TEMPTATION (2)

THE WORD FOR TODAY
'Each one is tempted' James 1:14 NKJV James 1:14

Ignorance of Scripture is one of the greatest weapons satan has against you. Three times he tempted Jesus, and he used Scripture to do it! But he didn't prevail because Jesus knew what God's Word says-and doesn't say. We're vulnerable to satan's attacks when we know only snippets of Scripture and favourite passages instead of '...the whole counsel of God' (Acts 20:27 NKJV). Paul writes, 'All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work' (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV).

We get into trouble when we wrench a Scripture out of context, and make it a pretext for claiming something God never promised. Or if He did, we fail to read the fine print that spells out His terms and conditions. Paul commended the Thessalonians: '...when you received the Word of God...from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe' (1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV). Notice the order here: God's Word must first work in you before it works for you! We like to quote such Scriptures as '...whatever he does shall prosper' (Psalms1:3 NKJV), but you must take into account the preceding verses: 'Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night' (vv. 1-2 NKJV). If you want God's blessing, you must meet His conditions.