“And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.  And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:2-3).

Jesus did what few can do.  He weakened Himself to be vulnerable.  In His vulnerability, the devil came and tempted Jesus to misuse the power which was His.  Misusing power, if even for a good reason, is a damning drug.  Power corrupts.  This is why Jesus has told us that all power belongs to Him.  The only power which is ours is the power to become a child of the Heavenly Father.

Listen carefully to these words.  You and I are not exempt, but we are tempted to think ourselves the exception.  We have been, often are, and will be tempted.  We will fall.  But the grace of the Lord neither excuses us nor flees from us but is always with us so that we can stand up again and walk the path of faith.  Do not seek power but seek the things of the Lord all the days of your life.

You are within me, Holy Spirit.  Make me aware when I am being tempted so that I may listen to You and not the tempter.  Most often I know what to do, but I am weak and do not do what I ought.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to listen to You.  Shield me so that I may not go beyond the place where I am able to endure.  Lead me to walk in the light of Your word and resist the temptations that come my way.  Amen.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1).

This world is a wilderness, and we are all tempted by the devil.  The wicked one doesn’t care for you but he wants you so long as it is hurtful to the Lord.  But Jesus?  If He can be tripped up, then what God asks of us is more than we can do.  But Jesus is not tripped up and, through the cross, we are given His righteousness.  But take care, for you are still in the wilderness and the devil will tempt you.

Lord, I thank You for the grace which is mine in You.  We all need Your help to overcome the temptations that come our way.  “Lead us not into temptation.”  You know my limits and boundaries and I pray that a shield be placed such that the wicked one have no power over me. “Deliver us from evil,” Lord, You know all that is needed and You must be the One who helps us fights this fight.

Lord Jesus, You went against the devil for my soul.  You went against Him and won.  Your shed blood has set me free from sin, death, and the devil.  Keep reminding me, Holy Spirit, that I am under the wing of Your protection.  Continue to guide me in the way of salvation so that I may humbly walk in the faith You have given me.  You are my leader.  Help me to follow You through the wilderness of this age.  Amen.

“After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).

“In whom I am well pleased.”  At the end of this age, all will stand before the Lord.  We shall all hear, “Thy will be done.”  Either it is us saying to the Lord, “Thy will be done,” or else it is the Lord saying to us, “Thy will be done.”  You can walk in the way of salvation or in your own way.  Jesus came as the perfect obedient Son to lead the way for all who will come into the salvation He alone gives.

Father in Heaven, You have called all to come through Your beloved Son in whom You are well pleased and be reconciled with You.  You have provided the way of salvation in this world filled with avarice and pride.  You have given us will but call for us to give our will back to You.  You love us and bid us do the same with You and our neighbor.  Help us to listen to Your Son.

Lord Jesus, You underwent the perfect baptism of repentance for our sakes and began the work which culminated in Your death on the cross.  Through what You have done You have accomplished for us our salvation.  Lead me this day in all righteousness for Your name’s sake that I may be found having done the Father’s will on earth as it shall be done in heaven.  Amen.

“But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him” (Matthew 3:15).

How gracious our Lord is.  He is the One in whom all authority rests, and yet, he makes a request.  The gracious Lord requests that you walk with Him.  He is courteous and asks.  The devil is rude and demands.  Jesus is the One who fulfills all righteousness so that we who have none may gain from He who has all that is needed.  How good and complete is the salvation which He gives us.

Lord, the world I live in is always in such a hurry.  Go here and there and yet get nowhere.  Lead me to understand that only in You is there salvation.  Only by what You have done and are doing am I saved.  Open my eyes to see the magnitude of Your grace and mercy so that I may walk with You and receive all that is needed.  You give me eternal life and it comes as You give it.  No matter the appointments to office You give in the kingdom, You have demonstrated courtesy and kindness to all.

Lord Jesus, bring me to the place where I allow You freely into my life and soul.  Bring me to the place of repentance where I open up and willingly submit to whatever You need to do in me to fulfill all righteousness.  You must be the One who leads, for only You can perfectly do all that is needed in order to accomplish what needs to be done in my life.  Thank You, Jesus, for leading the way.  Amen. 

“Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him.  But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?” (Matthew 3:13-14)

All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to the Lord.  But Jesus comes to be baptized with a baptism of repentance.  Why?  It is the really bad man who needs to repent, but he does not know it.  It takes a perfect man to repent perfectly, but then, a perfect man would not need to repent.  Jesus undergoes the baptism of repentance we all need but are unable to do.  He begins saving us in the beginning by doing for us that which we cannot do.

Lord, I too need to confess that I am in bondage to sin and cannot free myself.  I too need Your grace and mercy to be freed from my sins in order to become a child of God.  I need what only You can give me.  Help me to see that this faith You have given me is not some once and done thing, but a matter that will take the whole of this life.

My Lord and Savior, You have come into this world to accomplish all that the Father has purposed.  All that any of us needs to know, You have given so that we might follow You as You make of us what You will.  Help me to humbly submit to You, the author and finisher of my faith, so that I may go where You lead as You bring me fully into repentance and forgiveness.  Amen.

“His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12).

We know what Jesus will do.  For round one, He has told us to leave the wheat and chaff together.  Round two, He will separate the wheat and the chaff.  This age is often talking about those we think are chaff and making them into wheat.  That is not our business.  As many as see the light are they who will be made into children of God.  Those who are in Him shall be gathered together, for they are His bride, the church.

Jesus, You told the disciples that they knew what You were doing.  Here it is made clear.  You are making children of the Heavenly Father in this age.  You call everyone, but it is “as many as follow You” and who come into Your presence, purpose and power that are saved.  You have given Your Holy Spirit to sift our hearts so that the wickedness of this age may be sifted out in order for the goodness You pour in to remain.

Lord Jesus, You are working through me and the daily struggles are my cross to bear.  Guide me today as You sift my heart by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that I willingly and humbly walk in the Father’s will for all that needs to be done.  Burn up within me all that is not useful.  Pour into me all that is needed so that I may live as a child of the Heavenly Father.  May Your will be done in me.  Amen.

“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

Never forget who Jesus is.  The Lord God, Creator of the universe has shown up.  Yes, He makes Himself approachable, but He is still God.  What we do pales in comparison with what He does and who He is.  He who is the Alpha and Omega will accomplish what He has purposed.  We are baptized in water.  He comes and fills us with His Holy Spirit and empowers us to become children of the Heavenly Father.

How then shall I live knowing these things?  Shall I go on as if nothing else mattered?  Guide me, Lord, in the way of life You know I need to live.  I am unworthy, but by Your grace and in Your power, I can do all things necessary.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of living life such that I may now and always be guided by You, the author and finisher of my faith.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and open me to receive all that You command.

Lord Jesus, my Savior, You have done so many wonderful things for me.  Now, help me to return the favor and begin again the journey of becoming like You.  Through the Holy Spirit, which You have given me, help me to do those things today which are right for one of Your followers to do.  Let me not look at any others in the way of thinking who is worthy, but instead, to look through eyes of compassion to help all of those in need.  Amen.

“And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10).

This warning is important.  Only the Lord knows the heart, but there appears to be many who simply give lip service.  Their actions are like the world’s and do not reflect any of the Lord’s commands.  Those who are not rooted in Christ will be cast away.  Where are your roots?  Are you living the life to which you have been called, or is your life no different than the one who hates the Lord?

I know I am conflicted because of this world in which I live, I also know I do not do the things I ought, but also, Lord, I desire to be one who is Yours.  Sink my roots into You and let the fruit that grows in me be Your production.  Guide me in Your goodness to look to You and seek after You always.  May the living water You give flow deep in me always.

Lord Jesus, Master of my soul, You know all that is needed.  You know me better than I know myself.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to produce fruit befitting one who is Your follower.  You have forgiven my sins and I am empowered by Your grace.  Help me to live with what You have given me and to fulfill Your Great Commission to go out into the world and obey all that You command. Amen.

“Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance; and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham” (Matthew 3:8-9).

Do you rely upon the Lord and His salvation, learning to obey all that He has commanded?  I do not know, but it seems as though many say, “God’s got it covered, so I’ll just do a I please.”  The Lord Jesus has come to make you to be like Him, a child of the Heavenly Father.  There is no place in this eternal relationship for continuing to sin.  All things will be made new and that includes you and me.  Therefore, your life should be consistent with what you say you believe.

Lord, You know that I am filled with inconsistencies, but that is not what this saying.  My heart needs to long for You and Your ways, and not make excuses to live the way of the world.  Let me see this difference clearly.  You have come to grow in me that which You intend to have in me and with You forever.  Keep me be on the path of faithfulness, and make my being on that path evident to those around me.

Lord Jesus, You know I need to be saved and You have come to do that.  But also, I have my part and here too, I need Your help to stay on the right course.  Let the root of my life be You so that the fruit of my life may be what is right and proper for one who follows You.  Guide me in all my ways so that I may now and forever walk humbly with You, my Savior and God.  Teach me how to be faithful.  Amen.

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7)

The goats and others who hate the Lord are often in the mix.  The devil hates the Lord and will do whatever he can to derail what the Lord is doing.  Do not think it is different in your fellowship.  Sadly, it is not.  But so what?  Will that change how you behave as one called by the Lord to learn how to be faithful and conformed to the image of Christ?  Will you listen to those whose father is the devil or to the Savior of your soul?

Come, Lord Jesus, and lead me in the way of everlasting life.  Help me to understand that those around me are in all kinds of places.  Saul (Paul) may have been one of those brood of vipers, and Your Holy Spirit used this to begin awakening his heart.  I do not know who is where.  All I know is that You have called me through my own baptism to come and follow You.  Let me be one who knows to flee wrath and live in Your promise.

Lord Jesus, You know what I need.  I may think I know, but I do not.  Lead me in the way of salvation that You have prepared.  Help me to have deaf ears to those who hate You.  Help me to hear Your word alone to guide me into all righteousness.  Let me not act as one of the offspring of vipers, but as a child of the Heavenly Father in the making.  Guide me today and forever through Your grace and mercy.  Amen.