump off this cliff and see if He will save you.” Satans temptation was to make Jesus distrust and test God.

The third and final temptation was the big one. Satan tried to get Jesus to bypass all the suffering and just enjoy what was already His.  Satan was trying to keep Jesus from dying on the cross.

Jesus was tempted three times and each time Jesus used the Word of God to defeat the devil’s power. The temptation was real but the power of God gave way to victory. We have the same source and power to overcome any temptation we face.

Notice verse 11.  “Then the devil left Him.”  These are some great words. Aren’t you glad when the devil leaves you alone?

Prayer

Pray Matthew 6:13, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Unknown Places

Faith, Trust

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:8‬

Abraham is best known for being the father of the great nation of Israel, God’s chosen people.  In this passage of Scripture the unknown writer of Hebrews wants us to consider him as a model of faith not just because of his obedience to God but for something more.

God made a promise to Abraham that would require many years to accomplish.  Abraham was promised to be the father of many but in his retirement years he still didn’t have a child of his own. He took in his nephew, Lot, but he was more of a problem than a blessing. At 90 years of age, Sarah, gave birth to their only son, Isaac. Even though they only had one son it was all part of God’s plan as Hebrews 11:12 says, “therefore, from one man, where born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

What makes Abraham such a model of faith is summarized in Genesis 15:6, “And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.” God didn’t give Abraham all the details, He just wanted Abraham to trust Him daily. The writer could have used the example of Abraham going up the mountain to sacrifice his son, Isaac, but instead he used the example of him faithfully packing up his entire family and possessions to journey into a foreign land not knowing where he was going.  That is the kind of faith God expects from each of us.

We might not have all the details, but we can believe God will work out all the details in His timing.  God just wants us to believe and trust Him for all things. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6)  There are tremendous blessings for those who faithfully trust and obey God when traveling into the unknown places of life.

Pray as the apostles prayed, “Lord, increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5)

Concerning The Times

Encouragement, Faith, Salvation, Trust

Concerning The Times

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
1 Thessalonians 5:1

Anticipate The Day

There is great joy and great confidence in knowing that Jesus Christ is coming very soon.  In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul gives answers to the questions of what happens when someone dies and Jesus hasn’t come back.  But there are many questions of when is Jesus coming back for the church.  So Paul starts chapter 5 with a great statement to encourage Believers.  Just as the Thessalonians were curious about the coming of Jesus and the Rapture of the church so are many of us today.

Paul said we do not need any more information because we already have what we need to know.  He means this in a way that Christians are prepared for Jesus’ return and since no one knows the day or hour we stay alert and rejoice in the fact that Jesus is returning soon.  Acts 1:7 says, “He (Jesus) said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”  If we knew the exact time that Jesus was going to return it would either cause panic and fear if it were near or it would cause us to lose hope if it were a long time away.  What Paul does say that we need to know is the fact that the day is coming soon.  We should expect it to happen even if it were today.

Prayer

Pray for God to help you live a holy life with complete obedience to His Word and in anticipation of looking forward to the day of the Lord.