January 5 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

The theme of the month is spiritual war. Jesus won the battle not by might but by obedience. He is the source of salvation for all who obey him. When we have stood the test, we will share Christ's glory.

Bible Reading:

Deuteronomy 8:1–5

Bible Text:

" 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God' "(Matt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3).

Devotional:

Jesus' first temptation is everyone's first temptation. We're all tempted to think we have to provide for ourselves.

God says that he takes care of us. Our most basic need is to know that we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

God took forty years to teach the people of Israel this lesson. Six days a week God gave them "manna" to eat. The word manna is not a name but a question: "What's that?" And every morning the people had to answer their own question: This is food provided by God. Moreover, during these forty years the people's clothes did not wear out (Deut. 8:3, 4). God was teaching them daily that he takes care of his people. Ordinarily we need the baker and the clothing store. But God is not dependent on them. He is God.

Yet Israel never learned the lesson.

Now Jesus follows the same course. He spends forty days in the desert, representing the new Israel. And when the tempter suggests that he take matters into his own hands—a person has to eat, after all—Jesus trusts his Father, even though he might have to suffer.

We don't have life yet when we have something to put into our mouths. We live when we listen to what comes out of the mouth of the Lord.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.