From the Pulpit...

This evening service Pastor Matt Postiff begins by answering a question stemming after Lazarus was raised from the dead did he suffer a second physical death or taken to heaven and did not suffer a second physical death? We then begin our study in Matthew 4, focused on Jesus passing the test in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. It's important to note that God's Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. Jesus had fasted forty days and forty nights. The devil wanted nothing more than to see Jesus stumble. Jesus could have created food for himself from nothing, let alone turning a rock into bread. However, Jesus was tested by the Spirit to trust in the Father that He would provide for His son. Again, the devil tempts Jesus by quoting Scripture but twisting its meaning (Psalm 91:11-12), but He knew that this passage dealt with trusting in God and not testing God. Jesus responded (Deuteronomy 6:16) recalling the Israelite's had tested God demanding that Moses produce water where there was none. A third time, the devil tempts Jesus with idolatry offering Him to rule the Earth and all its kingdoms and glory. Jesus commands the devil to flee and quoted from Deuteronomy 6:13-14, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve". Jesus passed all of the devils temptations as He put His trust in the Father. As believers it is critical that we know God's word so that we can pass temptations that come our way.