Don't Break Faith with God: Jesus - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) August 15, 2023

Over the last two weeks we have examined the issue of not breaking faith with God. We have learned that breaking faith occurs when we dishonor and/or cheapen the Lord in the presence of others by what we say, how we act, or a choice we make. This is so important because God has called us to be witnesses who testify to His glory and might. We learned how Moses and Aaron struggled with this, yet God showed them mercy. We also reviewed Ezra's experience and saw how He avoided making the mistake. It was the same with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who stared down a fiery pit and defied the most powerful man in the world so as not to break faith with their Creator.

Jesus Christ also provides a crucial example on how to be successful in this regard. And we can easily replicate what He did in all manner of situations.

He fasted for 40 days and nights and at the tail end, the devil showed up, knowing that His mortal flesh would be weak. However, the devil didn't anticipate He would be filled with spiritual food and the Spirit of God Himself. So, when satan asked Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by turning a stone to bread, "... Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4). And when the devil tried to get him to worship it in exchange for earthly power, the Savior didn't mince words. He again spoke scripture, saying, ...“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” (Luke 4:8).

Jesus illustrates that the word of God is a practical tool to help every Christian avoid breaking faith with their God. When the devil shows up during our weakest moments, as it did with God's Son, we have to proclaim scripture because satan has no comeback for that. It is God's word that brings power and therefore causes the devil to flee. We must have some familiarity with scripture. This is why it is essential to study the Bible before the challenges of life come rushing at us. In such situations, it is only the word of God that can effectively resist the devil and neutralize its weapons. And because Jesus is our High Priest, when we pronounce the word, He puts it to work for our benefit.

God's word is the ultimate gem in our spiritual arsenal to keep us from breaking faith with the Almighty. He has promised to keep His word on our lips so it is essential we make it a priority. He said in Isaiah 59:21 - “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the LORD. Thus, if you start and keep gathering the word of God, you will always have it! May the Lord be with you and cause you to prosper in His Spirit, His word and His love. We shall not break faith with Him, IJMN, Amen.