by bread alone

170306This entire commandment that I command you today you must diligently observe, so that you may live and increase, and go in and occupy the land that the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors.  Remember the long way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. The clothes on your back did not wear out and your feet did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the LORD your God disciplines you. Therefore keep the commandments of the LORD your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. (Deuteronomy 8:1-9, NRSV)

Man does not live by bread alone. We need more than that. More importantly, we need the word of the Lord. The Lord lead the people through the wilderness, and made it so their feet did not swell after all the walking, and that their clothes did not wear out. Imagine that, clothing that does not wear out.

God gives us what we need when we follow after Him.

Trust in the Lord, and He will supply your every need.

Since

170305Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is 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; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. (Matthew 4:1-11, NRSV)

This passage always gets me because we think that Satan is questioning Jesus as to if he is the son of God or not. But the word in the Greek is the word that means if or since. Maybe Satan isn’t questioning if Jesus is the Son of God, but telling Him, since you are the Son of God you can make bread from stones, so eat. Doesn’t dimish the temptation, but changes the whole passage. Satan knows who He is. He is trying to make Him use His power in ways He shouldn’t, for self-gratification.

And Satan quotes scripture because everyone can read and know scripture, but only those who follow after Jesus will read it and understand it. Others will use it out of context and cause others to stumble.

So do not look to yourself, but look to God and follow where He is leading. Since He is the Son of God He will not steer you wrong.

serve

170304Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, with trembling kiss his feet, or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way; for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2, NRSV)

There are so many things in this world that draw us from God.

Money.

Rulers.

Country loyalty.

Love of self.

We need to remember what we heard on Wednesday, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” We are God’s creation, and we need to serve Him with fear and trembling. For He has made us to fulfill His mission and ministry here in this place. Serve God. For in that service, there is life.

Return

170303Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near—a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come. Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep. Let them say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” (Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, NRSV)

Even now the Lord is waiting for us to return to Him, to confess our sins and walk in His light. God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He does not do anger like us but waits for us to get our act together and when we come and then walk away, He continues to wait.

God is coming with a vengeance, but the Day of the Lord is not here yet. Return to God and walk in His ways, He is waiting for you.

for free…

170302Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:1-7, NRSV)

Why do we spend most of our lives amassing treasures that we can not take with us?

We spend our money and our time on acquiring things that we think will make us happy but really take up space and usually take us away from the things that really make us happy. Think for a moment if you have a family, and you spend overtime working for what? To make money to buy something bigger and better? When you could be spending that overtime time with your family and making memories which do not cost extra and show them your love.

Focus your life on the things that God gives you that are important. His love and the blessings of family and friends.

Treasures of this world will pass away, but if we follow after Christ we will see our treasure multiply in heaven.

So labor for your treasure from God and worry not about the treasures of this world.