Christ Met Temptation With Scripture

It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4, NRSV.
Though he [Satan] appears as an angel of light, these first words betray his character: “If thou be the Son of God.” Here is the insinuation of distrust. Should Jesus do that which Satan suggests, it would be an acceptance of the doubt. If Christ’s confidence in God could be shaken, Satan knew that the victory in the whole controversy would be his. He hoped that under the force of despondency and extreme hunger, Christ would lose faith in His Father and work a miracle in His own behalf.
Not without a struggle could Jesus listen in silence to the archdeceiver. But the Son of God was not to prove His divinity to Satan. He met the tempter with the words of Scripture. “It is written,” He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” In every temptation the weapon of His warfare was the Word of God.
When Christ said to the tempter, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,” He repeated the words that more than fourteen hundred years before, He had spoken to Israel. And the same words are written for our admonition. We are to commune with the One who gives us life, the One who keeps the heart in motion and the pulse beating. God is giving the breath of life to every member of His great family here below. He deserves your sincere reverence, your earnest devotion. When you consider what He has done for you, how can you help loving Him? He has given His Son as a propitiation for sin, in order that you might stand on vantage ground with God.
If the world should recognize the claims of God upon them, we would not see and hear of the awful sins that are now so common; we would not read of the murders, the wickedness, and the tyranny daily chronicled in the newspapers. Like the antediluvians, the inhabitants of the world have almost entirely forgotten God and His law.—Manuscript 155, 1902 (Sermons and Talks, 2:218).
When Satan can bring his craftiness to bear on human minds, deceptive influences are received [as] from heaven. If his deceptions are allowed to enter, many souls will be ensnared by them before it is seen that they are not from God, but from the enemy of all righteousness.—Manuscript 37, 1903 (The Upward Look, 135).
Christ Triumphant p. 193
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Dwight who is in the hospital in critical condition with a serious blood infection and cardiac arrhythmia. It has settled in his cervical spine. He is in incredible pain and so sick. The family is overwhelmed both because of him and his large farm. Mike
—-Please pray for a friend’s girlfriend’s sister who has cancer. Mike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
One time after Ronnie Jay became a Pathfinder Counselor here in Kansas, he made the comment that Mr. Brown and Mr. Gray were more than just Pathfinder counselors to him, they were his friends. Because of their approachableness, the children felt as if they could come to these men with their problems or with their joys.
These men’s lives were all wrapped up in helping “their kids” and had a big influence upon them. Every spare moment they had was used in preparing for the weekly meeting. Their whole focus was on leading their Pathfinders to become good citizens not only of this country but of the Heavenly Country as well. At the last church camp-out before he died, Mr. Gray, who was especially gentle and kind, sat down with each Pathfinder and talked to them individually about their future plans. He told them of his hopes and dreams for them to carry on in his footsteps. Mr. Gray’s talk was not in vain. This was the reason that Ronnie Jay became a Pathfinder counselor when he got old enough.
Similarly, our Dear Saviour longs to have an even closer fellowship with us. He pleads, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Rev 3:20 Whenever we have a meal together with someone, there is a bonding, a fellowship, a closeness. This is what Jesus longs for. Think of it! We have the great privilege of sitting down with our Great Creator and together feasting upon His Word. As we dine upon the truths that it contains, meditating upon its precepts, He will open to us “in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27 Paul says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 What a privilege! The same Holy Spirit, Who moved upon holy men of old to write the Scriptures, will guide us in our understanding of them. (2 Peter 1:21)
Moreover, our Loving Redeemer yearns for us to come to Him with all of our happiness, all of our joys, all of our sorrows, all of our troubles and disappointments. We cannot weary Him. We can cast all of our cares upon Him, for He loves us with an everlasting love. He draws us to Himself with His lovingkindness. (1 Peter 5:7; Jer 31:3) He sees us bowing down under the cares of this life and calls to us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30
May we sit daily at our Dear Saviour’s feet, learning of Him, striving to become like Him in every aspect of our life is my prayer.
Rose