by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Luke 4:1--30

He Passes the Test!

In the reading of this morning, we saw that God is testing Israel by leaving the Canaanites in the land. He wants to know whether they will continue to obey Him when they have a thorn in their side.

Jesus has a thorn in His side, and it is the greatest thorn one could ever have, Satan. Will Jesus be true to God in the most difficult of circumstances, fasting for forty days and all the while being tempted by the devil? After fasting forty days, Jesus is hungry (How strong was that hunger?), and the devil challenges Jesus, whether He is the Son of God, saying that if He is, He shall be able to turn stones into bread.

4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God’” (Luk. 4:4).

Praise God! Jesus passes that test! Two more tests follow. He passes both of them, quoting Scripture each time. Jesus passes the tests the same way we can, living by the Scriptures.

Watch how you handle the issues of life and see if Scripture is your guide. If so, you pass the test. If not, God gives you another chance. Keep working at it.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Judges 1--3

Will They Pass the Test?

Israel was not able to drive out all the Canaanites because Israel was not fully obedient to the Lord. Therefore, He says that He is leaving the Canaanites in the land to be a thorn in Israel's side. Below is another reason that the Canaanites remain in the land,

4 And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses (Jdg. 3:4).

God allows Israel to be in a difficult circumstance to see if they will obey Him. It is easy to obey the Lord when life is easy, but what happens when things get difficult. Will we revert to our old worldly ways, or have we taken the teachings of Christ into our hearts that the teachings have made us new persons who follow God, regardless of what is going on around us? You are going to encounter difficulties; will you be a man or woman of the world or a man or woman of God? People are watching you. What shall they see?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100