Matthew 4:1-11

"Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

{Matthew 4:10} (NIV)

When you read this last temptation, one wonders if Satan knew that the Lord’s purpose was to become King of kings and Lord of lords. It is a fitting temptation for a king. It wouldn’t tempt most of us, for we aren’t kings nor do we want to be. 

All the kingdoms of the world must belong to Satan, for Jesus doesn’t just tell him that they aren’t his to give. The concept appears to be that all our Lord has to do, is turn toward Satan and bow His knee; drawing near to Satan with a sincere heart in adoration and thanksgiving, and then Jesus can shortcut the process He will have to endure to become King of kings God’s way. Our Lord refuses and tells Satan to get lost, for He will only worship God. 

Satan works this same way with us. If we would only draw near to money and serve it, we can get what we want the easy way. If we would only draw near to pornography, we can get what we want, without the hard work of marriage. And so on and so on. Do we know what our Lord knew, that if we draw near to our God, we will get what He wants, which is way better than what Satan and the world have to offer? 

Friend, what about it - have we worshipped God yet today? Have we drawn near to Him, with a sincere heart full of adoration and thanksgiving? Let us worship God, and serve God only. It is what we need today, more than anything the world can offer!

Dear Heavenly Father, may your will be done by me today as it is in heaven.

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Matthew 4:1-11

"Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah."

{Deuteronomy 6:16} (NIV) 

Having heard from the Son of God that He was determined to rely on God only, the devil then took our Lord to the highest point of the temple and asked Him to prove that He was the Son of God by throwing Himself off the temple, the concept being that the Word of God in Psalm 91 teaches that God would protect His Son from harm. Our Lord’s response showed that He understood this test not to be about His identity as the Son of God, but as an actual test of the presence of God Himself, and He refused. 

Jesus quotes a verse from Deuteronomy which refers back to the desert in Exodus, where the Israelites grumbled about lack of water. Moses sums up their grumbling with this statement, “Is the LORD among us or not?”. Jesus knew that He is the Son of God, and He knew that God was with Him, and He refused to “force” God’s hand. He would not “test” God’s loving Presence, as if God was some sort of puppet that we can manipulate because of our relationship with Him. 

Friend, are you a child of God? Does His Spirit testify with your spirit that you are His child? Then friend, rest in that knowledge, no matter your situation. Refuse the temptation of Satan to demand that God perform, that He needs to prove His love. Just simply trust Him. God loves you, He is with you now, He is all around you. Trust Him!

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Matthew 4:1-11

"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

{Deuteronomy 8:3} (NIV) 

The people of Israel were led by the cloud into their desert. Our Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit into His desert. 

The people of Israel went in ignorance, not knowing what would happen, nor knowing the purpose. Moses told them 40 years later that the purpose was to teach them. Not to teach them how to survive in a desolate wasteland, but to teach them to depend solely on God and not on themselves. There was no grain to pick, no animals to kill, no water to discover; nothing that they could do that would preserve their lives. They had to rely solely on God. 

Our Lord knew the purpose of the desert and He wanted to demonstrate to all of us and to Satan and the spirits, that He would rely only on God, and nothing else. So He willingly followed the Spirit into the desert and there, when He was tempted by Satan to use His own efforts to save Himself, He reminded Satan of the purpose of the desert. He declared for all creation to hear, that He, the Only Son of God, would depend solely on God for His sustenance. Friend, may this attitude of relying solely on God be ours today. May His grace be sufficient for us today.

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Psalm 77

"Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen."

{Psalm 77:19} (NIV) 

There is a popular poem called "Footprints in the Sand". In it, the author looks at her life as a set of footprints on the sand, and is so thankful of the places where there are two sets of prints; the places where God is walking close, hand in hand. But then there are times when the author saw only one set of prints, and it troubled her that God had left her during that time of her life. She then receives encouragement from a revelations that God Himself carried her during those times. 

This psalmist receives encouragement from the truth that God didn't leave any footprints in the sand of the Red Sea. Using his mind properly, fixing it on God and the works God has done, causes him to realize that you can't see God's footprints. All you see is your own, and yet it was God Himself who led His people through the Sea. It was God who separated the Egyptians and Israelites by a cloud. It was God who parted the Red Sea. It was God who led them through the Sea and then destroyed the Egyptian army. But God didn't leave any footprints! 

Friend, although in your distress, you see no visible signs of God's presence, be encouraged. Think on what He has done for you. Think on what He did in the past for you and then realize that He hasn't changed; He still loves you dearly. He is still a warrior, able to free you. He is still your Counselor and Comforter, able to to heal you. Call out to Him and wait on Him. Praise His glorious Name!

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Psalm 77

"I thought...Then I thought..."

{Psalm 77:5a, 10a (NIV) 

God has given each of us a mind. Not just a brain, though the brain is a ncessary part of the mind. He has made each of us with a mind, and therefore we can think cognitively; we can use logic, we can think apposing thoughts and argue things out. We can connect sights, sounds and smells to events, and to people. We can dream and visualize what the future may hold, most of which is pure fantasy, but some of which is actually logical projection based on past observations. 

The most amazing part of our minds is our memory; the fact that we can think on things that we have read or experienced. The psalmist's mind is working against him in verses 5 thru 9, as his memories of his own actions condemn him and place him in God's anger. But through his will, he forces himself to place his mind on a different subject. Instead of remembering his actions, he chooses to remember God's actions. 

There is a world of difference between remembering my actions, versus remembering God's actions. Placing my mind on myself and what I have done, will bring dispair. Placing my mind on God and what He has done, will bring healing and hope.

May we this day resolve to get our minds fixed on our Lord Jesus Christ and the tremendous work of love that He did for us. 

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Psalm 77

"I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me."

{Psalm 77:1} (NIV) 

We can learn so much from the Spirit-led prayers of the saints that are recorded in the Psalms. I cry out to God for help! We go through times of distress, of sleeplessness, of depression; times when God seems to have deserted us. There are times when we walk hand in hand with God, skipping along our merry way. Troubles have left us, the sky is blue, our future is bright, and everything has a rosy hue! We awake with a song on our lips, joy in our heart and a spring in our step. But what this psalmist is going through, is the opposite experience. He doesn’t even think God hears him, and yet he still cries out to God, to help him and to hear him. Friend, this is faith! 

When times are good, it is easy to praise God. But when times are tough and God’s hand is against us, a person who has faith seeks God more, with more energy than before. They seek Him with all their soul and mind and strength; they want His blessing, they want His assurance, and they draw near to Him, with a sincere heart, seeking His presence and assurance. 

Friend, this crying out to God is Spirit-led worship! May we worship Him today, especially in our trouble.

Better than a Hallelujah, Amy Grant, via YouTube

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Revelation 19

"He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean."

{Revelations 19:13,14} (NIV) 

Here in this passage we have our Lord Jesus Christ, in His rightful position in front of the armies of God that He commands. He is the Faithful and True, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. These are the armies of heaven, and the chariots of Elisha are in this group. 

In this awesome scene, the Lord is not asking anyone to take off their sandals and obey Him. No! He is riding to bring death and destruction to all who have not surrendered their souls to Him. For all who have not bowed before Him and kissed Him (Ps2). He has a sword, He has an iron club, He has a great horse, and He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. If you are one of those who sees this Lord, this Son of God coming in His garments of war, then friend at that moment realize that there is no hope for you. The passage clearly states that all means all. He is not just coming for the “beast”, nor just for the kings or the generals or the mighty people of this earth, rather He is coming for all flesh. He will by force kill all flesh and will throw them into eternal fire. Rebels against God are rebels to the end, even when there is no hope. 

Friend, the hope is now, today. The hope is in surrender today; kiss the Son of God. He comes to us in meekness, gentleness, humility. He comes with open arms inviting us to surrender our lives and receive the salvation of our souls. The Commander of the armies of God desires us to live and has given His life that we may have life. Praise His holy Name.

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