Subtle Tempations

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]

When Pastor Dirk asked us to think of our own personal temptations on Sunday morning, I found it difficult to identify a temptation that currently affects my life. During my high school and college years the temptations were much more tangible—experiencing physical intimacy within a relationship, indulging in unhealthy or illegal substances, and cheating or procrastinating on schoolwork. Today I am married with a full-time job and have moved past many of those more obvious temptations, so I had to ask myself and search deep in my heart: what things are tempting me now?

Photo Credit: Flickr User chany14, Creative Commons

As we read in Luke 4, Jesus was tempted by the devil in three ways, and each time he quoted the book of Deuteronomy to resist the temptation. What’s interesting about Jesus’s use of Deuteronomy is that Moses wrote this book as his farewell to the Israelites who would be led into the Promised Land. It was written as a warning about what to do in times of plenty, in times where reliance on God isn’t as evident as having breakfast provided in the desert every morning for forty years.

If we understand this context, it illuminates the ways in which Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert: he was tempted by good things. The temptation to turn stone into bread could have satisfied his physical hunger and given Him strength in the desert. The temptation to own all of the earthly kingdoms could have resulted in Jesus’s more apparent reign on earth. Finally, the temptation to allow God to perform a miracle and show that Jesus is the Messiah could have spread the truth to many who might not have believed.

However, all of these temptations were shortcuts that attempted to redirect God’s plan and control His will. Jesus resisted these temptations by quoting scripture and adhering to God’s ultimate plan for our salvation: Jesus’s death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. In these moments of temptation, we can clearly see Jesus’s humanity as he is lured to instant gratification for things in this world as we often are today.

I returned to thinking about what kind of temptations I face in my daily life and God revealed to me so many instances when I fail to trust in Him and try to control my own circumstances. I give in to the temptation of discontentment when I see others my age owning their first home and working at their “dream job.” I view these things as the destination and try desperately to get there faster rather than appreciating the roof over my head and my stable job. I give in to the temptation of jealousy when I see other moms who can “do it all”—work at a job they love, spend time with their kids, volunteer at church, and somehow manage to keep an organized home. Instead, I should be praising God for giving me family that is close to home who I can spend time with every week.

It’s easy to give in to the temptation of comparison and selfishness in our day-to-day lives as we strive to plan a life that is fulfilling on earth. But rather than taking shortcuts and cheating, coveting, or sinning to get ahead, maybe we should consider to experience the grace that God provides to us daily. He allows us to have the freedom to avoid the consequences of sin and so often we take advantage of that grace. This week I encourage us to simply resist the temptation to take shortcuts and instead to follow in the footsteps of God and trust that His way is truly greater than ours. What not-so-obvious temptations are you facing in your life? Are there ways in which you can use God’s Word to resist these temptations and adhere to His will?


[Megan Stephenson is a recent graduate of Grand Valley State University and works for a private education group in Grand Rapids as an Assistant Registrar. She loves spending time with her husband, Ben, trying out new breweries, restaurants, and local attractions. She also self-identifies as a crazy cat lady, despite owning no cats of her own, thanks to her loving and allergic husband.]

Why Do You Follow Jesus?

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]


I once overheard two women talking as they browsed in a store. They were looking at a book I couldn’t see, but I heard one say, “I love Jesus, but I hate Christians.” “Yea, they’re terrible,” the other agreed. Had I spoken to them, I couldn’t really have disagreed. A lot of people who call themselves Christians have done and said truly awful things, which can put other Christians in a tough spot. How do we explain murders committed and wars raged supposedly in the name of Christ? What about passages in the Bible where God commands his followers to wipe out entire people groups? Do we have to be able to explain these things to follow Jesus well?

Photo Credit: Flickr User gr33n3gg, Creative Commons

At first glance, 1 Peter 3:13-16 kind of makes it seem like we do. Verse 15 reads, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” This sentence is often used as rationale for making sure we can defend our faith with memorized answers and rationale for difficult questions people ask. Of course it’s good to study the Bible and know why we believe what we believe, but Peter isn’t telling us we have to be able to explain away all the tricky passages in the Bible and perfectly respond to the big questions of life. Instead, we’re invited to give people an answer for the reason we have hope.

Our hope should not be found in perfectly crafted arguments and in winning debates; our hope should be found in God. We have hope because Jesus became a man and came to earth to die for our sins, and because the Holy Spirit dwells within us and guides our steps. We can study all of this in the gift of God’s word as it’s revealed to us in the Bible, but we do so knowing that we won’t understand it all perfectly; and ultimately, we don’t have to.

Christians will do things that seem very un-Christlike, because Christians are just humans trying to follow Jesus, and humans can never be perfect. There will be sections of the Bible we don’t fully understand, questions about why God lets certain things happen, and wondering if it’s worth it when being a Christian means we have to give up what we desire. But Peter doesn’t tell us to convert everyone we meet through our perfect arguments, because that’s not our job. Only God can do the saving.

Instead, we can tell our stories for the hope that we have. We can tell about the grace and redemption we see woven through our lives, the overwhelming love that meets us in the darkest of times. Each of us has a different story about why we follow Jesus, a unique way that God reached into our life and revealed himself for who he is. Some of us may have been following Jesus for years and need to remind ourselves of why we do as much as we need to tell others about it. Some of us may be just getting to know Jesus and are trying to figure out what a life modeled after his really looks like. Some of us may be filled with joy for how God is working in our lives and in the people around us.

Wherever we’re at, it is valuable to be able to articulate why we are Christians. Not only does it remind us of why, it helps us share about his love and goodness with others as well. Had I talked to those women I heard in the store, I would have wanted to hear their stories of why they hate Christians, but also tell them why I call myself one--and how following the Jesus they said they love has given me hope.



*Note: I originally told the story of the women in the store in the post "I Love Jesus, But I Hate You." published on my personal blog.


[Brianna DeWitt believes in Jesus, surrounding yourself with good people, and that desserts are best when they involve chocolate and peanut butter. She writes about faith, growing up, and whatever else pops into her head on her own blog, and tweets (largely about food) at @bwitt722.]

Into the Furnace

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]

Many of us have heard the saying that “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” We often use these words to offer comfort to others in a time of sorrow or suffering, but are they really true? As Christians, can we honestly say to one another that God gives you just enough sorrow and pain so that you don’t get pushed to the edge?

As we read this week in 1 Kings 19, Elijah was fleeing from the threats of Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife. He ran into the wilderness to escape the hand of Jezebel, but also to attempt to flee God’s presence. He prayed that the Lord might take his life—Elijah was on the edge and ready to jump. He had reached a point that seemed so desperate and helpless that death was the only answer.

God gave Elijah more pain than he could handle, and it was in this moment that the Lord showed up. Instead of comforting Elijah with words or empty sayings, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and simply said: “Get up and eat.” God provided the much-needed nourishment of breakfast to sustain Elijah through his difficult journey. After Elijah rested once more, the angel appeared again and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” This time Elijah was strengthened and continued his journey, finally arriving at Horeb, the mountain of God.

During Elijah’s most vulnerable moments, even when he had given up on his own life, God reached down and merely offered him something to eat. This simple comfort amidst extreme suffering was the turning point for Elijah. The angel also recognized that Elijah could not handle the journey alone; he needed help along the way to strengthen and sustain him.

God recognizes when we have reached the edge, and it is during those times when He shows up in our lives—often in the form of family or friends. While I have dealt with pain in my life, my suffering seems like nothing compared to the sorrows I have seen my family and friends go through: loss of a loved one, depression, bankruptcy, and terminal illness to name a few. Standing on the outside looking in is often difficult—we don’t know what to say or do and are afraid of offending or of being vulnerable.

However, as we saw illustrated in Elijah’s story, God calls us to purely be with our brothers or sisters in suffering. Whether that means cooking a meal, saying a silent prayer, or listening with an open heart, we might not know which is best. But in those moments, God shows up with us in the furnace and offers healing, peace, and redemption.

Photo Credit: Flickr user erix!, Creative Commons

1 Peter 5:10-11, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Maybe we need to reconsider how we view fellow Christians and human beings during their intense times of pain and suffering. Instead of simply offering empty words and clichés like “God will never give you more than you can handle”, maybe we are called to step into the furnace with our brothers and sisters during their darkest times in life.

Who do you know that simply needs a brother or sister to walk into the furnace with them today? Pray that God opens your heart and eyes to see what He sees, that you might listen to the Holy Spirit’s calling and jump into the furnace with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

[Megan Stephenson is a recent graduate of Grand Valley State University and works for a private education group in Grand Rapids as an Assistant Registrar. She loves spending time with her husband, Ben, trying out new breweries, restaurants, and local attractions. She also self-identifies as a crazy cat lady, despite owning no cats of her own, thanks to her loving and allergic husband.]

To Know Him

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]

Not long after getting my driver’s license, I decided I desperately needed a car (didn’t we all?). When I had finally worked up the courage, I brought my carefully crafted case before my mom: I was a rule-following, good-grade-getting, job-having, babysitting-on-the-weekends kind of teenager with a crazy busy schedule. I confidently piled high all of the evidence and reason before her. 

My mom said no. (Don’t worry – I eventually cashed my chips in for a far-away college where I met the nicely bearded man I love so much; definitely a better investment.)

When trials come - whether it’s top shelf adversity (serious illness, financial distress, etc.)  or garden variety struggles (derailed plans, unfulfilled longings, etc.) – and I know only God can provide what I need, I’m tempted to try the same bargaining with Him. In difficult times I want to earn God’s favor with my pile of religious behaviors and attempts at righteousness.

This approach always fails. I forget that God knows what I need far more than I do, and that my “needs” for success, comfort, ease and material things are far secondary to my need for Him. And I forget that I cannot put God in my debt; He never “owes me one.”

I forget that God is not my genie; He is the holy Sovereign King of the universe. 

Pastor Dirk shared the story of Naaman this week from 2 Kings 5, who tried to approach God this way. Naaman was a man of power, wealth and privilege; when he contracted leprosy, he heard that there was a prophet in Israel who might be able to help. Naaman wanted to bring all of his power and money and leverage it for what he wanted from God. However, God knew that far more than any earthly thing, Naaman needed to encounter Him. Naaman had heard about God’s power, but he almost missed knowing God because he wanted to seek God on his own terms.

Naaman needed not just to hear of God, Naaman needed to know Him.

If you grew up in church like I did, or you’ve been around for a while, you might know a lot about God. We can list off miracles, quote some of His words, maybe describe His character. We can talk about God like we know Him, when we only know of Him. If knowing of Him and knowing Him sound the same, consider the following: I’m a fan of Alton Brown – a celebrity chef. I can tell you where he lives (generally; I’m not a stalker), how he got started in television cooking, I can quote some favorite lines and even some favorite dishes. I know a lot about Alton Brown. Then there’s my friend Brianna. I know a lot about her, and I regularly talk with her and spend time with her. Saying, “I know Alton Brown” the way I might say, “I know Brianna,” would be a complete lie. In the same way, we can know a lot about God, without encountering Him and knowing Him.

God asked Naaman to give up what seemed practical and normal; He invited Naaman to relinquish control, and to hope and trust that He just might be the God Naaman had heard that He was. There, in the unlikely place, when he had no other options, Naaman experienced God; it made him desperate to give up everything in order to glorify and worship Him. (2 Kings 5:15-17)

In the New Testament, Paul had a similar encounter with God. In Philippians 3, he lists off all of his religious accomplishments, his attempted pile of righteousness. He was as Jewish as could be, from the tribe of Benjamin, educated as a Pharisee in the law and religious rituals; he even describes himself as “faultless” with regard to righteousness – he didn’t break the rules! Paul has checked every box of drawing close to God, of religious obligation and commitment. Then he encountered Jesus (see Acts 9-10). He says:

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Philippians 3:7-8a)

The whole list of accomplishments and righteous acts that Paul would have placed before God was worth nothing; the only thing of worth was knowing God; encountering Him in a way that changed his life forever.

Maybe these stories seem too big to relate to. Experiencing God doesn’t have to be a miraculous intervention of His healing power, as it was for Naaman and Paul. He meets us in our sorrow; He comforts us in our longings; He fills us when we are empty. In every place that the world fails us, we find the opportunity to encounter the God who redeems us.

When we find ourselves hungry, hurting, lost and broken, seeking what we think we need, tired of empty rituals, formulas and checklists that attempt to put God in our debt, will we be ready to humbly trust God?

My prayer as I write is that we would encounter and know God in a way that changes our hearts desires forever.

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 (ESV) 

[Robin Bupp is married to Caleb, and they are from many places east of the Mississippi (but are calling Michigan home for the foreseeable future). A former high school science teacher, Robin is slowly turning the two Bupp kiddos into tiny nerds while they teach her lots of things, especially humility and patience.]