Connect
Here are a couple questions to get the conversation rolling. Feel free to discuss either or both!
◾ Describe something that happened this past week that drew your thoughts toward God.
◾ What’s something that almost always captures your attention?

Pray
Spend a couple minutes quieting your heart and drawing your attention toward God.
Consider these prayer points:
◾ God, I pause to recenter myself in You. I pray You’d restore my union with You.
◾ I pray You would protect me against the attacks of the evil one.
◾ Lord, shield my eyes from things that pull me away from You.
◾ I ask you, Holy Spirit, to cultivate in me greater self-control.
◾ Father, today I pray You would father me.

Read
1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Satan often uses the things of this world to draw our attention and affection away from God. The world, in this sense, does not mean the beauty of creation but might be better understood as the collective set of values and systems designed to make life work apart from God. John tells us that our fallen nature, our lust and our pride can pull us away from the love of the Father.

This week’s discussion focuses on how to resist the lust of the eyes. We’ll take a closer look at this passage, then see how Jesus resisted the devil by studying Matthew 4:1-4. In the next two weeks, we’ll consider the other temptations John mentions: the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Thankfully, we are able to resist the devil as we follow the example of Jesus and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Explore and Discuss

1. The things of this world have been competing for our affection since the beginning of time. It was when Eve saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate (Genesis 3:6a NIV). What are examples of things people lust after with their eyes?

2. How have the things of the world limited your intimacy with God?

3. We can either love the world or the Father. What’s the difference?

4. Why can’t we love both the world and the Father?

5. The things of the world (and our desires for them) are temporary. When have you looked for something to satisfy you but, over time, realized the appeal didn’t fill your longings and ultimately didn’t last?

Matthew 4:1-4 (NIV)
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3 The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

6. Why did the Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness?

7. How does this fit with Jesus teaching the disciples to pray lead me not into temptation (Matthew 6:13)?

8. Having fasting 40 days, Jesus was hungry. Satan tested Jesus’ identity but also tempted Him with the idea of bread. What would have been so wrong for Jesus to turn the stones to bread?

9. When are you most vulnerable to temptation?

10. How did Jesus resist the enemy?

11. Have you ever felt strong and resilient against temptation? Describe.

12. What are ways you can safeguard yourself against temptation?

13. How has Scripture helped you resist temptation or kept you from being distracted from God’s purposes?

14. What can you do to cultivate a greater capacity for self-control?

Make a Move
Spend a few minutes in silence and ask God what He wants you to know and remember from this week’s study and discussion. Is there an emotion or thought He’s stirring in you? Is there a specific step God is leading you to take? Jot down some thoughts and share them with your group or with a close friend.

Meditate
Meditation is the practice of slowly gazing at God, His work and His Word. This is an effective way to slow our hearts and minds and give Him our undivided attention. Meditate on these passages and note words and phrases that stand out to you.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

…for everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NIV)

Memorize
One of the best ways to hear God throughout the day is to store His words in your heart and mind.

Based on this week’s theme, commit these words of Scripture to memory:

But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT)

Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in Your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen. Presbyterian Book of Common Worship

App and the Daily Devotional
Spend time with God with the Daily Devotionals available on the App. You can also find Sunday Message resources and videos, leave prayer requests, give and more.

Why Jesus?
If you’ve never experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we’d love the opportunity to talk with you about a life-changing relationship with Jesus. Email thepastors@brookwoodchurch.org or call 864.688.8200

Additional Study Tools
For additional Bible Study tools, guides and devotionals, check out bible.com, youversion.com, biblegateway.com and blueletterbible.org.