Scripture References

  • Luke 4:1–13; Luke 22:31–32
  • Job 1:12
  • 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:15-16
  • Hebrews 4:15
  • Ephesians 6:10-18
  • Revelation 5:1-14
  • Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 28:18-20
  • Jeremiah 32:6-15
  • Genesis 1-3
  • Deuteronomy 6
  • Psalm 1
  • Romans 6

Introduction

Josh & Jana Howerton walk through (1) Jesus’ temptation narrative, (2) how believers overcome temptation, and (3) very practical counsel on engaging the Bible—reading plans, habits, and reliable English translations.

Key Points

  • Wrestling with temptation is evidence of spiritual life, not failure.
  • Jesus models victory by replying, “It is written,” showing Scripture is the believer’s offensive weapon (Eph 6).
  • Satan’s playbook is limited to three categories (1 Jn 2:16):
    • Lust of the flesh – desire to feel.
    • Lust of the eyes – desire to have.
    • Pride of life – desire to be.
  • Luke 4 overlaps exactly with those three temptations.
  • Temptation itself is not sin (Heb 4:15).
  • Satan must obtain divine permission to test believers (Job 1; Luke 22) — “a dog on a leash” (Martin Luther).
  • Dominion theology thread:
    • Dominion given to Adam, forfeited to Satan, reclaimed by Christ the Kinsman-Redeemer (Jer 32 pattern).
    • Revelation 5 shows Jesus taking the sealed deed (scroll) to restore authority; hence Matthew 28:18.
  • Bible engagement flourishes through consistency, variety, and right posture, not by “perfect” translations.

Theological / Exegetical Points

  1. Kinsman-Redeemer pattern (Jer 32 → Rev 5): open vs. sealed deed; right of inheritance vs. right of redemption fulfilled in Christ.
  2. Verbal-plenary inspiration affirms every word God breathed; therefore word-for-word translations matter.
  3. Translation spectrum: Word-for-word ⇄ thought-for-thought ⇄ paraphrase. (The NASB, ESV, NIV, CSB, NLT, Message, Passion, etc., evaluated accordingly.)
  4. Two manuscript families: Textus Receptus vs. earlier critical texts; affects KJV/NKJV reliability.
  5. Deuteronomy 6 mandates everyday discipleship—talk of Scripture “when you sit, walk, rise, and lie down.”

Interaction & Group Responses

  • Jana recounts Luke 22:31’s personal impact during college (“sift you as wheat”).
  • Listeners submitted ~800 Bible-habit questions; hats were promised for restaurant suggestions.
  • Light-hearted banter over Josh’s “dit-wit” voices during family Bible time keeps kids engaged.
  • Audience curiosity: “Is the NLT woke?” – Answer: no ideological agenda detected; gender-inclusive plurals explained.

Practical Applications

  1. Form the Habit
  • Pick a time/place/plan; start small (one chapter).
  • “Don’t go digital before biblical.”
  • Use paper nearby for wandering thoughts.
  1. Overcoming Dry Seasons
  • Change pace/place: read, study, memorize, meditate, sing, teach.
  • Keep a pen in hand; ask observation questions (SOAP method).
  • Pray: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” Confess any known sin.
  1. Family Discipleship
  • Model visible morning Bible time.
  • Nightly reading (Action Bible for kids) with fun voices; Scripture memorization via prompts.
  • Sing the doxology before dinner; honor mom by waiting to eat.
  • Provide age-appropriate Bibles, pens, and missionary biographies to shape heroes.
  1. Translation Guidelines
  • Solid word-for-word choices: ESV (Howerton’s default for study), NASB.
  • Balanced readability: NIV (1984), CSB.
  • Easy entry-level: NLT.
  • Paraphrase only for supplementary clarity: The Message.
  • Avoid corruptions: New World Translation, “Queen James,” Passion (adds interpretation), etc.
  1. Temptation Strategy
  • Identify which “lure” Satan most often throws at you.
  • Meet every suggestion with Scripture as Christ did.
  1. Husbands & Wives
  • Short nightly devotion (Spurgeon’s Morning & Evening, Oswald Chambers, etc.).
  • Wives encourage without nagging; husbands initiate.

Prayer / Intercession Items

  • Greater hunger for God’s Word and hearts that “thirst after righteousness.”
  • Strength to resist the enemy’s predictable schemes.
  • Renewal for parents discipling children.

Insight

  1. When temptation knocks, remember Christ overcame in the wilderness; by His Spirit you can stand firm, for wrestling against sin is evidence His life is already at work in you.
  2. Each dawn the Father whispers fresh mercy, reshaping yesterday’s failures into tomorrow’s victories, because He renews your mind and heart day by day through His unending grace.
  3. Open Scripture with humility, not just curiosity, knowing the posture of your heart unlocks more power than the translation in your hands; God delights to reveal Himself to the teachable.
  4. The Spirit who breathed the Word still breathes on readers, turning printed ink into living fire whenever we approach Jesus expecting transformation rather than mere information.
  5. Condemnation fades when you fix your eyes on the Cross, for there is no shame in the struggle—only grace for those who keep moving toward Christ.
  6. Hold fast to God’s promises; even ordinary mornings become holy ground when you meet the Lord in His Word before the world meets you with its lies.

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