The curse and the temptation

P.E. 02 The curse and the temptation

One day, I was having a discussion with someone about a certain "christian" organization, which requires its
members to speak a curse on themselves. The curse is so that, in the event that a member speaks about what goes on
in the organization to a non-member, the curse would manifest. This person used the fact that God spoke a curse on
Israel in Deuteronomy, to make the point that there was nothing wrong with speaking curses. I knew this was flawed
thinking, but didn't have the scriptural expertise to defend my stance.

I then left the room and engaged myself in a christian program in which the host showed a list of the blessings
and curses that were spoken by God to Israel in Deuteronomy 28: 1-45. I took this as a sign, seeing as how it happened
immediately after the argument, and went strait away to read the passage. Now with a better understanding of the matter,
I went to re-address the issue. The person was, however, indisposed.

I then went and sat down in front of my Bible, but decided that I needed a little new testament peace, so I
made one big flip toward the new testament. Without noticing where I had landed, I began looking around the room. This
lead to an imaginary conversation that took place with all of my friends who haven't found Jesus yet. I made my case,
"If this book is not the inspired word of God, then why do I get a direct answer to a question that I have asked, or have
yet to ask, 99% of the time that I open it up?" One of my friends, Noah, asked if I would show them. I then told them the
story of Jesus, tempted in the widerness, and how he told Satan, "It is written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God",
which was my basis for not trying to 'prove' God that way.

After this imaginary conversation I looked down at my Bible, which was turned, by that one big flip, to Mark
chapter 1. The very first words that I read were the header, "Jesus tempted in the wilderness".