5 posts tagged “bible”
Matthew 4
Jesus is tempted by the devil on the mountain.
He overcomes the temptations without succumbing to them and set an example (as did His every footstep) for us to follow.
Read on for Matthew Henry’s Commentary and you will find a great deal of practical help for us today.
[When Christ was baptized, he did not go to Jerusalem, there to publish the glories that had been put upon him, but retired into a wilderness. After communion with God, it is good to be private awhile, lest we lose what we have received, in the crowd and hurry of worldly business. Christ withdrew into the wilderness,
1. To gain advantage to himself. Retirement gives an opportunity for meditation an communion with God; even they who are called to the most active life must yet have their contemplative hours, and must first find time to be alone with God. Those are not fit to speak of the things of God in public to others, who have not first conversed with those things in secret by themselves.
When he began to be hungry, and that in a wilderness, where there was nothing to be had, then the Devil assaulted him. Note, Want and poverty are a great temptation to discontent and unbelief, and the use of unlawful means for our relief, under pretence that necessity has no law; and it is excused with this that hunger will break through stone walls, which yet is no excuse, for the law of God ought to be stronger to us than stone walls. Agur prays against poverty, not because it is an affliction and reproach, but because it is a temptation; lest I be poor, and steal. Those therefore who are reduced to straits, have need to double their guard; it is better to starve to death, than live and thrive by
Outward afflictions, wants and burdens, are the great arguments Satan uses to make the people of God question their sonship; as if afflictions could not consist with, when really they proceed fRom. God's fatherly love. They know how to answer this temptation, who can say with holy Job, Though he slay me, though he starve me, yet I will trust in him, and love him as a Friend, even when he seems to come forth against me as an Enemy. 3. The Devil aims to shake our faith in the word of God, and bring us to question the truth of that. Thus he began with our first parents; Yea, has God said so and so? Surely he has not. So here, Has God said that thou art his beloved Son? Surely he did not say so; or if he did it is not true. We then give place to the Devil, when we question the truth of any word that God has spoken; for his business, as the father of lies, is to oppose the true sayings of God. 4. The Devil carries on his designs very much by possessing people with hard thoughts of God, as if he were unkind, or unfaithful, and had forsaken or forgotten those who had ventured their all with him.
. The Devil is for nothing that is humbling, but ever thing that is assuming; and gains his point, if he can but bring men off from their dependence upon God, and possess them with an opinion of their self-sufficiency.
Note, As in our great abundance we must not think to live without God, so in our greatest straits we must learn to live upon God; and when the fig-tree does not blossom, and the field yields no meat, when all ordinary means of succour and support are cut off, yet then we must rejoice in the Lord; then we must not think to command what we will, though contrary to his command, but must humbly pray for what he thinks fit to give us, and be thankful for the bread of our allowance, though it be a short allowance. Let us learn of Christ here to be at God's finding, rather than at our own; and not to take any irregular courses for our supply, when our wants are ever so pressing (Psa_37:3). Jehovah-jireh; some way or other the Lord will provide. It is better to live poorly upon the fruits of God's goodness, than live plentifully upon the products of our own sin.]
5 Ways to Live Upon God
1. Quiet time. It is imperative for you and I to set apart from the demands of the day and have time with our Lord. This can be in prayer, reading the Bible and sitting silently to listen for His voice.
2. Be alert and cling to Jesus even more when in times of great need. The lack can become a stronghold and/or a temptation to sin. Pray away poverty! It might be where we are now or come at some point but we can pray for God to supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory. Philippians 4:19
3. Let nothing shake your knowledge of God’s faithfulness. No matter how things appear or feel. . . know He is good and our best is always, always His goal.
4. Depend on the Lord. We cannot succeed without Him and have no power away from Him.
5. Live upon God. When the money does not come, when the bills cannot be paid, when the pantry isn’t filled, and when all hope of help seems gone. Live upon God. As the commentary shares: Some way or other . . . the Lord will provide.
Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to e content win whatever circumstances I am.
I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13
Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mat 3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Mat 3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
Mat 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
My present Bible reading plan is reading the New Testament again and whatever else God guides while I’m there. I have read a lot of the OT in the past year or so and there is just so much to glean from the Word of God all the way around!
Anyway, today’s reading was Matthew 3 and I drank every letter in… smiles.
I loved what Matthew Henry shares in his commentary on these verses:
John Baptist's business was to call men to repent of their sins; Metanoeite - Bethink yourselves;
“Admit a second thought, to correct the errors of the first - an afterthought. Consider your ways, change your minds; you have thought amiss; think again, and think aright.”
Note, True penitents have other thoughts of God and Christ, and sin and holiness, and this world and the other, than they have had, and stand otherwise affected toward them. The change of the mind produces a change of the way. Those who are truly sorry for what they have done amiss, will be careful to do so no more.
This repentance is a necessary duty, in obedience to the command of God (Act_17:30); and a necessary preparative and qualification for the comforts of the gospel of Christ. If the heart of man had continued upright and unstained, divine consolations might have been received without this painful operation preceding; but, being sinful, it must be first pained before it can be laid at ease, must labour before it can be at rest. The sore must be searched, or it cannot be cured. I wound and I heal.
Note, They who truly desire the sincere milk of the word, it if be not brought to them, will seek out for it: and they who would learn the doctrine of repentance must go out from the hurry of this world, and be still.
…End of Matthew Henry Commentary notes.
I think on what I’ve read this morning and I imagine our Lord saying:
“Be still.
“Know that I am God.
“Be still.
“Listen for My voice.
“Be still and ponder your life… look at the way you live.
“Consider your ways. Are they My ways?
“Think of your thoughts. Are they My thoughts?
“Change is needed. Do you see it?
“If you see it… you can change it.
“Fit your life, fit your world… into My life, into My world.
“Cry for what is not right and allow yourself to sorry for your sin.
“You’ll be much more watchful to keep from them again.
“Search My Word and stop long enough to seek Me.”
I will cry to God Most High,
To God Who accomplishes
all things for me.
Psalms 57:2
That verse reached me today. This morning, I was reading my Bible and struggling through some feelings and thoughts when I saw those words in the midst of reading from a Daily Bible Reading Plan.
I am not at my desk bec my computer isn't working (still) so I don't have my usual note pads, index cards, or a ready stack of paper to grab. Instead, I found an envelope and scribbled this verse on both sides.
Many years ago, I read about memorizing Scripture and something stuck with me from one of the "how to's" I saw:
Write down the verse in black and use all capitals.
I am a color girl and I love using all sizes of pens from the finest available to thick, dramatic lines. I love ink... blue, purple, bright red, orange, pink and on it goes. I scribble all of these all over and on my journals, notecards, and whatever it is I'm writing on with the exception of memorizing Scripture.
I find myself writing clearly and in a Sharpie shade of black from the Sharpie extra fine to the regular Sharpie marker. I don't always cap... just depends on the day.
Anyway... I wanted to keep going back to this verse. It spoke to me so much.
Everything I need, want, or long to accomplish . . . I pray to be the Lord's Will. He knows best for me and reading this showed me that He also accomplishes all things for me. What an amazing truth!
A beloved friend commented today and it has run through my head all through the day. She said that God has provided all I need. I don't recall the exact wording but the message I got was that no matter what things appear to be. . . every need I have is met by the Savior. Any other message is not of the Lord.
Isn't this simple knowledge such a mighty truth? I carry it in my heart.
I hope anyone reading this will think on Psalm 57:2 and what a shining thing it holds in the wings of hope. It isn't about what you can, will or should accomplish. He will accomplish all things for you.
This post has been stopped twice for some reason. Strange! First, it just clicked off and saved itself and then the laptop made one quick sound and it went black. It easily restarted so I don't know what that was about.
Anyway, the morning's reading in my Bible was Psalm 51-53 and these verses are some that have ministered to me over and over. This morning... they fed my spirit.
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my trasngressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know Thy wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Thy presence,
And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation,
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways,
And sinners will be converted to Thee.
O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Thy praise.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart, O God,
Thou wilt not despise.
Psalm 51:1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, & 17
My dad sent me this but I cannot find anyone to give credit for writing it. IF you know the author or who to acknowledge for this writing, please let me know so I can add it. It brought tears to read it...
Here is a new way to look at a deck of cards!!
Deck of Cards
It was quiet that day, the guns and the mortars, and land mines for some reason hadn't been heard.
The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the holiest day of the week.
As he was sitting there, he got out an old deck of cards and laid them out across his bunk.
Just then an army sergeant came in and said, 'Why aren't you with the rest of the platoon?'
The soldier replied, 'I thought I would stay behind and spend some time with the Lord.'
The sergeant said, 'Looks to me like you're going to play cards.'
The soldier said, 'No, sir. You see, since we are not allowed to have Bibles or other spiritual books in this country,
I've decided to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards.'
The sergeant asked in disbelief, 'How will you do that?'
'You see the Ace, Sergeant? It reminds me that there is only one God.
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments.
The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them were glorified.
The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.
The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation.
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives -- the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth.
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy He cleansed ten, but nine never thanked Him.
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.
The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.
The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365 total, one for every day of the year.
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a year.
The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
Each suit has thirteen cards -- there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.
So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for.'
The sergeant just stood there. After a minute, with tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, he said, 'Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?'
Please let this be a reminder and take time to pray for all of our soldiers who are being sent away, putting their lives on the line fighting
Author Unknown
