deygee

Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He orders his angels to protect you, and they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on the stone.'" Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'Do not test the Lord your God.'" Matthew 4:5-7 NLT Facing Temptation Know this: you are not the first [to be tempted], nor will you be the last. And do not despair; it doesn't indicate that you are failing spiritually. The fact is, it indicates that you are on the right track. You might be surprised to learn that it even happened to Jesus. After the dove came the devil. After the blessing came the trial. Immediately following His baptism, Jesus marched into the wilderness to be tempted. Yet Jesus, as our champion and representative, met Satan face-to-face—and won. We can both share in His victory and follow His example. [See Matthe...

Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth. Ephesians 6:14 NLT The belt of truth "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free," says Jesus (John 8:32). But what will the truth set us free from? First of all, it sets us free from the snares of deception. When people know the truth, they can't be taken in by a lie. You can't convince people to believe in something that they know in their hearts and minds is false. The truth will also set you free from guilt and shame. When you've held tightly to the truth, you don't have to worry about a lie coming back to haunt you. You don't spend your nights lying awake wondering what words of deception might trap and ensnare you. You are free to live with a clean conscience and an innocent heart. Finally, the truth sets you free from judgment. When you trust in the truth of Jesus, you have no more fear of death—physical or spiritual. You know his promises to be true and his words to be life-givin...

Lord, I have not abandoned my job as a shepherd for your people. I have not urged you to send disaster. It is your message I have given them, not my own. Lord, do not desert me now! You alone are my hope in the day of disaster. Bring shame and terror on all who persecute me, but give me peace. Yes, bring double destruction upon them! Jeremiah 17:16-18 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules. Psalm 119:9 NLT Simply obey Jeremiah knew that he had been faithful to God's call to warn the people to repent—a message God's people didn't want to hear. They persecuted Jeremiah. The prophet could have defended himself, but he chose not to. He simply obeyed and waited for God to take whatever action he chose. This is the sort of behavior Paul was talking about when he said, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone… Leave that to God. For it is written, 'I will take vengeance, I will repay those who deserve it,' says the Lord." (R...

After giving instructions to completely destroy a town, including its people and livestock, should the people of Israel be enticed to turn to the worship of foreign gods? Moses tells the people: Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a great nation, just as he solemnly promised your ancestors. The Lord your God will be merciful only if you obey him and keep all the commands I am giving you today, doing what is pleasing to him. Deuteronomy 13:12-18 NLT A sincere heart These verses make it clear that God's mercy is extended to those whose hearts are sincere. The Israelites were headed for a land that, much like our society today, was infested with materialism, the craving of creature comforts and "the good life." God is not interested in sharing his mercy with those who simply need a quick fix for the problems their sinful lifestyles h...