THE JOURNEY

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:

" 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

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

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Matthew 4:1-11

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Ash Wednesday…another one in another year.

Another Ash Wednesday in another year to reflect on how far short I have fallen of the Lord’s expectations for my life. And as I reflect, I’m not happy with myself…but then again, I shouldn’t be because this day is all about seeing the need to repent and to draw nearer to the only One who can help us become better.

And that’s just what I aim to do over the next 40 plus days as I set out to journey with Jesus through Lent.

I have chose to start this journey with Him after his baptism…as He entered the desert being led “by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil”.

Scripture tells us that Jesus fasted “forty days and forty nights” which left Him hungry. And who would enter in a time when He was at His weakest then “the Tempter”…better known as Satan or the devil.

Now…as I enter into this 40 day journey with Jesus, I know well in advance that it’s not going to be easy. It is going to be long…and I know it’s going to wear on me. I know as well that I am going to be hungry. But I also know that I’m going to make it. I couldn’t be more certain about anything else in my life.

Why?

Because Jesus made it and He will help me make it too. I only need to travel with Him through the journey…and be nourished by His life and the Word of the Father. After all, that’s our spiritual bread.

Doubt that?

You shouldn’t because Jesus affirmed it. For we read where when Jesus was in His state of weakness, Satan came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Satan knew full well what Jesus was capable of…of the power He possessed to do anything…even turn stones into bread.

But Satan had no right to demand any display of power from the Son of God. Jesus didn’t have to justify Himself to Satan…and he doesn’t need to prove Himself to us either. He is Jesus…the Lord of Lords…the King of Kings.

So in the midst of Satan’s ludicrous request, Jesus speaks words of power and wisdom…not just to Satan but to us as well. For Jesus answered, “It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " Jesus countered Satan’s temptation with the Word of God, drawing from the Old Testament scriptures to remind us where our true sustenance comes from. We pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.” And God answers that prayer through the abundance of wisdom we find in every word in the Bible.

But Satan wasn’t about to give up in trying to have his was with Jesus. No…he tried to tempt Him again.

This time, Satan “took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple” before challenging Him by saying, “If you are the Son of God…throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "

See how sly Satan can be?

Jesus used the word of God to counter the first temptation so Satan tries to tempt Jesus the second time by drawing from a scripture verse to try and trick Jesus. But Jesus would have none of it as He replied, “It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " Again, drawing from the Old Testament, Jesus used God’s word to stifle the devil.

Question: How many times do people twist the scriptures to try and accomplish their own agendas? Too many times, I’m afraid. But if we stay firmly embedded ourselves in the word of God, we’ll always possess the wisdom to see when someone is trying to manipulate us. God will always expose those who try and deceive, especially when they try and use His word to do it.

So twice Satan tempted. And twice Jesus denied him using God’s word.

Would Satan now give up?

No…he never does. His pursuit of destroying any good and perfect thing that God has made is relentless.

No…Satan again tried to persuade Jesus to do his will…this time taking Him to a “very high mountain” and showing Him “all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor”. In what was his most ridiculous request of all, Satan said to Jesus, "All this I will give you,…if you will bow down and worship me."

OK…let me get this straight. Jesus…the Lord of all Lords…the King of all Kings…should bow down and worship Satan so Satan could give Him what He already had? How stupid is that?

And Jesus had to have felt the same way. I could almost sense Him thinking, “Are you kidding Me?” before He commanded Satan to get “Away from me…!” because “it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' " Another priceless scripture…at another perfect and priceless time…for a perfect and priceless purpose. For after using God’s word to defend Himself, we read where the devil left Jesus and left him to the angels who came and attended to Him.

Friends, I know well that if Satan went after Jesus..the Omnipotent Savior and Messiah…then he surely will come after me…and you…as well. And he’ll do it at will whenever he senses he can get his way…especially when you have been in the desert wastelands of life and find yourself weak and hungry.

But I also know that we, like Jesus, can withstand any attack…any plot…any scheme that the devil might decide to launch…but only if we learn from Jesus and use the word of God as our defense…the very word that is our daily bread…that which we live by.

I hope you’ll check in daily and even join me on this walk. I look forward to traveling with you if you so choose…and I know Jesus wouldn’t mind you tagging along either. Let’s get started.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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