July 21, 2024

Are you tempted?

Are you tempted?

Are you tempted, tempted by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, or pride of life?

How do you say no to the temptations you face?

Is it possible to change course in midstream? Go in a different direction?

Unlearn behaviors of the past, to let go and let God?

Of course, it is!  In His strength and not yours.

What does His Word say about temptation and overcoming?

Let's dive in and see.

Today's message is how to say no to temptation and yes to Jesus!

Follow along with Tammy Toney-Butler as the Spirit moves in and through her to bring His healing Truth and deliverance from the afflictions of the past.

Today's scripture references are from the New International Version (NIV) Life Application Study Bible.

Luke 4 and Philippians 2

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Good morning. I'm Tammy Toney-Butler.

Welcome to today's message. I'm so glad you could join me and the Holy Spirit in this hour, seeing what Jesus will do in and through me through His spirit.

 I thank you for sharing this time with us today. Time is the most valuable thing that you can give to someone. I am grateful, humbled, and honored that you have chosen to spend a little time with me this Sunday morning.

No matter where you're watching us from, I'm coming to you from Florida, Eastern time zone.

Today's message was something that the Lord placed on my heart. And it is entitled, Are You Tempted?

And many of us face temptations every single day.

And I often wonder, what are you facing?

And how are you saying no to those temptations, the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, pride of life?

So that we stay humble and full of selfless, sacrificial service as Jesus did.

 Recognizing that we are one body, united under Christ the Head.

Let's pray.

Holy Spirit, come have Your way in this time we have together. I never want them to see me. I only want them to see You.

Holy Spirit, come give me Your peace and calm even me.

As you know, I never want to go live. It's not in my strength. It's only in Yours. They don't need to see me. I will do nothing for them. They need to see Jesus.

The same Jesus I met who transformed me in my life and gave me life.

Help them to hear like never before. and see with spiritual eyes so they have wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of the Truth.

The Truth shall set them free, for redemption is theirs. Today is the day the Lord has made, and we will rejoice in it.

We rejoice in You and praise Your Holy Name.

Abba Father, we praise You.

Oh, in the name of Your precious son, Lord Jesus.

Thank you so much for joining us and coming here this morning.

So when the Lord placed this on my heart, there were scriptures.

And we're going to dive into Luke 4.

And I will be reading out of the New International Version, the Life Application Study Bible.

 Luke 4
New International Reader's Version


Jesus Is Tempted in the Desert
4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him into the desert.

[He was led by the spirit in the desert. So he was actually led into a place where he would face obstacles, suffering, struggling with flesh. he was sent into that place by the spirit. Often when you're led by the spirit and you are called to obey, then you can face temptation. You can face test, test of faith even. And as you overcome, you become stronger, wiser, more reliant on your compass, your guide, Christ Jesus.]

We'll continue reading.

Actually, I'll start over.

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him into the desert.

[What's the desert? A dry place. How many of you are facing that dry, barren place? that you don't know how you'll find your way out of it. How you'll get rid of addictions and things that are in chains that are binding you. Even if you're dry in your finances, you have the uncertainty of poverty, whatever it is. That's that barren desert-dry place.]

 2 There the devil tempted him for 40 days. 

[See that he was tempted by the devil. He was led by the spirit. into that dry place. So he was allowed to be in that dry place. And he was allowed to face temptation. And Satan, what does he do? He comes in and tempts us in our weakness, in our dry places, in our times of drought. He often comes in with that quick fix, that answer to our problem. Like he's our savior. but we know we can have only one Savior, and that's Christ Jesus.]

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him into the desert.

2 There the devil tempted him for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during that time. At the end of the 40 days, he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man must not live only on bread.’ ” (Deuteronomy 8:3)



[So he came again at Jesus when he was weak and when he was hungry. And he tempted him with pride, ego, power, and he tempted him in his identity. You know, if you are the son of God, that speaks to self-esteem and self-sabotage. And are you going to believe what God says about you? In that moment, in that dry place, are you going to rest on the promises of God's word? Are you going to believe that voice that's whispering to you that's either offering you a quick fix, literally, like, why don't you drink that drink or take that hit or smoke or take that pill? It'll be better. Those are temptations, and we don't get rid of those in our own strength. It's through the strength of Christ.]

4 Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man must not live only on bread.’ ” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

5 Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place. In an instant, he showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.

6 He said to Jesus, “I will give you all their authority and glory. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”


[How many are you in that desert, dry place, that hard place? And someone has maybe offered you something to lift that weight. Maybe it's working an extra shift and you have to choose between spending time with your family and doing that extra shift. And do you really need the money? Are you putting possessions, material possessions, wealth, power, and advancement in your job above that time of stillness and quiet and that time with the Lord serving, whether He's called you to serve others, wherever that is, whatever that looks like? What are you hungry for? What are you hungry for? That's such a good Word.]

8 Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

[So who is the God of your life? Is it a relationship? Is it money? Is it a sailboat? Is it a new car? Is it some type of possession? Is it wanting to advance to the top of the chain and have that position of power in your company? Is it another person? Have you made a person in a relationship an idol? Because remember, God can be your only God. You can serve only Him, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. But people can and sadly will fail you.]

9 Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem. He had Jesus stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.
 
10 It is written,

“ ‘The Lord will command his angels to take good care of you.

11 They will lift you up in their hands.
    Then you won’t trip over a stone.’ ” (Psalm 91:11,12)


[Satan knew scripture. That's Psalm 91. but he misquoted it, pulled it out of context for his gain. But Jesus knew the intent of the heart of God and how to say no to temptation when faced with it, even in his weakest moment, because He drew on His anchor, Father, this Truth. And He was so tightly netted into that Vine of Truth. And in that moment where he faced that dry, barren place, He chose faith and carried out His commitment to all of us to save us, to give us life.]

12 Jesus answered, “Scripture says, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

13 When the devil finished all this tempting,


[see that when the devil had finished all his tempting, the devil brought those negative circumstances.]

he left Jesus until a better time.

[What's an opportune time? When Jesus was weak again, when He was in a dry, barren place, a place of huge responsibility where He had to carry out maybe an assignment, maybe something that the Lord had called Him to carry out. Satan, the tempter, the destroyer. So let's not blame God. It was Satan.

Now, I want to read all that again without my commentary, meaning what I say, my commentary. But it was when I was studying in my time alone with the Lord that He just kind of jumped out at me at those points. And maybe from my perspective, because of where I come from as a survivor of child sex trafficking, I'm looking through a trauma lens, trauma shaped and molded me. Until Christ set me free. Maybe some of you are looking through a different lens, a different perspective. And your interpretation of this scripture might be a little different. But the essential unfailing truth is the love and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was without sin and became sin for all of us so we could live.]


Again,

Luke 4
New International Reader's Version
Jesus Is Tempted in the Desert


4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him into the desert.

2 There the devil tempted him for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during that time. At the end of the 40 days, he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man must not live only on bread.’ ” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

5 Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place. In an instant, he showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.

6 He said to Jesus, “I will give you all their authority and glory. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

8 Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

9 Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem. He had Jesus stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.

 10 It is written,

“ ‘The Lord will command his angels to take good care of you.
11 They will lift you up in their hands.
    Then you won’t trip over a stone.’ ” (Psalm 91:11,12)

12 Jesus answered, “Scripture says, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

13 When the devil finished all this tempting, he left Jesus until a better time.

 
Now we're going to move over to Philippians 2.

And again, I am giving these to you in the order in which the Holy Spirit gave them to me. and it's I don't I don't know why I just obey, and even when He downloads and when I start reading, I'm like oh wow that's so cool and I start putting together and I think, God, You're just awesome because He is right we know in part and see in part so He just blows me away too because I mean I'm learning this stuff too along with you guys I mean I'm I'm not this um I don't even know what to say. This religious scholar, I should say. I'm someone that was one way, one moment, had an encounter with Jesus, and my life has never been the same. I am a completely different person than even my husband married, in a good way. And anyone who knew me before who knows me now, they're like, there's something different about her. And it is. It's Jesus. And I love Him. I love Jesus. I'm sold out for Jesus.

So now we're going to Philippians 2.

And it starts joy and serving, imitating Christ's humility.

That's what it's titled. Joy and serving, imitating Christ's humility.

And I'm reading out of the Life Application Study Bible, the New International Version.

And at this point, sometimes I'll read in their little note or commentary section. And remember, Paul in Philippians, he's speaking to the church.

Okay, so two. Philippians 2.

Philippians 2
New International Reader's Version
Being Humble Like Christ



2 So does belonging to Christ help you in any way? Does his love comfort you at all? Do you share anything in common because of the Holy Spirit? Has Christ ever been gentle and loving toward you?

2 If any of these things has happened to you, then agree with one another. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and in the way you think and act. By doing this, you will make my joy complete.

3 Don’t do anything only to get ahead. Don’t do it because you are proud. Instead, be humble. Value others more than yourselves.

4 None of you should look out just for your own good. Each of you should also look out for the good of others.

5 As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.

6 In his very nature he was God.
    Jesus was equal with God. But Jesus didn’t take advantage of that fact.

7 Instead, he made himself nothing.
    He did this by taking on the nature of a servant.
    He was made just like human beings.

8 He appeared as a man.
    He was humble and obeyed God completely.
    He did this even though it led to his death.
        Even worse, he died on a cross!

9 So God lifted him up to the highest place.
    God gave him the name that is above every name.

10 When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone will kneel down to worship him.
    Everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will kneel down to worship him.

11 Everyone’s mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.
    And God the Father will receive the glory.


Live Without Complaining

12 My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. You obeyed while I was with you. And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. So continue to work out your own salvation. Do it with fear and trembling.

13 God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing.

15 Then you will be pure and without blame. You will be children of God without fault among sinful and evil people. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.

16 You will shine as you hold on tight to the word of life. Then I will be able to boast about you on the day Christ returns. I can be happy that I didn’t run or work for nothing.

17 But my life might even be poured out like a drink offering on your sacrifices. I’m talking about the way you serve because you believe. Even so, I am glad. I am joyful with all of you.

18 So you too should be glad and joyful with me.


[And then it goes on. I just want to read a little bit because it's just jumped out at me just a little bit more talking about Timothy and Aphrodite, which I cannot really say that word.]

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 I hope to send Timothy to you soon if the Lord Jesus allows it. Then I will be encouraged when I receive news about you.

20 I have no one else like Timothy. He will truly care about how you are doing.

21 All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ.

22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself. He has served with me like a son with his father in spreading the good news.


Are you leading by example? Do you have joy in serving Lord Jesus? Are you content where you are or are you complaining? Jesus didn't have the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye. He didn't have those things. Instead, He wanted us to be one with Christ, and He wanted to leave us with such an example to be led by so that we could lead others into the healing of the Gospel, into the truth of the Gospel, the redemption, and the restoration.

And then I want to read just a little commentary because it really stuck out to me. Reading from the Life Application Study Bible New International Version:

 "Many people, even Christians, live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves. But selfish ambition or vain conceit brings discord. Paul therefore stressed spiritual unity, asking the Philippians to love one another and be one in spirit and purpose. When we work together, caring for the problems of others as if they were our problems, we demonstrate Christ's example of putting others first. And we experience unity. Don't be concerned about making a good impression or meeting your own needs that you're straining your relationship in God's family. Selfish ambition can ruin a church, but genuine humility can build it. Being humble involves having a true perspective about ourselves. It does not mean that we should put ourselves down. Before God, we are sinners saved only by God's grace, but we are saved and therefore have great worth in God's kingdom. We are to lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. Considering others' interests is more important than our own links us with Christ, who was a true example of humility. "

What are you mirroring? Whose example are you leading by? Is Christ your leader? Is love your guide? Or are the things of this world guiding you? The hope of a promotion. Promise of more money. Those things will all pass away. Jesus is coming. The Messiah is coming back. For His Bride, His true church. Will you be raptured up? Takes a moment of examinations. Daily, I look inward. Daily, I pray. Even I repent. It's hard to live in this world.

Many of us are facing challenging circumstances. The money's not enough. Do I feed my family? Put gas in my car? Pay the rent? Something has to give. None of those things can give. You need all those things, too; You need Him. You need a miracle. And whenever you're in that hard, barren, dry place, in that place, that desert place where Jesus found himself, He trusted in God and He quoted the scriptures and rested on the promises of God's Word. He was the living scripture, the walking around. He was God in the flesh. walking among us, speaking. Every time I hold this Bible, consider it sacred because it's like I'm holding Jesus. It's His Word, and He was living and breathing. And this is what we have. But we also have it in our heart. We have that relationship with Him. Nobody can take that from us. It doesn't matter if you're in prison. It doesn't matter if you're in your own desert dry place. He sees you where you are. He meets you in the middle of your circumstance, in the middle of your guilt, your shame, your self-loathing. He will meet you there. You just have to stretch out your hand for healing. You have to want it. You have to choose life. Choose joy. Choose to change your perspective. And focus on the Cross and the Promise of the Cross and not on your circumstances. You have to focus on faith and let it guide you and strengthen you and heal you and protect you.

I went through a category five hurricane, Ian. Everybody knows it hit Fort Myers direct. I was huddled in a shed where the Lord led me to. had us even build it in advance. We spent more money on it than I wanted to. We put in hurricane doors and windows. I thought my husband was crazy, but yet I was protected. And I rode that storm out by myself and Jesus alone, but I wasn't alone. Now, many of you who are survivors of trauma, And that profound fear that you carry around for so long. Jesus took all that from me. And I was able to go through that storm resting in and on Him. Enduring wave after wave of wind and rain. Uncertain of the outcome. Many people, their homes perished. Many people lost their life. But. Abba Father told me the Holy Spirit prepared, helped me prepare, showed me things on my ranch that were even loose boards that I'd forgotten about, walked me around, literally told me it's going to hit you. Even when they said it wasn't coming in your direction. I knew it was because God had prepared me. He told me because my husband, he's retired now. He's a police officer at the time. And he had to work. And we had to prepare the land. And I even told him, I said, no, we have to trust Father. The Holy Spirit said it's going to hit us. We're going to have a major impact from this storm. We cannot escape it. But He will protect us. And He did. And I prayed and prayed, and I did everything He told me to do. And we were saved and protected. And He got me through when I thought I couldn't endure one more second, one more hour. One more minute of that storm or that wind and that turmoil. The uncertainty of it all. Because I couldn't control it. Many of us who survived trauma of some kind want to control everything. Because we had no control when those horrible things happened to us. Many of us were children. And so it's hard to... Let go and let God. But that's what you have to do. You have to let go and let God. And He will see you through every storm. It doesn't matter what you face.

We're going to suffer. I mean, as Christians, it says it. And Jesus suffered. We aren't to resemble the world. We're to be different. When we walk a different path, sometimes a lonely path, we have to walk it. Jesus suffered.

Attach to the hem of His garment. Because He will see you through. Don't look at me. Look at Him. That's what I do. I look to Him, even in that storm. I wanted Him to tell me it wasn't coming. But He didn't. It was coming. I had to prepare. And He spared me. And He's so faithful. He'll spare you from what you're facing. He'll lift you out of your circumstances. He will provide for you. But you have to ask Him.

Many of us don't want to invite Him into our mess because we feel like we're not worthy. He sees us. He knows our mess. He knows where we are. Seek Him. Seek His truth, His healing, His deliverance.

Let me pray you out now.

Lord Jesus, I'm Abba Father.

Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, rest upon me. Give them that peace that surpasses all understanding. Give them peace no matter what they're facing. Give them strength. Help them to see You, Jesus. To know You as I do. The freedom, the joy, and the peace of knowing You, the love. Oh, help them to have that relationship with you. To lay down their addictions, to lay down their fears, For perfect love casts out all fear.

Help them to rest in You as You work in and through them to deliver our other brothers and sisters, no matter what they're facing. Help us be unified as one body under the Head, Christ, no matter our color. race, or gender, whether we're rich or poor, none of those things matter. We're all one and equal in Christ Jesus. Help us. Help our nations. Help our world. Help those in leadership. Strengthen us, Father, so that we can shine as a beacon of light on a dark hill. Be with us, O God. Help them, O God. Provide for them, O God. Send laborers into the field to help. Help them, Father. Those that call out to You that cry out to You in their desert places, their dry places, give them strength. Bring them a helper, someone to pay that rent for them. To give them that transportation. To help them. Love them. Let them know the love of Jesus. In Your Mighty Name, Lord Jesus, I praise you.  Amen.

[Responding to Viewers comments}

I pray for you. I trust you.

I see those scriptures. I will look at those. I will look at those, Mike.

Oh, I am praying for you and the orphanage. You will have what you need. You will have what you need whenever you protect God's children. And He is calling us in this hour to protect His children, the sheep. He will provide everything you need as long as you are doing it with a pure heart and truly protecting His sheep, And having no agenda. For He sees you. He sees if there's a hidden agenda. Be careful. Be careful. He sees us where we are. Protect His sheep in this hour. Protect His children. Widows and orphans.

Love. The greatest thing is love. Love thy neighbor. Love, love, love. Show kindness.

That's all He has for you today. God bless you. Keep you, strengthen you. He loves you. I love you.

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Thank you. God bless you.