The Sun Will Rise!! Indeed!

Our dog was saved by Danny and Ron. Please check out this moving slide show and consider giving to their efforts. Thank you!

Good Year for the Westchester Men's Ministry

The WMM had a good year in 2009. We hope to have a breakout year in 2010.

First a look back, in 2009 we...

• had over 10 events including a golf event, hiking, multiple breakfasts and our Christmas dinner.
• had our first breakfast with Grace Fellowship.
• had multiple new people join our small groups or attend one of our events.
• setup a blog, a Facebook group and a Twitter account. We have over 200 followers on Twitter and appear on 6 lists.
• had nearly 2 dozen men for our Christmas dinner, our largest group yet, including a few new people.
• just got started!

In 2010, we have big goals!

1. We feel God is calling us to prepare for the harvest -- so we plan to do leadership training
2. We also feel God wants us to "do" his Word as a group -- so we will be coordinating more outreach events.
3. We will have our first retreat in the early Spring of 2010 (watch for more details)!!
4. I believe we will have a small group of committed people step up in 2010 that will allow WMM to fulfill the role God intends for it. This may include 501c(3) status and a broader reach in Westchester county.
5. The spirit of the Westchester Men's Ministry is to be community based and support multiple churches. So my optimistic goal is to bring leaders from many churches together in 2010 to share our vision to bring hope to the hopeless and strengthen each other!

There are many people to thank for their support in 2009 including Dick Weidenheft, George Holladay, Peter Corfield and Fred Seiler among many others. Thank you guys!

We hope you have a very happy new year. Please pray that God will lead us and protect us because we can do all things through Him who strengthens us and conversely we can do nothing in our own power.

For All Those That Have Had Loved Ones Go Ahead

Creating a Connection Culture

On Saturday, November 7th and 14th, St. Mary's Church, Scarborough (Route 9), will be hosting a two-part lecture/seminar on "Creating a Connection Culture" - creating personal connections in order for people and organizations to thrive.

http://www.stmarysscarborough.com/

The presentation will be by John Donovan - author, journalist, consultant - VP of Life Spring Network.

November 7: The Ways and Whys of Isolation
November 14: A Vision for Rcovering Connection

Presentations are from 9:45 - Noon. Admission is free; refreshments will be available. In these stressful times many of us can benefit from this discussion. Please join us and pass this message on to friends and acquaintances who might enjoy/benefit from participation.

Small Group Opportunities

Last week, we kicked off the year with breakfast. Kevin Gillen spoke to us about being an example in our homes. This is our first and in many ways our primary missionary field. So it was a very appropriate way to kick off our year.

Two small groups are now available for you to join to continue the conversation. These groups provide a safe environment to share, be encouraged and to grow together in Christ. I hope you will take advantage of them.

Thursday Evening at 7pm

Rob Rosati and Marc Greenblum (leaders)

22 Baltic Place, Apt. 3P

Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520

Every other Saturday Morning at 7:30am

(Yea, you miss a little sleep but you won’t miss any Saturday family events.)

Started Today. Will meet Oct 17th and 31st. November 7th and 21st; December 5th and 19th.

19 Saddle Ridge Road (right off of route 133 near Millwood)

Ossining, NY 10562

914-373-4855

Don’t wait until the next monthly breakfast to be blessed!

Eliana Update - Please Pray

Brian's Prayer Letter... 9/11/09

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for everything. We have felt your love, prayers, and support during these past few weeks. Eliana is doing much better! As most of you know we came close to losing her at critical moments twice over the past few weeks. But God... He intervened and touched the doctors hands and told them what he wanted them to do and saved her life. I am overwhelmed by watching miracle after miracle in her life. God still moves, and works in our lives. When we are at our weakest He is the strongest on our lives and His power is awesome. God does care. He has answered our prayers and yours as well. Last Tuesday was one of the hardest nights we have ever been through. Eliana went into shock from the Ecoli in her body releasing toxins into her organs. Her blood pressure fell to 60/40, her heart was racing at 240 beats a minute and her oxygen fell to 60% turning her body blue. They rushed her body to the PICU and God restored her life. Pray she did not suffer more brain damage due to her mind not getting enough oxygen. She is doing much better and has successfully gone through a couple of surgeries since then. She is suppose to have stints place into her pancreas in a week or two. I wish you all could meet her and see her passion to live and love.

The church continues to see people saved and baptized through the summer. Pray as we disciple our new converts. Praise God He still love to save people and change people.

God Bless,
Brian Densmore

9/14

Well, Eliana got out of the hospital Friday night, but with the busy weekend I didn't have time to come share the good news... Unfortunately, she had to go back in today. Eliana has pancreatitis again. The new pancreatic enzymes they were trying evidently didn't work. She is back off her food and on morphine again.

Pray for our baby and pray for her parents who cannot help but be discouraged with this long siege of illness.

Updates on Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19029742114

Yeah!

To be a men's ministry like the bucket brigade where we give our all and celebrate saving another man. Standing together, following Jesus! Yeah!

Courtesy of: www.RealAmericanStories.com

Men's Breakfast - September 26th

We will kick off the new year on Saturday morning, September 26th, with a men's breakfast at Community Bible Church (CBC).

We are pleased to welcome Kevin Gillian as our speaker. Although Kevin

hasn't spoken at our events in the past, he has been involved in ministry to men in our area. Kevin is a pastor/teacher at Ridgeway Alliance Church / Nyack College. He also received his Masters in Divinity from the Alliance Theological Seminary which is part of Nyack College.

Please come and join us for fellowship, food and fun!

Community Bible Church is located at 301 Chadeayne Road in Yorktown Heights, NY. It is just off of route 134 near IBM. We will be meeting at 7:30 until 9am. Please join us and bring a friend!

Starting The New Year Right

We're excited about starting off the new year with a men's breakfast at Community Bible Church. We're excited about our speaker and we hope you will join us!

Please save the date of Saturday morning, September 26th. More details for follow shortly.

Twitter Milestone!

We have over 50 followers on Twitter!

Please show your support by following us at www.Twitter.com/NYMensMinistry.

Thanks!!

Image courtesy of Luc Latulippe (http://tinyurl.com/da2v4p)

Purpose Driven Ministry

Participated in Rick Warren's request for tweets with our life purpose. The one we submitted was selected re-tweeted and republished, with multiple others,on the Purpose Driven website's blog. Check it out here: Purpose Driven Connection

Praying for Eliana

Many of you know that our daughter Emily, went ahead of us to heaven 5 years ago. She had a very rare genetic disorder called CACT. She had the most extreme form of the disorder with almost no measurable amount of the enzyme that breaks down fatty acids. Primarily with a special diet and a lot of prayer, she lived 20 months longer than any of the other children diagnosed before her. Advancing medical science in the process.

Eliana is a child that Carolyn just became aware of that also has been diagnosed with CACT. Quite coincidentally Eliana is nearly exactly the age now that Emily was 5 years ago. I don't know how much of the enzyme Eliana has or the treatment that is being used. I'm sure medical advancements have occurred since Emily. I do know that Brian and Joy trust in the Lord and that has been all the difference in the world.

I encourage you to pray for them and visit their Facebook group. I also wanted to share a letter from Brian that was posted on their facebook group. Thank you.

From Brian's email....

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Thanks again for all of your intercession on behalf of our family especially Eliana. One of the greatest truth the God has shown me since we Eliana was born is that He is looking for weak humble people who need him to do the miraculous. God has miraculous brought Eliana out of the clutches of death and restored her vitality and life. I spent a while this morning simply thanking God for Eliana. Oh the things God has shown me through her life. I had several doctors and nurses stop in to see the "miracle baby". Over these last few months. She has been hospitalized 7 out of the last 8 weeks. Praise God she is home. Eliana has lost some of her developmental progress over the last few months. She is not babbling or trying to talk right now. She is not able to stand for any real length of time. She is simply special. Pray that she will gain these skills back and acquire new ones as well.

When we are at our weakest God is at His strongest. I believe this. Not that God gains strength, but I see Him dispense His strength more freely and powerfully. We have had more people come forward for membership. A couple of Sundays ago, while I was at my weakest, God showed off his everlasting strong arms once again. I had only had a couple hours of sleep as I was up late in the hospital with Eliana and rose early for Sunday services. I was tired to the point my stomach was sick. As I taught Sunday School I was having trouble keeping thoughts together. The class participants where gracious. As I went into the morning service i found a few minutes to just pray and ask God for help. I was preaching on Christ centered worship. I repeatedly asked the congregation to consider why they come to church. Several answers where given. I challenged them, that every time that we come to church we must come to see Jesus. There was a special spirit that day. At the end of the service a man approached me. I knew him from many years ago. He had never been to our church before. He is a tall strong military man. He began to confess that he started living for himself during his time in the army. He told me that he did not want to come to our church, but his sister (whose husband came to Christ at our church last fall) had been pestering him to come to our church. He kept saying I don't need religion I am fine. Well today he came to church to keep civility in the family. This strong military man in front of God and everyone began to weep. through his tears he chocked out a few words. "I saw Jesus today, I saw Jesus today and I gave Him my heart back". God did that. God's powerful strong arms broke the heart of a strong man. There are days that I wonder why this has all happened. Then God sends me a man like this to show me that there are people here that need Jesus just as much as they do in New Zealand. My friends, don't give up. Serve God. We cannot always choose which field we want to work, but we can always choose if we are going to work in the field. Mission is not a place, it's a people.

Thanks for all of your love and support,
Brian Denmsore

Please visit the Facebook for those that are praying for Eliana at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19029742114

You're men ain't ya?

Saw portions of the movie Open Range again Today. I love the fact that the two main characters (Played by Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall) understand that sometimes a man has to just step up and do what's "right", no matter what the consequences.

I hope and pray I'm listening to God enough and courageous enough to do the same.

Sound clips from the movie, these two occur right after each other:

http://www.moviesoundclips.net/movies1/openrange/men.wav

http://www.moviesoundclips.net/movies1/openrange/worse.wav

Job Description

Men wanted for the difficult task of helping build God's church. You will often be misunderstood even by those closest to you. You will face constant attacks from an invisible enemy. You might not see the results of your labor, and your full reward will not come until after your work is completed. It might cost you your home. It might cost you your ambitions. It might cost you your life.


Requirements

• Must rely on God to be their holiness (righteousness)
• Needs to be humble and contrite of heart
• Must need, desire and accept the salvation grace that comes through the redemptive death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Experience earnestly praying and repenting from their mischievous and selfish ways.
• Loves the Lord God with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their strength and with all their mind.
• Loves their neighbor as themselves.
• A person of noble motives, who earnestly desires the Lord above all things.
• Flees the evil desires of youth, and pursues righteousness, faith, love and peace.

Other Characteristics

• Many years of experience attempting to run their own life, assumed.
• A sinner saved by grace through faith in Christ.
• Imperfect and broken but looks forward to Jesus' return with much hope.

Benefits

• Walking, talking and working alongside the best boss ever.
• Meaning, Joy, and Peace
• Eternal Life

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. Positions outnumber applicants by a wide margin.


Even if you don't meet these requirements - there is grace. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8


Description Courtesy of
Michael Youssef, PH.D
Leading the Way Ministries
http://tinyurl.com/m7pp5d


Requirements and other characteristics, humbly compiled by WMM. We would gladly accept your feedback on this description but we would prefer to have your help with the job. Please comment or e-mail TerenceFinn@yahoo.com

Amazing Grace

Hopelessness + Jesus = Life, Hope, Joy, Meaning, and so much more!




Video Courtesy of The Salvation Army

Men's Ministry Golf Outing

Tentative Date: July 17th

So you think you can't golf...well you haven't seen anything yet.

Come have fun with a great group of guys. All are welcome!

Let us know if you are interested by commenting below or e-mail TerenceFinn@yahoo.com. Thanks!

(image courtesy of: www.homegameroom.com)

Pictures from Last Week's Hike

A number of us went for a walk on the Croton Aquaduct Trail last weekend. Here are a few pictures.

Please note the sun/shade mix was on purpose, you can't look at this group directly and live! :)

Seriously it was a great time and we were glad that George didn't beat any of us with his large stick. Thankfully we all stayed in line.

Hope to see you soon!

Come Hiking With Us

We're going to take a hike next Saturday, the 13th. Why not join us! We're going to meet at our house at 19 Saddle Ridge Road in Ossining at 7:30am and head out shortly afterwards to a local trail.

We would love to have you join us. Please stop by and bring a friend. Hope to see you Saturday!

    Last month, a number of us saw the movie Fireproof. (http://thelovedarebook.com/fireproof-movie.html)  Some of us picked up the book and committed to taking the dare.  Frankly, I've found it hard to find time even though it take only a few minutes.  I'm not sure why, but in speaking to a few other people I've found that I'm not alone.

    When I have taken the challenge and responded to the leadings in the book, Carolyn has noticed and has appreciated my efforts.  Therefore I'm going to try harder because I feel that much like praying, the devil maybe trying to keep me from something that will strengthen my marriage and my faith.  

    I encourage you too, to pick up the book if you haven't.  I'm sure we would all admit that no matter how long we've been married, our marriage is not perfect.  The question is, are you comfortable with that?   Or are you willing to push yourself to be a better husband?

    We are looking for a few people to share their experiences, either anonymously or preferrable not.  Please e-mail me at TerenceFinn@yahoo.com.  Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Recommitting to Prayer

About three weeks ago, we discussed prayer (see below post) and multiple people committed to trying to pray 3 times a day throughout Lent.  Many have mentioned that they, just like me, have struggled to get into this rhythm of stopping, breathing, and spending time with God.  Therefore since we are nearly exactly in the middle of Lent, we decided to recommit ourselves to this effort for the second half of Lent.  Why not join us and let us know your thoughts by adding comments below.

(Image courtesy: www.treasureschristianbooks.com)

I thought I would share a few comments that I have shared with others over the last few weeks with the hope that they may be an encouragement to you as you attempt to get into the practice of communing with God.  God Bless!

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' - which means, 'My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?'  - Matthew 27:46

Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours at this point.  He had already been flogged, had nails put through his hands and feet, and has been insulted all throughout.  Why would Jesus make this proclamation at this time and be silent through everything else?  Have you ever wondered this? Well it is important to note that in Jewish tradition, the Passover lamb was slaughtered at the 9^th hour.  So you see, Jesus is our Passover lamb.  So at the ninth hour he became sin for us and was cut off from God.  For the first time (in all time), he couldn’t commune with God and the loneliness and abandonment he felt made him yell out. I think this gives us some appreciation for the blessing we have in being able to commune with God.  Jesus was cutoff so we wouldn’t have to be.  I know I want to value that.

This hymn is from Claudia Hernaman:

“Lord, who throughout these forty days for us did fast and pray,
Teach us with you to mourn our sins, and close by you to stay.

As You with Satan did contend and did the victory win,
O give us strength in you to fight, in you to conquer sin.

As you bore hunger and your thirst, so teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and chiefly live by your most holy Word.

And through the days of penitence, and through your Passion-tide,
Yes, evermore, in life and death, Jesus! With us abide.

Abide with us, that so, this life of suffering over-past,
An Easter of unending joy we may attain at last!"

God's Rhythm

Stewardship of time / The Daily office and the Sabbath

Men’s Breakfast

February 21, 2009

Community Bible Church

Referenced and Related Bible References:

• Genesis 2:1-2  - God creates the Sabbath
• Exodus 31:16-17  - Celebrate as a lasting covenant
• Deuteronomy 5:12-15 - Ten commandments
• Psalm 119:164, Daniel 6:10, Acts 3:1; 10:9 – observed by David, Daniel, the apostles
• Colossians 2:16-17  - Ceremonial law; fulfilled in Christ, no longer under the law
• Galatians 4:6-9 - Sons, Known by God and Know God. “Abba, father” – expressive of an especially close relationship to God.
• Psalm 1:2 - Delight is in the law, meditates on it day and night
• Psalm 119:9-11 - Hid your word in my heart
• Isaiah 65:1-2a  - God desires a closer walk with us.
• Mark 2:23-28  - Messiah, Lord of the Sabbath
• Genesis 5:24; 6:9 - Enoch and Noah walked with God
• Matthew 6:5-13 - The Lord’s prayer

What is prayer?         Fellowship/communion with God, Praising God, Knowing God, Experiencing our sonship, learning to abide, etc.

Types of prayer?

• Adoration         - acknowledging who God is
• Confession       - acknowledging what we’ve done and repenting, turning to God
• Thanksgiving    - acknowledging God’s love and what Christ accomplished
• Supplication      - asking to be more like Christ, interceding for others or ourselves

Why commune with God?

• Joy!
• Experience God (for Him)
• Peace
• Rest
• Forgiveness
• You are who you are with, or what goes in comes out
• Others…..

Story: Emily’s breathing, if human relationships can change us, what would happen if we spent time with the Prince of Peace?

How can we practically move toward a Gospel-centered prayer life that aims primarily at knowing God?                     Meditation and communion

Meditation is the blending of Bible study and prayer.  Not detached but meditation is praying the truth deep into your soul.  This shapes us, our thinking, our feeling, our actions.  It’s working out the truth.

St. Augustine on Meditation:

1.      Retentio – distillation of the truth of scripture.  Study and concentrate on a passage of scripture to simply understand it, so you see its truth.

2.      Contemplatio – “gazing at God through this truth”

a.       What does this tell me about God?

b.      If he is really like this, what difference does this particular truth make to how I live Today?

c.       Does my life demonstrate my knowledge of this truth?

d.      Lord, what are you trying to tell me about you, and why do you want me to know it Today?

Contemplatio is turning "knowing about" into knowing.

3.      Directio – delighting and relishing the God you are looking at.  Praise, confess and aspire toward him.

Why don’t we pray and meditate?

• Too busy, the only prayers we sometimes do are the urgent ones requesting help
• Too tired, after being too busy
• Other priorities seem more important at time.
• Feel that there is a barrier (emotional) that seems too big, too much work
• Sin
• Lack of discipline, resolve, routine
• Don't want to rush, waiting until can spend more time.

The Power of Full Engagement (book - see reference)

Two ideas:

• More stress not less; intervals in-between every 2 to 3 hours is ideal
• In intervals, focus on God 

If not, then a disaster hits and we don’t have the focus we need.  We need a rope.

(story from book in reference: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzaro)

• Book, A Hidden Wholeness, by Parker Palmer
  
• Farmers in the Midwest, prepared for a blizzard by tying a rope from the back door of the house to the barn as a guide.
  
• The blizzards came quickly and fiercely and were highly dangerous.
  
• When their full force was blowing, a farmer could not see then end of his/her hand.
  
• Many froze to death, wondering in circles, lost in their own backyard
  
• Meteorologists in parts of Canada and the Great Plains still counsel people to tie a rope to their back door
  

Would like to propose that, God has given us a rope in the daily office and the Sabbath that offer us a rhythm so powerful that they anchor us from the blizzards that blow in our lives.

Not legalize….free from the ceremonial laws…a gift .  Find what works for you

The root of the daily office and the Sabbath is stopping to surrender to God in trust.

This is not setting aside time to turn to God for something but to be with Someone.

Daily office has 4 aspects:

1.      Stopping – God is on the throne, trust him to run His world without me.

2.      Center – “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  

Both difficult tasks

3.      Silence – is the practice of quieting every inner/outer voice to attend to God

“without solitude it is almost impossible to live a spiritual life” - Henry Nouwen

4.      Scripture – meditation, worship songs, reading through the Bible, etc. 

Sabbath

1.      Stop – embrace our limits

2.      Rest – replace with whatever delights and replenishes.

3.      Delight – “it was very good” Genesis 1:31 Benediction; In God, his creation, people, etc.

4.      Contemplate – heart of the Sabbath.  Pondering the love of God. 

Like a heavy snow day.  A “no obligation” day.

Exercise

Read Psalm 145

Meditate

1. What does this tell us about God, what does it reveal?
2. How can I praise him for and through this?
3. If he is really like this, what difference does this particular truth make to how I live?
4. Does my life demonstrate that I am remembering and acting out of this?
5. Lord, what are you trying to tell me about you, and why do you want me to know it now.  Today?

Discussion

1. Did the meditation help you see something in the scripture, you wouldn’t have normally?
2. What is one thing you could do to spend more time communing with God?
3. What support would you need in order to do this regularly?

Referenced or Reference:

• Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzaro, Ch. 8 “Discover the Rhythms of the Daily office and the Sabbath”
• Prayer and the Gospel by Dr. Tim Keller
• The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle
• The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

Image courtesy of: www.freecomputerdesktopwallpaper.com

Be Strong in the Lord

Ephesians 6:10-20

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians%206:10-20;&version=31;

Related References

• James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”
  
• Isaiah 11:5 “ Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.”
  
• Isaiah 59:17 "He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak."
• 1Thessalonians 5: 8 “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”
  
• Matthew 16:18 "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

Notes

• Belt of truth: the strength of our loins; and it girds on all other pieces of our armour, and therefore is first mentioned.

(image courtesy of:  www.preceptaustin.org)

• Breastplate of righteousness: The righteousness of Christ implanted in us is our breast-plate to fortify the heart against the attacks which Satan makes against us.
• Feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace: resolution to abide 

(image courtesy of:  www.preceptaustin.org)

• Shield of Faith: faith as it is the evidence of things not seen and the substance of things hoped for
• Helmet of Salvation: that is, hope, which has salvation for its object (1 Thess. v. 8)

(image courtesy of www.holyspiritinteractive.net)

• Sword of the Spirit: the word of God...
• Prayer: the battle is spiritual and must be fought with God's strength, depending on the word (sword) and on God through prayer.
  

Questions

1. We are encouraged to be strong in the lord, why? how?
2. What are we to stand strong against?  Does this mean that if we are doing God's will that we will never face conflict from other people?  (Note: No, if it is truely God's will, satan will use people and anything else he can to stop it)
3. What do each piece of armor represent and what does it mean to put them on?
4. What does it mean to "stand"?  Does it refer to only a defensive position, if so why are we given an offensive weapon in the sword of the Spirit?
5. What do you do to ensure that you always keep on praying and putting on the full armor of the Lord?  How can we help support you?

Key Take-Aways from Temptation of Christ Study

Christ Tempted

(Image courtesy of LaShawnBarber.com)

§         Three Categories of temptations: 

1. Hunger (physical) and in Jesus case the misuse of power
   
2. Power and wealth
   
3. Instant acclaim

§         Fully God and fully man, Although “God cannot be tempted by evil…” – James 1:13; but Jesus “Who, being in very nature^[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature^[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—        even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8

• Why was he tempted? - To sympathize and to save
1. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” – Hebrews 4:15
2. Righteous Jesus, died not for his sins but ours.  He was the perfect lamb.

“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” – Romans 5:19.

Our Temptations

• We too like Jesus are tempted in many of the same ways. 
• Some allowed by God to sanctify us; some brought upon ourselves (James 1:14)
• God doesn’t allow us to be tempted beyond what he has equipped us to bare

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Our Response

• Prayer  - commune with God (strength to withstand the evil ones advances)
• Knowledge and Obedience to God’s Word      - Knowing your are God’s adopted son and responding to the knowledge of that Love by obedience to his Word.
• Community – with others that model and encourage
• Repentance – when we do fail, we must understand that we are not accepted because of our actions but because of His.  Turn and follow Him.  

On Repentance, Dick Weidenheft gave a very timely sermon this morning.  You can find it here within the next few days:

http://communitybiblechurch.org/audio/

Temptation of Christ

Luke 4:1-13    (Matthew 4:1-11)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=49&chapter=4&version=31

Notes

Mathew Henry’s Commentary on Matthew 4:1-11 (similar to Luke 4:1-13)

Concerning Christ's temptation, observe,

I. The time when it happened: … Immediately after the heavens were opened to him, and the Spirit descended on him, and he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, the next news we hear of him is, he is tempted; for then he is best able to grapple with the temptation.

Note, 1. Great privileges, and special tokens of divine favour, will not secure us from being tempted.

Nay, 2. After great honours put upon us, we must expect something that is humbling; as Paul has a messenger of Satan sent to buffer him, after he had been in the third heavens.

3. God usually prepares his people for temptation before he calls them to it; he gives strength according to the day, and, before a sharp trial, gives more than ordinary comfort.

4. The assurance of our sonship is the best preparative for temptation. If the good Spirit witness to our adoption, that will furnish us with an answer to all the suggestions of the evil spirit, designed either to debauch or disquiet us.

... After we have been admitted into the communion of God, we must expect to be set upon by Satan. The enriched soul must double its guard. When thou has eaten and art full, then beware. …

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc5.Matt.v.html

Deutronomy 8:3

"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

 

Jesus' point is that physical needs must be met God's way, not our own selfish, short-cut way. We're tempted, of course, to steal, to cheat, to fornicate, to lie, to provide a quick fix for our physical hungers. God is able to supply our needs, but we must wait on him and seek to do things his way. Just because we CAN work miracles doesn't mean we should in any given circumstance. Bread -- physical fulfillment -- is not more important than God's Word and way. (http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/4_1-13.htm)

Three temptations

1. The lust of the flesh – the temptation of hunger
2. The lust of the eyes – the temptation of power and wealth
3. The pride of life – the temptation of instant acclaim

The same temptations we face but Jesus, although tempted, did not sin.  This scripture highlights his flawless character.

Questions

1. When did this event take place in Jesus’ life?  What preceded it?
2. How was Jesus tempted?  How did he respond?
3. Why was Jesus susceptible to temptation?

"God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone" - James 1:13

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” - Philippians 2:7

4. Why was he tempted?
5. How are we tempted in ways that fall into these 3 categories?
6. How are we able to respond like Jesus did?

(Prayer, Fasting, God’s Word)   Ephesians 6:11-18