Friday, October 31, 2008

First Summary! Bible Study: Conquering Temptations - Matthew 4:1-11 - 27 Oct 2008

Objectives:

  • Understand the background of temptations

  • Understand where/who temptations come from

  • Understand why we have temptations

  • Understand what is God’s purpose of temptations

  • Learn how to conquer temptations (practical tips)

What are Temptations?
Definition: the desire to have or do something that God has told us to avoid; the act of influencing by exciting hope or desire

What we can learn from Matthew 4:1-11?
1. It is important to have the Word written in our hearts (to have a close relationship with the Father) so that we can defeat Satan’s lies with the Truth

2. Satan will tempt us when we are the weakest, just like he tempted Jesus after Jesus had fasted for 40d and 40n. So beware and be prepared.

3. God allows temptation to take place, even though He does not directly tempt us (read James 1:13-15). In Jesus’ case, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted.

4. Satan will come back and tempt you again even if you have conquered temptation once. (Read Luke 4:13)

5. All of Jesus’ answers to Satan showed His obedience to God and to His perfect will. Similarly, we should always remain obedient to His Word and His will, and not fall to idolatry (which leads to temptation).

6. Satan’s purpose for tempting Jesus and for tempting us is to shake our identity as Children of God, and also to draw us away from God.

7. Satan knows the bible too! Although he would often quote literally and take a passage out of context to stumble us. He doesn’t know the heart of the Word or the revelations behind it which is revealed to us.

Why does God allow temptations?

1. Man was created to be weak, and Adam and Eve first fell to temptation because of their weakness which they did not submit to God. Since then, man has a sinful nature which causes us to have sinful desires that cause us to be tempted by Satan.

2. But God wants us to learn that we were created weak and that we need God, so that we will learn, through temptations, to rely on Him, to learn to deny ourselves and learn how to really live our lives for God.

3. God wants His glory to be manifest in us, and help us to grow in maturity in Christ!


Practical ways to conquer temptation!

1. Have a personal relationship with God

2. Acknowledge that we are weak and sinful and that we are not above temptation (Read 1 Cor 10:12-14)

3. Identify our areas of weakness that Satan would use

4. Surrender our temptations to God (Read Matthew 26:41, Matthew 6:9-15), Flee from temptations (Read 1 Cor 6:18)

5. Keep God’s Word in our hearts and apply it, Learn and live by Jesus’ example, Have an eternal viewpoint (Jesus understood His purpose in His coming and reinstated His wholehearted devotion to God)

6. God provides a way out, By His mercy and grace, we have a hope in God, that He will save us. Jesus is our High Priest! (Read Hebrews 2:17-18, Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 Cor 10:12-14)

  • - Be accountable to someone(s)
  • - Pastoral counseling
  • - Books/Seminars
  • - Allow for a healing and strength building process after Satan leaves (like how Jesus allowed the angels to attend to Him)

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

First Entry!

Welcome to our ROR blog!!!
I guess I have the honor to post the post entry of this blog since I created it! Mwahaha... Anyway, I have given all of you the username and the password in the email. So please post entries as and when you feel like sharing. I really hope that this will be a place where we can share our daily experiences, our walk with God, our struggles in our faith, encouragements, jokes and many more! :) (But notes-taker please remember to always post your notes after cell for the particular week okay?)
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Oh also, since I created the blog, naturally and inevitably the blog has been created skewing towards my preference ( I really tried to be as neutral as possible when creating it but you know... human nature to choose what they like! hehe). SO.... please email me your suggestions on how to improve the funtionality and the outlook of the blog (not sure whether it's too girly for some of you).
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Let's take a cell photo soon so that we can post it in the blog too! So exciting!