The Devil Takes Jesus To the Top of the Temple!

                               Day 3 Matthew 4:5-7


 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’  Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Having failed on his first attempt to get Jesus to use his powers before God’s time, the devil turns to appealing to Jesus’ pride. Again, he starts with, “If you are the Son of God.”  This time the devil uses a quote from Psalm 91, to distort the truth. But Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6 saying, “It is also written, do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Jesus uses scripture to correct the devil’s twisting of the scripture. Where in your life do you get tempted to prove yourself? When do you hear that voice, “If you were really (you fill in the blank)?”  As we realize who we are in Christ, we won’t feel the need to prove ourselves to others but rest in who we are in Him. You are perfect the way God made you!
Heavenly Father, you have created us in your image and made us your sons and daughters. Help us to be secure in our identity in You, so that we do not listen to the voices that tempt us . In Your name, Amen. 

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