Matthew 4

(I was distracted for the past two days and now I'm making up for the passages I didn't read. This is what happens when you don't do devotions before everything else) I went to Sherwood youth today as EMP was on break. It was ladies' night and all the girls had a whole heap of fun; the boys were so sweet. When it came to the foot massage thing, I was so touched. It reminds me of how Jesus washed his disciples' feet. Wow....I really thank God for my wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. I'm so glad I met this bunch of wonderful youth at the AMYC camp last year. As I was sharing with the girls in my car tonight, this has been the only youth I've ever really fit in at. And the people are just great, young and old(er), they're all really welcoming and accepting. Being at youth gives me a whole bunch of Christians to encourage me in my spiritual life, and I'm trying to do the same for them too.
On to today's scripture passage:
S - Matthew 4
O - Ok only after reading a few times I realize that v1 "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. "
So the Holy Spirit actually led Jesus to be tempted.
Jesus' answers are "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]"
‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]”
Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[e]”


Jesus uses God's word to answer all of Satan's tempts...that just proves how important it is to have bible knowledge. It would help us be less prone to doubt God and our faith in him when faced with temptations.


Then Jesus went to live in Capernaum "to fulfill what was said by the prophet Isaiah". He is described as a great light that dawned on the land of the shadow of death and people living in darkness (v15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles")


then v17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”


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v18-22 is where Jesus calls his disciples.
Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew - fishermen
James and his brother John, son of Zebedee - also fishermen.


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Jesus taught, preached and healed in Galilee
²⁴ News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,^[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
People followed him around so that they could be healed. That was probably also how they would have heard his teachings. 


(A-) Which reminds me of the discussions we have in Med/Dent bible study, about how we could incorporate our faith into our working lives. Some suggestions were to ask if we could pray for our patients who are ill or in pain, put on christian music and also have bible verses :D I think those would be really bold moves, considering that we are used to staying in our comfort zone of mindless chit-chat.


P - This passage gives more reason for me to read the bible and know it well, especially as the day I was going to read this passage some person tried to sway my faith in God.
And also putting our faith into practice. I mentioned in that bible study that it was a challenge to keep God as our focus when we're studying or in the clinic, because there are less reminders that we have to act and do everything to honour him. This is definitely a point of prayer, that everything I do, it is to glorify God.


Colossians 3:23-24 - "Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ."