“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”—1 Peter 5:8

When does temptation generally come? Answer: Often after great times of blessing!

When Jesus began His public ministry, He went to be baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. The heavenly Father proudly said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Then temptation came. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted.

After the dove came the devil.

It usually works that way in our lives as well. After the blessing comes the trial. The two often go hand in hand. Don’t be surprised if temptation comes to you, for instance, right after God speaks to you in church or in a time of devotion.

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Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. —Psalm 115:4

We find the second commandment in Exodus 20:4–5, which says, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.”

The idea of worshiping an idol may seem alien to us today. But it shouldn’t. We can make idols out of people whom we admire. Have you ever heard of a sports hero? How about American Idol? We may use the phrase somewhat jokingly: “That person is a sports god” or “I idolize that person. He’s a guitar god.” But the way some people look at certain individuals, it could be they have made a person their god.

You may say, “Well, I’m not that way.”

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“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”—1 Corinthians 1:18

A true story was reported about a couple that was visiting a jewelry store. As the jeweler showed them various crosses, the woman commented, “I like these, but do you have any without this little man on them?”

That is what so many people want today: a cross without Jesus. They want a cross without any offense, one that will look cool with their outfits. But if we could travel back in time and see the cross in its original context, we would realize that it was a bloody and vile symbol. It would have been the worst picture imaginable to see someone hanging on a cross.

The Romans chose crucifixion because it was meant to be a slow, torturous way to die. It was designed to humiliate a person. The crucifixions outside Roman cities served as warnings to anyone who would dare oppose the rule of Rome.

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“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

—John 10:10

Ever since childhood, I have always had a great admiration for the historical person known as Jesus. I had seen all of His movies. I thought very highly of Him.

As a little boy, I lived with my grandmother for a few years. I would thumb through her big family Bible and look at the pictures of Jesus. She also had a picture of Jesus hanging on the wall. I would stare at it and think, “I wish I could have known that man, Jesus.”

The one thing I didn’t like about the life of Jesus was how the story ended. I thought it should have been rewritten with a happier ending. The part about Him being crucified wrecked everything. He was on this great roll, healing people and teaching people. But then it all came to an end. Why did they have to put Him on a cross and kill Him?

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Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.—Philippians 2:12

I don’t necessarily like to exercise, but I try to get out and take a walk every day. I also go to the gym a couple of days a week. I know it makes me feel better, and it helps me to actually do what I am called by God to do.

Just as we need to work out to stay in shape physically, we need to work out spiritually as well. Paul told the Christians in Philippi, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13). The phrase work out doesn’t mean work for your salvation. It means that you are to work it out. Another way to translate it would be “carry it to the goal and fully complete your salvation.”

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And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” —1 Kings 17:1

Elijah had a message that wasn’t an easy one to deliver: Go tell Ahab it isn’t going to rain for a long time. Go tell Ahab there’s going to be a drought. Yet Elijah faithfully delivered the message that God had given to him.

In the same way, God has given us a message that isn’t the easiest one to deliver. The fact that we Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He is the only way to God isn’t a popular thing to say in our culture today. But we’re only the messengers. And it’s our job to declare the whole counsel of God.

Now, we should deliver the message with as much compassion and grace as we can. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” But the truth is that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). People will take it out on the messenger.

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But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.—1 Corinthians 1:27

When we think of Elijah, we generally think of powerful miracles. No doubt he was one of the greatest miracle-working prophets of all. He raised the dead. He stopped the rain. He called fire down from heaven. (I think he’d be a great guy to have at a barbecue.)

The Bible tells us that Elijah was a Tishbite, from Gilead. That means very little to us, but it’s important for us to know that Gilead was east of the Jordan River. The people who lived there were roughhewn, tanned from the sun, and tough. He would have dressed in animal skins. We know Elijah as a man who was bold and courageous. He was fearless.

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Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. —Philippians 4:8

There is something better than pursuing happiness. And there is something that is, in effect, even better than happiness. That something is called joy.

Joy is the theme of the book of Philippians. Now, if Paul had written this epistle while he was sitting on a Mediterranean beach, catching some rays, and sipping an iced tea, that would be one thing. But that wasn’t the case. Paul was incarcerated in Rome when he wrote this letter to the believers in Philippi. Even though he was writing from a place of difficulty, Paul wrote a letter that resonated with joy.

So how could Paul be so joyful and jubilant under such adverse circumstances? And is this joy something that we can experience in the twenty-first century?

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For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. —Hebrews 11:32–34

Have you ever had a lapse of faith? I have. I don’t mean that I have ever doubted my salvation or doubted the Bible. But there are situations I have gone through that caused me to wonder how I would get through them.

One of those times was when the Lord called our son Christopher to heaven. I know he is in heaven. I know that I will see him in heaven one day. But then there is day-to-day living. Sometimes I think, He is gone, and I will never see him again. When this happens, I will preach the gospel to myself. (I need to hear the gospel as well as preach it.) Sometimes I will preach to myself when I’m in my car. I’ll say, “Greg Laurie, you listen to me. Jesus Christ died on the cross, and He rose again from the dead. He said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’ You will see your son again.” I will say that to myself. I believe it. My hope is in the Word of God and in the Lord who will sustain me. And I hope that your hope is in Him too.

We all will have lapses of faith. And when that happens, I would encourage you to believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts. Believe what you believe because it is true.

We should not put our hope in people. We should not put our hope in things. We need to put our hope in God. That is what the Bible teaches. Psalm 42:11 says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God!” This will give us the strength to go on in life.

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So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.—Matthew 14:29

Peter is often used as an example of what not to do and what not to say. But Peter also provided us with an exemplary and amazing display of faith.

We find the story in Matthew 14, when the disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee and a storm came up. They panicked and thought they were about to drown, but then Jesus showed up, walking toward them on the water. The disciples thought He was a ghost, but Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here!” (verse 27).

Then Peter said, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water” (verse 28). So Jesus said come, and Peter went. He walked on the water.

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“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”—John 15:13

What a contrast the love of God is to the so-called “love” of our culture.

Our world loves you when you are young and beautiful; God loves you when you are old and not so attractive.

Our world loves you when you are famous and a celebrity; God loves you when you are unknown and a complete nobody.

Our world loves you when you are rich and powerful; God loves you when you are penniless and weak.

Our world loves the extraordinary. God loves the ordinary. People like you and me.

And God has demonstrated this love for us in a tangible way. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13 NKJV).

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So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.—1 Corinthians 11:27–28

Matthew 26 contains one of the most well-known events in human history and certainly the most famous meal ever eaten, the Last Supper.

As the disciples sat together, Jesus said, ” ‘Take it and eat it, for this is my body’ ” (verse 26). He then gave thanks and offered them the cup and said, ” ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many’ ” (verses 27–28).

Jesus, as He often did, was speaking symbolically. To say He was speaking literally here does not fit with the word pictures He often used. After all, Jesus said He was the Bread of Life. And didn’t He say that He was the Door?

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