Lent WEEK 1: February 19-25 - TEMPTATION

WEEK 1: TEMPTATION

February 19-25 / Weekly Fast: Food

Reading

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ ” And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” And when the devil had ended every temptation,he departed from him until an opportune time. LUKE 4:1–13

Supplemental Passages to Consider Throughout the Week

Hebrews 2:14-18, Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 Corinthians 10:6-13, James 1:12-15

 

Searcher of Hearts,

It is a good day to me when thou givest me a glimpse of myself;

Sin is my greatest evil, 

but thou art my greatest good;

I have cause to loathe myself, 

and not to seek self-honour, 

for no one desires to commend his dunghill.

My country, family, church 

fare worse because of my sins, 

for sinners bring judgment in thinking sins are small, 

or that God is not angry with them.

Let me not take other good men as my example, 

and think I am good because I am like them,

For all good men are not so good as thou desirest, 

are not always consistent,

do not always follow holiness,

do not feel good in sore affliction.

Show me how to know when a thing is evil 

which I think is right and good, 

how to know when what is lawful 

comes from an evil principle, 

such as desire for reputation or wealth by usury.

Give me grace to recall my needs, 

my lack of knowing thy will in Scripture, 

of wisdom to guide others, 

of daily repentance, want of which keeps thee at bay, 

of the spirit of prayer, having words without love 

of zeal for thy glory, seeking my own ends, 

of joy in thee and thy will, 

of love to others.

And let me not lay my pipe 

too short of the fountain, 

never touching the eternal spring, 

never drawing down water from above.

PRAYER FROM “THE VALLEY OF VISION"

This is taken from the Seasons of Lent Guide from The Village Church.