Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4, ESV)
In a tweet from August 2023, Golf Trainer and Fitness Expert Jamie Greaves offered valuable insight regarding proper nourishment for a round of golf.
He proposes the 5-10-15 Plan: a good meal 1-3 hours before teeing off, a healthy snack on hole #5 like nuts or a cereal bar. On hole #10, a light meal like a sandwich or chicken salad wrap…unfortunately, a chili dog doesn’t count!
Then, on hole #15, have another light snack like fruit. A meal plan like this and good hydration can positively affect your performance on your next round. And we are all looking for any advantage to improve our scores!
In Matthew 4, Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days and nights to be tempted by Satan. Most certainly, Jesus was hungry, and the Tempter tried to convince Jesus to turn stones into bread and thus satisfy His hunger.
Everything about the Devil is evil, and this temptation was evil in intent. Jesus responded to the temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
A quick side note: when tempted, we must always respond with Scripture; it is our primary defense against evil. This is one of the reasons why knowing the Bible is so critical to our daily walk as Christians.
Our strength to follow Jesus is found in the Word of God. As with Israel in Deuteronomy 8 and with us today, “obedience to God’s will takes priority over self-gratification” (R.T. France). We must be spiritually nourished by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Are you sitting at the Lord’s table daily with the Bible in front of you? Are you seeking to be nourished by the mouth of God, or do you waste time by aimlessly scrolling through your social media feeds?
Our souls need to be fed by the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and not the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). James’ counsel is critical for this moment, …put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)
Just as the ‘5-10-15 Plan’ will benefit you on the course, a sound and healthy Bible study plan will benefit your spirit. Nothing the world offers can satisfy our souls like the precious Word of God.
Yet, sadly, we often neglect to meditate on the word and prayer. Get prepared before the round with a good meal and pack away those snacks in your bag. Prepare for the enemy’s attack by delighting in the life-sustaining Word of God through daily bible reading and study.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2
Prayer: Father! May my soul long for you and your Holy Word.