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"Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."—Matthew 4:4, NIV Jesus hadn't eaten in forty days. His human body was starving when Satan slithered up to Him in the wilderness and tempted him. "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus knew His enemy wanted to see Him cave spiritually and forsake His mission. He found strength in what He knew to be true—God's Word. He quoted from the ancient book of Deuteronomy: "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord" (8:3). The children of Israel had never known manna before; now it saved their lives. More importantly, they learned the power of God's Word. As you grow in God's Word, you will delight in obeying Him. A measuring stick of maturity is when I enjoy doing the will of God and take pleasure in the fruit of obedience. Conversely, sin brings ruin and regret. When we disobey God, we lose confidence in Him. Disobedience leads to dishonesty, and we become con artists, fakes, and hypocrites. Our dishonesty causes us to turn from what we need the most: the Word of God. It is no coincidence that in rebellion we stay away from fellowship and church and run from God’s love. Are you running from God's Word or embracing it, motivated by love? Let the love of God be the compelling force in your life so that God's Word becomes a delight to your heart and your submission to His will becomes joyful. Let yourself experience the abundant life!
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