Good morning … Great is His faithfulness …
Please listen to Study videos they go into more details and discussions …
Psalm 31.11,1
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous. Verse: Blessed are they whose transgressions have been forgiven.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 6:10-17
Brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Those of us who stand for good, and the righteousness of God will at some point must wage a constant battle with the forces of evil … Scripture tells us – (v. 12) that the demons still have power in this world, but only until Christ comes again in His glory … In Orthodox baptism we clearly acknowledged this in the prayers at the conclusion of the baptism … As Christians we use God’s arms to fight back, that is, His uncreated divine energy, given to us, the power of the Holy Spirit – (Ephesians 1:19-23; and Ephesians 3:16-21) and is actively used by us … The Christian has “put on” – (Ephesians 4:24) at his or her baptism all the qualities that listed to us in scripture as armor – (vv. 14-17) … We must exercise these qualities in both conflict of growth: NO STRUGGLE, NO DEIFICATION …
Ephesians 1:19-23
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality[a] and [b]power and [c]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 3:16-21
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 4:24
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
The Gospel According to Matthew 4:1-11
At that time, Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.
- To be tempted means to be tested in all fundamental areas of our faith
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- Jesus reverses Israel’s falling into temptation in the wilderness … They were tested for forty years, and which they proved to be disobedient and disloyal to the Lord … God also humbled them giving them manna from heaven, and showing them to totally dependent on Him – (Deuteronomy 8:2-5) …
- The devil challenges Christ’s relationship to the Father … IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD calls into question the Father’s declaration at Christ Baptism … The devil wants Jesus to act independently, but The Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit is undivided …
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- Christ used the Scriptures to defeat Satan, see my study video for more commentary and discussion …
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- Trials and tribulations come on their own; meaning we should never tempt the Lord our God for any reason, to do so is to tempt the LORD …
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- God’s Kingdom is not one of earthly power or possessions …
- Numbers 6:24-26:
- “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
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- In Christ love Jared W Campbell
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