Besought Him To Depart

"And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts."  Matthew 8:34.  A marvelous miracle had been done.  The torment of two men had been driven from them.  The lives of these individuals had been forever changed.  Jesus has that power.  The work of Christ was to transform.  Even in this hour through the gospel, Jesus transforms lives.  The whole city asked him to leave them.  They like those at the cross were ignorant of what they were asking.  Jesus did not hesitate.  He did argue with them.  Their request was honored.  Did he ever return?  It is highly unlikely.  Jesus calls, and we either answer or refuse.  Remember the ruler?  Christ did not call him back for further discussion.  The terms of discipleship are clear.  Christ does not debate the requirements of heaven.  We can accept him or we can refuse him.  The decision to follow Christ is in the heart of man, and never the court of heaven.  How we respond to Christ will forever change our life.  The question we must ask is:  Do we want our life to be better?  Will we choose to live the transformed life?

Worship The Lord

"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence , Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."  Matthew 4:10.  The setting for this statement is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.  This follows the Lord's baptism of John.  The one whom Jesus calls Satan is the devil.  Matthew 4:1.  The work of the devil is to tempt.  Satan seeks as he did on this occasion with Jesus to separate us from God.  Jesus was able to withstand all the temptations of Satan as you and I also can.  Jesus knows that only God is to be served and worshipped.  The reason for our service and our adoration is that God is the Lord.  God is over all and above all.  God must be worshipped above all things.  Never must we allow pleasure and possessions to be the object of our worship.  Pleasure, possessions, and power is but for the moment.  The devil will finally in the last great day receive his doom.  But, God remains.  We worship God for who he is and for what he is able to do.  We worship God for the plan that he has for our life now and in the world to come.  We worship him because of the great love that he has demonstated toward us.  Satan does not care about us,  However, God has, does, and always will.  Worship and serve God the Lord.