SUNDAY, AUGUST 12
Scripture: Matthew 4:5-7

Matthew 4:5-7 says, “Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you,” and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”’” God said, “I am going to show you how I see this passage. The devil took Jesus to church. And then, he preached Him a message.” We have to notice how Jesus responded. Because satan took the Word out of context and used it for a temptation to presumption, I began to see what overemphasizing a truth could do! It is possible to take Scripture out of context on a continual basis, and doing that has had devastating effects on the church. We have preached the Body of Christ into passivity by emphasizing Matthew 5:38,39 to the exclusion of all the other representations of God’s love. In God’s eyes leaders have literally castrated the church and pushed it into passivity. The time has come for God to restore His people!