Small Temptations!

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Jesus is the high priest we need. He is holy and innocent and faultless, and not at all like us sinners. Jesus is honored above all beings in heaven, and he is better than any other high priest. Jesus doesn’t need to offer sacrifices each day for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He offered a sacrifice once for all, when he gave himself.

The Law appoints priests who have weaknesses. But God’s promise, which came later than the Law, appoints his Son. And he is the perfect high priest forever.

Hebrews 7:26-28

The kid who thinks he is perfect is really an annoyance to other children and even adults. Everyone knows he is not perfect and usually it becomes a game to catch the "self righteous - know it all" in some sin.

What would it have been like to know Jesus as a teenage? Jesus was perfect. In all His years on earth Jesus never committed one sin. That is really mind boggling. Of all the temptations that came to Jesus, He said "no" to everyone of them. Surely, most people who knew Jesus as a boy thought that He too was simply deceiving everyone and in His private thoughts there was sin just like the rest of us.

But Jesus was not "self" righteous. Jesus was righteous! Jesus was not a "know it all." Jesus indeed knew it all!

So you want to be like Jesus. Here is the secret and the difficulty. Being like Jesus means that you say "no" to a temptation when it comes. Frankly, the little temptations are tougher. I have thus far in my life said "no" to every temptation to commit murder, but I have given in to the temptation to hate someone. I may have never robbed a bank, but I sometimes struggle to be completely honest about the small things.

When the disciples fell asleep the night before the crucifixion Jesus asked Peter if he couldn't stay awake just one hour. Here is my goal for today. I desire to stay awake with Jesus for one hour!

"Lord help me to watch with You as the world is turning upside down in preparation for Your return. Help me to win the victory over all temptation, even and maybe especially the "small" ones. I want to live this day as You, Jesus would live it, so I can say about this day like You said about all of Yours, IT IS FINISHED!"