Author: Nathaniel Colt

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Read: Hebrews 4:14–16

In the Old Testament, the main role of the high priest was go to God on behalf of the people to offer sacrifices for the wrong choices they had made. Jesus came and died for our sins and then rose again. He is our high priest. When we give in to temptation, we can go to God, confess our sins, and receive forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross makes this possible.

The Bible says that we can approach God’s throne of grace boldly, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Jesus understands our weaknesses because He was tempted, and yet He never sinned. We are human and there will be times we don’t make the right choice. We’ll have to face the consequences of those choices. Even when we make the right choice, there may be challenges that we have to face. God wants us to honor Him by making the right choice, even if the right choice brings challenges (1 Samuel 15:22). But, we can always look to God for His mercy and His grace, and He will always be there to help us.

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Read: Matthew 6:13

Tug-of-war is a game that is played with a long rope with a knot in the center and two teams holding the rope on opposite sides of the knot. The goal is to pull the opposition to your side of the center line. It’s important that you don’t yield or let up, because doing that gives the opposing team a better opportunity to win.

Our life is like a game of tug-of-war. As we follow Jesus, our enemy, Satan, tries to pull us in the other direction. However, God is like an immovable anchor at the end of the rope. He can’t be moved. And as long as we are connected to Him, we can’t be moved either. He is the One who will give us the strength to resist temptation and make choices that honor Him.

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Read: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Have you ever seen a movie in which the main characters have to go through several puzzles to get out of the difficult situation? They may have to step on the right tiles to avoid spears being thrown at them. Or, they may find themselves in a room where all the walls are closing in. In the moment, it seems like there’s no way of escape. But then, right at the last second, they escape.

Many times this is how temptation feels. It can seem as if temptation is closing in to crush us and doing right can be extremely difficult. However, the Bible says that we can trust that God won’t let us be tempted beyond what we can handle. When we are tempted, He will always show us a way out. When we are having a difficult time making the right choice, we can call out to God and He can give us the strength to resist the temptation.

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Read: Psalm 119:11; Matthew 4:1–11

It’s always interesting to see celebrities and important leaders, like the president, doing normal, everyday things such as walking their dog or grabbing a hamburger at a fast-food restaurant. It’s easy for us to forget that they do regular things just like we do.

When Jesus came to earth, He was both God and human. Jesus experienced all the things that come with normal life including the temptation to do wrong things. In fact, the devil tried to tempt Jesus multiple times! Jesus never gave in to temptation. He overcame His desire to do wrong things by using the Word of God.

Like Jesus, we will face temptation because that’s part of living in this world. However, Jesus showed us how to make the right choice. When we fill our heart with the Word of God and listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit, we can resist temptation and follow the plan that God has for us!

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Read: Philippians 1:27–30

Do you know how lions hunt other animals? Lions target animals that are separated from their herd, isolated and alone. The lions stalk their target, stealthily creeping closer until they are within striking distance. It’s important for herds to stay strong together to survive.

Satan, our enemy, would like us to feel as if we are going through something unique and there’s no one we can talk to. This is a trick, a lie to separate us from other believers who can provide support and encouragement. Even when we suffer, we can trust Jesus to always be there for us and to understand what we are facing. He knows how we feel because He, too, has suffered. When we share our struggles with other believers, they can encourage us, pray with us, and help us keep our focus on God. They can also tell us how God has helped them through something like what we’re facing.

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Read: Hebrews 2:16–18

Have you ever tried telling a funny story to someone who didn’t see the event as it happened? They may have found the story mildly amusing, but not nearly as funny as those who saw it. Or maybe you’ve tried describing something incredible to someone, but they just weren’t getting it because they didn’t experience it with you.

Jesus understands what we’re feeling when bad things happen because He suffered when He lived here on earth. He endured the emotional pain of being misunderstood by His family (Mark 3:20–21), unfair public criticism including death threats, betrayal by close associates, and a wrongful conviction and death sentence. Physically, He endured hunger, travel over long distances in harsh conditions, being physically beaten, and being publicly executed in a slow, brutal manner. He is no stranger to pain and heartbreak, so who better do we have to go to when we face difficulties ourself? Suffering is a part of life, and, at some point, everyone faces trouble. However, God is merciful and is always faithful to help us.

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Read: 1 Corinthians 12:25–27

In the middle of the night, you decide to get out of bed and walk to the kitchen for a drink of water. All the lights are out and it’s completely dark in your house. As you stumble through the living room, “Bam!” Your toe smashes into something. Immediately, your whole body reacts. Your mouth says, “Ouch!” Your back bends and your hand grabs your throbbing toe.

The church should operate like that when someone hurts. When people suffer, the church body should react to support them and to care for them. God expects His people to care for each other and support each other through both good and bad times.

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Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3–7

When bad things happen or when people are sad, they search for comfort in many places. Some may cuddle up with their favorite blanket. Others may go for a walk or a run. Some may listen to music or talk to a friend. Although these things may be of some value, none of them can compare to the comfort God provides.

God is the source of all comfort. He has a plan and purpose for our life, and, sometimes, for reasons only known to Him, He allows bad things to happen. He uses these times to draw us closer to Him and to strengthen our faith. He also uses these events in our life to give us opportunities to encourage others who may face similar situations. We can receive comfort from God, and we can direct others to Him to receive the comfort they need.