God's Throne of Grace
Our youth pastor, Rob Lashua, on Sunday asked the question, "Are you tired of failure in your Christian walk? Are you still struggling with the same sins you struggled with when you first became a Christian?" He admitted that he was and I thought about my own life which is far from perfection. He offered three main points regarding our current trials and how Jesus too had been tempted in similar ways. Rob consulted Matthew 4:1-11 where the devil tempts Jesus after He had spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting in the desert.
First, the temptation to satisfy His physical appetite of hunger by "turning to stones into bread." Pas. Lashua noted that Satan attacks us in our physical needs (hunger, thirst, sex, or other desires of the flesh) just like he did with Jesus. But rather than give in to the devil's scheme, Jesus spoke scripture in return. How often am I tempted and rather than consider scripture I go with my "feelings" or "heart" which do not carry the godly accuracy of the Word?
Second, the temptation for personal gain, in other words, make yourself known to the people and popular in the culture by coming down from the temple and taking your place as Messiah. Satan knows scripture and thus quotes Psalm 91 about the angels coming to save Him. Satan knows scriptures, so that makes it even more important for me to know it, especially in a culture that is full of blasphemy. I need the Lord's wisdom and knowledge written on my heart.
Third, the temptation for power and glory. The devil notes that he will give Jesus all that He sees, if He'll bow down and worship him. To that Jesus has heard enough, quotes scripture and sends the devil packing, which of course, He could have done initially, but didn't so that we could hear of His temptations which were bigger than most we would ever incur. So the question for us is, do we send the devil packing or do we saddle up next to him when he wants us to make power and glory our idols?
Pas. Lashua offered Romans 6:11-14, "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."
Lastly, he quoted Hebrews 4:15-16, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
What all this said to me, was that my continual slips in judgement were predicted and expected by God, or He would not have had to sacrifice His Son or have a "throne of grace…so that we may receive mercy," because it would not have been necessary. But He also reminds us, "sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace," so my way out of long-term sin is trusting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, daily confessing my sins, and praying for Him to give me His strength in my areas of weakness.
First, the temptation to satisfy His physical appetite of hunger by "turning to stones into bread." Pas. Lashua noted that Satan attacks us in our physical needs (hunger, thirst, sex, or other desires of the flesh) just like he did with Jesus. But rather than give in to the devil's scheme, Jesus spoke scripture in return. How often am I tempted and rather than consider scripture I go with my "feelings" or "heart" which do not carry the godly accuracy of the Word?
Second, the temptation for personal gain, in other words, make yourself known to the people and popular in the culture by coming down from the temple and taking your place as Messiah. Satan knows scripture and thus quotes Psalm 91 about the angels coming to save Him. Satan knows scriptures, so that makes it even more important for me to know it, especially in a culture that is full of blasphemy. I need the Lord's wisdom and knowledge written on my heart.
Third, the temptation for power and glory. The devil notes that he will give Jesus all that He sees, if He'll bow down and worship him. To that Jesus has heard enough, quotes scripture and sends the devil packing, which of course, He could have done initially, but didn't so that we could hear of His temptations which were bigger than most we would ever incur. So the question for us is, do we send the devil packing or do we saddle up next to him when he wants us to make power and glory our idols?
Pas. Lashua offered Romans 6:11-14, "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."
Lastly, he quoted Hebrews 4:15-16, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
What all this said to me, was that my continual slips in judgement were predicted and expected by God, or He would not have had to sacrifice His Son or have a "throne of grace…so that we may receive mercy," because it would not have been necessary. But He also reminds us, "sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace," so my way out of long-term sin is trusting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, daily confessing my sins, and praying for Him to give me His strength in my areas of weakness.
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| Rest in His grace and mercy today. |
It is so hard at times to live for Christ. I think also of what Paul says in Ephesians 6:12. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". We must be filled with the Word to defeat Satan's attacks. Kate, I'm praying for you. That you will be spirit filled and ready at all times for battle. "Great is He that is in you, than He that is in the world". I John 4:4.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful you wrote this as I really got a lot out of it. To count myself dead to sin, yet alive to Christ takes His Holy Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death...but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.
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