I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it. Jesus is our example of how Christians are to live. If we base our behavior on secular lifestyles, we will fall short. We all face challenges in life, but when we look to Jesus, we can learn to live more pleasing lives for Him.

There isn’t an in-depth record of His life before He began His ministry on earth. We know the family moved to Egypt for a while (Matthew 2:13), and we also know that when He was 12 the Jewish teachers were astounded by His knowledge (Luke 2:46-47). When it was time to begin His ministry, it was important for Him to go alone into the wilderness to fast and pray.

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

The Holy Spirit guided Jesus, and He will guide us if we listen to His prompting. The word “tempted” comes from the Greek word “peirazo” and is more accurately testing rather than temptation. Why did Jesus have to be tested? First of all, Satan was arrogant enough to think he could make Jesus fail. By not falling for Satan’s treachery, Jesus showed Satan that He would defeat that wicked liar. Second, the example of Jesus overcoming the testing shows us that by adhering faithfully to God’s word, we can stand strong and not give in to sin. Satan will always try to test us when we are the weakest, and so he did with our Lord. Jesus was God incarnate, but He was also human, so we can follow His example.

After forty days without food, Satan assumed Jesus was weak and an easy target. Jesus’ body may have weakened, but His strength of spirit never faltered. Satan first attacked the weakness of the body. Jesus was hungry.

“And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matthew 4:2-3).

Satan tried to confuse Jesus by placing doubt in His mind, just as he had confused Eve in the Garden of Eden. He challenged Jesus to prove who He was by saying “If thou be the Son of God….” Satan knew who Jesus was, but he wanted Jesus to prove Himself. Jesus wouldn’t perform magic tricks for Satan. Later in His ministry, Jesus turned a few fish and some loaves of bread into enough food to feed multitudes of people, but on this day, He wouldn’t amuse Satan.

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Jesus quoted Scripture. He didn’t twist the meaning, nor was it taken out of context. “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make the know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

These words were spoken to the nation of Israel as a reminder of all God had done for them in the wilderness. Just as Jesus was hungry in the wilderness, so were the Israelites after they left Egypt. God fed them with manna. Actually, it was Jesus who sustained them as they wandered.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:47-51).

It is written… Jesus is the Bread of Life. Feed me, Lord, that my soul will never hunger.

Pride doesn’t give up, and neither did Satan. “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone” (Matthew 4:5-6).

Again, Satan tried to cause doubt by saying “If thou be the Son of God….” Satan just keeps throwing out the same fiery darts. His tactic has worked among much of humanity, but not against Jesus Christ. Jesus never forgot who He was and didn’t have to prove anything to Satan. Once again, Satan had twisted Scripture.

“Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against the stone” (Psalm 91:9-12).

All Satan asked was that Jesus prove who He was. Is that so bad? Angels would protect Him, right? If Jesus gave into the temptation to prove Himself to the god of this world, then Satan would go away, right? The heavenly angels would indeed protect Jesus if He called, but now wasn’t the time to call them.

“Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matthew 4:7). 

The word “tempt” here is “ekparazo” and means “to put to proof God’s character and power.” God doesn’t have to prove anything to Satan. Satan knows Scripture and can twist it to make sin seem like a good thing. Christians need to take Jesus’ example and use Scripture without twisting it.

“Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee” (Deuteronomy 6:16-17). 

Massah is where Moses struck the rock and water flowed from it. “And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they tempted the LORD saying, Is the LORD among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7).

It is written that Jesus Christ is our Rock, and from Him flows Living Water. Lord, let me drink from Your Living Water that I will thirst no more.

Satan is driven by pride. He should have given up, but he tried one more test. “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8-9).

Jesus knew what He would face in a few short years. He would be beaten to a bloody pulp and crucified. Jesus, who had no sin, would take every sin ever committed by mankind upon His own shoulders. Wouldn’t it have been easier for Jesus to bow a knee and worship Satan? That would have defeated God’s plan for our redemption. Jesus had to shed His blood as the final sacrifice to take away sin.

We face that testing, too, when we become a living sacrifice for our Lord. Satan tests us by putting temptation in our way. It may seem easier to give in to temptation. Just bow before Satan and join the lost world in sin. That way we won’t be laughed at when we skip a beer-bash or are mocked because we won’t commit adultery in order to live for Jesus who died for us. It is written that Jesus chose to suffer and be crucified for my sin rather than bow to Satan. He fulfilled prophecy and gives eternal life to everyone who calls on Him for salvation.

“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10).

Jesus is our example. When facing temptation, we can always find Scripture to guide us and to lead us away from the temptation that leads to sin.

“Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name” (Deuteronomy 10:20).

We are to only bow our knees and worship the Lord. We only serve Him. So, if Jesus was just a man, then we aren’t to worship Him, right? After the Resurrection, the disciples were all gathered in a locked room. The risen Christ appeared and Thomas was convinced that Jesus was, indeed, the Christ…the Messiah…God Almighty.

“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:28-29).

Jesus, may I always worship You in spirt and in truth. My Lord and my God.

I’m amazed at the pride and arrogance of Satan. He actually thought that he could cause Jesus to stumble. It was pride that caused Satan to fall from his place among the heavenly angels.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou has said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:12-14).

Pride was Satan’s downfall, and it will also get in our way of serving our Lord. Satan, that wicked liar, won’t always be spreading his prideful lies.

“Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isaiah 14:15).

Until that day we need walk close to our Lord and not allow pride to stumble our walk with Him. We must stand on Scripture as it is written without twisting it to accommodate our own lusts. Satan tried to test Jesus, and he will test you too.

After the testing came relief. “Then the devil leaveth him and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him” (Matthew 4:11).

As Christians, we can count on testing and temptation. Eve had tried to debate with Satan, and he was able to confuse her and make her believe God was the liar. He made sin look tempting, and by twisting God’s words, he convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. When facing temptation, don’t try to match wits with Satan. Simply stand firm on Scripture and do what God requires.

How did Jesus counter the attacks? He quoted Scripture. It is written, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Jesus, may I always follow Your example and live to please You.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

What an amazing time to be alive! Prophecy is being fulfilled so fast, it’s hard to keep up. The world seems to be falling apart, and cold-hearted violence is everywhere. In truth, that’s the way of the world. Satan is the god of this world and he’s a loser. He and his minions have no love for humanity and have patiently corrupted the minds and hearts of many people who are allowing hatred to rule their lives. Christians are the only people who are standing in the way of Satan totally taking over the world because we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. As long as we’re here, we need to take a stand for Jesus. How can the lost people of the world ever come to salvation if we keep silent?

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:13-14). 

The news is filled with reports of violent riots in cities throughout the United States, and they just don’t quit. The people who are destroying businesses and people’s livelihood are filled with a satanic hatred that’s hard for me to understand. When I see their faces in news reports, my heart breaks. These people need prayer. They’re lost and ignorantly being led by other people who are lost. They aren’t the enemy; Satan is. Satan has gripped their lives, and his hatred flows through their actions. Are we to hate them? We need to follow the example of Christ and pray for them. We need to tell them about Jesus.

Those of us who say we follow Christ need to get about the business of presenting the Gospel to this lost world. It’s not only those who are rioting who need to hear, but lawmakers who pass laws that legalize sin and who are doing their best to stop Christians from worshipping together. You might ask your neighbors if they know Jesus. If they don’t, then share the Good News with them. Can you explain to someone who’s not a bad person, by human standards, why they need to repent and accept Jesus? It might be a good idea to study Scripture now. Everyone sins, but when facing God’s judgment, that isn’t an acceptable defense for your sin.

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin began in the Garden of Eden, and sin separates us from God. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). 

Because God loved us with perfect love, He provided the only way for us to spend eternity with Him. He entered His creation and willingly offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption. He shed His own blood for you and me.

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

If you’ve accepted His free gift of salvation, then you need to share the Gospel with others.

Many Christians are under the false impression that life is continuing just like it always has. They see the horrible violence happening worldwide but like to say, “These things have always happened and every generation has felt they lived in the final days.” The people who say that don’t study Biblical prophecy. Peter told us that this would be the attitude of many people in the last days.

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

It’s understandable that a non-believer might say that, but it’s hard to understand how those words can come from a Christian. Yes, I’ve heard those words from the mouths of more than one Christian. Jesus fulfilled many prophecies at His first coming, such as the virgin birth, being born in Bethlehem, and the manner in which He would die. That wasn’t the end of prophecy. Since Israel was reinstated as a nation in 1948, many, many more prophecies have been fulfilled. It won’t be long until the Rapture happens and Daniel’s 70^th week begins… just as prophecy says.

From the time of Abraham, the Jewish nation has been God’s chosen people. Throughout their history they have sometimes been in proper fellowship with God, and other times they’ve fallen away. When Jesus came the first time, He walked among the Jewish people to bring them to faith in Him. Sadly, the leaders rejected Him. A spiritual blindness has prevailed among most of those people since then.

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25).

That blindness is beginning to lift. That fact alone tells us that the end times are upon us. It won’t be long until Christians are taken Home in the Harpazō (also known as the Rapture). We don’t know when it will happen, but prophecy points to it being very soon. That’s why we need to take a stand for Jesus and share the Good News with everyone… including those mislead people who are raging a violent attack on America as they riot in the streets.

Since God alone knows what number constitutes the fullness of the Gentiles and when that fullness will come about, what should we be doing? Should we sit idle and speculate on dates that the Rapture might occur, or should we work to bring the lost to salvation so the fullness of the Gentiles will be accomplished? Jesus told us to preach the Gospel.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

That wasn’t a suggestion by our Lord, but a command. Maybe you aren’t called to go to Portland, Oregon, or to New York City and evangelize to the rioters, and maybe you’re not called to travel to remote jungles to share the Gospel, but you are called to preach the Gospel to every creature.

Picture this: You’re walking in the park one day and see an old man sitting on a bench. He looks very sad and a little afraid. You have a sudden urge to speak to him. He’s a widower, and his children all live in another state. He’s just found out he has cancer and only has a few months to live. You could pat him on the shoulder and say, “I’m sorry,” or you could say, “I’m sorry but can I ask if you know Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life He offers?” It might take some courage to speak to him about Jesus, and you need to have answers to any questions he might ask. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he was the one? The last Gentile that would trigger the Rapture?

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

You have to let him know that only Jesus Christ will bring eternal life. Whether or not he’s the one who brings about the Rapture isn’t your call. He’s a sinner who needs to know that Jesus Christ offers eternal life. He needs to ask Jesus to forgive him before it’s too late.

Jonah is an interesting figure in history, and most of us have some idea of what he did. God called him to go to the evil and wicked city of Nineveh and tell them to turn from their sin or they would be destroyed. Of course, Jonah ran in the opposite direction! Does that sound like Christians today? God says to go and be a witness, but we run. It took a life-changing experience for Jonah to finally do what God said.

“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17).

After the great fish vomited Jonah onto the shore, he reluctantly went to Nineveh. Jonah hoped they would ignore his words and that God would destroy them. He was very disappointed that the leader and all the people of Nineveh repented and their judgment was delayed for many years. If you’re a Christian, then you’ve had a life-changing experience by accepting Christ as your Saviour. Are you, like Jonah, running away from sharing the message of salvation with others? Do you think that some people just don’t deserve to hear the Good News? Jesus gave all of us a job to do. We must share the Gospel of Christ. Jesus said we must.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Baptizing is important, and I don’t want to marginalize it, but what good is baptizing someone who doesn’t understand the reason behind it? We need to preach the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and tell the lost why they need salvation.

Every Christian should be anticipating the Rapture. There are many signs that tell us it’s on the very near horizon, and it’s not wrong to be very excited. God wants us to anticipate it. Paul tells us there’s a reward waiting for those who look forward to His coming.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

Believe me, I’m as anxious for the Harpazō as anyone, but I must be about my Father’s business right up until I hear His voice calling me Home, or until I die. Is there any way to hurry it along? Well, since we are to be Raptured when the fullness of Gentiles is complete, I need to tell more people about Jesus. It’s much better to be out there on the battlefront preaching the Gospel instead of sitting around and dreaming of the Rapture. Scripture encourages us to evangelize. The Rapture of Christians must occur before Jesus’ Second Advent. We are to yearn for it, and until our last breath, we need to do what we can to share the Gospel.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

That’s the question at the heart of the matter of evangelism. Do you love Him? Do you love Him enough to keep His commandments and go and teach all nations, even your own? Prophecy is exciting and a great study; there is much to learn and be excited about. Through the study of prophecy, we know that the Harpazō is imminent, which means it can occur at any moment. That’s very exciting. There’s nothing standing in the way of that awesome event except possibly that one person God has been putting on your heart to seek out and speak to. Maybe it’s the old man on the park bench or a waitress at your local café. Listen to the urging of the Holy Spirit and share God’s truth.

What’s stopping you from sharing the Gospel? The events that are unfolding in Israel and in the streets of America tell us that time is swiftly coming to an end. Obey Jesus’ command to share the Gospel. Don’t let anything stop you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.