— Matthew chapter 4

This Bible verse raises so many questions.

Why did the Spirit lead Jesus into a place of temptation? Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” Yet, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into lonely places “to be tempted by the devil.”

— Matthew chapter 3

What attracts people? The New Testament book of Matthew records that crowds from Jerusalem, Judea and the Jordan River valley trekked into the wilderness just to hear a preacher. John the Baptist was nothing to look at. He wore camel skins. His diet consisted of honey and locust. Imagine his teeth, or his breath. Yet crowds from throughout the region went into barren lands to hear John preach.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

—Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy offered this explanation for the lack of peace on earth. The cultural assumption is that peace requires conditions like absence of war or material abundance. The Russian novelist disagreed.

In War & Peace, Tolstoy’s characters bicker and backstab over the slights and insults. When war comes to Russia, some let go their pettiness, embrace spiritual transcendence and experience peace in the middle of Napoleon’s violent invasion.

• Do not confuse patriotism, national pride, and Western culture with Christian faith and practice.
• Do not confuse secular political activity with the purpose of the church, nor campaigning with witnessing or preaching.
• Do not make slanderous or false accusations against your opponents, but maintain your integrity. Do not consider a brother or sister who is of like precious faith an adversary if he or she holds a different political view.
• At all times endeavor to verify information before accepting it as true or repeating it to others.
• At all times endeavor to know and understand the candidate’s positions and evaluate him or her on that basis, on the basis of his or her ability to perform the duties and functions of the office, and his or her integrity.
• At all times endeavor to know and understand the issues; do not excuse yourself from this duty by saying, “God will show me whom to vote for.”
• At all times compare a candidate’s position with Scripture, but only where Scripture addresses the issue; do not force Scripture to address issues the Author did not intend to address.
• Neither vote nor work for a candidate merely because he or she professes to be of the Christian faith.
• Do not neglect your family, prayer, worship or Bible study.
• At all times uphold your leaders in prayer.

• Why is there suffering and injustice in the world?
• Does God even care?
• Could God possibly love us, or has He tired of humanity?
• Can we find God?
• Why do so many people express contempt for God?
• Why do the wicked so often succeed?