Do you ever take a snippet of Scripture and make an unscriptural application? 

God made you. That’s true. God doesn’t make mistakes. That’s true too. So whatever you feel or want or desire in your heart must be from God, right? God forgives. That’s true. God forgives us for everything. That’s true too. So when you’re tempted, just do it. God will forgive you no matter what, right? The devil is so good at taking half a truth and making it seem like the whole truth. 

But Jesus never twisted Scripture for his own pleasure. “The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus answered, ‘It is said: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”’” (Luke 4:9-12).

Jesus wasn’t jumping to the devil’s conclusion. He knew the text and the context, and his perfect knowledge and obedience are the reason why his death on a cross means something for you today. Jesus was the perfect Savior, the spotless Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world.

Take a moment today to thank Jesus for resisting the tempter so that he could be your Savior.