Matthew 4:4 But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Amplified Bible (AMP)
Many of you have probably started out the new year by following a read through the Bible plan. Some go from the Old Testament, others will be reading the New Testament while others will follow a blended plan, which involves Old and New Testament readings each day. If you are on one of the NT plans you very well may have read today's verse in Matthew chapter 4.
Reading the verse from the Amplified Bible should lead us to ask the question of ourselves "what is it that upholds and sustains me"? In this verse Jesus refers back to the Old Testament. It was in response to temptation from Satan. Three times in the passage Jesus rebukes the devil with words from the Old Testament writings. It should be an example for us as to how important God's Word was for Jesus and make us aware of how important it should be in our daily lives.
If you miss some time in God's Word, do you hunger for it, thirst for it, and realize that you need it to uphold and sustain you? I would challenge you to follow through with the reading plans. If you are just starting the New Testament in Matthew, the next few days should be especially important as you will be going through the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7, arguably the greatest sermon ever told. We may spend a few extra days there and be sustained and upheld by the words and Jesus' teaching. May we live the coming year from the "steady stream of words from God's mouth" (v.4 The Message) found in the Bible.
In Christ,
Mike
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Matthew 4:3-6
The Message (MSG)
The Test
4 1-3 Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread."
4 Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."
5-6 For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: "He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone."
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