HATH GOD SAID?

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 27 September 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation focuses on the “struggle” between Satan and Jesus for the Lordship over this world. Satan’s appears to have a standard question. “Hath God said?” He used it successfully with Adam and Eve. For him it was a tried and tested way to success.  There is only one way to answer Satan’s question. Quote from God’s Word. That’s what Jesus did. We can do likewise.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 27 September 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	HATH GOD SAID?
We are told that the Marquis of Queensberry rules in boxing were written by named John Graham Chambers in London in 1866. Today the phrase is sometimes used to refer to a sense of sportsmanship and fair play. This was ±1900 years after Jesus’ confrontation with Satan in the wilderness. Furthermore, it’s clear Satan knew nothing about them and wouldn't honour them. Have you ever thought about that confrontation? It was inevitable that it would take place. The outcome of this would determine the future of the entire creation. In it, Satan used every trick available to him to defeat Jesus. As we know, he hated mankind and everything associated therewith. He had used a moment of weakness in an innocent couple to trick them. He wanted that which God had given them. He deceived them into disobeying God’s command. God told Adam that if he ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die. God said nothing to Eve about not eating that fruit. We have assumed God’s instruction applied to them both. We do not know it as a fact. This means that it is entirely possible that nothing would have happened when she sampled it. If this is the case, it adds an additional depth to the devious ways of Satan. For instance if she had already eaten a fruit from the tree without any apparent outcome, she could give Adam a bit to try for himself. “It won’t hurt you if it didn’t hurt me!” This could well have been her unspoken comment to Adam. It’s a bit academic. He listened to Satan’s lies. He was deceived into eating. That constituted the fall of man and the terrible consequences with which we are all painfully aware. Please know that I’m not seeking to make Adam’s sin less serious than it was. The point is that Satan would willingly have done so if necessary. This also reinforces the fact that each of us is responsible before God for what we do. Satan came and asked her a question. It’s what he usually does today. He tempts us to question the validity of God’s Word. For example, God’s Word tells us that unrepentant sinners end up in hell. Today, millions of Christians don’t believe. It really doesn’t matter if they believe or not. It will happen regardless of man’s opinions. Satan succeeded in tricking Adam into eating a toxic fruit. Of course, Satan was half right. Adam became acquainted with the disastrous consequences of being disobedient. Now he was aware of evil. He didn’t need to know about evil. It didn’t make him a better man. Sin warped him. It always does! I don’t have to murder someone to know it’s wrong. I know it now. When the deed is done, I’m worse off than before. I know it experientially. Deception had defeated Adam. He sinned and it was “game over”. So he tried the same trick on Jesus. But Jesus was not Adam. Adam only had one sin to worry about. Jesus had to be obedient to all the Jewish Law. Jesus was tempted when He was weary, hungry and thirsty. Satan offered Jesus everything He had come to achieve. Jesus answered all Satan’s questions by quoting from God’s Word. Every one of Satan’s “Hath God said” was answered with “It is written”. Jesus won the battle. And this is the point today. When Satan tempts us, we must state “It is written”. It’s the only way to defeat Satan. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			1 The snake was more clever than all the wild animals the LORD God had made. He asked the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must never eat the fruit of any tree in the garden'?" Genesis 3:1 GW 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread." 4 Jesus answered, "Scripture says, 'A person cannot live on bread alone but on every word that God speaks.' Matthew 4:7 GW 7Jesus said to him, "Again, Scripture says, 'Never tempt the Lord your God.' Matthew 4:7 GW 10 Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! Scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'" 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came to take care of him. Matthew 4:10-11 GW 16 The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the LORD: 'You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.'" 18 The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.'" (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house. 1 Kings 13:16-19 NIV 26 When the prophet heard the report, he said, "It is the man of God who disobeyed the LORD's command. The LORD has fulfilled His word by causing the lion to attack and kill him." 1 Kings 13:26 NLT 8 Whoever tells you good news that is different from the Good News we gave you should be condemned to hell, even if he is one of us or an angel from heaven. Galatians 1:8 GW 11 I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Psalms 119:11 NLT	"Hath God said?" the serpent asked the time he tempted Eve. "Hath God said?", His purpose was intended to deceive The woman into doing that which her husband knew Was something God instructed him they should not ever do! "Hath God said?" And when she looked the fruit had such appeal. "Hath God said?", But when she touched it was so good to feel! It seemed so very innocent. To eat would make them wise. They'd be a little more like God and see with open eyes. "Hath God said?" He tempted her and so she took and ate. "Hath God said?" But nonetheless, she fed some to her mate. Who, through these proceedings had silently looked on, Neglecting his authority to say to sin, "Be gone!" "Hath God said?" The wilderness was shimmering with heat. "Hath God said?" the devil asked attempting to defeat The Son of God incarnate who stood in Adam's place; The man who represented the fallen human race. "Hath God said?" The devil asked when to the Man he came; "Hath God said?" He tempted Him. The test was just the same. "To satisfy Your hunger, just turn these stones to bread. If You are who You say You are, why shouldn't You be fed?" "Hath God said?"; "Just look at all the kingdoms which are mine." "Hath God said?"; "A miracle will prove You are divine. If You are the Son of God, then You can jump from here. His angels will protect You and harm will not come near!" "Hath God said?" the devil asks of Adam's race today. "Hath God said?" "Is that a fact? Did God really say The thing you know He told you? "Perhaps it isn't true." That's only just the devil's voice and he is tempting you. Hath God said?" he questions; "But doesn't it look good." "Hath God said?" "That can't be wrong; Do what you feel you should. It doesn't really matter, so let it all hang out." The devil keeps on tempting us to disbelieve and doubt. "Hath God said?" Of course He has. It's written in His Word. "Hath God said?" That question is utterly absurd; And just like the Lord Jesus, we'll make the devil flee When everything we say and do with God's Word does agree! Jim Strickland Written 1988