There’s more to life than just getting our physical needs met. There’s a God factor. There’s a faith factor.

Every temptation is an issue of whether or not you think God can and will intervene and show up in your world.

TENSION

The second temptation is to assume that, despite how big and powerful God is, you think you know how He works and you know how to work Him.

TRUTH

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple (Matthew 4:5 NIV).

“If you are the Son of God . . . throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’” (Matthew 4:6 NIV).

It’s the temptation to presume and assume on God.

So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:2-3 NIV).

“Do not test the Lord your God as you did at Massah” (Deuteronomy 6:16 NIV).

Jesus answered him, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7 NIV).

APPLICATION

As Christians, we’ve been called to cooperate with God, not manipulate God.

Four Signs You May be a God-Manipulator

1.  You talk more than you listen.  Your spiritual life consists of more praying than listening for an answer.

2.  Your conversations (prayers) are more about what God can do for you than praising God for who He is.

3.  You bargain with God.  “God, if you do this for me, than I will do that for you.”

4.  You are angry when God doesn’t come through.

CONCLUSION

Are you a cooperator or a manipulator?

Are your prayers centered around His will being done?

We discussed what it must have been like moments before and moments after man ate of the fruit. 

We discussed the separation from God. 

We discussed how man and woman were quick to blame others.

We finished by pointing out that though man ran from God, God still pursued man.