Gifts and Talents

          Everyone goes through a time of testing. Some of us go through a lot of testing. Even Jesus was tested. Jesus was in the wilderness and was hungry. The devil said “You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

      The Devil took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship me, all will be Yours. Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, `You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”

      Then the devil brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. "For it is written: `He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,' and, `In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.” And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, `You shall not tempt the LORD your God.” Jesus was approved by God.

      Everyone of us will go through troubles and tribulations. Job lost everything that he had. He lost 11,000 head of sheep, goats, oxen, and camels. He also lost all of his children and lost his health. His wife told him to curse God and die. There is not another man who has lost as much as Job. But Job did not curse God, but honored Him. He said he knew the Lord is God, and he will see his redeemer, face to face. Job received back double for his trouble. He received 22,000 head of sheep, goats, oxen, and camels. He also received 10 more children, and lived to see the fourth generation of his children. Job was approved by God

      There are millions upon millions of babies that were stillborn, aborted, or had died at a young age from a sickness or disease. All of those babies have grown up in heaven. They have not been tested. That is why after one thousand years the Devil will be loosed from his chains and will be allowed to test all of those who grew up in heaven. Sadly many of those tested will follow after Satan.

      We all go through things in this life. We may lose our spouse, our jobs, our friends, and many other things that come our way. But, we will serve the Lord. Where else can we go. We also will receive back double for our trouble, in this life and in the life to come. He will see us through every problem, and every wrong done to us. Our God is a mighty God. He will not leave us. We are tested, but we are also approved by Him.

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      New King James Version
Luke 4:1 ¶ Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."
4 But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"
5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
7 "Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."
8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, `You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
10 "For it is written: `He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,'
11 "and, `In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"
12 And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, `You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'"
13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.