Feed Me

This past Wednesday we started a new series called “Deal with the Devil” and we took a look at the encounter that Jesus has with the devil in Matthew 4.

There are 3 specific words that caught my attention when reading this encounter and those words come in verse 3 of the new living translation is says “…During that time…” - talking about when Satan chose to approach Jesus. It’s interesting that he chose that specific moment because it’s coming right after Jesus has been fasting for 40 days and nights- so he is physically starving, probably extremely tired -he came when Jesus, after having fasted forty days and forty nights, was hungry: now, as hunger naturally diminishes the strength of the body, the mind gets enfeebled, and becomes easily irritated. The devil is choosing a “during that time” moment based on the thought that Jesus is so hungry right now he may end up making choices he wouldn’t normally make.

-Have you ever gotten so hungry that you’re easily irratible and you end up getting an attitude with people that you wouldn’t normally have an attitude with simply because you are so stinkin’ hungry?

-or , Have you ever gone to a grocery store on an empty stomach and ended up buying things that you wouldn’t normally buy because everything and anything (including dish soap and paper towels) looked good to you to eat.

-In the same manner that you can be physically starving, you can also be spiritually starving- and when your spiritually starving the devil knows that he can come to and you and it might be a “during that time” moment for you where your head might not be all there and you are so starved spiritually because you haven’t been reading and praying and spending time with God like you should , that you’ll start to eat and buy into things and give into sin that you wouldn’t normally give into, simply because you’re spiritually starved.

We all have to understand that there are going to be “during that time” moments that we will be faced with in our lives- the true question will be – am I full on God, or am I so hungry that I may start giving into things I know I shouldn’t ever even touch.

In the book of Psalms chapter 34:8- it says “Taste and See that the Lord is good”- we are to be experiencing and tasting God and THEN we will see his goodness. Don’t be a spectator, don’t let Christianity and God grow dull to you simply because you haven’t been partaking in his goodness.

Read Ps. 34:8-10 and think about that this week –

Psalm 34:8-10 (New Living Translation)

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
9 Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing