January 18, 2011 Temptations 2

He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry. The devil said to Him, If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.

Good Tuesday afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters. Yes, I was out running that old snow plow again this morning. When I got ready to leave the house at 3:30 AM this morning I said to myself... Self, you are just getting too old for this. And then I answered myself... Self, you are only as old as you feel! Went and got into the truck and plowed snow. Truly I love to plow snow. I would much sooner be plowing it at 70 degrees; well, one can sort of dream, right? One thing about going out early in the morning and plowing snow. It is so pretty, so very, very pretty.

Tuesday and the day we pray for cures for cancer, heart problems, etc., and please add to that list, mental illness. Also I need for you to pray for a lady for me, and I cannot give you her name because it is a mental and drinking issue. Let's just refer to her as a daughter of God.

The Big Trip 6-2, Temptations 2: Luke 4:2B - He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry. 3 The devil said to Him, If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread. 4 Jesus answered, "It is written 'Man does not live on bread alone."' (NIV)

Matthew 4:4 - Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."' (NIV)

Don't you love it, the Bible tells us that Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and also in Matthew he tells us 40 days and 40 nights. I think it is important that we point out from Matthew that Jesus fasted day and night, for in some religions when they fast, they just do not eat in the daytime. So one could say they fasted for 40 days and never drop a pound of weight, and if you were really fasting for God, be it a day or a few days, really. what good is it to fast for the day if you are going to pig out at night?

Have you ever fasted, I mean really went without eating? I can tell you at the end of those 40 days and 40 nights you, like Jesus would be hungry. I would think one would become very open to temptations of food if they had not eaten for that long a period. Think about it, would it not be one of your weakest points and would you not be ready to eat if someone would, say set a pizza in front of you?

In the scripture we find the devil tempting Jesus and it went on for some time, I would think that the devil might have been there for all or most all of those 40 days and nights, trying to get Jesus to eat something. If you are the Son of God turn the stone into bread. "Man does not live on bread alone." And I wanted to bring in Matthew on this as it tells us "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Now we all know we need food to keep on living, and we need to replenish our system often and we need to drink a lot of fluids. But what does Jesus mean when He tells us that it is written Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God?

While we have food all around us this day and age, what is it we really, really need? Do we not need to really feed on the word of God? What do we really have if we do not have God in our lives? Nothing, we might as well not even eat. But if we feed on THE WORD, THE WORD OF GOD, and we really trust in Him, we will find that one of the things He does is supplies our needs. Each and every need (not wants) are supplied. How long has it been since you missed a meal because you did not have anything to eat? We would be far better off if we gave up one meal a day and took that time to read the Bible, do some feasting on the Word of God. How long has it been since you feasted on His word? Really took time to read it and digest it? Why, folks, most all churches now have coffee and cookies or something like that between Church and Sunday school. Maybe we could get more people coming to church if we put in "golden arches". While I do not have anything against churches having that coffee or juice and some cookies on a Sunday Morning, I wonder what would happen if just for a month, or maybe just on Sundays where there was going to be communion that the coffee bar was closed down. Again I don't have anything against offering up the coffee as a way to get people to come to church. Serve up lobster and steak if we can get the people in and then of course we need to fill them with the Word, not just the lobster and steak. Well I am drifting off the subject today. The devil tried and tried to tempt Jesus into working His miracles, but Jesus was just letting God The Father take care of Him... NEAT, RIGHT? Maybe we need to be trusting more and more.

Ok, got to run, the Pizza guy's is at the door... JUST KIDDING!!

Dear Father in Heaven, If we don't have food beside us at all times we start to worry. If our shelves are getting empty, we start to get concerned about where our next bite is coming from. Father in Heaven, we always need to remember that our next bite of food, like our next breath of air, comes from you. It might come through the hands of Your workers, but it comes from You. Lord, teach us to fish, teach us to work the fields and teach us to help each other and share what we have. Lord, help people lean more and more on You... In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Now go forth and share your blessings, and folks, if you do stop on your way to work for a breakfast sandwich, why not get two and take one in and put it on the desk of another? In your workplace you, if you look, will find people who need help with food. Help them, and if from this area, put them in touch with us. Love ya, Pastor Dan. Go forth and feast, feast on the word of God!! AMEN.