For forty years Israel had been wandering in the wilderness. Now before finally entering the promised land, Moses, who is 120 years old, gives the people a series of messages. In them he reiterates the importance of complete obedience to God, the consequences of choosing not to, and most of all to remember each step of their walk with Him. …
Matthew 4:1
Temptation is everywhere. And I don’t know about you, but more than not, in my fleshly weakness I fall to those temptations. Then it becomes a vicious cycle. I sin, regret it, pray for forgiveness, feel bad for giving in to the temptation, and to numb the pain of failing, I sin again. But thankfully, God’s forgiveness is unending, and His patience inexhaustible. Because He too faced temptation. The Lord knows the struggle of fighting the Tempter, a relentless enemy who longs for our destruction. Yet in the desert facing down Satan, Jesus was victorious. With each temptation the Lord fought back with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17) A mighty weapon available to each of us, and one that stops evil in its tracks. So when temptation rears it’s ugly head, I can rejoice knowing that God won’t let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. (1 Cor. 10:13), forgives me when I fail, and provides the path of victory through His precious Word!
