Followers

Monday, October 3, 2011

The SCRIPTURES say

This morning, I am reading Luke 4.
The beginning of this chapter tells us that Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit, is led into the wilderness. There He begins a forty day fast, and obviously becomes very hungry. When He is weak, tired and probably out of most of His strength, the devil comes to Jesus and begins 3 temptations.
Satan literally promises Jesus the world and more if He would worship the devil.
First of all , I find it ironic that satan promises Jesus the world and all the kingdoms in it. Obviously he forgot that JESUS was the Creator of the world. But I digress.
With each temptation, Jesus responds by saying: "The Scriptures say...". Jesus knows the Word of God. The Scriptures come easily to His mind, because He has meditated on them and knows them.
Do I know them?? Do I have them hidden in my heart?? Can I come up with the Scriptures when I am being tempted? When someone needs to hear the TRUTH of GOD?
I was struck this morning with the realization that satan came to tempt Jesus in His physical weakness. When He lacked physical energy and strength after fasting 40 days.
Do you think God's enemy will work any different with us?? Does He come to us when we are strong and feeding on God? Usually not.
He comes to attack us when we are vulnerable. When life is throwing us curves. And even when we think we have it "all together" as we rely just on what we have.
That's when he comes.
But do we know the Scriptures to fight off the lies and temptations the enemy throws our way?? Do we immediately turn to Our God and Savior for help??
Do we realize that God's Word is our tool to fight? That if JESUS knew it, we should too?
Yes, Jesus was God. But he was also human.
His Word tells us that He too was tempted in every way that we are, so that He can come to our aid.
He knows the devestation of losing someone we love. He knows what its like to be rejected, criticized and not being welcome. Altho the Scriptures do not say this specifically, I have to believe that He was tempted sexually, because His Word says that He was tempted in every way as we are, and yet He remained pure and without sin.(Hebrews 4:15).
He didn't blame others when things didn't go His way. Jesus didn't respond in retaliation ever. He didn't hurt others when they hurt Him. Instead " He entrusted Himself to God (see 1 Peter 2:23).
HE knew the Scriptures because He knew how invaluable they are.
And if they are invaluable to Jesus, the Son of God, shouldn't they be just as important to us?
I have been flabbergasted by many who call themselves long time followers of Christ, who don't know the Scriptures. Who have never read the whole New Testament? Who won't read the Old Testament because they think it doesn't pertain to them or they don't understand why God worked the way He did then. I don't understand much of the time the ways of God now, but because I have a deep respect and love for God's word, when temptations, trials and deep pain come, I run to His Word for comfort, for strength, for Hope.
A dear wise woman of God (thank you dear dear Recie) once told me to ask God to give me a love for His Word. To pray that often. I did..sometimes not so often; but realized that 10 years later, I did LOVE God's Word. That my day is not complete without it. That I need to feed on the very words of my God.
I don't have the Bible memorized ...I never will. But today, today I make a committment to ask God again to help me know the Scriptures, to hide His Word in my heart.
So that the next time, life throws me a curve, or I am tempted, I can be like my Savior and LORD and say" The Scriptures say..."

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