A Case of Mistaken Identity?

When my wife, Cindy, gave birth to our second child, the doctor announced, “It’s a girl!”

I leaned over to Cindy and whispered, “It’s a boy.”

Cindy didn’t know whom to believe. She didn’t have a clear view of our newborn, so she had to decide who was correct. Should she trust our physician who had delivered hundreds of babies, or her husband, who had struggled with high school biology?

She knew our doctor was an expert and could tell the difference between male and female, but she also knew her husband wouldn’t lie to her. Cindy asked me, “Are you sure it’s a boy?” I directed her question to our doctor. “Isn’t the baby a boy? You said, ‘It’s a girl’, but the baby looks like a boy to me.”

Our doctor looked embarrassed. “Did I say girl? I’m sorry, I’ve delivered so many girls this week that ‘it’s a girl’ just came out automatically. Yes, it’s a boy.”

Our son hadn’t been out of the womb for one second and someone already tagged him with a wrong identity!

Perhaps you’ve been labeled with a false identity. Not by a doctor, but a classmate may have called you an ugly, derogatory name. It wasn’t true, but you believed it, and it’s still affecting how you view yourself. Jesus said, “Take care what you listen to” (Mark 4:24). Not everything you hear is true, and believing a lie will negatively affect the way you think.

Don’t let someone’s opinion change your mind about what you know is true. Renounce that lie and embrace your true identity in Christ. “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new” (2 Cor. 5:17 CEV).

Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY:  What does “you are gods” mean?

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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Temptations of Jesus #3--Shortcut to Glory

Satan has a Master’s degree in Trickonometry. Out of all temptations he could have chosen, Satan carefully picked three specific temptations to trick Jesus into sinning. Matthew 4:8 says, “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.” Luke adds he showed Him all the kingdoms “in a moment of time” (Luke 4:5).

You can’t see all the world’s kingdoms from any high mountain. The devil showed Him this by playing a movie in Jesus’ mind. In a split second, Jesus supernaturally saw all the kings on earth, their thrones, palaces, and their treasures. If the devil can tempt Jesus like this, he can also play movies in our minds to get us to do something wrong.

Satan said to Him, “All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me” (Matt. 4:9). If Jesus had bowed down and worshiped the devil, He would have disqualified himself from being the Savior of the world. Satan wanted Him to take a shortcut to ruling the world. He tempts people today to take shortcuts to get what they want. Of course, the devil is a liar and never would have given Him the kingdoms (John 8:44).

Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’” (Matt. 4:10). Whatever you worship, you will also serve. Some people worship and serve things in this world. Most of their money, time, and attention are invested in a hobby or some other object of worship that will soon pass away. If you want to know what people worship, look at what they are serving.

Worshiping and serving God starts now, but we will also worship and serve the Lord throughout all eternity. “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they shall serve Him day and night in His temple” (Rev. 7:15).

Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY:  Why did Jesus say to pluck out our eyes?

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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Temptations of Jesus #2-Jumping Off Temples

The devil took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and told Him to jump off. Satan quoted from Psalm 91:11-12 about God’s protection. “If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone’” (Matt. 4:5-6).

Satan tempted Jesus with Scripture—the very words of God! Who would have thought that God’s Word, taken out of context, could be used to tempt someone? The devil wanted Jesus to believe in the ability of God while ignoring the will of God.

Satan, who was a rebellious, unholy angel, tried to teach Jesus about the protective responsibilities of the holy angels! The Father didn’t tell Him to jump off, so if Jesus had jumped, He would have obeyed Satan and not God. Angels aren’t obligated to catch people who follow the devil’s instructions.

Many Jews believed the Messiah would be revealed by suddenly appearing in the temple. Malachi 3:1 says, “And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple.” If Jesus would jump off and float safely down, the crowd in the temple courts would see it and He would receive instant acceptance as the Messiah. It made sense. Quick. Impressive.

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16, “It is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matt. 4:7). In other words, Psalm 91 cannot be used to force God to act against His will. You must not force one verse to contradict another verse.

I’ve seen people impulsively “jump off temples,” thinking they can make foolish decisions and God will always protect them. Man shall live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, not selected words taken out of context.

Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY:  What is the correct order of Jesus’ temptations?

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

Temptations of Jesus #1-Turning Stones into Bread

Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days when He became hungry. The tempter said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matt. 4:3). The devil was trying to get Jesus to doubt who He was. The last thing He heard from His Father was at His baptism, when He spoke from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son” (Matt. 3:17). Now the devil questioned His identity as the Son of God and challenged Him to prove it.

What tool could Satan use in the wilderness? He tempted Jesus with a rock. He probably pointed to a stone that looked exactly like a loaf of bread. When you’re hungry, even rocks start looking good. The devil can even make unappealing things look attractive when you’re weak.

Jesus could prove He was God’s Son by simply telling the rock, “Change!” and it would instantly turn into bread. No one would ever know, and He could fulfill His hunger drive. Jesus had the power to do it. He performed His first miracle by turning water into wine, so converting stones into bread would be easy.

Since His Father hadn’t given any “daily bread” for forty days, the devil tempted Him to provide for himself. He tempts people today in the same way, “Don’t wait for God to answer. Provide for yourself.” People do all kinds of things they shouldn’t be doing because they refuse to wait on God to provide.

Jesus told the devil, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4 NKJV). Don’t spend your life chasing bread alone, or anything else that fulfills your cravings. Live by every word that God has spoken.

Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY:  What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

Why Some People Are Never Happy

A boy sneaked into his grandfather’s bedroom while he was sleeping and put some Limburger cheese in his mustache. When grandpa awoke, he muttered, “This bedroom stinks.” He walked into the living room and sniffed. “This living room stinks.”

Trying to get away from the smell, he rushed into the kitchen. “Good grief. This kitchen stinks too.” Finally he ran outside, sniffed, and yelled, “This whole world stinks!”

Some people have Limburger cheese in their attitude, and that’s why everywhere they go it stinks. Their job stinks. Their marriage stinks. Their church stinks. Everything stinks. They can’t figure out the problem is with their own stinking attitude.

Air freshener won’t take away the odor. The only solution is to remove the Limburger cheese from under your nose. It’s impossible to change an attitude without having a change of heart. Jesus wants to remove our stinking attitudes and replace it with joy. He said, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).

He not only wants His joy to be inside us, but He also wants our joy to be full. “Full” means there’s no room for sticking attitudes. His joy permeates into our hearts, forces out pessimism, and changes our attitudes to be like His. “Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad” (Psalm 105:3). You’ll be surprised how a joyful heart will clear the air.

Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY:  Are There Mistakes in the Bible?

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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Getting Along with the Skunk in Your Life

The grizzly bear is the most feared animal in the forest. It can terminate the life of any other creature with one swipe of its paw. But there’s one animal the grizzly bear will not attack. He has even allowed this animal to eat with him, although it is his adversary.

The animal I am talking about is the skunk. The grizzly bear doesn’t like the skunk, but he has decided it’s better to coexist with him than to create a stink. Sometimes it’s better to learn how to get along with the difficult person in your life than fight him and make your situation even worse.

If your problem is a co-worker or your boss, it’s better to get along with that person than to quit your job. Many people get irritated by the nuisance they work with, and in a moment of frustration quit their jobs. They end up only hurting themselves. It’s better to tolerate the situation than to be unemployed with no income. 

God has a purpose for the skunk in your life. That’s why He assigned you a seat next to him. He’s teaching you how to love skunks. “You yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9). It’s easy to love the lovely, but what about the skunk in your life? God will show you how to do it. Just don’t create a stink with him.

Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY: Can a Christian lose his salvation?

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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God Appointed You to Live on Earth at This Time

In 1864 during the Civil War, Henry was a student at Virginia Military Institute. When the Union army attempted to destroy a railroad that brought supplies to them, the VMI cadets were called up by the Confederate army to engage them at the Battle of New Market.

     During the battle, Henry was struck in the stomach by a Minni ball, but instead of penetrating his skin, the bullet miraculously bounced off. If the bullet had entered his body, he would have died in battle due to lack of medical aid. If he had died, you wouldn’t be reading this. Henry Stuart Crockett was my great grandfather. If he had died, I wouldn’t be here today.

If you climb up your family tree, you’ll find someone who barely escaped death. If that person had died, you would not exist. You are not here by accident. God determined when you would live on earth and where you would live. “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26). Out of all the centuries you could have been born, God appointed you to live at this time.

The Lord also created you with a purpose to fulfill. King David “served the purpose of God in his own generation” (Acts 13:36). Just as David accomplished God’s will during his time on earth, the Lord has a purpose for you to fulfill. If you will seek Him, He will show you your purpose in life. It’s not too late for you to get started.

Over 270 printable Bible studies at www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY:  “Did any prophets come out of Galilee?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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