Man Does Not Live On Bread Alone...

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " - Matthew 4:1-4



"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." - Deuteronomy 8:2-3



When Jesus was tempted, as we also have been and will be again, he wielded the sword of the scriptures. He used the truth of God to resist temptation. He not only set an example for us to follow, but also showed us the way to battle temptation: by the word of God. In order to battle this way, we must know the word of God, trust the word of God, and use the word of God as a weapon against the blows of the enemy. Psalm 119: 9-11 says: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let my stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." How can we live pleasing to God if we do not know what He says? How can we battle the everyday temptation to succumb to our flesh, in turn pleasing ourselves and the devil? We must devour His word daily. Not as a law, but as life! Our Lord Jesus, the maker of us and all things, whose love knows no bounds declares: "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." Therefore, let us seek God in His word, let us fill up with spiritual food, and let us prepare for battle against the enemy! If we do not, because He loves us, He may along with the Israelites humble us and cause us to hunger, so that we will learn that man does not live on bread alone...