Day 7: Tempted to Serve Self

The Gospels tell us that after His baptism, Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted. Among the temptations He faced, Satan offered Him all the kingdoms of the world if only He would bow down in worship. At its core, this temptation was about serving self rather than serving God.

The enemy whispers the same lie to us: “Do what you will. Put yourself first. Make life about your pleasure, your possessions, your power.” But Jesus shows us another way. He answers Satan: “The Lord your God shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”

Every day, we will serve something. If we choose self, we end up serving lesser gods - ambition, approval, money, or comfort. But when we choose to serve the Lord, we align our lives with His kingdom, His mission, and His joy. Service isn’t just about tasks; it is about declaring who is first in our lives.

Questions

• What “lesser gods” compete for your service and devotion?
• How can you put a stake in the ground today and say with Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”?