Temptation

My YouVersion.com reading plan currently is Major Beliefs. Today's reading is Luke, chapter 4. Looking for a graphic to show Christ's temptations, I was struck by the way Satan is portrayed as something we would turn from. That's not how he is.

Satan is an angelic being. His actions are not what God desires, but nothing indicates that temptations are noticeably undesirable. In fact, they appear completely desirable.

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. (Luke 4:1-3 KJV)

Look at what he first offered Jesus -- bread, a necessity of life. Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread, and He had been without bread during His fast. Our bodies crave food. How easy it would have been to simply provide a common necessity. Don't our necessities go beyond a single loaf of bread? Why not provide for one's self?

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Luke 4:4 KJV)

From my own experience, years went by when I did live by bread alone, without the word of God. Can't change that, can't make up for the time lost, but I can be filled to overflowing with His word now - to the point I share it with others, knowing it builds faith:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

The second temptation could have been the hardest for Jesus, who prayed that the 'cup' - the humiliating death on the cross - could be passed. The devil offered Him what he had no right to give:

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. (Luke 4:5-7 KJV)

Permitted in this world by God's omniscience, it does not belong to him - then or now:

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Luke 4:8 KJV)

Okay, if He wouldn't give in to bodily needs and was willing to face death, perhaps a small sign of His relationship to God would do. Sort of, "If you're really God's given Son, show me a bit of proof. I need to see it with my own eyes. Maybe I have the wrong man."

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Luke 4:9-11 KJV)

Once again Jesus quoted scriptures - God word - in response:

And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (Luke 4:12 KJV)

Where do you find yourself tempted? How do you recognize it? What's your response?

How many of us respond to temptations with scripture? What scriptures do we know to use when we're tempted? What scriptures do we remember that deal with what we should -- or should not -- be doing? How do we know something is a temptation? Aren't we supposed to get what we need? What we want? What we're entitled to? Do we believe there are consequences?