Matthew 4:1-4 ¹Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. ³The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." ⁴But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"

Lets go to this scripture in Deuteronomy 8 and see if the context will give us some more information about what the Messiah was talking about.

Deuteronomy 8:1-3 ¹You shall observe to do all the commandment which I command you this day, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers. ²You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. ³He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn't know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.

God allowed his people to hunger that they would be humbled, so that they would learn to follow God's words above anything else. This quote from Deuteronomy 8 shows us this was what was on the Messiah's mind at the time. Remember, it was the Messiah who was the God of the old testament, so it was he who fed Israel manna. Satan was asking him to perform a miracle of making bread to show he was the son of God and the Messiah was showing Satan he had already made bread from the dew. The Messiah was showing the importance of manna was not in the miracle of making it, but the lesson that was taught from making it. And the lesson was that Man does not live by bread alone, but man should live by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh. And what are the Words that proceed out of the mouth of God? [Hold up Bible] This is what God has given us to study and live by. And it is a coded book, that only those whom the Holy Spirit opens their eyes to understand can understand it. Are we living by this book? Do we know this book? Do we study it daily so we can know when people quote it and misrepresent it?

False ministers try to use the Bible into deceiving us to believe or do things that are not according to scripture. Now how can they do that?

Mark 16:14-18 ¹⁴Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn't believe those who had seen him after he had risen. ¹⁵He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. ¹⁶He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. ¹⁷These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; ¹⁸they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Did you know their are false ministers out there that take this scripture and teach that we should be handling poisonous snakes without worry?

Acts 28:1-6 ¹When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta. ²The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. ³But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. ⁴When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live." ⁵However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn't harmed. ⁶But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Psalm 91: ¹He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ²I will say of Yahweh, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." ³For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. ⁴He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart. ⁵You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day; ⁶nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday. ⁷A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. ⁸You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked. ⁹Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, ¹⁰no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. ¹¹For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. ¹²They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won't dash your foot against a stone. ¹³You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot. ¹⁴"Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name. ¹⁵He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honor him. ¹⁶I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation."

What an uplifting and encouraging psalm. How on earth could Satan use these scriptures to lead people into mischief?

Matthew 4:5-6 ⁵Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you.' and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don't dash your foot against a stone.'"

Did Jesus jump? Would Jesus be handling poisonous snakes in Church? The answer is the same if you believe God's word. Satan tried to convince the Messiah to do something wrong by quoting Psalm 91, but the Messiah knew scripture far to well to fall for that one. False ministers quote Mark 16 and Acts 28 and try to get people to do something wrong, and some, not knowing the scriptures fall for this deception.

Matthew 4:7 ⁷Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, 'You shall not test the Lord, your God.'"

The Messiah quoted other scriptures that clearly show this is the wrong thing to be doing and he refused to jump and tempt God. And yet, there are churches even in our vicinity that handle snakes in church and we read about some of them in the papers that die from this. False ministers use scripture to try and convince us to do the wrong thing, we need to be like the Messiah and know the scriptures well enough that they are not able to deceive us like this. We also need to have the Holy Spirit like the Messiah to keep us from being deceived.

Matthew 6:31-34 ³¹"Therefore don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?', 'What will we drink?' or, 'With what will we be clothed?' ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day's own evil is sufficient.

Matthew 19:16-30 ¹⁶Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" ¹⁷He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." ¹⁸He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not offer false testimony.' ¹⁹'Honor your father and mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" ²⁰The young man said to him, "All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?" ²¹Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." ²²But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. ²³ Jesus said to his disciples, "Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God." ²⁵When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" ²⁶Looking at them, Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." ²⁷Then Peter answered, "Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?" ²⁸Jesus said to them, "Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.

What does he mean by the last are first and first are last. The first or great of the world today will be the last to see God's Kingdom. And the last or least of the world will be the first to see God's Kingdom. Our hope as Christians is the coming Kingdom of God, not the current World today.

1 John 2:3-6 ³This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. ⁴One who says, "I know him," and doesn't keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn't in him. ⁵But whoever keeps his word, God's love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: ⁶he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.

1 John 2:15-17 ¹⁵Don't love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love isn't in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn't the Father's, but is the world's. ¹⁷The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.

1 John 3:1-24 ¹Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him. ²Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. ³Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure. ⁴Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. ⁵You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. ⁶Whoever remains in him doesn't sin. Whoever sins hasn't seen him, neither knows him. ⁷Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. ⁸He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹Whoever is born of God doesn't commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can't sin, because he is born of God. ¹⁰In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn't do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn't love his brother. ¹¹For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ¹² unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous. ¹³Don't be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn't love his brother remains in death. ¹⁵ Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. ¹⁶By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. ¹⁷But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him? ¹⁸My little children, let's not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth. ¹⁹And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him, ²⁰ because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. ²¹Beloved, if our hearts don't condemn us, we have boldness toward God; ²²and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. ²³This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. ²⁴He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

Brethren, do not be surprised brethren if the world hates us. Our Kingdom is not of this world.

1 John 4: ¹Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³and every spirit who doesn't confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. ⁴You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. ⁵They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. ⁶We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn't listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

You know Brethren, I don't put these messages on the Web, because I think everyone will listen to it. I know most will not listen to it and if they did they would be offended by it, not encouraged by it. But he who knows God will listen to us and hear and understand. God has lead me to believe there are others out there that need to hear these messages and be strengthened by them. We as Christan's must continue to keep the faith as an example for others that God will call in the future.

Conclusion:

1. We as Christians should be reading God's word every day. We eat food every day, why would we go without spiritual food even one day?

Acts 17:10-11 ¹⁰The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹²Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

Don't take my word for what is in the Bible, check daily to see whether these things are so.

2. We as Christians should realize reading the Bible and not doing anything about it does us little good. We must start making changes in our lives and living by God's word.

   James 1:19-27 ¹⁹So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; ²⁰for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God. ²¹Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ²²But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. ²³For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. ²⁶If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless. ²⁷Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

   Pure religion is not just hearing God's word taught, it is taking action. It is visiting the orphans and widows in their time of need and it is also keeping ourselves unspotted from the world.

3. We as Christians need to talk to God in prayer every day. We should be reading his word and talking to him about it. Asking for guidence and understanding so we may grow in grace and knowledge.

Psalm 55:16-17 ¹⁶As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me. ¹⁷Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.Daniel 6:10-11 ¹⁰When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before. ¹¹Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

What is more important than talking to our Father in heaven daily? Don't make the mistake that I have made in the past thinking there are other things more important. Take the time to talk to God. Several times I have questioned things I have read in the scripture, not understanding what God was saying or trying to teach. I would ask God about that and usually in future bible studies and prayer God would show me the answer. All my questions haven't been answered yet. I still have questions and I still look to God for answers daily. That's how we grow in grace and in knowledge.

4. We as Christians should be seeking God's Kingdom and his righteosness above all else. It is more important than our spouses, more important than our children, more important than our parents, more important than our siblings, more important than our jobs, more important than our friends, more important than our homes, more important than our lives.

Luke 14:25-35 ²⁵Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them, ²⁶"If anyone comes to me, and doesn't disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can't be my disciple. ²⁷Whoever doesn't bear his own cross, and come after me, can't be my disciple. ²⁸For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? ²⁹Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, ³⁰ saying, 'This man began to build, and wasn't able to finish.' ³¹ Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³²Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace. ³³So therefore whoever of you who doesn't renounce all that he has, he can't be my disciple. ³⁴Salt is good, but if the salt becomes flat and tasteless, with what do you season it? ³⁵It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

That doesn't mean we can't have friends. That doesn't mean we should disrespect our parents, one of the commandments commands us to honor them. That doesn't mean we don't take care of our spoused and children, scripture also says someone who does not take care of his family is worse than an infidel. It just means, God must come first as we deal with these other areas of our life that are also important.

Brethren, How bad do we really want to be a part of God's Kingdom? Our actions speak louder than our words.