Mike Paschall . com

There were three temptations. Three times “the dark” attempted to over-extend the light—trying anything to get Him out of his rhythm. It didn’t work. Jesus knew who he was and what his Father thought of him. You normally can’t manipulate or jack with people who are grounded in that kind of shalom.

Last week we looked at the first temptation or addiction: our need to be noticed or needed. Honestly, it’s a brutal conversation. I don’t know if you’ve figured it out or not, but your number of Facebook or Twitter followers doesn’t have a damn thing to do with who you are or your value as a human being. And if you don’t know that, you’ll spend the rest of your life trying to get noticed, get recognized, or get some proverbial wink of approval. What a horrible, horrible, horrible waste of your life juice.

God I feel better for saying that!

Let’s move on. I’m tired of thinking about it.

The second encounter that Jesus faced was the whole, “Since you’re God’s son, jump!” (Matthew 4:6) This is our addiction to being right, to be in, to be a part of the moral elite, to be saved and superior—all for our own benefit. This would be a thing called self-righteousness. This is the spirit that will step on humanity for the sake of a religious notion. If you want to talk anti-Christ… look no further. It was juicy bait—but Jesus didn’t bite.

More evil has come into the world by people of religious ignorance than by people who have intentionally sinned.” –Richard Rohr, O. F. M.

The problem is our NEED to be right—our insecurity without our certainties—our ridiculous pride about our certainties. It’s nice to be right every now and then, but that driving need to be superior, righteous, and elite is just downright uuuggglly.

Rohr points out that when the young rich man asked for the specifics of how to gain eternal life, Jesus didn’t give him any real answers, because it was the wrong question (Mark 10:17). Jesus didn’t play by the rules. He didn’t play the game that everyone else was playing. There is a real possibility that much like “darkness” the young man didn’t really want answers. He only wanted affirmation of what he was already certain of. Selling his stuff wasn’t going to buy the boy a ticket to heaven. We don’t believe that do we? If you do, why do you still have your stuff? Why? Ain’t you going to heaven? Jesus help us to have eyes that see.

Jesus offered the same kind of solution to the person struggling with lust: “Fine, cut out your eye, but you’ll soon figure out that your problem is not your eye. It’s your heart.” (Matthew 5:29)

Our need to be right, to be on top, to be certain, to be THE authority, the big-dog, the alpha are real temptations. Simply, it is an addiction of great concern. Don’t just like this.  You should hate this… it’s in us.

Wow… three pieces of scripture. Guess that constitutes as preaching. Sorry.

Love you all!

Mike  xo