Good evening, Zane
I can’t believe how fast the day has shot by. I meant to get this off this morning. The day included a short conference and check up with the doctor who performed my cataract surgery yesterday. All seems to be well in that department. I find it amazing how I could be subjected to such an invasive surgery on such a sensitive and delicate part of my body, yet with no pain or discomfort. Besides that, I was able to pass my vision test already with my left eye so that the doctor signed me off as approved to drive. I had earlier flunked my vision test when attempting to renew my license. We went directly to DMV and I was able to get my renewed driver license.
Good night. Sleep tight. Love and prayers—Tua/Ray.
Why does God tolerate this dirty devil? Why does He allow Satan to run around tempting people to do bad stuff and to oppose God and His will? Why doesn’t God just snuff him out with one blow of His mighty power and rid the earth of him forever—and return His creation to an Eden-like condition of purity and perfection? He could do that if He wanted, you know—but for reasons I cannot fully explain, He does not want to…yet. But He will. That impending fact is clearly disclosed in Scripture. For now, I can only conclude that Satan actually exists and functions as God’s adversary and antagonist, not only by God’s permission, but by His intention—offering mankind the option of seeking and serving God by their own God-like and God-given freedom of intelligent choice as opposed to robotic programmed automation. While we may never completely comprehend all these things this side of eternity, we do know that God not only tolerates the devil, but uses him. How else could we explain the first two verses of this reading—“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil” (vv. 1-2). So not only does God permit Satan to interfere with and influence men’s minds, but He actually allows him to have a go at attacking His own Son. I’m reminded here of the description of Jesus in Hebrews 5:8-9—“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” Hmm. Please pay careful attention to this lesson: If these things are so, you can rest assured that this dirty deceptive devil will not pass you by—especially if you are closely associated with the Son.
Be reminded that there is no means of protection against this enemy that can substitute for the powerful influence of the Word of God wielded from the heart of a true believer. You will do well to hide it in your heart and develop competence in its use and application. Take note that in each temptation launched by the devil, Jesus defeated them by His use of the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).
And be reminded that the devil’s ministry of temptation is not a one-time deal. Verse 13 says, “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” Don’t be caught by surprise. You can bank on it—he’ll be back. Be ready! (1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:15; Ephesians 6:10-18)