“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only”’” (Matthew 4:8-10).

This temptation Satan presented Jesus with is what you and I deal with every day. Satan is the master of targeted marketing! He knows what we want, and he makes every effort to hand it to us on a silver platter. He makes it look so easy, so beautiful, so tempting. For example, he knew that Jesus had come to serve as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, so Satan offered him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And notice this: the scripture says that the devil took him to a “very high” mountain. Satan is making every effort to impress. A mountain is high anyway, so a high mountain would be significantly higher than most mountains. And a very high mountain would be astonishingly high, with a vantage point to see all there is to see. The devil was showing Jesus All the kingdoms of the world. What Satan did not seem to understand was that Jesus was already supreme ruler of all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. Jesus had nothing to gain by worshipping Satan; he knew that he did not need anything Satan had to offer. He was, and is, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

What do we want? What is our weak spot? Is it desire for more stuff, more popularity, more power, more recognition, more security, more thrills? My temptations are different from yours, but Satan knows what will make each of our mouths water for more and he is dishing it up on a silver platter. Once you are aware of this, it is more obvious. Satan is asking us to exchange the truth for a lie. He is asking us to worship something/anything that God created rather than the Creator Himself, in return for, well, an empty promise. Don’t let yourself be fooled. There is no good thing he can give us that we don’t already have.

What we as believers must realize (and continually remind ourselves) is that we are already everything we want to be in Christ, and we already have everything we need in Christ. Of course, we are progressing in sanctification, and the journey is not easy. Jesus was already perfect, so he had different reasons for going through his trials. He was paying the price for our sins so that, despite all our efforts, we would not otherwise come up short. Without the work of Jesus on our behalf, we would never be able to throw off our yoke of enslavement to Satan. Although the reasons for our trials and testing differ from Jesus’s, they are vitally important to strengthening our relationship with God, both now and forever. “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Matthew 4:10).

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Deuteronomy 5:6-7).

In Christ,

Judy

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’” (Matthew 4:7).

Now this is really challenging. Satan is throwing Scripture in Jesus’ face. However, we should not be deceived. Consider Satan’s objective. He is asking Jesus to create an unnatural situation. He is asking Jesus to jump off the top of the temple, which would mean certain death. Satan is taunting him and suggesting that Jesus should test God because certainly God would not let him be harmed. So, Jesus rightly rebuked Satan by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16 “Do not put the Lord your God to the test (as you did at Massah).” Massah refers to the time when the Israelites were coming out of Egypt. They had been rescued out of slavery by God’s chosen deliverer Moses, then miraculously traveled through the waters of the Red Sea escaping from the Egyptians who were chasing them. Once they were safely across and had arrived at Massah, they began to complain about the lack of food and water, as though God would have rescued them only to let them starve.

Have you ever considered that our propensity to act independently without seeking God’s guidance could be a sin, that Satan might be tempting us to make an ungodly decision? When we decide to “take a chance” and hope that God will bless our decision, are we not testing God? I know I am convicted of this as I write! I can remember far too many times when I acted on a decision, then asked God to bless it. As I ponder this Scripture, I believe I was putting God to the test. I know that God will act as His sovereign will ordains. How many blessings do we miss by taking matters into our own hands rather than seeking His will?

In our world of constant input from a myriad of sources, it is such a challenge to sort through all the different messages we receive every day from our family, friends, authority figures in church and government, news sources, television, internet, and Facebook. How can we know what is of God and what is of Satan, especially when many sources either quote the Bible or speak in a way that seems good and righteous? We must be discerning. Even Jesus told his disciples as he sent them on their way: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

How can we be discerning? It is not enough to know Scripture. We must study Scripture to learn the character and attributes of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. That way we can properly apply the Scriptures to our situations in life. Even when our circumstances are dire, we do not have to resort to extreme solutions unless it is clear that God is leading us. We can wait on Him, knowing that his plans are “to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

In Christ,

Judy

“The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread’” (Matthew 4:3).

Jesus had already been in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. He had been fasting. The Scriptures say he was hungry. I know I would be.

I used to be a runner (please do not act too surprised). Back in 1999 and 2000, I trained for a marathon, so I ran some fairly long distances. My goal, which I accomplished, was to complete the first Country Music Marathon in Nashville in April 2000. I developed a training plan, and I was very faithful to this and to my goal, so most weeks I had at least one long run that got progressively longer as the weeks went by in preparation for the ultimate 26.2-mile event. I ran in all types of weather. And it never failed that about halfway through my run that I began to think all kinds of negative thoughts, such as “Why am I doing this?” “You don’t have to do this,” “You are crazy to be doing this,” “You can quit now, and no one would blame you.”

I doubt if these negative messages were coming from the devil, because my goal was not part of a ministry or Christian maturity effort. However, I do understand how easy it can be to be persuaded to stop doing something that is difficult. I do not know if I could have lasted 40 days and nights all alone in the wilderness without food, knowing I had the power to create food or the ability to just walk back into town and find a meal.

Jesus is both fully God and fully man, and in his humanity, he was tempted. He had those same voices telling him that he did not have to go through this ordeal. Just turn these stones into bread. He was not being tempted with prime rib or cheesecake, just some plain bread, right? But Jesus was in this time of testing as an act of obedience to God, and he knew this was the devil tempting him. What was Jesus’ response to the devil? “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).

Jesus knew that he had not just fasted 40 days and 40 nights to wind up giving in. He had a purpose to accomplish, to prove that he could overcome the temptation of the devil, to prove his power over the devil and so identify with humans in our challenges to overcome temptation. To accomplish this goal, Jesus had to do several things.

1. Jesus had to have a purpose and a plan. Whenever I walk into a situation that I know could include temptation, I know I need a plan. For example, if I am going to an event with a buffet, I know I cannot hover over the buffet table without grazing. If I am going to stay on my diet, I need to have a purpose for my attendance at the event that does not include going near the buffet.
2. Jesus had to be in communication with God. It is amazing how the Spirit answers our prayers when we call on him to ask for guidance and strength to overcome.
3. Jesus had to know that it was the devil talking. It was going to be either God or the devil advising him. James says we are tempted by the desires of our heart, so a foundational goal for us is to align our desires with those of God.
4. Jesus had to know the Word of God. This is the only way to accomplish that alignment referenced in #3 above. By studying the Scriptures, we can learn what is of God and what is of the devil.
5. Jesus had to confront the devil with power. As the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:10-17, to effectively battle the devil, we must put on the full armor of God which includes  the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Brothers and sisters, we can overcome the temptation of the devil. We just need to follow Jesus’ example and have a goal of obedience, call on the Holy Spirit to conform our hearts to His, pray for guidance and strength, study the Word of God, and boldly call His Name. We need to ask forgiveness when we fail and then keep on trying. In this way, we will be blessed.

“For this reason, he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18).

In Christ,

Judy

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (Matthew 4:1-2).

Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. In last week’s devotional, the topic was testing; today we will talk about temptation. Understand that temptation is not the same as testing in the biblical sense. Temptation comes from the devil, and it is for our harm. Testing is from God, and it is for our good. So, you may ask, why would a good God who is all-powerful allow us to be tempted? It all goes back to the Fall, when Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lies rather than God’s truth. The consequences have been severe. Our world is corrupted, and we are corrupted. Even when we accept Christ as our Savior, as long as we live in this fallen world we will continue to be subjected to temptation. But remember is not God who tempts us. As James writes, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” (James 1:13-14).

This does not fully answer the question of why, though, does it? For that, we need to continue to explore the Word of God, and the answer comes in observing Christ in the wilderness. As the verse above states: “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” This event was an intentional and critical time in the life and ministry of Christ to prove his power over the devil. In the same way, God allows temptation to occur in our fallen world so that we can learn to be like Christ. Learning to overcome temptation is part of our maturing process, preparing us for ministry.

Although God allows us to be tempted, he does not leave us alone in our temptation. As the Apostle Paul writes: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

So, I think I know what you are thinking, because it is what I am thinking. This is all well and good, but unlike Christ, I have not been 100% effective in overcoming temptation. He is sinless. I am not. I have veered off the path and made some pretty bad decisions in my day. And that does not take into account all my daily actions, thoughts and words that are not Christ-like. So, what does this mean for my maturity and ministry, and yours?

Praise God that Jesus was sensitive to the fact that we are not perfect, and he gives us guidance.

• Jesus advises in the Lord’s prayer to pray to God: “do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13).
• He also advised us to remain diligent:“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

But because we will not be 100% perfect until we achieve our glorified state after our physical death, God has been gracious to provide for us a way through the mess we sometimes make of our lives.

• Speaking through the Apostle Paul, we know that “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
• And we know that “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
• “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
• All we must do is to accept, believe, and receive what Jesus did for us. “…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

This is the good news of the Gospel that believers celebrate all year long, but especially during Easter. Jesus Christ died for us, and his death paid the price of our sins. And we can rest assured that no matter how we fall short, we are overcomers through Christ. Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

In Christ,

Judy

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (Matthew 4:1-2).

Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. Our topic is testing. We will talk about temptation next week; but know this, temptation is not the same as testing in the biblical sense. Temptation comes from the devil, and it is for our harm. Testing is from God, and it is for our good.

When we are given instruction, whether it be at school, at work, or in life in general, we should be tested to see what we have learned. When we fall short, then we know what we need to work on. God tests our faithfulness from time to time, and when we fall short, guess what? We find out what we need to work on. God’s desire for us is that we be found ready when he comes to take us to our final home. God is testing us for our good.

There are many examples in the Bible of God testing his people:

• In Genesis 2:16-17, God gave Adam an instruction: “And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” This was a test; Adam and Eve failed.

• God promised Abraham that he would be the father of the nation of Israel. Then, “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son” (Hebrews 11:7). Also, reference Genesis 22:1. This was a test; Abraham passed.

• When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, “He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you” (Deuteronomy 8:16). In Hebrews 3:8, we learn how the Israelites performed on this test: “Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness.”

• In Judges 3:1, we learn that “These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan.” Have you ever considered that wartime could be a test imposed on us by God?

• In the New Testament, when Jesus was faced with the crowds of hungry people, hungry for his Word and for food, his asked one of his disciples, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do” (John 6:5-6). And of course, we know that Jesus fed the five thousand with the five loaves and two fishes, with food left over.

• The Apostle Paul, who endured many trials and obstacles in his missionary work, acknowledged that God tests our faithfulness. “On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

These are just a few examples. Perhaps if we have this perspective on the tests and trials that come our way, we will be more eager to demonstrate our obedience and faith so as to be found pleasing to our Master. And as we continue to grow in faith, perhaps we can even model the psalmist, who in his wisdom writings communicated his desire to be conformed to the character of God by praying intensely for testing, examination, and trials.

“Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind” (Psalm 26:2).
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:23).

In Christ,

Judy

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” (Matthew 4:1-2)

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. It seems like we have just celebrated Christmas and the arrival of the New Year with all the associated festivities. We have been experiencing a challenging winter with snow and ice and power outages. We praise God for his supreme sovereignty over the seasons and his promise that Spring is on the way with milder temperatures and the greening of the grass and trees and the arrival of flowers (my personal favorite). During Spring, we celebrate Easter and proclaim the resurrection of Christ. For the forty or so days before Easter, we may also celebrate a special time in the formal Church calendar called Lent.

By observing the forty days of Lent, Christians remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. Lent is marked by fasting, both from food and festivities. Lent officially begins today, Ash Wednesday, and ends on Easter Sunday, April 5. In case you are doing the math, the forty days of Lent include all the days except Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During Lent, we are celebrating Christ’s resurrection, and since Christians already celebrate resurrection every Sunday, Sundays are not included in Lent.

Many denominations do not formally recognize Lent, and you will not find it referenced in the Bible. Some people think of it as a time of fasting, and more especially giving up something you love, like chocolate or coffee as a personal sacrifice (or perhaps to lose weight or kick a habit and typically following a blow-out celebration on the day before called Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras in French).

Despite what modern culture might make of Lent, it is intended to be a season of reflection and preparation before Easter, which is the most solemn and significant season of the year. The culmination of Jesus’ earthly ministry was his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, which we celebrate during Easter. Jesus prepared to begin his earthly ministry with this time of temptation in the wilderness. It was intense, and he tested himself to the limit to prepare himself for the trials that were to come his way.

In only three short years, Jesus started a movement that changed the world. The number of Christians grew by approximately 40% per decade during the first and second centuries. As of 2020, Christianity is still the largest religion in the world with an estimated 28.8% of the world population. (Islam is next, with 25.6% and Hinduism is 14.9%. 24.2% are unaffiliated.) * Jesus began his public ministry when he found John the Baptist and asked him to baptize him. Here is the story, chronologically:

1. Matthew 3:16-17: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”
2. Then Matthew 4:1-2 records that “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^] by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
3. After his time of temptation in the wilderness was completed, he withdrew to Galilee. “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’” (Matthew 4:13, 17).

By observing the forty days of Lent, Christians commemorate Jesus Christ’s withdrawal into the wilderness for 40 days following his baptism by John the Baptist, as he prepares for his active ministry. In the weeks ahead, we will explore more regarding Jesus’ time in the wilderness, his testing and temptation. We will learn how we can model Jesus to overcome temptation.

As we commemorate this act of Jesus, let us seek to set aside during this time of Lent to meditate on God’s word, with time for reflection, confession, and repentance.

“‘Even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing — grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God’” (Joel 2:12-14).

In Christ,

Judy

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_populations

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Matthew 26:39 NLT).

Next week is Holy Week. We celebrate Palm Sunday, Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna, then all the subsequent events leading up to His crucifixion on Friday, and finally His resurrection which we celebrate on Easter Sunday.

These events were never a surprise to Jesus. Since his conception, he had been carrying out his Father’s will. In fact, just as Jesus was beginning his public ministry and encountered John the Baptist, John’s response on recognizing Jesus was, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This statement would have identified Jesus as the sacrificial lamb, who was born to die to make atonement for all our sin. This was the will of God for Jesus.

We know that Jesus suffered. In fact, some 700 years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah detailed the suffering Jesus would encounter (Isaiah 53:3-12). So how did Jesus live his earthly life with respect to his earthly destiny? And how should we follow His example?

Jesus was humble:

• “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8).
• And Paul admonishes us: “Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus” (v.5).

Jesus was thankful:

• “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’” (Luke 10:21).
• And Paul tells us: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. “(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Jesus was compassionate toward the least of these:

• “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2).
• And Paul commands us: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ…Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:1,12).

Jesus desired and worked toward salvation for everyone:

• I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26).
• And Jesus commands and enables us to do the same by the power of the Holy Spirit: ^“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus desired to glorify his Father with His obedience and his life:

• Jesus prayed this prayer on his last night: “After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent…Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.’” (John 17:1-3, 20).
• Paul and Peter tell us how we can glorify God in our life and our prayers: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). 
• “But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name” (1 Pet. 4:16).

In short, Jesus came to earth to experience all the same earthly experiences that we as humans have. He took all the good and bad of his earthly life as an assignment from God–not an interruption, not an irritant, not an excuse, not a bother, not something to be endured. Instead, he took every opportunity to live in obedience, to trust His Heavenly Father, and to lead others to experience the Kingdom of God. Let us seek to do the same—to live our lives, to walk our Christian walk, not in resisting the will of God, but in seeking his will and desiring obedience in all things; offering love and compassion to those we serve.

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10).

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

In Christ,

Judy

“Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:10-12).

When you google Jacob’s Ladder, you will see a plethora of examples of ladders for construction or home repair work, ladders as fitness equipment, and even a movie. It takes some digging to get to the original use of this term, which is from scripture (see the Scripture reference at the beginning). Some of you may remember the old song, Jacob’s Ladder. I remember singing it as a child; it was originally sung by enslaved people before and during the Civil War.

A ladder is a great picture of how we live our lives. We climb in every other area, why not spiritually? We need to realize that we cannot stay where we are and go where God wants us to go. Here are several things to ponder as we consider climbing this spiritual ladder:

1. When we are first saved, one might call that “fire insurance.” But as we step it up, our perspective changes. The higher we go, the greater our perspective. We see the bigger picture of God’s plans for us.
2. Even when we are far from God, He is near. We see in this passage from Genesis that Heaven touched earth via the stairway.
3. When Jacob awoke from his dream, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Genesis 28:16). We must become aware of God in every situation. Every moment is sacred. Jacob changed, not God. God’s presence might not change our situation, but it changes our perspective. When our perspective changes, our actions change. Spiritual maturity is not what we know but what we perceive.
4. Stepping it up involves an investment. There is no ‘golden elevator’ to the top. Jesus came to earth, wrapped in flesh, and experienced the cross. He calls us to sacrificial service.

In John 1:51, when Jesus was in the process of calling Nathaniel as a disciple, He compared himself to this same ladder: “He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” What does he mean by this? He means that He is the one that connects earth with heaven. How appropriate is it, then, that later in John’s Gospel Jesus calls himself the gate (John 10:9)? Jesus opens up the way to God.

The beauty of this posture is that it is not ours to assume. We do not have to climb. We don’t have to build our own stairway to heaven like they did in the Tower of Babel. Jesus descended to earth to sit with us, to walk with us, to carry us. Jesus is the doorway to heaven. He knocks on the door. All we must do is open the door, and the journey begins.

Getting to God is not about building a big enough tower of good works and effort so that we can get to where He is. Getting to God starts with God getting to us. He comes down the ladder; By sending his Son, God left heaven to come to earth in order to give us access to himself.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8).

In Christ,

Judy

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him” (Mark 1:12-13).

Has it crossed anyone else’s mind the irony of the fact that the first day of Lent (Ash Wednesday) and Valentine’s Day fall on the same day in 2024? In fact, I struggled a bit at first, because if I were to give up a food for Lent, it probably should be chocolate. Not only is it my favorite food, but what signifies Valentine’s Day more, besides flowers, than chocolate? Clearly, I have chocolate on the brain. So this devotional is for me, and if you like, you can read along.

Background: Christians celebrate Easter and proclaim the resurrection of Christ. For the forty or so days before Easter, we may also celebrate a special time on the formal Church calendar called Lent. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. By observing the forty days of Lent, Christians remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days.

Lent is typically marked by fasting, both from food and festivities. Lent officially begins today, Ash Wednesday, and ends on Easter Sunday, March 31. In case you are doing the math, the forty days of Lent include all the days except for Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During Lent, we are celebrating Christ’s resurrection, and since Christians already celebrate resurrection every Sunday, Sundays are not included in Lent.

Why 40 days? Forty is a significant biblical number; there are many references to forty in the Bible. For example, it rained on the ark for forty days and forty nights. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, and the Israelites ate manna in the wilderness for forty years. And Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness fasting and praying and overcoming temptation from Satan. The number forty is figurative language representing a long period of trial, testing, or patience; so the forty days before Easter are set aside by many to prepare spiritually for the celebration of Easter, the highlight of the Christian year, because Christ’s Resurrection means eternal life for all believers.

What is my plan for these forty days of Lent? I must remind myself that the object is not to glorify myself by completing an assignment such as the avoidance of a favorite food. The objective is to glorify our Lord and Savior. My understanding of fasting is that it is a private practice, and the goal of fasting would be to better utilize my time in prayer and Bible study.

• For example, rather than spending time on grocery shopping and meal preparation and the consumption of food, you would spend that time in prayer and Bible study. Or you could spend time in prayer and Bible study rather than a video game, Netflix movie, etc. Better utilization of time.
• Another thing to remember is that this change in habits will be uncomfortable. Even Jesus was famished at the end of his forty days of fasting.
• Also, fasting by definition is intended to be private. Don’t ask, or tell, what you are “giving up for Lent.” That defeats the purpose because it makes it about us rather than Jesus; about the sacrifice rather than the One being honored for His sacrifice.
• Also, it is a practice. We may not perfectly complete our fast, but it is our motivation and effort that matter. So if you mess up, just ask for forgiveness, and then begin again.

Will I be able to observe Lent and enjoy Valentine’s Day? You betcha. What am I giving up for Lent? Don’t ask. Just know that I will be making every effort to devote myself to prayer and Bible study. Do you have to observe Lent to do that? Of course not. Again, the point is cultivating our relationship with the Lord, however, you choose to do it, in preparation for a glorious celebration of Resurrection Sunday.

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).

In Christ,

Judy