Matthew 4:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 4:1

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” – Matthew 4:1

After His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.  This is looked at as the first act of His ministry, a battle so to speak with Satan.  This was not something He did of His own accord but was led there by the Spirit for a purpose.  I believe that purpose was to show that He could be tempted and not fall as man has, and thus reveal who He actually is, the one who could and would pay the penalty for our sins.  Note a similar situation of temptation.  “The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” Genesis 3:4-7.  They also were tempted by Satan, however, they listened to him rather than God.  They believed the words of the serpent and followed what he said.

Jesus, on the other hand, did not fall into Satan’s trap.  The first temptation was “And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Matthew 4:2-3.  Here, Satan told Jesus how to address His hunger.  But Jesus quoted Deuteronomy to answer him.  “He humbled you and let you be hungry and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”  Deuteronomy 8:3. In other words, what proceeds from God is what man lives by, not simply bread.

Then Satan brings Him to the pinnacle of the temple for the second temptation.  “and said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.”  Matthew 4:6. This is a quote from the Psalms. “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.”  Psalm 91:11.   Satan attempted to use scripture himself, however, “Jesus said to him, On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.” This is a quote from Deuteronomy which says, “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.” Deuteronomy 6:16. Notice the words of Jesus “On the other hand, it is written…”

Then lastly, the third temptation, which he did from the top of a very high mountain.  “And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:9. And of course, He again quoted scripture with this.  “Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it is written, YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY ” Matthew 4:10.  And this is a quotation from Deuteronomy again.  “You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,” Deuteronomy 6:13-14.

This is why we need to study the scriptures and get to know what God said.  Jesus used scripture to answer all the temptations placed on Him by Satan, and this is a good way for us to fight temptation.  Knowing what God says is good and what He says is sin will give us the weapons we need to resist him and get him to flee from us.  We need to take advantage of this so we will be able to say “NO!” to Satan when he tries to defeat us.  Remember the words of James when he wrote, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. And the way to submit to Him is to follow His word completely.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

James 4:7

Verse of the Day Devotion: James 4:7

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7

This is a very familiar verse to most, and one that is incredibly wise.  It definitely deals with our Christian walk and what we find important.  I say that because that which we give our attention to is that which we find important to us.

So, the first part of our focus verse tells us to submit to God.  This is not a partial submission that James is speaking of.  It does not mean we submit to those things we agree with only.  This means we are to submit to God in everything.  He calls us to a humble life before Him. “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” James 4:10. God knows better than anyone else what is best for us.  Sometimes He will call us to a time of rest and peace.  Other times, He will call us to a place of difficulty, where there is persecution and humiliation.  It is easy to submit to Him when times are easy.  However, we must also submit to Him in the hard times.  Saul is an excellent example of a hard calling but also total submission.  When God told Ananias to go to Saul, we read “But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” Acts 9:13-14.  “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.’” Acts 9:15-16.  Saul, later known as Paul, knowing that this would be a hard life, one filled with suffering, submitted completely to God, knowing that what He allowed was the best for himself and anyone he ministers to and with.

While we yield to God in all things at all times, we are never to yield to the enemy in anything.  In whatever way he comes to us, we must resist and oppose him.  There is nothing good he has to offer us. Whatever he says will always be in opposition to the plan of God.  He is destined for eternal torment, and he will do whatever he can to take as many as possible with him.  He will offer things that sound so good.  His ways are deceitful, for he promises good and delivers death.  We must not argue with him, but with strength and conviction, resist him.  And the best tool to resist him is to know God and His voice.  “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;” Study His word, pray without ceasing.  Become so close to Him that there is no way we can mistake the enemy’s voice for God’s.  We must resist the devil through our submission to God.  His Spirit will guide us into all truth.   And when we do resist him, he will flee from us.  This is a promise of God.  For true resistance of the devil comes through submission to God.  He cannot defeat true believers who have committed their lives to God.

Therefore, live a life of total submission to God.  It is the only way to live. William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Matthew 4:5

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Matthew 4:5 

“Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple.” – Matthew 4:5

Over these three days we will be looking at, in Matthew, the temptation of Jesus.  There were three specifically mentioned in Matthew 4, which we will address. God sent Him out to be tempted. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1. These three testings’ were not for God to see what happens, for God knows all things. Isaiah said the following regarding this idea. “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10.  God also is showing the contrast between Adam and Eve and the Christ.  Jesus proved Himself by not giving into Satan’s temptation as Adam and Eve did, which was not to God but to the world.  Also showing that temptations itself is not a sin, but our response may be.

The second temptation regards testing God. Jesus had thwarted Satan in the first temptation, so now Satan moves on to another.  In our focus verse we read, “Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple.” Matthew 4:5.  Jesus is now taken to Jerusalem, the Holy City.  The word pinnacle refers to an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. It  looks like a small spire. Many believe the highest point was the ‘wing’ or ‘portico’, but it is unknown as to the exact place.

Again, Satan uses the conditional statement found in the first temptation. “If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.‘” Matthew 4:6.  This time, in using the ‘if you are the Son of God’, Satan is now quoting scripture, just as Jesus had done in the first one.  The scripture quoted is, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:11.  He misused this scripture in his attempt to mislead Jesus.  The psalm speaks of times when we find ourselves in difficult times, God is there to help us.  This does not mean we should deliberately put ourselves in these situations, but this is what Satan was telling Jesus.  In essence, ‘go ahead and jump off this building, nothing is going to happen to you.’  However, we are not to test God by manufacturing a difficulty, which is what voluntarily jumping off the building would be.  Jesus said this by quoting another verse in Deuteronomy.  “YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.” Matthew 4:7b.  Jesus quoted a verse as well, though His was accurate in His rendering and meaning. 

As the verse in Deuteronomy says, we must not put the Lord our God to the test.  We see this clearly in Exodus. “And he named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” Exodus 17:7. We must not go to Him seeking proof from Him via some miraculous sign.  If a miracle is necessary, He will make it happen.  But to do something to make a miracle necessary, such as jumping off the temple, is not good and is simply putting God to the test.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Ephesians 4:26-27

Verse of the Day Devotion: Ephesians 4:26-27 

“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil.       

We all, I am sure, have been angry with a brother or sister in Christ.  It could be for various reasons, but we need to be careful how we react to these situations.  In reading this, Paul is not saying that anger is a sin, but it is our response that can be sinful.  Note the phrase, ‘be angry, and yet do not sin.’  Anger at sin is not wrong.  And displaying displeasure for a bad action is not sinful either.  We should be unhappy with actions or deeds that are not for the glory of God and the good of others.  However, we must be careful that we do not go beyond what is of a Godly manner.

This same idea is expressed in the psalms, where we read, “Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still. Selah.” Psalm 4:4.  This is a writing by David in response to ungodly people who are acting against the way God desires.  “O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah. But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; The LORD hears when I call to Him.” Psalm 4:2-3. This is probably referring to Absalom and his men, whom he calls ‘sons of men’ responding to their situation of human feelings and passions, far from how God would desire them to.  This could very well refer to David’s rank and the desire of them, in their rebellion, to rob him of his position as king and reduce him to a lowly position.  What David was telling them was, just as Paul said, be angry but do not sin.  If they think they have a cause to be angry, they should not let it carry them to rebellion against God and their king.  He was chosen as king by God, for them to rebel against him was to go against the will of God, which is sin.

We may disagree with someone about something, or we may not like what someone has done, but we must be careful how we respond.  Again, we can be angry, but it must not take us to a sinful response.  Unfortunately, we are not perfect, but we must not go to sleep angry.  If we do get angry with someone, we must address it quickly so that we do not carry it for days or more.  We should not go to sleep with any unkind or unchristian feelings.  We must go to God and pray that we can resolve it quickly,  If we allow the anger to fester, it may produce malice and revenge.  This prolonged temper cannot bring about peace of conscience or the approval of God. 

And lastly, we must not allow the devil to take this anger and use it for his purposes.  He will strive to influence us through our anger and irritation of spirit to take our mind off of the ways of God to address them via our own fallen desires.  He will work to get us to gossip and spread our anger to others and help us to feel somewhat better for the opportunity to tell others what someone did to us.  This is not good and will not end well.

Things are going to make us angry: we live in a fallen world and we are not perfect.  Again, anger in and of itself is not wrong.  It is our response that can bring us to sin.  However, we must understand that no one is perfect, not even ourselves.  I am sure I have made people angry for things I have said and done.  However, as we want people to be gracious with us when we wrong someone, we should do the same when other wrong us.  Remember what Jesus said, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 7:12.  Do we want someone to be gracious to us when we slip up?  Then we need to be gracious to others when they do.  Make things right as soon as possible, then move forward and live as God desires.   

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

1 Peter 5:8

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Peter 5:8 

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8            

This verse paints a very clear picture of something many do not think about.  There are two who are watching us.  God, of course, whose interest is for our good. He knows us like no other, and He loves us with an everlasting love.  Then there is the other one.  It is known as the Devil, or Satan.  These words truly describe what he is.  The word devil comes from the Greek word ‘diabolos’ meaning false accuser and slanderer.  The word Satan comes from the Greek word ‘satanas’ meaning accuser, as found in a courtroom.  He is also referred to as the enemy. “and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.” Matthew 13:39.

This verse is telling us we must be on watch for his activities.  He is not going to come right out and say, “It is time to tempt you.”  He will come without us recognizing it.  His desire and goal is to destroy us because He hates us who love God, who love God and follow Him. As Peter Davids puts it in his commentary on 1 Peter, ‘there is a devil who wants to destroy those who are committed to God’.

And Satan has several methods to make us fall and possibly deny Christ. First there is persecution.  He will bring across our paths people or objects that will display incredible hatred toward us.  In many countries, this is a common lifestyle for Christians, such as China, North Korea, Islamic ruled countries and now much of India. And we are beginning to see it even more in the United States.  He tempts us using fear that we will be beaten, jailed or killed.  He uses various methods in order to scare us into denouncing Christ.  Sometimes he will use humiliation.  I once saw a person deny Christ in the midst of verbal abuse.  If it works, he will use it.  Another method is temptation.  This can be presented in several forms.  The first is to promise good things if we give in.  Payment for wrongdoing is one example.  Second, there is prodding our desires we have to sin.  He knows our weaknesses, and he will do what he can to exploit them so we fall.  And if he can make it happen, to give up our Christian walk for fulfilled desires, he will do it. 

There are so many things that could be said here, but just realize there are as many ways he tempts us as there are people.  We must stay on the alert for Satan’s ways, and we must resist him.  “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:7.  James gives us several steps to beat it.  First, submit to God.  We must give ourselves to Him continually, only doing God’s will, and not our own or the enemy’s.  And when we submit to God, we resist the devil.  There are two things that encompass most of his temptations: pride and envy.  And ways we resist are through faith, humble prayers and heavenly wisdom.  Also, stay away from areas that can tempt us. Whatever is tempting to us, we must avoid.  If you do all these things, James says the devil will flee from us.

And one last thing, we need to cast all our cares on Him.  (See 1 Peter 5:7.)  Many times we stumble because we are anxious about something and we will do whatever it takes to resolve it.  Cast all cares on God, trusting Him completely, and the enemy will lose a huge tool.  Again, be watchful and clear hearted.  When you see the enemy working, resist him.  And when he flees, life will get a bit easier.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.