Temptation #1

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. I Jn 4:1,4 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. "Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

Revelation 3:10-12, www.solascriptura.com

Father, such words as recorded by the beloved apostle John, are too wonderful to fully grasp. Thank you for Your Spirit in us that enable us to "overcome" the evil that surrounds us.

We yearn for Your name to be upon us, marked for eternity in New Jerusalem, heaven. Give us a witness this day to a soul that seeks You and bring Your peace to each of us this day. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Temptation #2

Family Bible Study topic, www.solascriptura.com

I humbly declare that I out ran all of you!

We seem to have an inherent need to brag. We are so proud of our accomplishments that we can not wait to tell someone else how well we have done. Let's think about the nature of a child for a moment. Children thrive on praise, don't they? We sometimes, in our zeal to make them feel good about what they have done or who they are, overly praise them. We go "over the top" in our statements to them, generally because we truly love them and are truly proud, but we sometimes try too hard to lift up their spirits, even when they have not done as well as we and they had hoped to do.

This is a tendency that God knows we have and in the Scriptures He gives us some perspective on this matter. Listen: "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:11-12 NKJV

We will never stop lifting up our children in praise. We must also try to teach them the importance of humility. When they do well, our praise should be consistent with reality. It is difficult enough to restrain our praise and especially difficult if the praise is intended to console them. Kids are smart. They do not want "false" praise. They do want your unconditional love, not based on their "winning" but based on your genuine support of their intentions.

We, as adults, still like praise. Everyone likes praise! Is this true? If so, what advice does the Apostle Paul offer us and what should we teach our children. Listen: "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." Romans 12:3 NKJV: James, the brother of Jesus, makes a similar point: "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." James 3:16 NKJV Jesus said "…for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." John 12:43 NKJV

Solomon summed this point up by saying, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Then Solomon compares praising yourself with having eaten too much honey. "It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one's own glory is not glory." Solomon continues: "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." And finally, "Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?" Proverbs 16:18-19, 25:27, 26:12 Ecclesiastes 7:16 NKJV

Then the prophet Isaiah says, "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57:15 NKJV

Do you see a time when you will ever stop praising those you love? Not likely, but given what you have just read, what are some biblical guidelines about offering praise? It is one thing to focus on how we should properly praise other people but another thing to see ourselves in the proper light before God. If God does not want us to be "proud of ourselves" then how can we react to praise from other men?

Core Christian Value: We seek praise from men and we offer praise to our children. Praise can distort God's hope for us. He tells us to come to Him with all humility and contrition, not wise in our own eyes.

Bruce Caldwell

Temptation #3

For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. ... there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 2:18, 4:13-16

Jesus, all that we think, do and feel is before you. We do not face temptation alone nor do we sin in secret. Your experiences on earth are our experiences as well. You lift us up, as though we had never sinned, into the presence of the Father. Therefore, in Your righteousness, we can be bold in coming to the Father in prayer and boldly seek to serve Him, which is the essence of our purpose.

We are undeserving of your mercy and grace but for reasons known only to You, You seek us out, cleanse us and embolden us to be Your children. Your plan for our lives does exist.

Help us O' God to discover Your perfect will, this day and every moment of our lives. In Christ's Holy name and power, we pray. Amen

Bruce Caldwell

Temptation #4

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-- then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

2 Peter 2:4-9, www.solascriptura.com

"I know ..., my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness... 1 Chronicles 29:17

Father, you have made it clear that judgement awaits the souls that do not love You and obey You. You also have made it clear that in the midst of our being tested, you have pleasure in our uprightness; our obedience to Your Holy Word.

Teach us every day of your expectations and renew a right Spirit within us constantly. Help us bask in the assurance of Your love for Your children, bringing joy and peace to those around us. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Temptation #5

... let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 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.

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13, Galatians 6:1, www.solascriptura.com

Father, You tell us that temptation will come to all of us. Jesus, we know you were tempted by Satan and that God allowed the test. We too will be tempted but you are there for us, giving us the strength that the Father gave you.

When we or a loved one fails, momentarily we pray, help us remember how you have forgiven each of us and that we must be prepared to forgive others. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.



Bruce Caldwell

Temptation #6

"If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, "and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods'—which you have not known—' and let us serve them,' "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. "You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.

... You, O God, have tested us; you have refined us as silver is refined.

Deuteronomy 13:1-4, Psalsm 66:10, www.solascriptura.com

Father, teach us the Truth and help us not to be drawn into schemes or ideas that are contrary to Your word and Your revealed will. Help us to turn to You for counsel being aware that the Holy Spirit utters prayers on our behalf of which we are unaware.

Dear God, let us listen to Your word diligently (read, read, read, as a man dying of thirst) that we may never be led astray. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Temptation #7

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Genesis 3:1-7, www.solascriptura.com

Father, thank You for sharing this account of "original sin". Some blame Eve for enticing her husband Adam to eat and some say Adam was responsible for being obedient, enticement or not.

You have taught us that it is from this point forward that all men are guilty of sin, born of the flesh; none, no not one, is perfect. You have taught us that it is only in Jesus' perfect atonement that our sins are forgiven and our spirit is witnessed to by Your Spirit. Yes Father, we are no longer in the Garden of Eden, but You have told us of Your plan to restore the Garden of Eden, in heaven.

We now realize our sinful state and our need for redemption from our sin. That is, provided we have confessed our sin and with a humble and contrite heart, have asked You for forgiveness and cleansing. By Your grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are saved. Due to the presence of the Holy Spirit, we need never lose the battle to sin again although perfection remains ahead of us. We seek to apprehend perfection but we find it is a race, all the way to the end. We pray for Your strength in us, constantly. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.


Bruce Caldwell