Category: Featured Articles

Tim and Kristin Stalcup are some of our newest missionaries. They are just beginning deputation on their journey to working with Muslim outreach in New York City. The Stalcups recently completed World Wide’s new Missionary Orientation School online courses. We asked if he would write a review of his experience for our missions family.

Why should a missionary be enthusiastically excited about these courses?

First of all, the Missionary Orientation School (MOS) courses give those new to World Wide a sense of belonging. In the “Principles and Practices” course it was refreshing to hear that we were on the same page with World Wide. In this course and in the “Character” course, it was encouraging to hear that we were not being coerced into a mold but were given an opportunity to team up with like-minded people. This sense of belonging is expressed also in the final course “Family Fellowship Week.” Of course, we all belong to our own churches and to our own ministries, but it is encouraging to be warmly welcomed into an organization of like-minded missionaries.

Secondly, the MOS courses explain to new missionaries many details of the practical steps of how to arrange meetings, talk to pastors, present the ministry, begin writing prayer letters, and organize finances. No missionary can remember every practical detail from a Bible college missions deputation class. Several of these courses answer many questions and stir the mind to consider new questions to ask (which the office is glad to answer). Although “Ministry Organization” is the eighth course, it is a practical help for preparation for deputation.

Thirdly, the MOS courses inform (or remind) all of the missionaries about the various services offered by World Wide. The leadership of the agency so graciously invites the missionaries to avail themselves of numerous services. The organization, record-keeping, and other forms of assistance by the agency’s office personnel is tremendous.

Fourthly, the MOS courses offer to all missionaries a helpful reminder about Christian character, deportment, and maturity. The courses “Principles and Practices,” “Character,” and “What I Wish I Knew” are chock-full of nuggets of practical wisdom and Biblical principle that could keep many missionaries from wrecking their lives, their homes, and their ministries. For this reason, I highly recommend that missionaries already on the field avail themselves of these easily-accessible reminders.

How complicated are these courses?

For one thing, the classes are all available online! This means missionaries can complete these courses on their time schedule wherever they have internet. In other words, they can watch them on a smartphone, on a laptop, or at an internet cafe. One could take the courses in a barn in Kansas or in a McDonalds in India. They can be done at any time—even 2:00 am. Even if the missionary does not have internet access, World Wide may even arrange a time when he may come to the office to use the office internet. The course material of the videos is strictly conversational dialogue. Therefore, the audio could be appreciated while a person is driving down the road.

Secondly, the courses are all organized in a classy, easy-to-navigate webpage. By logging into his personal account, a missionary can easily keep track of which courses (and even which units of each course) he has completed. The missionary’s comments and his answers to the course questions are automatically forwarded to Bro. O’Malley, who will email a response.

For all of these reasons, the MOS courses should be appreciated by every World Wide missionary. Missionaries should consider them to be an invaluable resource rather than a tedious responsibility. These could be watched together as a couple. Portions of some of them would even serve as tremendous family devotions.

Log in! Watch them! Enjoy them!

Tim Stalcup
2 Cor 5:15

Every once in a while, we come across good articles that we’d like to share with our missions family. Some are meant to be an encouragement; others are more informative. We hope that these will be a blessing to you. If you have articles you believe would be a help or encouragement to the missions family, please email us and share those!

From Baptist Missionary Women:

Young Missionary Women’s Survey, Part One:
“I think deputation is God’s way of teaching patience, and it is an opportunity to work with and try to be a blessing to hundreds of Christians and other co-laborers you never would get to meet otherwise. So enjoy it! It shouldn’t be a time you look back on with dread. It is also a chance to see God work in ways you haven’t seen yet!”

Young Missionary Women’s Survey, Part Two:
“Practice being positive and making the best with what you have. We all have down days and struggles, but no one has to live there. There are always blessings and things to be thankful for in every situation and generally more than we realize. I believe a happy person and a content person is a thankful person.”

From one of our missionaries in Spain, Lou Ann Keiser:

When God Redirects Your Path

“When God changes your direction, when He moves you, how do you react? Of course, if there’s loss or sickness, you’ll go through grieving, pain, and whatever trial is involved in sickness or disability. How will you react to your new situation, your new path? I don’t think anyone knows before he gets there. But, a Christian is prepared when it happens, even though he might not be aware of it.”

Where’s Home? The Question that Confuses Your Missionaries

“For the new missionary, the answer’s easy. It’s everything he left behind. It’s where he just left. It’s where family and friends are. But, for a missionary with ten years under his belt, he’ll say, “Home? We made our home here.” Or “Oh yes, it’s great to be home.” He’s moved on, his family back home has adjusted, too. And, he’s made new friends and family on his field of service. He’s into the language and culture, and from time to time, he forgets he’s a foreigner. He even dreams in his acquired language!”

From World Wide’s Missions.Today site:

Travel and Credit Card Tips by Gabriel Eiben

“Depending on your field of service, obtaining a credit card linked to an airline that services your field can be a real help with airline ticket costs.”

Guest Room Information

“The Ruwersma family (missionaries to the United Kingdom) has created a database of Guest Rooms in the Northeastern and Southeastern U.S.”

Some of you who currently serve, or plan to serve, in more restricted countries may find this article from Baptist World Missions a great resource to share with friends and family:

Handle with Care: How to safely communicate with missionaries in countries hostile to the Gospel

“Sending a missionary to a foreign country requires great care.  Sending them to a Creative Access Nation—one which forbids missionary endeavor—requires even greater care, especially when it comes to communication.  Here are some suggestions to avoid the ‘minefields.'”

Please note that WWNTBM does not necessarily endorse all of the contents of every site, nor would we necessarily endorse everything by these authors.

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night . . . and there came also Nicodemus, which at first came to Jesus by night. (John 3:1-2a, 19:39)

Three windows are all the Holy Spirit gives us to understand His work in the heart of Nicodemus, that intriguing man who visited the Savior by night. Curiously enough, the trio of accounts are in the same Gospel, the one written by fisherman John.

We find the first in chapter three, so famous for its sixteenth verse. Here the influential teacher of Israel is introduced to us as he made his initial, secretive, nighttime visit. No specific reason is given for why he chose to approach Jesus after dark, but quite clearly he did not want to be seen. Whether that was out of pure fear, professional discretion, or simple practicality will remain a mystery until we get to heaven.

The scene closes after a lengthy answer by the Lord, in which He draws special attention to the striking Old Testament story of the bronze serpent. We have no recorded response of Nicodemus, but this prophetic illustration must have made a huge impression on him.

In chapter seven a second window opens, this time into a larger setting. A furious group of Pharisees and priests are scolding some of their officers who failed to haul in Jesus as ordered. As they ridiculed the men for being swayed by the Lord’s words, the whole bunch is stunned by a voice that spoke up in Christ’s defense.

It was Nicodemus.

Again the passage closes with no comment by the teacher.

The third and final window swings open in chapter nineteen, and this time we see things happening in the broad daylight of a crucifixion scene. As the Lord is being lowered from the cross a rich member of the Sanhedrin steps forward. This man has been in the shadows for a long time, afraid to identify himself with Jesus. But now, setting aside his fears, Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for the crucified body.

As he goes to get it he is joined by another wealthy Jew.

Nicodemus!

Though it is impossible to enter his mind for the exact thoughts, the implication is that they were triggered by the “lifting up” of the Savior. For many months he had remembered, watched, hesitated . . . but when he saw Christ raised high on the cross the light of understanding pierced his soul.

This was what Jesus had told him would happen, back when they had had their private conversation. He was the one to look at! He was the one to believe in! He was the Savior who loved the world!

Nicodemus’ story can remind us all of an important truth as we sow the Gospel in tough hearts. God is not necessarily in a hurry like we usually are and can be working in a soul when we have no inkling of progress.

As His Spirit softens the mind and cracks its brittle arguments, the sinner is being guided to a specific crossroads. When it dawns on him that Jesus was crucified in his place, all the previous intellectual obstacles can be vaporized in a second.

And God alone will be glorified.

Dear Father, You are always doing way more than I realize, and Your calendar is perfect. Help me be faithful in sowing and confident in Your Spirit’s work.

After that He poureth water in a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded. . . . For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (John 13:5, 15)

There is a certain concept of leadership that is faulty, or at least, incomplete.

It is the idea that leaders are mainly the visible and popular individuals, who are behind the podium, on the platform, speaking into the microphone. Often we see these people interviewed by the media, followed by crowds, and living in opulence. Unconsciously, we can adopt the common opinion that they are the image of leadership and generally define what it is.

Now I am not questioning that they are leaders. They usually are, for good or bad. But if we take a closer look at the matter in the Bible, we will discover that the real thing goes a lot deeper.

Take this passage in which Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, undeniably one of the noblest scenes of servanthood in all of Scripture:

The Savior saw a need and moved. His action spoke of initiative, of resourcefulness, and wisdom. It was stepping out to do what needed doing, regardless of whether others followed suit, agreed, or even understood what was going on.

That is exactly what a leader does.

He is one who assesses the situation in front of him and moves. With that movement, he instantly steps into a role of influence and becomes an example to follow: a leader.

It is significant that the Lord chose to act out this lesson Himself, rather than just refer to an Old Testament example. He took off His outer garments, rolled up his sleeves (so to speak), and started serving. The shock, bewilderment, and embarrassment this created among the Twelve was instantaneous. The Man now washing their feet was the Word, who according to this same Gospel, had created everything! They were scandalized, wondering how they had allowed the situation to come to this.

Quite in sync with his personality, Peter put up a fuss.

But the Lord did not back down. Why not? Was it just that He didn’t want to give in? Was He trying to shame them into service?

Clearly those were not His reasons. I believe He was trying to teach us all something extremely important about the very nature of godliness.

In Heaven, the dwelling place of the Most High, that ideal atmosphere where the Almighty lives, we will find serving others to be a part of the beautiful essence of the land. On this earth, where sin has warped human thinking, service is seen to be the career of the under-privileged, the lower class, the common man.

Who knows? Maybe in glory the Son of God will at times serve His disciples, as the eternal and perfect example of the way things really are. I don’t think we should be too surprised.

Remember, He does not change.

One double thought I believe is clear: we are all called to serve, and we are all called to lead.

Dear Father, give me a love for service. Help me see it as a privilege and act of obedience of the first order. Thank you for serving me even today as You intercede for me before the Father. I praise you for being so humble, so good, so consistent. Amen.

Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. . . . The blood of righteous Abel . . . By faith Abel . . . Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. (Gn. 4:8b, Mt. 23:35, Heb. 11:4, 12:1)

Many unusual and remarkable races take place on our planet. Some are individual; others require team effort. Some span entire continents; others cross forests, glaciers, or oceans. Some are on foot; others are on wheels, on animals, inside machines. Some use primarily muscles; others use mainly brains and savvy. Some take minutes; others take hours, days, months, or even years. Almost all have in common that they are in some way grueling and exhausting, and require dogged determination. Many also include the risk of serious injury or even death–and on and on.

But there is one race that dwarfs them all; so much so, that it really does not deserve to be placed alongside them for comparison.

Think about a race, a kind of relay race, that spans at least 6,000 years! What man or organization could keep the records? Who could possibly monitor and supervise it? By all human standards, a race that went beyond the death of all its directors and participants would not even make sense.

But this race is a real, literal race. It has an Organizer, start and finish points, registered participants, a specific timespan, and final rewards.

However, it does have some rather odd characteristics. For one thing, back when the race started, there were no human beings watching it. The first runners, after participating, then became the first spectators; well, sort of. To this very day, as each one finishes his or her leg, they are promoted into the heavens, from where they watch the rest of the event.

Each runner is unique, in almost every way, and so are their races. Some run for a long time, others hardly even seem to get warmed up. There are men and women and children from nearly every language, country, century, and social category. Each receives a brand new stage, customized for them, specifically prepared for their time and place.

This massive event has been going on since the Garden of Eden and a selective list of some of its important runners is found in Hebrews 11. The brief summary of each of their performances provides much food for thought.

For example, take the first on the list, Abel. I am always tempted to feel sorry for him. He had so little opportunity to run, being cruelly and abruptly bumped off the course before he could accomplish much at all. I’ve sometimes wondered if he could be nursing a tiny grudge because of his bad luck.

But that way of thinking is totally off track.

Why? Because the Master of the race is Jesus, the Eternal One. He’s the One who gave the initial pistol shot and who is calmly waiting at the finish line to announce the end of the contest.

He will individually and perfectly reward every faithful runner.

But is there any possibility that He might forget someone like Adam and Eve’s unfortunate boy?

Not a chance.

A few thousand years into the race He personally jumped in to run alongside some of His created ones. While running, He specifically honored His martyr Abel, and then had Matthew record His words, so that there would be no doubt that Abel was still on His mind! But just in case there still remained a few skeptics out there, He placed him on the first pedestal of faith in that famous eleventh chapter.

The Race Master’s records are perfect.

Now . . . I am in this race too.

And so are you, if you have believed in Christ. Moreover, it is a privilege beyond words to enter it and we only get one opportunity to run.

My only goal should be to be faithful and run well. The length of my race depends entirely on the Lord and is ultimately of no real importance.

Dear Father, many have run before me, but those in this list are carefully chosen for me to study and learn from. Please don’t let me ignore or neglect such an opportunity. Amen.

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; And there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age… (Luke 2:25, 36)

Guided by the Holy Spirit, along with his natural medical discipline in details, Luke gives some unique insight into events surrounding the Lord’s birth. In one of these stories he focuses on two interesting people, one a godly old gentleman, the other an aged and saintly widow.

​Who were they and why did he choose these two? What claim to fame could they have had? Why were they important to the Author of Scripture?

Though not too much information is given, there is enough to discern some answers, and then also to see a door of opportunity for us to go through.

Undoubtedly, the two old believers were quite overlooked by the troops of Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers that regularly walked by them at the temple. Interpreting the Law and parsing it down into a multitude of rules and regulations, the religious authorities had little real knowledge of Jehovah.

Entirely unknown to them, this pair of saints, of the common people, had the very ear of God and were privy to some of the most significant news of history.

Of Simeon we know that he loved the Holy Spirit, that with quiet and tireless patience, he waited for Isaiah’s prophesied Counselor of Israel. Once his eyes saw the Child, he was totally ready to die. That Baby, the Christ, who turned simple shepherds and elite magi into worshippers, was all that Simeon wanted to see.

Anna, on the other hand, had presumably led an entirely different life, experiencing the horrible tragedy of early widowhood. But she, like Simeon, possessed an unusual depth of faith.

This faith led her to make an astonishing decision. Instead of griping and moaning about her lot in life, or desperately praying for another husband, she shocked everyone be giving herself to God. And just how did she do that? She attached herself to the temple, and became the cheerful, spiritual encourager of anyone who went in.

And this she did, it appears, for at least 60 years!

These two were brought together by divine appointment to help a young married couple who were walking, as it were, in a dream. Joseph and Mary needed confirmation and support, and God knew exactly how to bring it to them, and who to use.

For the sacred chore He had prepared these two jewels, two seemingly random voices. They would do the job perfectly.

Maybe we should follow Luke’s example, and look around for the unnoticed Simeons and Annas. These are the elderly voices of those far ahead of us in the race, some maybe very close to their earthly finish line. They are men and women with a powerful story to tell, of God’s faithfulness in time and tragedy.

I’m sure you can think of a few names–I can–of silent heroes nearby, who have kept the faith. In many cases their lights are growing dimmer as health issues take a toll. But they will soon hear “Welcome, good and faithful servant” from Him who is the very definition of faithfulness.

To as many of these who may read this article, I say,

“Thank you for being faithful to the end!”

​Dear Father, give me the wisdom to search out these elderly, godly voices, and listen to them. Amen.

“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. . . . Rejoice in the Lord alway; . . . I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Nehemiah 8:10, Philippians 4:4,13)

Neither group receiving these words could possibly have expected them.

The one was listening to Nehemiah, the other was reading from Paul. These two peoples had never met, no more than the two leaders. They lived in different centuries and continents.

Nor were their situations the same. One was a huge gathering of Jews who had heard the razor sharp truth of the Law and were convicted to tears. Having come face to face with their sin, they were shattered, and as one large body they cried.

The other was a congregation reading a strange letter. The writing told them of the apostle’s imprisonment and of harsh criticism from those who should have been his friends. Surrounded as well by their own set of difficulties, these believers could not have predicted the contents of the epistle.

But both peoples were in great anxiety and needed encouragement. The builder had spoken in the Old Testament; the evangelist had written in the New.

Yet their message was the same: Be joyful! Be strong!

In that order.

In the case of Nehemiah, we see the immediate effect on the people. After repentance, they obeyed and were invigorated as a result. In Paul’s situation we are not given the response of the Philippians, but are allowed to see the truth worked out in his own life. He first speaks of rejoicing in everything and then pens the famous verse, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.”

The key is in the joy.

We often think of joy as a gift from God, and it is.

But it is much more than that. It is more than just a passive virtue, something that merely comes to us. According to Scripture, there is an active, transitive, energetic, and powerful aspect of joy. It is easier to see if we switch the noun into its verb form, as Paul did.

In other words, “Rejoice!” Or, “Have joy!” Or, “Be joyful!”

Christian joy (is there any other kind?) is a potent force that is every believer’s privilege.

Do I want to be spiritually strong? Do I long for power in my war against sin? Would I like to see victory in the battles of my mind?

One missing ingredient may be simply a change of attitude. Repentance is necessary, but so is the joy that should follow on its heels! Some never get past the sadness of their sin.

God loves to hear His people rejoice. It speaks of confidence, of faith, of wisdom!

One of the greatest military victories ever won by a Jewish king came to Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. A multinational, bloodthirsty horde of enemies invaded from the east and Judah was facing swift extermination. But the king humbled himself before the Lord and obeyed His very odd instructions. As they headed out to the battle site they began to rejoice. A choir made up of two Levite families started singing and praising God.

For some unknown reason an argument started between the enemy factions. It turned ugly and ended up with them slaughtering each other. A secular observer would say, “Coincidence.”

We know better.

Who of us doesn’t face things that threaten to discourage us and flatten our hopes? Maybe we’re spending too much time letting the difficulty rule our thinking. What if God has not changed and sometimes He’s just waiting for us to shift our focus and start rejoicing?

Dear Father, to choose joy when the going is rough and complicated is never my natural choice. Remind me quickly and help me throw off my sour attitudes. Amen.

By Stephanie Germano

It is so amazing to me how God is always working in our lives, even when we do not realize it! When I was a senior in high school, God made it very clear to me that He wanted me to be a missionary. I was very nervous, but also very excited.

My parents, however, wisely told me that getting to a foreign field was not just something that would happen overnight, but it would take much time and preparation. My mother even jokingly said that it could even take as long as ten years. I chuckled to myself because I thought, “Surely it would not take that long!”

A year later, I had the opportunity to attend Crown College in Powell, TN. It was there that I met my husband and began to develop a burden for the Dominican Republic. After graduation, Timothy felt that he needed some additional training before heading to the mission field. He prayerfully searched for an opportunity to serve.

The Lord opened up a youth pastor position in Downingtown, PA, at Faith Community Baptist Church under Pastor Roland Venable. It was there that we both began to grow and learn many lessons about the ministry. The Lord allowed us to serve there for three years before He laid it on our hearts to begin the next chapter. Faith Community became our sending church as we set out on deputation.

After a wonderful two years of ministry on the road we were excited to finally head for the Dominican Republic. We were held up, however, with some visa and container paperwork. This process took an additional two months. At first, we were discouraged, but then God opened our eyes to see the valuable lessons that He was teaching us as we waited on His perfect timing.

The day came when we were finally able to buy our tickets! The week before we left, I was talking to my mother on the phone. She gently reminded me that our first day in the Dominican was the tenth anniversary of when I was called to be a missionary! Wow! It really did take ten years! All the while God was quietly, yet meticulously working in my life.

Although I still do not feel very ready, I take comfort in knowing that He will use each obstacle I face to prepare me for the next step in the path He has for me to take. If it were not for the lessons He had taught me in college, I would have never been ready to be a youth pastor’s wife. If it had not been for the lessons I learned as a youth pastor’s wife, I would have never been ready for deputation. Looking back on the ways He has shown Himself mighty to us in the past will help us look forward to the future as we began our ministry.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6.

Oh praise His dear, sweet name!

 

The Germanos arrived in the Dominican Republic for their first term on October 28.  Pray for them as they begin language studies and settle into their new ministry.

And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. Deut. 4:19

There are over a thousand places on the globe labeled as World Heritage Sites. These may be natural or man made, and are so designated because of their cultural or physical significance. The basic idea is that they be protected and preserved so “humanity” can enjoy them in as pristine a condition as possible, and for as long as possible.

Of course, there are none in outer space . . . at least not yet.

Now, when God spoke the sun, moon, and stars into existence, one fact was automatically established. They were not Him. They were separate entities, by the most basic logic. No creation can occupy the same space as its creator. Though the first two heavenly bodies were given specific responsibilities, the rest were not. And as we read how they came to be, a shocking truth becomes obvious: that huge expanse, teeming with what seems like an infinite variety of objects, all of which completely dwarfs the earth, was added to the scene with one tiny little phrase. The sense of ease with which it all occurred should draw a gasp all by itself, but when the implications begin to sink in, well, our minds simply reel in wonder.

And that is exactly what God wanted; at least, as a first step.

The next Biblical mention of the great miracle above comes in the Lord’s command to Abraham, telling him to gaze up in obedient worship. Sadly though, the attitude of mankind towards the stars and planets has mostly been perverse. By the time Deuteronomy was written, the scene was already pretty ugly. The nations had looked up and were amazed, but their depraved hearts refused to discern. They would not use common sense to look past the gifts to the Giver. Instead, they stopped at the first level and started building altars, sewing robes, and compiling rituals. They decided to adore what had been made instead of the Maker.

This verse describes the heavens as a universal, global heritage; something God has divided out for the benefit of every person on earth. He has wrapped it all around the planet so that every country can see a portion of it. The constellations are free for anyone to admire on a clear night and nobody is taxed for staring at them or enjoying their beauty.

However, usually we rush around too much to pay this kind of attention. We do not stop to consider the masterpiece overhead nor relish the privilege we have to admire it. What a shame, because a few minutes of serious contemplation will go a long way towards bringing closer matters into better focus. Our things, our accomplishments, our plans, will all seem a lot smaller and not quite so impressive.

And that’s a good thing.

So there are two entirely different errors man can fall into concerning the heavens, the second being more of an issue for the believer. The first is for man to look up and worship what he sees. The second is for God’s children to hardly look up at all, to not even consider or appreciate what He has given.

Next time you can see the stars, thank the Lord for them. Praise Him for the wisdom and power they display.

They are a work of art for you to enjoy, and include a personal challenge, as Abraham proved.

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil . . . And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written…” (Matt. 4:1, 3-4a)

Some things about this scene I don’t even know how to process — they generate more questions than answers!

For example, Why in the world did Satan even attempt to make the Lord Jesus sin? Did he have the tiniest hope that he could succeed? Did the Serpent really think he could trick his Maker into doing evil? It seems preposterous to answer these with a “Yes”.

And yet he did try.

Could it be that we fall very short of understanding the full degree to which the Lord became man? Was He so boldly human that the tempter saw what he thought was a weak spot in the incarnation? Again, the mind gets dizzy trying to wrap itself around these ideas.

But there are a few things we can nail down with good confidence. One is that the Holy Spirit led Christ into the desert for the temptation and recorded what happened in selective detail. Another is that He was tempted at a level far beyond that of mortal man—these were no ordinary temptations! And then, of course, that He very simply and completely neutralized Satan’s attacks.

Now we might say, “Sure, but He was God! It must have been easier for Him.”

That totally misses the point.

The key here is HOW Jesus won. The Spirit did not lead Him into the place of temptation to see what would happen. He took Him there and recorded the critical facts, so we could witness the event and learn from it.

Christ’s strategy was the one accurate defense against temptation, always relevant for you and me. He cleared the road to victory and paved it for us.

According to the text, the Lord answered Satan in a flash, with the written Word.

There simply was no debate, no argument, no consideration, no deliberation. Nothing separated the temptation from the swift swish of the sword.

And the more you think about it, the more logical the reason.

If when we are tempted, to anger, to lust, to envy, to complain, or whatever, we pause to think things over . . . at that moment we are already finished. It’s as simple as that. It takes no more than the first second of hesitation to begin the nosedive into sin.

But if we have decided beforehand that we are vulnerable, weak, and unable to stand up to the Devil, and arm ourselves with swords of truth that we will instantly use to swipe the head off the temptation…

The Word will rapidly transform our thinking, even as we quote it. It will miraculously cleanse our mind and change our desires. By the time we finish the passage our whole perspective will be different.

One of the main challenges is exercising that mustard seed of faith to draw and swing. It’s not that hard to do if the decision has already been made before the assault. It is supposed to become a spiritual reflex as real as the reaction to duck when somebody throws an object at your head.

So why do we not live in this victory?

Most of the time it’s just a matter of pride. We keep thinking we can manage ourselves…

And the years go by.

Dear Father, the Lord Jesus has left me without a whimper of an excuse. Help me obey. Amen.