January 6, 2020

January 6
Running with Jesus

Luke 4:3-4 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

     Jesus had been fasting and praying for forty days and the devil knew Jesus was hungry and began to test Him to use His power for personal benefit over obedience to God's plan and will. Jesus would use scripture to do battle with the enemy. In preparing to run a race the new runners pace themselves a little at a time until their body learns to endure. If you are not a student of God's Word, you will not win your race of life. You are not building endurance.
      In life we are a physical and a spiritual being, the spiritual needs food to keep it fit. The Word of God is the bread we need to run the spiritual race.  Satan told His enemy who tempted Jesus to turn a stone to bread. The thing is, Jesus could have turned the stone to bread but that would not have been in God's plan. God's plan was for victory over Satan who took dominion from man.
     We will never win or live a victorious life without the Word of God in our hearts. Jesus is teaching us the difference in our body and spirit. We are learning about the spiritual realm and how to discern the most complex part of man. Man doesn't live by physical bread alone. We are spiritual beings. The Word of God is the bread that sustains and maintains our spirit.
      Start your race right this year and commit to study and read God's Word for ten or fifteen minutes on a daily basis. Over time it will build endurance to help you finish the race.
             

Father, help us to become students of Your Word.

      Take time to read Luke 4 and jot down a few thoughts you have after reading. This can be the start of learning to Journal. Buy a dollar journal and use it to record thoughts daily. Everybody has to start somewhere.
 

Tomorrow: The temptation is on!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015