Two things really stood out to me today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan! Look at Psalm 4:6-8:
6 Many say, Oh, that we might see some good! Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord. 7 You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than [they know] when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust. AMP
The world is striving for, and running after things, but things won't fill your heart with joy! I like these verses from The Message Bible, too!
6 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say.
"More, more."
I have God's more-than-enough,
7 More joy in one ordinary day
Than they get in all their shopping sprees.
8 At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep,
For you, God, have put my life back together. THE MESSAGE
WE have God's "more-than-enough"! I LOVE that! HE is the more-than-enough God! He IS "El Shaddai" - the God Who is more than enough! HALLELUJAH! Psalm 23 tells us that when HE is our Shepherd, we do not lack for ANY good thing! I hope that gets YOU excited about the Word of God today! The second thing that really stood out to me today is found in Matthew 4, which covers the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Notice that verse 1 tells us that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil:
1 THEN JESUS was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil.
The Holy Spirit was not tempting Jesus, the devil was! Jesus resisted this temptation with the Word of God. Notice that the devil "took" Jesus in verses 5 and 8! How did he devil "take" Jesus there? Through thoughts! He does the very same thing to you and to me! He sends thoughts to "take" us into situations and circumstances that bring worry, fear, guilt, etc. to try to hurt our faith. If he can't do that, then he tries to get us to walk out of love, which will cause our faith not to work (Galatians 5:6)! How do we avoid those traps of the devil? Matthew 6:31a tells us how we avoid "taking" the thoughts the devil brings!
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, KJV
We "take" thoughts by saying them! When satan tried to get Jesus to "take" his thoughts, Jesus responded with the Word of God! THAT is what we must do , too! That is one of the reasons that God tells to be slow to speak (James 1:19), so that WHEN we speak, we can speak the Word! AMEN! Recognize when thoughts of doubt, fear, unbelief, worry, guilt and condemnation come, the devil is trying to "take" you out of faith by getting YOU to "take" his thoughts and SAY them! Don't do it! Reject his thoughts and replace them with the Word of God! Think on these things and then say them! AMEN! Here is an older song from Hillsong United called "Freedom Is Here":
Shalom in Him!
