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Not by Bread Alone

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 25, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 4.

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Not by Bread Alone

By F. A. ZAPPE

F. A. ZAPPE
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matt. 4:4.
This is the reply that the world's Redeemer gave to the tempter's proposition when he was in the wilderness being tempted of the devil. If there is any text in the Bible that the enemy of souls would prefer more than any other to have mankind lose sight of and forever forget, it is probably this text. For well does Satan know that if man would constantly heed the instruction contained in this scripture, the mind would be so completely nourished with wholesome food and so strongly fortified with the truths of the Word of God that he would find no opportunity to supply the soul with his poisonous husks.
It is the natural characteristic of humanity to live on bread alone, which can only nourish the physical powers and temporal life, leaving the mind unprovided for. Satan takes advantage of this opportunity, and fills the mind, at his pleasure, with his evil suggestions. The great deceiver knows by his long experience in soul-destroying work that if he can feed the mind, he can destroy the soul.
The psalmist says: “How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life.”
Our Father has provided his household, the church, with an abundant supply of nourishing food for the purpose of giving his children a living experience in the things of God, and it is the grace-given privilege of every son and daughter to partake freely of this spiritual food, the words of eternal life.
Why do we continue to have such a weak experience and willingly deprive ourselves of the Christian's power by allowing Satan to fill us with the poison-food of death, while we have the opportunity to partake freely of the bread of life and drink of the fountain of life, implicitly trusting under the shadow of his wings and being abundantly satisfied with the fatness of our Father's household?
Philbrook, Minn.