Today´s reading:
OT: Numbers 30, Numbers 31
NT: Luke 4:1-30
Ps: Psalm 63
Pr: Proverbs 11:20-21
Today´s notable verse:
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Luke 4:13 (NIV)
"Until an opportune time" - doesn't Satan do the same thing with us, even today? That Satan waits for an "opportune time" is all the more reason that the little things - the seemingly unimportant events, the apparently insignificant decisions - are so very critical. Satan crouches outside the door, waiting for an opening; he prowls about as a lion, seeking one vulnerable to be devoured. We must constantly be on guard - not against frontal attacks from without, but against any sign of compromise from within.
It all starts with but a thought: whether as a result of our own iniquity, or planted intentionally by Satan. Christ commands us to take captive every thought, and make it obedient to Him. In so doing, we deny even the seed of an opportunity to be planted through which Satan might tempt us.
The One Year Bible Blog asks:
Comments from You & Question of the Day - When faced with temptation in your life, have you ever brought to mind the Word of God? Did this change things? Do you believe that the Word of God can help us combat temptation in our life?
What else can we use with sucess other than the Word of God? God is so gracious to me, in that His Spirit brings to mind a verse or passage or word at just the right time: to combat a temptation, or to encourage a brother, or whatever the circumstance. God bringing to my mind His Word results from spending hours studying His Word, and seeking to understand and apply it to my life. I am blessed that I have parents who instilled in me both the discipline and love of studying the Word.
