Gospel
Mt 4:1-11
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
He said in reply,
“It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God.”
Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered him,
“Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.”
At this, Jesus said to him,
“Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him.
Hallelujah to Christ the King. Bless you all!
I appreciate the religious learning obtained here at TCTH.
We had little or no religion as youngsters, although we were Christened and I believe Baptized.
It’s interesting that the rise of President Trump and my guidance to here, has given me an appreciation and a curiosity that was previously lacking.
I am in my early sixties and until recently my understanding of Lent was near zero.
Politics and Religion all at one convenient location😉
Cheers, and thanks again.
God bless and keep you Dekester.
Blessings to you, Dekester!!!
And the Lord our God does protect his own, us in perilous times.
Some lines from a favorite hymn:
If you stand before the pow’r of hell
and death is at your side,
know that I am with you through it all.
Be not afraid.
I go before you always.
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest.
Sundance has proven that Yes we can discuss race, religion and politics….
Bless you Dekester. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
No matter how old (or young), we are always learning. I pray to never stop🙏🏻.
Thank you.
Mega God hugs and blessings Dekester! May God’s favor, wisdom, and discernment cover you and your family.
👍
I picked up a business card a few years back and it has some words of wisdom from, of all people, Lincoln. I keep it handy and it often reminds me to stay focused on what the Bible says.
I quote from the card:
“But for the Bible, we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare are found to be portrayed in it. Abraham Lincoln
I have found that one who isn’t trained to use a Bible will be troubled throughout life.
My childhood religious experience was similar to yours, although my parents did send us to Sunday school and church with our neighbors. My parents were Christians, but did not participate in church.
I went away to college and was searching. It wasn’t until my only child became so rebellious and troubled that I found peace in a church that truly teaches the Bible. I have my grandson in a school where he studies the Bible weekly.
Sometimes one has to just keep searching for the right fit and then begin to pick up the true teachings of the Bible. For some of us, it is not an easy task.
My golden rules are these two:
– if the cancer Dr. isn’t using chemistry terms to describe your cancer, go find one that does.
-if the preacher is more interested in your tithing and your participation in church activities, then go find a preacher who can help you understand the teachings that are in the Bible and inspires you to learn more. (That, my friend, it can be hard to find.)
👍
I have tried my best to attend Bible study groups and honestly they bore me to tears. It took some searching but I found a preacher that preaches the Bible to my liking, as you say inspires me to learn more. Every morning he sends out a Bible text and words of encouragement. It is a nice way to start the day, it isn’t over whelming, or boring. He is the first preacher I have found that holds my attention from the beginning to the end of his sermon, he also has a great sense of humor, and has no problem blasting Soros and Pelosi.
The one thing I don’t care for is he is more Evangelist, so he doesn’t follow the seasons of the church. He says straight he is just a Preacher of the Bible. Personally I believe he channels, it is jaw dropping every week how he hits on target something I need to hear about. Truly amazing. Anyway, when I want to experience the seasons I attend other churches.
Anyway, I also like and appreciate the things I learn from folks here. Church is wherever you want it to be because God is always with you.
Check out “New Life Church” New Bern, NC.
Only the true word of God.
All sermons are livestreamed and archived.
Lots of prayers!
If you want a great lesson series on our Constitution and our Founding Fathers – and their original intent – try Patriot Academy’s “Biblical Citizenship”. It’s excellent, gripping, and highly educational.
For strictly Scriptural studies, I have enjoyed Bible Study Fellowship. If you join the in-person studies, you can drop into a study anywhere you are in the world and they are all studying the exact same passages simultaneously. The immersive studies are wonderful and thought-provoking.
There is an agreement to leave denominational differences at the door and that the study solely focuses strictly on the Word of God.
Did you make up those Golden Rules yourself? I never realized that my preacher was more interested in my tithing and my potluck dishes before. LOL Guess I’ll just have to preach myself a sermon because his seem a waste of time. Oops, my bad you are not supposed to criticize. LOL
Ha….you must not be southern.
Your comment took me down memory lane to a book that reveals where the mind of some church people can be. It is titled “Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral.”
If my memory serves me correctly, the book is somewhat funny but eye opening when it comes to Church Etiquette.
BTW, you have my permission to criticize and my Golden Rules are from life experiences.
Oy… I’ve attended some of these churches that would be outlined in that book. Sounds like an amusing must read!
Amusing my fat gluteus maximus. Southerners are serious as a heart attack about where and how they are buried. During and after the Civil War lost body parts were buried in the cemetery to be matched up when the soldier finally past away. Even nowadays one of my brother’s cut off little finger is buried in Mama’s family cemetery.
What gave me away as Redneck? I once had another person online nail me as Southern by my nomenclature. I’m so glad that I checked back to see if you responded to my comment.
I just listened to the reading on Amazon of “Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral” and it sounds like my family’s cemetery. There are some family members who take flowers to everyone’s grave because some others are so forgetful.
My brother is shocked that I want my monument at my Daddy’s family cemetery instead of my Mama’s. I came from a divided home. I told him that I just want my monument there. I want to be buried at sea. Now he’s worried about what part of the ocean to take my ashes. 🙂
Dekester, This year I’m following along at “keepbelieving.com” with their Let’s Read the Bible. All the readings from the beginning of the year are there. Each new day is posted at 8am EST.
Ray Pritchard has an easy voice to listen to. The daily readings are 3-4 chapters, and takes about 20-30 minutes. He adds tidbits of information that I enjoy.
PS: I look for certain commenters on the CTH posts, and yours is one of them . I appreciate.
👍
Acts 2:38
This.
Dekester, I hear you. You are a smart guy. To find a church to join, get on your knees and pray to God that he will lead you to the right place. He may lead you to one then another and another.
Get baptized and transformed . Go for it.
Best thing for you to do Dekester is get a bible and read the words of our Lord for yourself. Although we are called to love others the truth is found in the Lords word.
Interesting.
I was given a Bible last year.
The first one I have ever owned, and found it interesting that the first half was “ The Old Testament “ then Psalms, Proverbs and the last part is “ The New Testament “
The Bible is titled the “ International Version “
Cheers!
I really recommend the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz, the priest in the video above. The commentary and explanations are solid. The books are read in chronological order, and the story of God’s people and his love for them unfolds in a very easy to digest way. Most days the podcast is about 20 minutes.
Jesus resisted the temptations of the enemy by using the Sword which He has passed onto us. The 3 Scriptures he quoted are all from Deuteronomy: 8:3; 6:16; 13:4. God be praised! All Glory unto Him forever & ever, Amen.
Amen ✝️🩸🙏
Begone, Satan! Yes, begone!! Thank you, Menagerie!
🙏💕
🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰
(I misspelled my own nick… suppose that is why I ended in moderation?)
Like last year I strongly feel that the artist behind the painting used above should be credited by name.
Best wishes to all anyway, this is a very solid and interesting site and I lurked here for years before saying anything.
adrem[sp],usually welcomes new posters. I do not know where he is. But I will say welcome and find a branch. Menagerie should be able to tell you.
Thank you.
I have commented before but wrote «Noewgian Troll» this time.
Please just let that other comment fall into the void, I was somewhat crass and I got to say my opinion in the post above.
Hold your cursor over the image and click on the Visual Search icon. When I did this, with a little searching, I came up with
‘Jesus The Temptation’ by Rosetta Jallow. (Hope this link is correct.)
https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.RKMKT0KobHIWXq59a-P4HQHaDD?w=350&h=144&c=7&r=0&o=5&pid=1.7
The caption did not come through – a compilation of some of Jarrow’s works, this among them.
Thank you, I use a laptop that have fewer functions than a desktop, maybe it can do it some way but I have never tried.
I was not very curious about this painter but disappointed that the CTH uses artwork without crediting the artist, even more so if it is so easy to find out who it is.
It is good though, very simple in a captivating way, they used the same painting last year and I objected then as now.
Jesus Christ. King of kings. Lord of lords. Yesterday. Today. Forever. ❤️✝️❤️
How perfect for times such as these.
Some choose goodness and humanity while others —(some quite powerful on this earthly plane)
choose enrichment through destruction.
God help me to remain focused on what is right and good! 🙏
Genesis 2:7-9,3:1-7
The Creation, and the sin of our first parents
The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.
The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. The Lord God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden.
Now the serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that the Lord God had made. It asked the woman, ‘Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?’ The woman answered the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, “You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death.”’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘No! You will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.’ The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realised that they were naked. So they sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves loin-cloths.
Something I learned from the Lord of the Spirits podcast: the Hebrew word here given the translation of serpent, if completed with different vowels (Hebrew has no vowels), can translate as “shining one.”
The Lord of the Spirits hosts indicated that a person reading the orginal Hebrew would gather a full meaning of something like “a snaky shining one.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”
Amen!
Always powerful.
Praise the Lord!
Teln.
Biden Obama Admin is truly Satanic… that is what We are fighting.
the devil: “If you are the Son of God…”
Matthew 3:16-17
16 And when Jesus was baptized, He went up at once out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him.
17 And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight!
The devil left out “Beloved”, Beloved.
And Jesus always answers “It is written…”, pointing us to the Word, Hallelujah!
Amen 🕊💕
Let us rejoice in our faith and pray for guidance and wisdom for the tasks ahead of us
“This is a challenge to all. This complete renunciation of what it means to be human, the overthrow of faith and traditional values, and the suppression of freedom are coming to resemble a “religion in reverse” – pure Satanism. Exposing false messiahs, Jesus Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: “By their fruits ye shall know them.” These poisonous fruits are already obvious to people, and not only in our country but also in all countries…”
Vladimir Putin, September 30, 2022
Something is changing in America especially among the young
Will there be a revival?
Quotes:
For the past two weeks, tens of thousands of people, most of them college students, poured into a small chapel at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. Some drove from South Carolina and Oklahoma. Others flew in from Canada and Singapore. They waited in line for hours to stand next to people they share nothing in common with except for a single conviction: God was visiting a two-stoplight town in Kentucky.
Religion has been on the decline in America for years. But last year, for the first time in American history, house-of-worship membership dropped below 50%. And nowhere is the decline in religion and faith more dramatic than when you look at our youngest generation. Gen Z is the most likely generation ever to say they don’t believe in God, and they are the least religiously affiliated and the least likely to attend church.
Zoomers are also a generation riddled with anxiety and depression, and inundated with nihilistic and fatalistic messages – TV shows, movies, pop songs – throughout the culture. In poll after poll, they are the generation with the least positive outlook on life. The CDC recently published a report stating that “almost 60% of female students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past year.”
And yet, in this tiny chapel in Kentucky, God, faith, meaning and hope have been on full display.
What moved so many young people to nonstop prayer – more than 250 hours – at a moment like this? How did this revival come to be? And why is it happening now?
Today, Free Press reporter Olivia Reingold explains from the chapel at the Asbury Revival.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-gen-z-religious-revival-250-hours-of-worship-in-kentucky/id1570872415?i=1000601164132
News clip:
Soul Savers “Revival”
I truly believe there is a religious awakening going on across this land!
“What moved so many young people to nonstop prayer – more than 250 hours – at a moment like this? How did this revival come to be? And why is it happening now?”
There are legitimate questions as to why what was called a revival happened when it happened:
‘Asbury “Revival”—Letter to the Editor Raises Concerns About Possible Pre-Planned Exploits‘
https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=35804
At all times – – and especially with dwindling offers in the coffers, it’s good to stand guard at the door where hirelings and grievous wolves would like to enter, just as Paul warned in Act 20:28-31:
“Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has set you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with the own blood. I know that after my departure, grievous wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock, and out from your own selves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them. Therefore stay awake, remembering that three years night and day I never ceased admonishing each one with tears.”
Matthew 6:16-18 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
I’ve always loved this Bible verse:
Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
The Devil quoting scripture. Reminds one of the former Speaker of the House. On a positive note, we’re reminded of three bedrock principles of our faith.
During Lent, we especially recall our mortality: here is the opening to the Requiem Mass by Franz Von Suppe’, whose music usually was geared for comic operas (and was therefore often purloined for classic cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Wally Walrus, et al.): you have probably heard his music and did not realize it!).
Brahms praised Von Suppe’s ecclesiastical music very highly: here is why! Easily worth 8 minutes of your time!
Such music is now – and has been – under attack by the “Progressives” in the Catholic Church, in favor of stupid, strident, God-awful “Jesus Jingles.”
Thank you. AMEN!
Loving God,
Sometimes my heart
turns in every direction
except towards you.
Please help me
to turn my heart toward you,
to gaze upon you in trust
and to seek your kingdom with all of my heart.
Soften my hardened heart
so that I might love others
as a way to glorify and worship you.
Grant me this
with the ever-present guidance of your spirit.
Amen 🙏
Amen
Small prayer
Much heart
Amen
Ashes to Ashes
Psalm 50(51):3-6,12-14,17
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me,
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Led by the holy spirit, as we should ask for his guidance every day!
“The devil…the prowde spirite…cannot endure to be mocked.” -Thomas Moore
NIV Matt 4:7
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
I knew a spiritually arrogant guy that tempted God. He’d say, “If God wants me to stop drinking, He should show up right now and knock this drink out of my hand.” He died a drunk.
One trick ponies…Moore has it right.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The painting was done by Rosetta Jallow
Had to go to the very first comment to find out “The painting was done by Rosetta Jallow”. Please identify the artist under the picture or at the start of the posting. Also what is the title? Thank you.
I love the fact that you quoted the WHOLE verse including…“but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”
When the first part of that verse is quoted, far more often than not, they leave that important part out.
Thanks,
Marth
Romans 5:12-19
.However great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater.
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.
Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. The results of the gift also outweigh the results of one man’s sin: for after one single fall came judgement with a verdict of condemnation, now after many falls comes grace with its verdict of acquittal. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
Thanks to God that Jesus didn’t fall for the Devil’s lies like I did.
Amen!
God bless all – Thank you to Treepers who helped me find my way back to God.
It’s Monday morning here in Aus, and I felt that it was really important to go to Church yesterday…I haven’t really been into organised religion – my faith has become more about my relationship with God. However yesterday I was a bit horrified to hear one of the ‘speakers’ ask us to pray for those in Syria & Turkey who are suffering because of climate change. In God’s house, I felt that this was really inappropriate.
Anyhoo – this is the only site that I could put this out…
“…because of an EARTHQUAKE!” NOT “Climate Change”!!!
Even if one accepts the Carbon Dioxide/Man-Made Pollution changes the climate thesis, how precisely does meteorology cause an earthquake?
From a NASA scientist:
“…“It’s very intriguing to be able to find potential links between earthquakes and climate, such as seasonal differences. The challenge, however, is squaring such connections with fundamental physics. We’re not close to being able to predict when an earthquake may occur as a result of climate processes,” he concluded.
“Even if we know that some outside climate process is potentially affecting a fault system, since we don’t know the fault’s potential state of readiness to break, we can’t yet make that extra inference to say, ah ha, I might get a quake a week or a month later.”
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2926/can-climate-affect-earthquakes-or-are-the-connections-shaky/
Perhaps this might interest someone.
Tomorrow is Clean Monday and is the first day of Great Lent in the Orthodox Christian Church.
The date in 2023 for Pascha, the Bright Resurrection of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, is April 16th on the civil calendar.
Amen
❤️
Thank you Menagerie for your inspirational posts. This is my favorite time of year because it’s the greatest example of our heavenly Father’s love for each one us and reminds us of how much He wants us to be with Him throughout eternity!
I follow Fr. Mike’s Bible in a year podcast. The Holy Spirit is doing great works through him. He has a gift of guiding & explaining scripture. One of my devotionals for Lent this year is rereading the Imitation of Christ. So grateful the Holy Spirit guided me to it again because it’s ignited my spirit and has helped keep the evil which seems so prevalent today from occupying my mind and feeling defeated. Thanks be to God!
Menagerie, thank you❣️
Wow! I have been in and out of my faith most of my life. I have Never had anyone explain it so simply! I kinda feel like I finally understand. I love this site and all y’all Treepers! May God Bless everyone who finds this special place…
This priest looks like a Navy Seal!!! A warrior for God. : )
Some people always deliver like no other. I bet there’s no sleeping in the pews while he’s speaking. He’s awesome 😎
So Jesus was very weak and starving . But his whole purpose in coming here was to save US not himself.
He knew the prophecies about him and how they would unfold.
Secondly the devil knew how Jesus would accomplish our salvation, so he tried numerous times to stop the plan and to kill him some other way.
Remember Herod? So he said throw yourself down .(Jesus didn’t fall for that.)😊
Satan also knew the ultimate purpose of Christ’s coming was to redeem ALL of creation, to build his church, to reign a thousand years with his beloved bride and to present it all made new to the Father. So the devil offered him a short cut.
Thank you Menagerie for this chance to look deeper at this scripture .
I see now what motivated Jesus. His determination to please the Father and his love for us.