Aug 12, 2020

Good Morning Fellow Travelers,

Read: Matthew 4:1-11

“Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” (Mat 4:7)

We learn from the temptations Jesus faced that our first priority in life should be to obey the Father. No matter what comes our way, strict obedience is the proper response every time. It’s the way Jesus responded when tempted by the devil.

After one of His temptations, Jesus said to the devil, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” These words of God are the foundation and basis of life. We tempt God when we respond to His Word in any way other than obedience.

Jesus also responded with scripture when the devil tempted Him to cast Himself off the temple roof. What the devil really was trying to do was get Jesus to put God to the test. Instead, when Jesus was tempted to worship the devil, He answered that God alone is to be worshipped.

Another thing we learn from our passage is that Jesus never did anything to please the devil. Do you and I exhibit this level of commitment? The devil comes to us with many suggestions—the temptation to show off our talents, accomplishments, and possessions. These things can become areas of pride. Who are we trying to please? The devil is pleased when we willingly give in to sin.

I would rather die of hunger than do anything to please the devil. I would rather face the scoffers than to go against God’s will. We will never grow spiritually if we ignore God’s will for our lives. Let’s follow Jesus with our whole heart and be submitted to His will.

~ James Baer