Tag Archive | Nashville Rescue Mission

Chaplain’s Corner – In the Interim

May13

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14).

Two weeks ago, the Chaplain’s Corner devotional was on the topic of waiting: “Wait for It!” Waiting assumes a space in time between two events. I have finished my grocery shopping and now I am waiting in line to check out. I have had medical tests and now I am waiting for a diagnosis. Sometimes waiting is just that: some space in time. Today is Wednesday, and on Friday you will get paid. The difficulty here may be that you have bills to pay in the interim and you do not know how you will manage. The really challenging kind of waiting assumes some unknown factor. I know that some of you reading this have been told that you or a family member will be receiving medical test results in a few days, but you do not know what the diagnosis or follow-up treatment will be. That’s a particularly demanding situation requiring waiting.

The question is: what will we do while we wait? In the devotional two weeks ago we talked about prayer, the first and foremost way to ensure we are living God’s plan for our lives, even during the waiting.

In the interim, we struggle to know what, when, and how to speak and act. When is it best to listen, and when should we speak up? When is it best to act, and when should we wait patiently? When should we accept the situation, and when should we fight? All questions, and no ready answers. So, when we pray, we pray for discernment. When we have these choices to make, we should ask ourselves:  Would our words or actions align with biblical teaching. For example,

  1. Praying that God be glorified in our words and actions is never wrong.
  2. Showing compassion and kindness is never wrong.
  3. Sitting with and listening is never wrong.

In many cases, it is in the waiting that real leadership surfaces. When everyone else is just sitting around complaining and being anxious, the real leader assesses the situation and takes charge.

In Acts, we see Peter begin to demonstrate his “take charge” approach that will lead him into a leadership role in the early church. “During these days, Peter stood up among the ‘brothers” – the number of people who were together was about 120 – and said: ‘Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. (Acts 1:15-16). Taking his direction from the Book of Psalms “Let his dwelling become desolate; let no one live in it; and let someone else take his position” (Psalms 69:25, Acts 1:20), Based on the Scriptures, Peter proposed that they choose someone to take Judas’ place to round out their number once again to twelve.

Finally, it is all about perspective. Actually, when are we NOT waiting? Isn’t life all about waiting, in a sense? Parents learn that they are pregnant. Waiting. It is an expectant time, full of preparation for the new life to be born. We look at a gravestone with a date of birth and a date of death. The dash in the middle—waiting. Sometimes waiting with expectancy, sometimes with dread, sometimes with impatience, sometimes with resignation. We are always waiting.

Let us resolve not to waste a minute on unproductive waiting. God has made us fruit-bearers. So, whether we have just been planted, the flowers are blooming, the buds are setting, or the fruit is maturing, let us be productive. Praying, praising God, teaching, modeling, showing love and compassion.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Radical Hospitality

May6

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:12-14).

 “It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth” (3 John 1:7-8).

Hospitality is biblical. Radical Hospitality is one of five core values for staff at Nashville Rescue Mission and our focus for the month of May. Have you ever stopped to ponder what this term really means, especially in terms of how to be radically hospitable? Let’s break it down.

  • The dictionary definition of hospitality is the friendly reception and treatment of guests.
  •  A guest is anyone who is not a “host.” Guests can be family, friends, neighbors, or strangers. Anyone who steps onto the NRM Campus who is not staff would be a guest.
  • Hosts are those who are in a position to welcome family, friends, neighbors, or strangers. Any/all staff at NRM would be deemed to be a host by our guests.

So, we as staff are each in a position to welcome any guest who visits NRM for any reason, for any length of time. To be (just plain) hospitable means that we would receive them and treat them in a friendly manner. None of that seems radical, unless we think that extending friendliness to everyone is radical, but I think you would agree that even this is a given. One way to define this friendly manner, over and above the obvious, is to think about any exceptionally great customer service treatment that you have received. That is how we should welcome and treat our guests.

Perhaps the term “radical” applies to our definition of “friendly reception and treatment.” For sure, there would be degrees of treatment, from a friendly greeting, to an offer of food, to an offer of an overnight stay, to an offer of more intensive services to include case management or counseling.

If you dig further into a definition of “radical,” you may become more confused than ever before, because there is an array of meanings attached to this word. The closest, which does not really seem close, applies to a person who is an extremist—who varies significantly from what we would define as normal—in a certain area. We don’t usually think of radical extremism as a good thing, but did you know that Jesus and his disciples were considered extremists by the religious leaders of their day?

Here’s what Got Questions, says about the word “radical:”

  • The decision to follow Christ is itself a call to radical living. Jesus said that “anyone who wants to follow Me must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
  • That command is at extreme odds with our flesh’s desire to please itself (Romans 7:21–23).
  • It challenges worldly wisdom, which preaches self-fulfillment as our highest aim (1 John 2:15–17).
  • The cross is a radical thing, and declaring Jesus as Lord of our lives involves a dethroning of Self and a complete abandonment to His will. We must be willing to go where He leads, do what He says, and love Him more than life itself (Matthew 10:37–38).
  • The lifestyle changes that follow such a commitment are considered radical by those who fall within the world’s definition of “normal.”

In summary, radical hospitality is defined as Selfless Service. Here are ways that Selfless Service could play out, and I bet you can think of others:

  • Extending friendly hospitality even when we don’t feel like it.
  • Extending friendly hospitality even when the guest is being difficult (or worse).
  • Taking no consideration of the ability of the guest to reciprocate in any way.
  • Focusing on the needs of the guest first, really listening, and trying to find a way to meet their needs without first focusing on our own needs or the convenience of the Mission.
  • Praying over each guest before, during, and after any interaction and genuinely and intentionally seeking their own welfare.

I’m not saying we should allow guests to “run all over us.” I’m not saying that radical hospitality is always saying “yes.” But we can be gentle and positive, patient and kind, even when we are firm. We should make every effort to be “radically, selflessly hospitable” every time unless it would be harmful to someone else to do so.

This verse has always made me stop and think. “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

After all, Jesus told us in Matthew 25:40 “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Wait for It!

Apr29

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).

According to the church calendar, we are currently midway between Jesus’ Resurrection and Pentecost, which occurred 50 days after Easter (May 24 this year). Jesus has commanded his disciples to stay in Jerusalem to wait for their baptism with the Holy Spirit. In hindsight, we understand what Jesus meant. However, the disciples must have been filled with quite a bit of uncertainty. They asked questions, but Jesus told them “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority (Acts 1:7). And then Jesus did promise them “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). What???

What must it have felt like to the disciples during that time? Their beloved leader said he was leaving, but they needed to stay in Jerusalem, a dangerous place for them. Jesus told them just enough to give them hope. He told them to wait for the gift he had promised. Apparently, they would be traveling soon. And they would have power from the Holy Spirit, which perhaps they had some idea about but not fully. And Jesus gave them the ultimate ambiguous command: Wait!

Does anyone like to be told to wait? Indeed, does anyone like to wait? For sure, there are rare circumstances where waiting is better than the alternative. But mostly, waiting is painful. We wait for the doctor, the diagnosis, the treatment date, to recover. We wait for the plane to take off. We wait for the interview, the offer, the start date. We find ourselves in the middle of waiting: for someone to show up, for someone to leave, for the show to start, for the game to be over. Waiting is a fact of life. It is not if we will wait, it is how we wait.

In truth, on an earthly level, we are waiting for all those things I listed above—health, financial, job, relationships; all have a waiting component. However, on a spiritual level, we are also waiting. And although it might not be obvious, God is working while we are waiting. We are on his timetable, rather than the other way around. God is working out his plan for his good pleasure. He has a role for each of us, and he will put us in at just the right time. He will give us our directions and ensure that we have just what we need when we need it. So how do we wait for it?

  1. We wait in humility, with the perspective that God is God, and we are not. “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure” (Psalm 39:5).
  2. We wait with trust in God. We know that He is able, and that He is loving. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8).

The apostles gave us the best example of how to wait, and their example is applicable for most any circumstance. We read in Acts 1:13-14 that after Jesus ascended to heaven, they returned to Jerusalem together (as instructed), and “When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers” (Acts 1:13-14).

The next time you find yourself waiting, remember these words. Find some prayer partners and devote yourselves to prayer. Prayer is not what we do as a last resort. It is the first and foremost way to participate fully in God’s plan for our lives.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.’” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – I Can Do No Other!

Apr22

“Mary Magdalen went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her” (John 20:18).

Easter Sunday was just a little over two weeks ago. Now it seems that we are all back to “business as usual.” Was Easter just another day on the calendar? No! Not for believers. Knowing that Jesus was crucified for our sins, buried, risen from the dead, and ascended to Heaven to be with his Father demands a response from us. And do not be deceived: no response is a response. In His words: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

Reflecting on the events preceding Easter, I cannot imagine the roller coaster ride the disciples took from the day they entered Jerusalem during Passover Week on a high note, enjoying intimacy with Jesus during the Passover supper, then seeing him arrested, beaten, humiliated, and then crucified and buried. And then to see him risen from the dead! How could this be?

What emotions! We would expect joy, but there was also fear, for very good reason. In fact, the first thing the angel in the tomb said to Mary was “Don’t be alarmed. He is risen! He is not here.” “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid” (Mark 16:6b,8).

I am sure Jesus’ family and friends were experiencing a variety of emotions from grief to disbelief, to fear. They had aligned themselves with a man who had become an enemy of both the Jewish leaders and the Romans, to the point where he had been cruelly murdered. They thought they had chosen to follow the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but their guy had been hung up on a cross in between common criminals. What was to be their own fate? They were hiding, trying to figure out what to do. Leaderless, unaffiliated, unemployed, in a hostile environment. The situation could not have been worse.

Not only that, unbeknownst to them, the guards and priests were devising a cover story to put the blame on the disciples for stealing Jesus’ body. They were afraid that they would get in trouble with the governor of Judea, so now any punishment for “losing” Jesus would fall on the disciples. Where do you hide, now? Just try to absorb all this and put yourselves in their shoes. It has gone from bad to worse. But then!

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again, Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’” (John 20:19-23).

What a roller coaster ride! Jesus is with them. Now He is blessing them and giving them the power of the Holy Spirit as He sends them forth. And they are obedient, even at risk of personal, financial, and physical harm. Jesus loves his followers; He calls us to tell the story of the Good News to all who would believe. What a story! What a Savior! Like those first apostles, how can we keep this Good News to ourselves, especially when the only real risk in our day and time is perhaps some unpopularity.

Easter represents the Resurrection of Jesus to all believers. As believers, we identify with Jesus and his message. He sends us forth to tell the Good News of forgiveness of sins through his atoning sacrifice. When we believe, we must share this Good News!

In the words of Martin Luther: “Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.”

“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).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Knowing Jesus

Apr15

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).

The opening verse for last week’s Chaplain’s Corner was from Job 19:25 “I know that my Redeemer Lives.” This is a powerful verse. Because this is the Truth—the Redeemer lives, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But, can you say, “I know Christ?”  Because being able to say you know your Redeemer puts you on the right side of Jesus—where you can speak this truth knowing you will be living forever with your Redeemer, rather than acknowledging this truth from a position of forever looking on but not being with.

Here’s an example: For a long time, I knew that deep sea diving would be fascinating, but I didn’t know about it personally until I tried it for myself. Not until I jumped into the ocean to swim among the fishes and coral reefs could I really know the incredible seemingly infinite wonders of the deep sea. That’s just a sliver of an example of the difference between knowing that Jesus lives — there is historical proof of his life, death, and resurrection — and knowing Jesus Himself.

How can we go beyond knowing the fact to actually knowing the Saviour?

  1. We must trust our equipment. When I dive, I am equipped. I cannot dive without my equipment, especially my tanks which supply oxygen for breathing. When Jesus walked the earth, those around him could physically interact with him. They could actually touch him, speak with him, eat with him, and get to know him personally. But now that he has ascended to the right hand of God, we must have equipment, and in our case, it is the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, to access Jesus. Jesus speaks to us through the Scriptures, and he resides in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. And trust me, this equipment is as life supporting as are my oxygen tanks. Trust the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit when they tell you Jesus died for your sins and that receiving this gift means eternal life (Romans 6:23).
  2. We must practice regularly. It is easy to get out of the habit of knowing what to do when you go for a long time without actually doing it. You get rusty. If you go too long between dives, you should take a refresher course. Jumping back in without regular practice is not impossible, but it is not as easy either, and you never get better at it (2 Timothy 2:15).
  3. We must go all in. You can’t just half-way dive or be casual about it. Your head is either under water or it’s not. And if it’s not, then you are not scuba diving (Romans 12:1-2).

Granted, this is not the best analogy because I no longer dive, but I’m still all-in with Jesus. I gave up on diving, so it gave up on me. But thank God, Jesus will never give up on me! There’s really no comparison with knowing Jesus, because once you really know him and accept him as your Saviour, then He knows you and the relationship cannot be undone. It is forever!

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

“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

Chaplain’s Corner – He Lives!

Apr8

“I know that my Redeemer lives!” (Job 19:25)

We just celebrated Easter, exulting in the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and lives at the right hand of God. He is our living LORD!! This is the good news of the Gospel, but maybe in the reality of your actual life, this good news doesn’t always seem to be enough?

Do you know about the Job of the Bible? Job experienced terrible physical pain, absolute financial ruin, and the tragic deaths of all his children at the hand of Satan. I honestly have never known anyone who has had it worse than Job; he lost everything except for his wife and a few “friends.”  And for the first half of the book about him, Job in utter misery cursed the day of his birth, complained about his problems, and wished for death; in fact, he said he wished he had never been born. This is a picture of someone who is completely hopeless (he said his spirit was broken). Perhaps you can identify with Job, at least at some level. To add to Job’s problems, his friends tried to “counsel” him and just made it worse. Maybe you can even identify with that.

However, about halfway through the book, Job arrives at this wonderful statement of faith: “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27).

When Job acknowledged his trust in God and proclaimed the sovereignty of God, his life changed. In the end, Job’s fortunes were restored. Not all of us start out rich, and even if we trust in God we may not end up with earthly riches. But when we trust in God and acknowledge that our Redeemer lives and that He holds our future in his hands, we will have the life that God intends for us, and it will be worth living. The words of this song by Matt Maher speak to this truth. Read this (click on the link to hear it).

Because He Lives (Amen)

I believe in the Son
I believe in the risen One
I believe I overcome
By the power of His blood

I was dead in the grave
I was covered in sin and shame
I heard mercy call my name
He rolled the stone away

Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know He holds my life my future in His hands

Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive
Because He lives


Amen, Amen
Let my song join the one that never ends
Because He lives
Because He lives!

I pray that you will know the perfect peace that comes from really knowing your living Savior and trusting in Him. Amen.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Lent 2026: Overcoming Temptation #3

Mar25

“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

Chaplain’s Corner – Lent 2026: Overcoming Temptation #2

Mar18

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

Chaplain’s Corner – Lent 2026: Overcoming Temptation #1

Mar11

“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

Chaplain’s Corner – Lent 2026: Temptation

Mar4

“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