WEDNESDAY, JULY 19
Luke 4:1-13
Luke 4:4

"…man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word of God."

LIVE BY GOD AND HIS WORD

The fourth sign of born-again believers is they live by God and His Word. "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me" (John 6:57), and "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4; cf. Matt 4:4). Sadly, many modern Bible versions based on the corrupt texts of Westcott and Hort omit "but by every word of God"! Did the Lord Jesus only say to Satan, "Man shall not live by bread alone," or did the Holy Spirit only move and remind Luke to record it without "but by every word of God"? Definitely not! The arrogant attitude of those professing Christians and scholars who dare to criticize, question, and scissor God’s Word proves that they do not have a high view of their holy God and His holy Word nor live by God and His Word!

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man in one Person, does live by His Father and by His Father’s Word with faith and submission and without any doubt or question. When the Lord Jesus teaches that He is the Bread of Life, and anyone who eats Him will live by Him, He means that His followers cannot live without Him, but they must depend on and submit to Him, just as He cannot live without His Father, but He depends on and submits to His Father (John 5:19, 30). Sadly, many of His followers could not understand and accept that truth and they left their Master. The Lord Jesus did not lower His spiritual standard to run after them, but challenged His twelve disciples: "Will ye also go away?" Peter sincerely answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God" (John 6:67-69). Peter had the signs of a born-again believer: surely believing that Jesus is the Christ and living by the Lord and His Word. A newborn baby needs his mother and her milk. If we are truly born again, we cannot live without the Lord and His Word, but we will always live by, depend on, and submit to Him and His Word. What about you?

THOUGHT: Do I truly live by the Lord and His Word?
PRAYER: O Lord, I cannot live without Thee and Thy Word.