Hear... and Remember

So... our morning study at Oceanwood this year was entitled, "Into the Desert", and it was a study of the experience and significance of our spiritual desert experiences. The heart of the study was this, "Jesus, filled with the Spirit was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." Jesus was led... and He obeyed. And the devil met him there, with a strategy to lead him away from what the Father had called him do (to become the Savior of the world and the Creator of a new Creation). And, the devil's strategy? Tempt Jesus to reject who He was and so cause him to reject what he was called to do.

"If you are the Son of God..."

The tempter challenged Jesus love relationship with his Father and I am convinced that our temptations come from that place as well. Can you hear the tempter's voice begin to whisper to you, "If you are a son of God... a daughter of God..."? ("Well, really how do you know... isn't that kinda presumptuous? Better not presume upon his love and relationship with you. ").

How did Jesus fend off these attacks? Jesus treasured in his heart a word from his Father and held onto this deep truth. Truly,"man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God...", and this word from the Father to his Son became the Bread of Life for him... and for us. What was that word?

"You are my Son... whom I love... with you I am so very happy."

Jesus was able to fend off the devil's strategies because he know something... he knew his Father's voice and his words of love and favor. Consequently, Jesus knew that the devil's "if"s were empty. And so with each one of us... in the face of the devil's "if"s... hear the Father say, "You (place your name here) are my child and I love you. I am so very happy with you."

Hear... and remember.