Matthew 4:1-4 (NKJV) Satan Tempts Jesus
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Are you thankful at all times? Are you content? My Dad was Mr. Contentment. He was always happy with what he had and thankful. Perhaps it was because of some of the things he had been through. He faced very serious trials as a young person. He managed to live through that; he can get through the trials of daily living. Many today have never faced any serious challenges. They don’t know how.
In the verses above, Jesus in being tempted for forty days in the Wilderness. The tempter or devil tries to get Jesus to break His fast by turning stones into bread. Jesus uses Scripture to answer saying that Man lives by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Richard Foster says, “Fasting reminds us that we are sustained “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Food does not sustain us; God sustains us. In Christ, “All things hold together” (Col. 1:17). Foster, Richard J.. Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition (p. 55). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.
I am in a class called Spiritual formation. Our assignment this past week was on Fasting and why and how to do it. I managed to fast 24 hours. I’m not totally sure what difference it made yet. That’s why I write. It helps clarify my thinking. Many do Journaling. That does not seem to work for me. But writing stories does. Let’s see where this goes.
I learned that fasting shows us what it means to do without something. It reminds us that food is not everything. There are those in the world who don’t have enough food to eat. In Honduras, where my Church has a school, the kids who attend get their only daily meal at the school. Going without for an entire day reminds me that every breath, every heartbeat, every bite of food is a gift from our God. The purpose of fasting is always supposed to be to draw us closer to God. Doing without made me realize how much He provides. Nothing matters apart from Him. Without Him, I am nothing. But there is good news. In Him, I am everything! And I am in Him. And I am thankful.
Father, without you, we are lost. Thank you for the opportunity to fast reminding us of all you do for us. Every breath is from you. Thank You that You invite us to feed on you. Your Word sustains us. Keep us safe in You. We know You love us and that is enough. Your great love give us all we need. In Jesus name we pray.
Encouragement Daily Book 366 Daily Devotions
“Helping People Understand the Operating System of Life!!!”