This is a Meditation on Jesus Temptations,
which of course we share these Temptations with him.
You can see his temptations here.
Meditation:
This is a really fruitful section of scripture, IMO.
There is much left unsaid, below.
I am looking at this scripture regarding our Temptation
to turn from Darkenss and into our Way in Light.
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1st
2 temptations are of the flesh – in opposite directions:
- Giving needs of the body
too much weight, focusing on physical rather than spiritual needs
- Giving needs of the body
not enough weight, risking it unnecessarily, disregarding its needs
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First to note, the devil
uses this phrase 2 times,
as precursors to the 1st 2 temptations - the body temptations:
“If thou art the son of God, then,,,”
as precursors to the 1st 2 temptations - the body temptations:
“If thou art the son of God, then,,,”
the Devil says: prove it - I dare ya, I don’t think you are so special...
Temptation includes feeding emotional needs, intellectual imbalances of the body – pride, insecurity, fear
the
Devil says: prove it to me, prove it to others, prove it to yourself! that you matter...
It
is vital that we know who we are in God
and can own our place in the Kingdom/Reign of God,
or we are too weak and unsupported, to stand in the face of the Adversary.
and can own our place in the Kingdom/Reign of God,
or we are too weak and unsupported, to stand in the face of the Adversary.
.
Ask
Jesus to assist you to release emotions, beliefs, lies
that have you doubt your place as a child of God.
that have you doubt your place as a child of God.
Ask
Jesus for encouragement
and to send you more certainty and faith,
so you can stand firm when the Tempter comes
and to send you more certainty and faith,
so you can stand firm when the Tempter comes
.
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Temptation 1:
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Temptation 1:
'If Son thou art of God
speak that these stones may become loaves.'
speak that these stones may become loaves.'
Focusing
on and feeding physical needs of body,
noticing where we are out of alignment with God.
noticing where we are out of alignment with God.
This temptation reminds
me of:
- Esau, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage – for lentil mash – not seeing the forest for the trees.
- Esau, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage – for lentil mash – not seeing the forest for the trees.
- Abraham & Sarah
– utilizing Hagar, Ishmael to HELP God, because God took too long…
- Adam & Eve
with Snake – forbidden fruit - in the day of your
eating of it -- your eyes have been opened, and ye have been as God,
knowing good and evil.
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Life is challenging and we can get very hungry.
so, we focus physically and take things into our own hands,
according to our needs and desires;
instead of following our direct spiritual path,
as the Living God leads us directly, step by step.
This is a temptation of the Dark side.
God IS our Life,
God's communication with us IS our Food,
walking our unique Way IN God IS our Blessing...
even when it seems a hungry, lonely road.
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Life is challenging and we can get very hungry.
so, we focus physically and take things into our own hands,
according to our needs and desires;
instead of following our direct spiritual path,
as the Living God leads us directly, step by step.
This is a temptation of the Dark side.
God IS our Life,
God's communication with us IS our Food,
walking our unique Way IN God IS our Blessing...
even when it seems a hungry, lonely road.
when ye turn to the right hand or when ye turn to the left, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.
Ask
Jesus:
- When am I succumbing to my physically-focused needs and desires of the body in ways that take me out of alignment with God?
- When am I succumbing to my physically-focused needs and desires of the body in ways that take me out of alignment with God?
- What
are the thoughts, feelings, beliefs that have me succumb to these
temptations?
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
Addictions & Distractions are some of many temptations
that help us deal with the discord we have deep-down,
and bring us always-farther from our path IN God.
Addictions show up in many forms
- drugs legal & not, food & drink, relationships & sex, entertainment & communication, giving & taking, doing & not-doing...
we can distract ourselves with almost anything...
Addictions are like a bridge over uncrossable water,
a short-cut to the promised land...
where the disturbances that cloud our everyday experience lift for a bit
- we experience that, we are Ok, we can Breathe, we are One...
But, then we a ripped-back to 'reality'.
These experiences are true and they are ours -
we Are Ok, we Can Breathe, we Are One...
this is spiritual reality, and our birthright, we can live here always.
But we must Own this within our Soul,
not sneak a taste that quickly fades, with short-cuts.
that help us deal with the discord we have deep-down,
and bring us always-farther from our path IN God.
Addictions show up in many forms
- drugs legal & not, food & drink, relationships & sex, entertainment & communication, giving & taking, doing & not-doing...
we can distract ourselves with almost anything...
Addictions are like a bridge over uncrossable water,
a short-cut to the promised land...
where the disturbances that cloud our everyday experience lift for a bit
- we experience that, we are Ok, we can Breathe, we are One...
But, then we a ripped-back to 'reality'.
These experiences are true and they are ours -
we Are Ok, we Can Breathe, we Are One...
this is spiritual reality, and our birthright, we can live here always.
But we must Own this within our Soul,
not sneak a taste that quickly fades, with short-cuts.
Ask
Jesus:
- What you use as a short-cut? and why?
- What you use as a short-cut? and why?
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
.
.
Temptation 2
(from a high place) 'If Son thou art of God, cast thyself down, God will send angels to save you'
(from a high place) 'If Son thou art of God, cast thyself down, God will send angels to save you'
It
is not spiritual to abuse the body.
It is not spiritual to hurt the body.
It is not spiritual to take unnecessary risks with the body.
The body is a beautiful co-creation with God.
Our temple through which we love and serve the Lord;
Through which we behold and reflect Glory,
shining Gods light into the world, into the darkness.
It is not spiritual to hurt the body.
It is not spiritual to take unnecessary risks with the body.
The body is a beautiful co-creation with God.
Our temple through which we love and serve the Lord;
Through which we behold and reflect Glory,
shining Gods light into the world, into the darkness.
This temptation reminds me of:
- the recently popular reality shows; where they swim with sharks, eat glass, and get knocked off high obstacle courses – for money, fame, attention...
- putting down our bodies for not fitting into a certain dress, forcing our feet into shoes that hurt and dis-form them, hating-on our bodies for their natural bone-structure, muscle-size, fat-distribution, hair/ skin/ nail structure...
- the recently popular reality shows; where they swim with sharks, eat glass, and get knocked off high obstacle courses – for money, fame, attention...
- putting down our bodies for not fitting into a certain dress, forcing our feet into shoes that hurt and dis-form them, hating-on our bodies for their natural bone-structure, muscle-size, fat-distribution, hair/ skin/ nail structure...
Ask
Jesus:
- How do I abuse, misuse, neglect my body?
- How do I put my body down, and force it to do things that hurt-it?
- Why do I do these things?
.
As we finish attention on the body
and some of the extremes of temptation around the body,
I would like to take a minute to give you are metaphor
that I work with regarding the body
that really works for me, and many of my students:
- How do I abuse, misuse, neglect my body?
- How do I put my body down, and force it to do things that hurt-it?
- Why do I do these things?
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
.
As we finish attention on the body
and some of the extremes of temptation around the body,
I would like to take a minute to give you are metaphor
that I work with regarding the body
that really works for me, and many of my students:
What
if we relate to the body as we would a 3 year old whom we love?
Most importantly, hopefully:
We love, validate, care-for, share wonderful delights and experiences, appreciate & adore...
We act with nurturing, protection, forethought with the children we are blessed to have in our lives.
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Also,
Most importantly, hopefully:
We love, validate, care-for, share wonderful delights and experiences, appreciate & adore...
We act with nurturing, protection, forethought with the children we are blessed to have in our lives.
... And this is very healthy for our body, and our soul relationship with our body.
Also,
A
child doesn’t get everything it wants, when it wants it
– 3 yr olds don’t get to decide when they go to bed.
– 3 yr olds don’t get to decide when they go to bed.
A
3 yr old doesn’t get everything it desires, exactly when it desires
– this is not healthy for a child
– this is not healthy for a child
... And this is not healthy for our body, and our soul relationship with our body, either.
.
Our bodies need our discipline to be safe, comfortable, healthy
and most especially to come into alignment with our spiritual purpose.
Our bodies need our discipline to be safe, comfortable, healthy
and most especially to come into alignment with our spiritual purpose.
This
is our spiritual responsibility,
and our spiritual blessing.
and our spiritual blessing.
Ask
Jesus:
- Please assist me to love, validate, care-for... my beautiful body
- Please assist me to have the distinctions and discipline to keep my precious body safe, comfortable, healthy...
- Please assist me be balanced, and conscious about differentiating between physical desires and spiritual direction in my life, and to act accordingly.
- Please assist me to love, validate, care-for... my beautiful body
- Please assist me to have the distinctions and discipline to keep my precious body safe, comfortable, healthy...
- Please assist me be balanced, and conscious about differentiating between physical desires and spiritual direction in my life, and to act accordingly.
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
.
.
.
.
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Temptation 3:
'Again
doth the Devil take him to a very high mount, and doth shew to him
all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and
saith to him, 'All these to thee I will give'
This is archetypal stuff
– selling your soul to the devil for….fame, fortune, power, an exciting life, a comfortable old-age...
– selling your soul to the devil for….fame, fortune, power, an exciting life, a comfortable old-age...
Ask Jesus:
- What do I want more than God? More than my unique Calling in God?
- Why do I want this more than God? Instead of being conscious of the Blessings of the Presence and Love of God?
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
.
Now, let's look more
personally
– we look outside ourselves to get our needs met.
– we look outside ourselves to get our needs met.
IMO/E,
Our needs can be met outside us,
but first they are met within by God.
What are we looking for out in the world to fill the hole within us?
Relationships, love, nurturing, sex, someone to look up to us, someone to validate us...
I am
Very familiar with these temptations, maybe you are to?
If we make a deal with the dark side,
if we focus on physical desires, identity, journey - instead of spiritual...
- Maybe we can avoid pain, find pleasure, feel safe, have our loved ones be safe, enjoy power, love and respect of people...
- Maybe we can have a good Partner, a good family, a good social standing, a good church member.
- Maybe we can be successful in serving people and sharing the good news...
These temptations can be very wily and very subtle…
If we make a deal with the dark side,
if we focus on physical desires, identity, journey - instead of spiritual...
- Maybe we can avoid pain, find pleasure, feel safe, have our loved ones be safe, enjoy power, love and respect of people...
- Maybe we can have a good Partner, a good family, a good social standing, a good church member.
- Maybe we can be successful in serving people and sharing the good news...
These temptations can be very wily and very subtle…
Ask Jesus:
- What do I want more than God? More than my unique Calling in God?
- Why do I want this more than God? Instead of being conscious of the Blessings of the Presence and Love of God?
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
.
What was Jesus temptation in the world:
- Giving, caring, loving, serving, taking away pain, averting
suffering & horror?
- Having his Disciples understand what he was sharing; be led-by Abba and experience the Reign/Kingdom?
- Equipping his Disciples be able to Act as he did - healing, casting-demons, sharing the Good News of the Reign/Kingdom?
IDK, Ask him ; )
Maybe we can see some of our temptations in what Jesus may have wanted very dearly.
- Equipping his Disciples be able to Act as he did - healing, casting-demons, sharing the Good News of the Reign/Kingdom?
IDK, Ask him ; )
Maybe we can see some of our temptations in what Jesus may have wanted very dearly.
Ask
Jesus
- Please help me to focus on my own page, on my own path in God, doing what God calls me to do
- Please assist me to not getting hooked by what others are or are not doing; on the judgment of how the world is ‘going to hell in a hand basket’, or how I may want to save them.
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
- Please help me to focus on my own page, on my own path in God, doing what God calls me to do
- Please assist me to not getting hooked by what others are or are not doing; on the judgment of how the world is ‘going to hell in a hand basket’, or how I may want to save them.
- Please, Jesus, help me release, heal, and fill with spiritual fruit, walking in the Way...
Thank you, Jesus!
For so much,
especially helping me put my attention on God.
.
.
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'Then
doth the Devil leave him, and lo, messengers came and were
ministering to him.'
Ask God:
- to send angels to help meet my needs
- to send angels to help meet my needs
- to send angels to help meet the needs of my loved-ones.
- to send angels to help meet the needs of the world.
- for a
healing – spiritual as well as physical: emotional, intellectual,
relational…
- for love & validation
- is there
is anything it would be beneficial to know?
Rest, Just be IN God.
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want to delve more, heal the places of temptation?
you may consider: WHY would we we open the door to the dark side?
Bless you in your Meditations with Jesus!
Wendy
Wendy
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