Jesus Christ, in Matthew 4:4, declared to satan, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" This statement raises the question: does God mean what He says and say what He means? Are we free to alter God's words for convenience or based on theories and assumptions? Indeed, we have the freedom to do so, but this does not equate to living by every word of God. Freedom to act does not imply that such actions are right. God's commands, as seen throughout Scripture, are clear and unambiguous, demanding adherence to His precise instructions. He remains consistent in His expectations, just as He was with Cain and Abel, accepting only the offerings that align with His commands and rejecting those that do not. God's insistence on exact obedience underscores that we must live by every word He speaks, without deviation or substitution.

God has supplied His Word to us as a precious gift, a reliable source of knowledge about Him and His way of life. We must regard the Bible as nothing less than this divine offering, enabling us to discern truth from falsehood and to understand what is truly important. Without it, we would be lost in a sea of indistinguishable information, unable to navigate our spiritual journey. Reading the Bible with discernment and understanding is a vital Christian skill that we must not only use but also continually refine and apply in our daily lives. We need to teach this skill to our children so they can develop into discerning readers, capable of grasping the depth of God's Word. The Bible stands as the world's foremost work of literature, encompassing history, songs, proverbs, autobiographies, prophetic writings, and wisdom, all infused with literary devices that enrich its meaning. Only by appreciating it from both a literary and spiritual perspective can we fully extract its profound value, as God has purposefully embedded these elements within His Word. Jesus Christ Himself emphasizes the unique nature of His words, declaring them to be spirit and life. Unlike ordinary words, His are produced by a Spirit Being and are of a supremely spiritual nature, aimed at creating spiritual life within us. They are dynamic, lively, and powerful, infused with His Spirit to produce godly, eternal life when understood and followed by those who possess God's Spirit. Just as God spoke creation into existence, His Word works creatively in us, striving to form us into His image as part of an ongoing spiritual creation, far surpassing the completed physical creation. The Bible employs various metaphors to illustrate the dynamic power of God's Word. It is likened to a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, guiding us internally in how we should walk and externally revealing dangers and pitfalls set by satan and the world, exposing error and deceit so we may avoid temptation. It is compared to a medicine or tonic, maintaining spiritual health by mortifying the flesh, eliminating sinful thoughts and actions, and promoting right living that leads to life, requiring daily doses throughout our converted lives to sustain our spiritual vitality. God's Word is also depicted as rain and snow that nourish the earth, initiating and maintaining a process of growth that yields beneficial fruit, reflecting God's desire to produce sons and daughters in His character image. It is portrayed as fire and a hammer, possessing the power to consume and crush, revealing sin, condemning the unrepentant, and purifying us through trials, refining our hearts toward holy conduct. As food, it nourishes us, with every word being profitable, essential for true living, offering milk for the newborn and solid food for the mature, providing depth for all levels of spiritual growth. Furthermore, it is described as a sword of the Spirit, an offensive weapon to strike at spiritual enemies with truth and God's will, while also piercing into us to examine and judge our true state against the perfection of Jesus Christ, urging us to eradicate carnality and sin. It is likened to a seed, implanted by God in us as good soil, expected to root deeply and bear much fruit leading to salvation. Finally, it is divine breath, carrying God's power to equip us thoroughly for life in His Kingdom, providing teaching, rebuke, correction, and discipline to prepare us for every good work.

God declares fifteen times in Deuteronomy that we are to be careful to obey all His commands, emphasizing the importance He places on this instruction through such repetition. We must trust that God, who loves us, has a reason for what He commands, even if we do not understand why. Are we to be careful to live by every word, not overlooking even the smallest of them? This question demands a resounding affirmation. Through the many repetitions in Deuteronomy, we see that carefully obeying every word is vital. Failure to be diligent in our obedience carries unique consequences, especially as we approach the end of this age, a time of unprecedented tribulation. God promises protection to those who have patiently obeyed Christ, acted in compliance with His revealed will, and kept His commandments. At this critical time in history, being careful could mean the difference between protection and exposure to tribulation, between life and death, escape and suffering. Are we making our choice now by how we respond to those fifteen commands in Deuteronomy? We must consider soberly, honestly, and carefully, and obey all that Christ means when He says that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Carefully obeying every word matters.