Joshua 4

And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land'; for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever."

(Jos 4:20-24)

And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."

(1Sa 7:11-12)

EBENEZER – not Scrooge, but the stones of remembrance. In both of these passages these monuments of stones were erected to serve as reminders of what God had done. Here in Joshua, we see them taking steps to ensure that as a nation they would not forget the faithful work that God had done on their behalf. They had just experienced a miraculous work of God, and by remembering it, they could continue to trust in God’s faithfulness.

In the passage from 1^st Samuel we see similar circumstances. The Lord had just granted them a miraculous victory, and Samuel wanted to take steps that would ensure they remember these things. Samuel announced to all the men around him that this monument was to be called EBENEZER, meaning “thus far, the Lord has been our help”. The idea here is that if God has been our help thus far, we can trust Him to continue to work on our behalf.

In our life, I think it is important that we setup Ebenezers of our own. I don’t mean literal piles of rock all over the neighborhood… I mean taking note of the times when God has brought us through difficult circumstances. There may be a physical object you save, our journal entry you write, or just a memory that you come back to…whatever it is, the important thing is that we take steps to remember how the LORD has brought us to where we are, and as long as we keep our eyes on Him, He will continue to lead us on.

The other day I came across a journal entry I had written after a trip I took in high school to minister to kids in Philadelphia. It was incredible to read and see what God was doing in my heart then, to recount His faithful work in my life until today. It reminded me of just how important it is to trust in Him. I may not know what the future holds, and the Israelites definitely didn’t either… but we do know the one who holds the future, and we can rest secure in HIM.

Here are the words to a hymn that I love… they are based on these passages of scripture.

Come thou fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

Streams of mercy never ceasing

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet

Sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the Mount I’m fixed upon it

Mount of Thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer

Hither by Thy help I’m come

And I hope by Thy good pleasure

Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me while a stranger

Wandering from the fold of God

He to rescue me from danger

Interposed His precious blood

Oh to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be

Let Thy goodness like a fetter

Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander Lord I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here’s my heart Lord take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above

Joshua 3

“And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap." So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

(Jos 3:13-16)

I love the picture that we get here in this passage. It is a beautiful illustration of what it means to walk by faith rather than sight. Joshua and the Israelites had God’s promise. It was a promise of protection, a promise of guidance, a promise that ALL of the Promised Land would be theirs. Now their faith in that promise was to be tested.

Imagine for a moment that you are Joshua, and as you approach the Jordan River with over 2 million people following, you realize that it look the same as ever. You start to wonder… is it all real? Is God really going to get us across? Did He really speak to me, or was I just hearing things?

Joshua chose to see with eyes of faith. Walking by sight, they would have all turned around, viewing the river as impassable, and the situation as impossible. How often do we do just that? We are following the Lord as he leads us onward, and as soon as we reach that first challenge, that first difficulty, we freeze… and all too often we GIVE UP.

Eyes of faith meant that regardless of the circumstances, they would believe what God had said. Eyes of faith meant that the Lord would go before them, and they would follow Him wherever he went. The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant were the first ones into the water. I wonder if they were scared that the current might make them stumble and fall, maybe even drop the ark. Regardless of how they “felt” they went in, believing God’s promise.

As soon as their feet sank into the water the river divided, and the waters “piled up” to one side. Not a moment sooner, not when it was too late… but RIGHT ON TIME. The Lord is always on time. He is always faithful to keep His promises. All we need to do is keep following Him.

WALK BY FAITH.

BELIEVE GOD’S PROMISES.

KEEP YOUR EYES FIXED ON JESUS.

Just like the ark went before the people, Jesus will ALWAYS go before us. Follow Him!

Joshua 2

So the men said to her: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home. So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear." Then she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.

(Jos 2:17-21)

I love this story. Here we have Rahab, a harlot; and she provides us with a beautiful picture of God’s grace. She protects the spies of Israel from those seeking them, and asks for only one thing in return: she wants for her and her family to be SAVED. They ask her to do something rather interesting. They want her and all of her family to stay in the house, and to hang a scarlet colored cord out the window…

The question this makes me ask is, “why scarlet, and why a cord”?

First of all, the cord was right there, for the men of Israel say to her THIS CORD. I believe it was probably the same cord that she used to let them down. In that we see a beautiful example of the scriptural principle that those who show mercy will receive mercy. The same rope she used to save these men would be used to save her and her family.

Secondly, I don’t believe it was any sort of “accident” that the cord was scarlet. If you think back to the book of Exodus, can you remember any other scarlet colored markings that protected people from death? THE PASSOVER! Here we have another picture of what the blood of Jesus can do to protect an individual from the judgement of God. A provision is given, and the scarlet signifies the blood of Jesus.

All throughout the scriptures we have picture after picture of the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This scarlet thread is just another small piece in the beautiful picture the Bible paints for us of the love of God.

A heathen harlot who BELIEVED that what God had promised was true. She believed that He really would give the Israelites the promised land. She was sinful. She had a lot of problems. She wasn’t your typical “Christian” woman. Yet because of her faith, she was saved. God’s love reaches to the deepest parts, to the darkest regions… all a person must do is BELIEVE, and He will wash all their sins away!

Rahab’s story is such a beautiful picture of the power of God’s grace, that her faith is referred to by 2 of the new testament writers… (she is also referred to in one of the geneologies). Can you find those 2 references? If you find them, post them in the comments section. Also, write what you think they teach us about faith.

Joshua 1

The book of Joshua is SWEET!!! I am so excited that we get to study it together this month. It picks up where Deuteronomy leaves off, and it marks a transition for us. Where Moses was a picture for us of the law, Joshua is a picture of Jesus. Moses couldn’t take the people into the Promised Land, just like the law cannot bring a person into real relationship with God. Moses brought them right to the border, but they needed Joshua to lead them in. This is like us… the law can bring us right to the place of decision, but we need Jesus to bring us into the glorious reality of eternal life.

Here in chapter one, we see God speaking to Joshua. 3 times He tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous”. Fear was a real thing that Joshua was dealing with, but the Lord wanted Him to take courage. What was Joshua’s strength and courage to be founded on? It was to be rooted and grounded in the PROMISES OF GOD. Joshua wasn’t told to be strong in himself, or to take courage for courage sake. Joshua’s strength and courage were directly connected to God’s promise to be with him, to never leave him nor forsake him.

Joshua was also given a way to KEEP this courage and strength. He was to make God’s Word his meditation day and night… Thinking about it, talking about it, keeping it right at the center of all he was doing. God had a marvelous plan, and He wanted to use Joshua in a marvelous way; He just needed Joshua to TRUST IN HIM.

It is the same for us today. We can be strong and courageous as we STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. What has God promised you? As you read through the opening chapters of Joshua this week, make note of the promises God gives, and allow them to stir up strength to stand for Jesus, and courage to be a bold witness for Him. The task Joshua had been given seemed impossible, but he could do it with boldness as he rested in God’s promise. The Lord would say to us today, “have I not commanded you? Be strong and very courageous!”

Deuteronomy 34

Up until now we have studied what is known as the Pentateuch or “the Law.” We close this with the death of Moses, a “servant of the Lord.” Moses’ death is quite deserving of an entire chapter. This chapter tells us that none has arisen like Moses to this day. I love verse 7 which says, “And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor had he lost any of his natural vigor.” He was on fire for the Lord up until the moment he died. I hope the same is said about me.

We are going to dwell on the mystery behind verse 6. This verse tells us that no one knows where Moses is buried. This being so, it is no use trying to find out where he was buried. However, we do know that God buried him. Notice in the beginning of verse 6 that “He” is capitalized. God buried Moses.

In Revelation we find two witnesses. We often speculate who these two witnesses are. I believe it is Elijah and Moses. In Revelation 11:6 it reads, “These have authority to shut up the heaven, that it may not rain in the days of their prophecy. And they have authority over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.” Remember when Elijah prayed to God and the heavens were dried. This would make sense that he be Elijah. Also, Elijah was one of two men with Jesus at the transfiguration (Matthew 17). Who was that other man? It was Moses! Moses turned the water into blood and cast down various plagues upon Egypt. These verses in Revelation seem to fit these two characters.

There is also the proof that Elijah never died. He just got taken up into heaven. Wait, would this work with Moses? After all he was buried by God. Deuteronomy simply says “Nobody knows the grave to this day.” Check out Jude 9, “But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the Devil, he argued about the body of Moses, he dared not bring a judgment of blasphemy, but said, Let the Lord rebuke you!” Michael and Satan are fighting over the body of Moses in this verse! There are numerous interpretations of this, some saying it belongs to Jewish folklore, and so on. I, however, read this and start to think. Maybe God is reserving Moses’ body for that day where he would walk the earth again as one of the two witnesses.

Or God could just make Moses a new body.

Either way, I find this interesting. I find it interesting that it is specifically noted that God buried Moses and that his grave cannot be found. I find it interesting the miracles the two witnesses would perform. I find it interesting tat Moses and Elijah were with Jesus on the mountain during the transfiguration. I want to open this up to any of your thoughts.

What do you think?

Deuteronomy 33

“Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, O people saved by the Lord...” (Deuteronomy 33:29).

I remember reading the Count of Monte Cristo. There is one part where Edmond Dante is on an island with the Pirate Luigi and his gang of thieves. They force Edmond into a duel with one of the rebels of the ship. Whoever won would prove themselves worthy to live but whoever lost…was dead. In the end, Edmond gets the upper hand on his enemy, but rather than kill him, lets him live. In return, the enemy spends the rest of his life as Edmond’s right hand man.

I see this picture and wonder why I do not always act the same way towards my God. In this verse, Moses is blessing Israel for being a people saved by God. Not only is Israel a people saved of the Lord, but we are too! Think about all you owe Jesus today. He died on the cross for me and you and sometimes its as if we cease to remember this and go and do our own thing. We have been bought at a price, we are bondslaves, and we are to live as a people saved by God.

Imagine if someone were to save your life today, or even just randomly come up and give you a candy bar. How would you treat them? For those reading this, take a moment just to realize the awesome sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Take a moment to remember Him and start your day not in your own strength, but as a bondslave bought at a price.

Deuteronomy 32

The Song of Moses

Have you ever heard a song that lasted 7 to 10 minutes long? Those songs go on forever! In this chapter, we read of a song that lasts well over ten minutes, unless it is a rap song, which I doubt. The Hebrew word “song” means to be “musical.” I find music to be one of the most mysterious things we have. Think about it…music is both on earth and in heaven. It is extremely influential. It has the ability to make a statement, ask a question, or talk about nothing at all. It comes in all sorts of forms. Every civilization has it. It is used to worship God in heaven and on earth. It is used to turn people away from the Lord and for self worship. It is truly mysterious.

Moses wrote a song to the Lord. Immediately, before anything, he “ascribes greatness to our God.” I believe this is an extremely important principle to remember. We all live with a song in our heart. The Christian has a song. People of the world have a song. We all have a song ascribing greatness to our God. For most, this god is themselves. We often here songs about how amazing somebody is, or perhaps how loving somebody is. There are tons of songs written about people. Most songs are written about love, but not godly love, but worldly love. We are to walk around with songs or worship. As Switchfoot says in the song Beautiful Letdown, “I will carry a cross with a song where I don’t belong…” If you are ascribing greatness (or giving praise) to our God, you have a song of worship. Make sure this is in your heart, and not a song of self. David, the man after God’s own heart, certainly lived with a song of praise in His heart:

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise Him.” (Psalm 28:7).

“Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with shouts of joy.” (Psalms 33:3).

“And He has put a new song in my mouth, praise to our God; many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.“ (Psalm 40:3).

“The Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, my prayer to the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8).

“The Lord is my strength and song, and He is my salvation.” (Psalm 118:14).

As you read through Moses’ song, consider where he had gone in his life and where he was going. In this song are prophecies, praises, judgments, mysteries, and salvation. Investigate it. Now that you have the day ahead of you, consider what you have just endured and what lies ahead of you. Is Jesus going to be the song in your heart today? Will you be singing of His mercies and peace, His love and kindness? I certainly want to live a life like Moses and David, a life of praise and song to the Lord. I want my life to be the longest love song ever written, and not just ten minutes long.

Deuteronomy 31

Deuteronomy 31

“Be strong and of a good courage. Do not fear nor be afraid of them. For Jehovah your God is He who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you,” (Deut 31:6).

Yesterday we examined one of the promises of God. He promised Israel that should they be banished to the ends of the earth, He would bring them back. Today we read the next promise of the Lord to Israel. This one can be summed up in one word: Immanuel.

“So, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14).

The greatest promise Israel ever received is Immanuel. Immanuel means “God with us.” Moses had seen the back of God’s glory. Yet God promised that one day, He will be with Israel. Not only is this the great hope of Israel, but it is our great hope as well.

There are a few things to realize. This promise will come true for Israel. In many ways it already has. Jesus has come. He was born of a virgin and given the title, “Immanuel.” They did not recognize their savior and still wait to this day for Immanuel. Jesus will come again. He will come and save Israel and set up a holy kingdom on the earth. He will rule with them for 1000 years and Satan will be bound. They will then know who Jesus is. They will know that they had not recognized Him before, but they will recognize Him now.

Of course Immanuel is so true in our own lives! Imagine if you truly lived life as if God was right there watching your every move. Wait a minute…He is! Truly our faith comes in display when we acknowledge the Lord’s presence, whoever we may be! When I was a kid I would often be hanging out with a bunch of friends. We would be talking about one thing, but when a parent entered the room immediately talk about another. Do not be like the Jews who did not recognize their savior, realize that God is with you.

Simeon says it best in Luke 2:29-32, “Lord, now You will let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your Salvation which You have prepared before the face of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

God is with us, He is the a light of revelation to us the Gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel.

Deuteronomy 30

Deuteronomy 30

“If you are driven out into the outermost parts of the heavens, Jehovah your God will gather you from there, and He will bring you from there.” (Deut 30:4)

I have learned over time that it is not that hard to fall away from the Lord. It can happen when you are going to church every Sunday. It can happen when you are alone. It can happen when you are with a bunch of people. It can happen through circumstances. It can happen through trying to help. It can happen when you make fun a deeper priority in your life than reading your Bible. It can happen easily. It always happens when you stop looking to God to help you and start going to your own means.

This verse is a promise to Israel. We know Israel had been given a set of laws to obey. In fact, the Book of Deuteronomy is reviewing those laws right now! Israel would break every commandment. In doing so, they were falling away from Jesus. We finally see this come to a head when they sacrifice Jesus, their savior, on the cross without acknowledgment of whom they had killed. By then their priests were corrupted (Pharisees), their king was corrupted (Herod), and they were in captivity. They had allowed the gentiles to walk on their land, set up their own rules, and push God out of the way. God then scattered Israel. Who would of thought He would bring them back together? Think about this, a nation scattered to the utmost parts of the earth, yet in 1948 Israel became a nation. Bible believing Christians knew it would happen thanks to verses like this and Ezekiel 37!

Israel was driven to the outermost parts of the heavens, and brought back together by the hands of God. That is only the work of Jesus. Though this verse applies to them, it gives us good insight into the heart of God concerning our own lives. He seeks to bring us from wherever we were, whatever we were doing, and take us under His banner. He seeks to restore us and snatch us out of this world. Live for Jesus. Do not journey away from under His banner toward that of the world. The lure is out there. It comes in the form of fun and a good time. The lure will be more enticing some days then it is other. Nevertheless, make sure that you belong to Jesus. Allow Him to use your spiritual gifts for His glory.

Deut 29

Deuteronomy 29

“The secret things belong to Jehovah our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our sons forever, so that we may do all the words of this Law” (Deut 30:29).

The secret thing belongs to God. What is the secret thing? The obvious answer to this is, “That is what makes it a secret!” I find there are tons of mysteries in the Bible. How is it that God allows us to have free choice yet He knows what is going to happen? How is it that God is everywhere? How is that I can know that God is with me even though I cannot see Him? How did God make everything. How is that God just exists. Why is it that if we look upon the face of God we die? Why does Jesus love us?

I believe all of us have asked these questions once in our life. I believe God, in His perfection, answers us accordingly, or does not answer us at all. This chapter is a recap of where Israel had come from and where they are going. It is similar to our nation’s State of the Union Address. In this speech, the leader of the country, the president, comes before the people and shares where America has come from over the last few months and where America is going. In the end, not all the questions are answered, but some are. In the end, everyone thinks over what the leader said and comes up with their own opinions. In the end, everyone wants to know more.

I feel that this very much resembles what the Lord does in our lives. He sits us down and says, this is the state of your life. He then proceeds to tell us everything we are doing right and everything we need to work on. I know in my life what seems to be the issue is, what happens next? Here I am, before God, and He tells me what I need to do now and I am concerned about what happens next. I want to know everything about my life. I want to know where I am going to end up. I want to know the secrets God has stored for me. Instead God tells us, “Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.” Instead He tells us, “The secret things belong to the Lord…”

Gang, God has something in store for all of you. Ultimately, all secrets will be revealed in heaven. I am so encouraged that God has gone to prepare a place for us. Heaven is being prepared for us! Remember to serve the Lord, today! Do not worry about the secrets, because God’s timing is best, and the secrets belong to Him.

Deuteronomy 28

"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:

(Deu 28:1-2)

"But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

(Deu 28:15)

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

(Gal 6:7-8)

God makes it crystal clear here in Deuteronomy. If a man is going to sow seeds of faithful obedience to the Lord, he will reap a crop of blessing from the Lord. On the other hand, if a man chooses to continue to sow the sinful seed of disobedience, he should not be surprised when he begins to reap a harvest of bitter destruction. YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

This principle is universal. It applies ACROSS THE BOARD. If I sow corn seed, I’m gonna reap corn. If I sow barley, I will reap barley. You never plant one thing and then magically harvest another. If it works this way in the natural realm, we shouldn’t be surprised to find that the principle carries over into the spiritual. You can say you love Jesus, read your Bible, and pray daily… but if you continue to treat everyone else like junk and live to satisfy yourself, you will reap a bitter, destructive harvest. I think sometimes we forget this. We think that we can somehow “make-up” for sins we deliberately, willfully commit by doing “good things”. We are almost calculating about it, to the point where I think sometimes we even tell ourselves, “it’s okay to do this wrong deed now, because of the good things I’m gonna do later.” – DON’T BE DECEIVED, YOU WILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

If you want to reap blessing from God, you need to be a DOER of His Word. Your life needs to be RADICALLY AFFECTED by the Spirit of God as He teaches you to live like JESUS. If we are content with where we are today, if we aren’t striving to become more like Jesus, then I believe we are sure to be sowing bad seed.

What kind of seed are you sowing?

Deuteronomy 27

Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime. And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not use an iron tool on them. You shall build with whole stones the altar of the LORD your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God. You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God. And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law."

(Deu 27:4-8)

I love the way the Israelites were to start their life in the Promised Land: A monument to the word of God, and an altar to remind them of their need for a sacrifice. As they entered this new phase of their life as a nation, they were to begin by acknowledging their foundation. Without God’s Word, without His law, His promises, and His covenant; these people were nothing. They had no hope; they would merely be strangers in a strange land. But with the Lord on their side, all of His promises and the covenant He had made with them, they had hope without measure.

When we begin a new phase of life, whether it is a new school year, or a move to a new location, or just the passing of another year; we need to examine our foundation. What are we building on? What are we basing our life and the decisions we make upon? Is it The Lord, His sacrifice and His Word? Or are we basing everything on ourselves? This is what the nation of Israel was faced with; they were challenged to make sure that as they entered this new season in their history, they were building upon the foundation the LORD had established.

Jesus asked us all to examine our lives, and see what foundation we build on. Are you the wise man today, building your house upon the rock of Jesus Christ? Or, are you the fool, building your life on the shifting sands of this world? If you are building on the sands of this world, I pray today would be a day where you choose to enter into a new season of life, building on the solid foundation God has provided.

Deuteronomy 26

that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide.
(Deu 26:2)

Notice that the Lord doesn’t tell his children to give Him the second, third, fourth, or last… He asks for the FIRST. Why do you think this is? Why is it that the Lord in this passage is more concerned with priority than quantity? He doesn’t give an amount, He just tells the children of Israel to give “some”.

I believe it is because God is most concerned with PRIORITY. The quantity that each of us can give to the Lord (whether we are giving time, money, or other resources is unimportant) will vary, but the quality we are capable of giving is the same across the board. God doesn’t want our leftovers, He wants the FIRST, the VERY BEST we have to offer. By giving the FIRST to Jesus, we are doing a couple of things.

1. We are acknowledging that EVERYTHING WE HAVE COMES FROM HIM. There is nothing I posses that didn’t first come from God’s hand… by honoring Him with the “first fruits” I am acknowledging that it all belongs to Him.
2. We are demonstrating that HE HAS THE PLACE OF PREEMINENCE IN OUR LIVES. Jesus shouldn’t just be important, He should be PREEMINENT. When we choose to give Him the best, and give to Him first, we are declaring that He comes before all else, that nothing else can take the place He holds in our hearts.

So, what are you doing with the things God has given to you? What are you doing with your time, your talents, your gifts, even your money? Is He getting the first, or just the leftovers?

Deuteronomy 25

"You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the LORD your God.

(Deu 25:13-16)

Differing weights and measures… This was a common practice back in the day, a way that people could take advantage of others for their own selfish gain… A pound that weighed a little less than a pound, a cup that held a little less than a cup, the customer got less product but still paid the same price.

The issue the Lord is taking up here is one of FAIRNESS, what the Bible speaks of as justice. My dad used to say to me all the time that “life isn’t fair”. This is a very true statement, but I believe it should be coupled with this one: Christians should always be fair, because God is fair and just. Things happen in life that are out of control, bad things happening to seemingly good people, good things happening to seemingly bad people… we can do nothing about that. We just need to be sure that we are not the cause of these things.

It is human nature to try and gain at the expense of another. The Lord says this is an ABOMINATION. So the next time you cut a corner or “shift the scales” in your favor at the expense of another, remember what God said to His people. We are to lay down our lives for one another, not take advantage of each other!

Deuteronomy 24

"Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin.

(Deu 24:16)

SIN… WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT?

Just who’s fault is it when you sin? Is it Adam’s fault? Maybe Eve’s? Is it your Father’s fault? Or your Mother’s? Is it a result of your genetic makeup? Is it because of the environment you were raised in? Is it because of the way your friends behave?

According to the word of God, none of those things matter. When He looks at sin, He is going to be concerned with one person only… the one who committed the sin. I’ve heard people on TV try and blame horrendous deeds on the unloving environment they grew up in. I’ve heard others blame an addiction to drugs or alcohol on the addictions of their father. I’ve heard of men and women who did awful things that claim they only did them because their children drove them to that point.

We are a society that is full of people who don’t want to take responsibility for their actions. We always want to find someone to blame for OUR shortcomings. Some blame individuals, some blame the system, others blame the Devil or his demons. It has been like this since the very beginning, when sin first entered the world. Neither Adam nor Eve wanted to accept responsibility. Who did God punish in the Garden of Eden? Each person for the part they played, “each one for his own sin”. God is gonna be concerned with one thing when you stand before him in judgement… YOUR SIN. The sin that YOU committed. The only thing that will save you in that day is you having acknowledged it as your own, and trusted in the sacrifice of Jesus to pay the price.

So today, have you taken responsibility for your sin? Have you confessed to God that you are to blame for it in it’s entirety, that you have NO EXCUSE? If you haven’t, today is a great day to begin.

Deuteronomy 23

"When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you. But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you. That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.

(Deu 23:21-23)

We should never make a promise we don’t intend to keep. No matter how inconvenient, or what the personal cost may be, we need to be men and women who keep their word; men and women who’s yes means yes and no means no. Some salesmen practice the opposite of this. They say whatever it takes to close the deal, and if it isn’t in writing they’ll act like they never said it.

This happened to a couple in our church when they bought a new car. The salesman promised them some things that weren’t in writing, and when they wanted to take advantage of those things, he acted like he didn’t know what they were talking about. At one point Noel and I were at the dealership with the woman, and the one sales representative basically said, “we can’t do that for anyone, if someone here says something you better get it in writing”. It was convenient for them to make the promise because it got them the sale, it was inconvenient for them to keep the promise so they just ignored it.

We are told here as the people of God that, “that which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform”. Not just what is convenient, but EVERY PROMISE WE MAKE. In Psalm 15:4 we are told that the man that dwells in the Lord’s presence “swears to his own hurt and changes not”. The Lord would have us be men and women of our word. A promise is a promise. Don’t tarnish the reputation of the Lord by making promises you don’t intend to keep!

Deuteronomy 22

"You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly bring them back to your brother. And if your brother is not near you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it to your own house, and it shall remain with you until your brother seeks it; then you shall restore it to him. You shall do the same with his donkey, and so shall you do with his garment; with any lost thing of your brother's, which he has lost and you have found, you shall do likewise; you must not hide yourself. "You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him lift them up again.

(Deu 22:1-4)

Indifference. How often do people just drive by a person stopped on the side of the road, obviously in need of help? How often do we pass up an opportunity to serve others because it will inconvenience us? As a society, we seem to have adopted the idea that as long as we aren’t actively seeking to harm someone, we have no obligation to help them. It’s a philosophy of “I’m just minding my own business”.

I remember one case in particular where I was on the receiving end of this indifference. I had just gotten my Honda back after it was stolen, and I was on my way to work one Saturday morning. I decided to drive through Herndon so I could hit the Starbucks with a drive-thru. About halfway through the drive-thru it happened… “KLUNK, KLUNK, KI-KI-CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH….” My car had just died. Now I’m stuck. I turn the key… “WAHH-wahh-wahh-wahh-wahh”. I do it 4 or 5 times, and I get NOTHING. I’ve got cars behind me honking, and a gap developing in the line in front of me. There are still about 3 more cars that need to go before I can get out. My flashers are on, and I’m getting more frustrated with every honk. I climb out of the car and look at the big Lexus SUV directly behind me. The guy behind the wheel refuses to make eye contact with me, I’m staring at him, and if you could see my face you would know I was saying “can I please just get a little help?” I was so embarrassed and I felt totally helpless. All I could think of to do was use one hand to steer the car, and push against the door with the other. If I needed to stop I would jump in and hit the brakes. This was such hard work! It was literally taking every ounce of strength in my body. No one offered to help, no one ever even said a word. To them I was just a road block in their day threatening to mess up their schedule.

When I think about how I felt that morning, I am reminded how important it is to serve others. I don’t want to be the guy that looks the other way. I don’t want to ignore people’s problems for the sake of convenience. All over the world the normal thing to do is THINK ABOUT YOURSELF. In every situation the question asked is, “what’s in it for me?” Here in Deuteronomy we see that God wanted His people thinking differently, and living differently. Even if no one was around, they were to help a lost animal, to care for a lost possession of another. Even if it meant feeding and caring for that thing with your own resources, they were to put the needs of others first. We can learn an important lesson here. We may not have livestock, but we do see people in need on a regular basis. The Lord would have us meet those needs. Don’t turn the other way, show them the love of Jesus.

Deuteronomy 21

"If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.

(Deu 21:18-21)

This passage here is pretty hardcore. The rebellious child was to be stoned, YIKES!!! Look at the progression in the life of this “rebellious and stubborn” child.

1. He won’t obey the voice of his father and mother – The Bible tells us over and over that the wise man will take head to the warnings and corrections he is given, but a fool won’t even listen after a beating. The difference between the WISEMAN and the FOOL is there attitude towards God. The wise man has a reverential fear and respect for the LORD, the fool lives like God doesn’t exist. If you are wise, understand that disobeying your parents is = to disobeying God. The Lord’s will for your life is that you would listen to what your parents say, and do it without complaining and grumbling.

2. Even when they have chastened him, he won’t change – This word chastened means to “discipline or punish with the purpose of instructing”. These parents were taking active steps to show their children the consequences of rebelling against them and God. They were disciplining them, a way of allowing them to reap what they had sown, and teaching them how to avoid that discipline in the future. Part of the indictment against this child was that he was STUBBORN. He refused to change, to alter his course… this resulted in bringing God’s judgement upon him.

The Lord wants us to stay in a place where we are teachable, He doesn’t want us to follow this path to destruction. If we listen to Him, and to those in authority in our lives, we can avoid CHASTENING altogether. The Lord wants to instruct us with His voice, He only uses other means when we won’t listen. If we continue to rebel against God and authority, it will eventually end in our death. We need to take the Lord’s correction in our lives seriously, (that includes when it comes through your parents) He is only trying to make us into the people we were created to be.

Deuteronomy 20

“For Jehovah your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deut 20:4).

We all live in a battle. In Ephesians, Paul tells us that we battle against principalities and powers. Paul often tells to fight the good fight. Let us examine some obvious facts about battles.

Battles are uncomfortable.
Battles come with the possibility of getting hurt.
Battles are not fun.
Battles are not always won.

These are some reasons why you see Christians giving up. I ask you, Who is fighting your battle? If it is you, well, you can last so long. Eventually you will be worn down by the enemy. He takes advantage of our moments of weakness. If it is someone else in this world, well eventually they will let you down. It has to be Jesus.
I do not know what is going on in your life today. Perhaps you are struggling with the same sin, over and over again. Remember, the Bible never says that if you pray to Jesus that He will take away temptation. Often people pray that they would not feel temptation anymore. That is like saying, “I have put my faith to battle for you Lord as long as there are no enemies on the battlefield.” Temptations are here until we die (Romans 7). However, we have a God who will come along side of us and fght our battles with us, and for us. Read the verse one more time. Jesus goes with us. Therefore we must be stepping out onto the battlefield in faith. DON”T GIVE UP! Go out there, and know Jesus is with you. He goes with us to fight for us. He is there on a mission to defend our soul and spirit. He loves His bride and He fights for her.

“No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it” 1 Cor 10:13.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” James 1:12.

If you are in a battle today and you are ready to conquer it, pray to Jesus. Ask a brother or sister in Christ to pray for you. Finally, cling to Jesus in faith, that He, in all His power, will fight with you and for you. This is what He ha promised, and our Lord is not slack concerning His promises.

Deuteronomy 19

“And your eye shall not pity. Life shall go for life, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, hand for a hand, foot for a foot” (Deut 19:21).

Welcome to the law. The rules are simple; life shall go for life and so on. We have been talking about the law since Exodus 20. We have been examining each and every principle. We have been seeing how Jesus is portrayed through the law. However, I believe it is important to note now, that the law, though it is good, could not do it. It could not save us from our sins, and the reason is this principle right here. Which one of you has ever hated, fought, was bitter, lusted, complained, or disobeyed? All of us have. And when we have done these things the law only promises one thing, justice. If you got what you deserved where would you be?

“You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." But I say to you, Do not resist evil. But whoever shall strike you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:38-39).

This is the new law. This is where grace enters in. Jesus is the forerunner of grace, the first to ever live this principle. He teaches us not to return, eye for an eye or tooth for tooth, but to turn the other cheek. Jesus not only taught this, but lived it out when He died for us on the cross. We live in a world that is constantly telling us we deserve this or deserve that. Here is God the Son, the only One deserving of praise, and He dies for us turning the other cheek on our behalf. As Christians we need to do the same.
Live today with the understanding that you do not deserve what you have. You do not deserve eternal life. You owe everything to Jesus. Therefore, when you are afflicted, why defend yourself? Why retaliate? The world expects you to do these things. However, as a Christian, reflect Christ and give them grace. Share the grace of God and preach the grace of God both with your mouth and your life. I love Jesus and I love His justice, but it is His grace poured out that makes me want to run to Him in times of trouble. This is the new law, it is a law of grace and love.

Deuteronomy 18

Moses was a unique prophet. Not only did he prophesy, but he also lead Israel in every way. He was the bridge by which Israel would talk to God. He knew God. He spoke with God. He represented the covenant and the law.

“Jehovah your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, One like me. To Him you shall listen,” (Deut 18:15).

A new Prophet was to come. This Prophet was to be like God, as stated in verse 15. This prophet was to be no other than Jesus Christ. Let us look as to why these verses point to Jesus.

Moses is at the end of his life and the people are starting to wonder how they will fair without him. It only seems natural that the Lord would mention the Messiah, Jesus, at a time like this. He was to be “like” God. You may declare, “He was not like God, He was God.” The word, “like” means “in comparison to,” or “equal in worth.” Nobody is equal in worth to the Lord, unless He is the Lord. Moses came and sought to behold the Face of God, however, was only able to look at the back of His glory. This new Prophet would be the Son of God, equal in worth, and capable of looking at the face of God.

Next we notice that this next Prophet would be like Moses. We already discussed what Moses did in his fine career. Jesus, like Moses, would be the mediator between God and Man. He would be equal to God, but also, equal to man. He would set up a new law, the law of grace, and by that men would have fellowship with God. Although He would fulfill the law, He would represent grace. Finally, look at verse 18:

“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brothers, One like you, and will put My words in His mouth. And He shall speak to them all that I shall command Him.”

When I read this verse I immediately think of John 8:38, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things which please Him.” If Jesus only did what His Father told Him to do, how much more should we! Jesus did nothing of Himself. He was 100% following the Father, just like Deuteronomy 18:18 tells us.

As we move on studying the Scripture remember, everything points to Jesus. We have now observed Jesus in Genesis as that perfect sacrifice (Gen. 22), in Exodus as the deliverer, in Leviticus as the great High Priest, in Numbers as the God’s appointed Leader, and in Deuteronomy as the New, greater Moses. He is the only prophet to be like Moses, but more importantly, He is the only prophet to be like God. Praise the Lord!

Deut 17

“When you come to the land which Jehovah your God gives you, and shall possess it and shall live in it and shall say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations around me” (Deut 17:14).

If there are any verses that prove that the Lord knows the heart of man it would be these verses given here. Read 1 Samuel 8 to hear all about the day Israel demands they are given a king. Israel was designed by God, to be governed by God. They were a Theocracy (A God governed nation). For the sake of being like the world around them, they choose to appoint themselves a king. We see here that God does not deny them this privilege, however He does set up a few guidelines.

“But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, so as to multiply horses, because Jehovah has said to you, You shall return no more that way from now on” (Deut 17:16).

Israel was not to worry about battles. The Lord God would win their battles for them. Remember what Balaam did to Israel. He knew that if Israel sinned that the Lord would not bless their conduct. Therefore he advised King Balak, who was fighting Israel, to send the women down to seduce the men of Israel. This plan worked out just the way Balaam hoped it would. Well, Israel would once again return to a life of sin. They were worshipping all sorts of idols. Therefore, to punish and cure Israel from this new obsession the Lord sent down Babylon to take out Israel for 70 years, representative of a Sabbath. Israel would be cleansed because of their evil. God was still merciful with Israel, granting them the opportunity to turn from their sins. Instead of turning from their sins, observe what Israel does in Isaiah 31, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and lean on horses and trust in chariots, because it is great; and in horsemen, because they are so very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor do they seek Jehovah!” They disobeyed the exact words of the Lord by trying to make an alliance with Egypt for horses.

“Nor shall he multiply wives to himself, so that his heart does not turn away. Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold to himself” (Deut 17:17).

There were many kings who took for themselves many wives and concubines. However, whenever I look at something like this I feel Solomon is to be pointed out. “And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.” How sad. These wives would cause the wisest man to have ever lived to allow idols and other sin to pour into Israel. Solomon not only disobeyed the law, but downright ridiculed it by taking 700 wives!

In the end, we see that the only good king to come out of Israel would be David. The only great king would be Jesus Himself. There is a reason why Jesus tells you yes and no to certain things. The reason is because, He understands your heart so well that He understands what will be a weakness for you. Listen to Jesus before you become like a king of Israel.

Deut 16

The Children of Israel had a time of remembrance called the Passover. This was to celebrate when God took Israel from their bondage in Egypt. God wanted to set up a feast by which they would be reminded that they were slaves and now set free.

The Passover is a beautiful picture of our own lives. Egypt is usually a type of the world. Like Heather shared on Sunday night, we are in a battle between two kingdoms; the kingdom of this age (the world) and the kingdom of heaven. We were once in bondage to this world. We had no other choice but to serve it. Than, by the grace of God, we were set free. Can you think of something we do remind ourselves of our freedom in Christ? (Look up Luke 22:14-19). The Lord understands that we are frail, and sets up an event to remind us of His gift to us.

During the Passover you had liberty to give as much offerings as you wanted, however only one was required. This one offering was a lamb, perfect without blemishes. What a picture of Christ! Consider Revelation 4. The Passover lasted one week. For six days they were to refrain from unleavened bread. What is leaven? Leaven is yeast, which causes the bread to rise. It often represents sin in our lives. Why? Because a little leaven effects the whole lump of bread. If you put only a pinch of leaven in the bread, the whole dough will rise. Therefore, we are to refrain from any sin, because a little sin can effect our whole being. In remembrance of what the Lord did for them, Israel was to stay away from leaven for six days. On the seventh day, they were to join together with other Jews.

Consider it a dangerous place when you stop coming to church. I think the Lord wants this pattern in each of our lives. We are to refrain from sin for six days during the week, as we toil and work and live. Finally, we are to gather together to worship God. When you gather, and you are living in sin, it will be quite apparent. This is when people start getting away from fellowship with other believers. If you gather, and you are not living in sin, you will have no problem joining your brothers and sisters to worship the Lord. If you find yourself afraid to join your brothers and sisters in the Lord, it may be time to examine your own heart.

Deut 15

Deuteronomy 15

“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting:” (James 1:1)

“And if he says to you, I will not go away from you, because he loves you and your house, because it has been good for him with you; then you shall take an awl and put it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. And also to your slave-girl you shall do so. “ Deut 15:16-17


James begins his letter to the churches saying that he is a bondservant of Jesus Christ. What is a bondservant? Deuteronomy explains: it is a servant who stays with his master after his six years of service because he loves his master.

You see, the Lord set up laws for servants. If they were to serve you faithfully for six long years they were to be released on the seventh. This was a way of giving the servants hope for their troubles. It corresponds beautifully with the history of Israel. Israel too will be granted their absolute freedom one day from all the attacks of the world around them. Their Messiah will come again to set up His kingdom and save Israel. The law of the Sabbatical year was a way of rewarding a faithful servant.

However, some servants would not want to leave. Some servants, loved their masters to the extent that they were ready to spend their entire lives serving their masters. Should this case arrive, they were to have their ear marked and they would become a servant forever. This is how James describes himself. I love this picture because it is so humbling. James could have claimed to be the brother of God. He could have claimed to have been the head honcho at the church of Jerusalem. Instead he likens himself to a servant, totally in love with his master!

Think of reasons to become a bondservant. Your master would certainly have to be great. He would have to be understanding. You would have to have a solid relationship with him. Now consider your own heart. Jesus has proven to be more than a Master but a Savior as well. It comes down to this; do you have a solid relationship with Jesus Christ? If you do, your only desire will be to serve for the rest of your life as His bondservant. If you do not, the thought of giving up your whole may seem extreme. In fact, maybe you feel you will give your six years and then use your freedom. Gang, fall in love with your Master. Understand that you are totally in debt, and that it is worth spending your entire life serving Him. Remember, you cannot serve two masters. You will either love one and hate the other. Are you a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and like James, would consider yourself this?

Deuteronomy 14

For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

(Deu 14:2)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

(1Pe 2:9)

Here we have some common ground with the Church, and God’s chosen people the Israelites. Both of us are described as a holy nation and a peculiar people. The shared theme here is that we have been called by God to be separate from the world, and to be set apart for Him. God has set us apart unto Himself. We belong to Him. He can do with us what He wants, for whatever reason He wants.

But because He is gracious and loving, He doesn’t leave us in the dark as to what He has called us out for, and what He wants to do with us. He has called us out of darkness to dwell in His light, to live lives that are open before Him and others, nothing needing to be hid, everything able to be seen.

His purpose for bringing us into the Light is to SHOW FORTH HIS PRAISES to the world around us. We sing His praises with our lips all the time. We tell people about God’s goodness. We tell people about His love. We tell people about what God has done for us. But God wants to do so much more than just use us to tell people. He wants our lives to SHOW people all the things He has done that are worthy of praise.

We are different than the world. We shouldn’t be afraid to be different; we should instead see it as an opportunity to live in the light rather than the darkness, an opportunity to let our LIVING, not just our mouths, proclaim God’s praises. God has called YOU. I pray that you would WALK WORTHY of that calling.

Deuteronomy 13

This chapter deals with how the children of Israel were to deal with people who might try and lead them away from the Lord. As it describes the various situations that this might take place in, the judgment is always the same: DEATH. It was a serious crime to be actively, willfully involved in leading someone astray, leading them into the worship of something other than the LORD.

Though we don’t stone people today, it is still a serious offence in the eyes of God when we do something to lead a Christian brother or sister away from the Lord. Remember, in the context here in Deuteronomy, the guilty people were part of the congregation. These weren’t people from the outside, they were people on the inside.

The principle here applies to us. People outside of the church will ALWAYS be doing things to lead you away from the LORD, that goes without saying. The problem addressed here is when a BELIEVER is doing something to try and turn your worship from the LORD to something else. Anytime another believer tries to get you to put something else in the place of the LORD you have a major problem. In the passage we just read, the person was to deal swiftly and decisively with the tempter, and we must do the same. We don’t stone them, we BREAK FELLOWSHIP with them. In other words, we don’t hang out with them, we don’t spend time with them.

I have had times in my life when friends of mine who claimed to be Christians were actively trying to get me to compromise my relationship with the LORD. “Come and do this or that”. “Don’t be so holy all the time”. “What, do you think you’re better than us? Do you think we aren’t good enough Christians?” In every one of these situations the best decision I ever made was to STOP HANGING WITH THEM. The Bible makes it clear, “evil companions corrupt good morals”.

So I finish with 2 questions for you:

1. Do you have any friends in your life trying to pull you away from the Lord?
2. Are you a friend that is pulling others away from the Lord?

Think about that, and ask the Lord what HE would have you to do.

Deuteronomy 12

All the things I command you, be careful to do it. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.

(Deu 12:32)

This is a very important principle for us to understand. In the context here, when this verse is proclaimed, God is talking about the things they should and should not do. They SHOULD tear down the altars and everything related to pagan worship, they SHOULD NOT enquire as to how the pagan nations worship and attempt to do likewise… the commands go on and on. These commands had particular application to the Israelites that don’t really apply to us today. We aren’t called by God to go around wrecking false idols and destroying mosques, and temples, and stuff.

However, the underlying principle contains a great timeless truth. It is never safe to alter God’s Word. We need to leave gospel intact, as is, not adding to it or subtracting from it. There are a couple of ways we can do this.

1. We can take things out of God’s Word that make us uncomfortable, or push others away. We need to come to grips with the facts that the message of the gospel is OFFENSIVE. There are times that it will offend us, and others that it will offend those we share it with. We cannot change it to make it less offensive. It says all men are sinners. It says there is nothing good in our fallen nature. It says the best we can do in our own strength is nothing more than a pile of filthy rags in the sight of God. It says Homosexuality is a sinful act we engage in, not a genetic “hand” we have been dealt in life. It says that those who lust after a woman are cheating on their wives, those who hate someone commit murder in God’s eyes, and that outward appearance means nothing to the God of the universe. These things OFFEND the world, but we can’t leave them out. They are truth, and without them, the Gospel lacks the power to transform.
2. We can add or own rules to the Gospel. We say Christians have to look a certain way, act a certain way, dress a certain way. We categorize things the Bible is silent about, and try and preach our own personal convictions as gospel truth. “Dancing is a sin”, “playing cards is a sin”, “wrestling is ungodly”… the list can go on and on. We don’t need to try and tell people what Christians do and don’t do… we just need to teach them the word of God.

Don’t add to God’s Word; don’t take away from it… just focus on reading it and doing it. People don’t need our opinions, they need to know what God’s opinion is… so let them have it. When we alter God’s Word, we are no longer making Disciples of Christ; we are creating clones of ourselves! God doesn’t want us to reproduce ourselves, He wants us to sow gospel seed, and water it with the Word, and let it bloom into what HE wants it to be. Let God do the talking; don’t spoil His Word with your silly ideas!

Deuteronomy 11

Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities.

(Deu 11:18-20)

What words are we talking about here? What words were the Israelites to do this with? These are the words that God had spoken to them, the words that Moses was recounting for them. The commands, the promises, the prophecies, the truths about who God was… These words are the very Word of God. They weren’t to allow these words that God had spoken to “go in one ear and out the other”, instead they were to allow them to become a part of them.

Look at the practical steps Moses lays out to assist them as they seek to hide these words in their hearts:

1. Tie them on your hands
2. Put them on your foreheads
3. teach them to your children
4. talk about them always… at home, away from home, from the time you get up until the time you lay down.
5. Put them on the walls
6. Put them on the gates

The idea is to keep them in front of you all the time! These suggestions that Moses gives can still be carried out today. Think about it, what do you have hanging on your walls? What do you talk about when you are a t home with your family? What do you talk about when you are out with your friends? What occupies your thoughts in the morning? What occupies your thoughts in the middle of the day? What do you think about when you lay down at night? What kind of things are you teaching your younger brothers and sisters, both in the words you speak AND the things you do? A lot of questions??? I think they all deserve a little thought.

Look at the 2 parts of your body that Moses says to put God’s Word. The hand, and the forehead. What is right behind your forehead? Your brain! That is where we do our thinking. What about our hands? That is where we do our working! Think the Bible, do the Bible, let the Bible GET IN YOU, so you can LIVE THE BIBLE OUT!

In John 15 Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and let My Word’s abide in you”. In Colossians Paul Exhorts us to “let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly” – This could literally translate let it take root deep in your heart! God wants His word to fill us up, so He can work in and through us. We cannot know His will if we don’t know His Word.

Read Psalm 1 today, and think about the part that the Word of God plays in the life of the “blessed” man, the Godly man. I pray it will inspire you to become a man or woman of God’s Word.

Dueteronomy 10

And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

(Deu 10:12-13)

He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

(Mic 6:8)

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

(Mat 22:37-40)

In these verses we are given the WHAT in terms of what the Lord requires of His people. All throughout HIStory, these things have not changed. What God desires is to see people reverence and respect Him, follow after Him, love and serve Him. According to Micah these things are accomplished by doing the right thing, loving to show mercy, and continuing to walk humbly before the Lord. Jesus summed it all up by saying – “Love the Lord with all you are, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

We could sum it all up by saying that what the Lord requires is a life that is all about loving Him, and serving others. A life that is not SELFISH, but selfless and worshipful. It is easy to understand this concept, in some ways it is even easy to describe the details of how these things might “look” in our culture today. The difficulty doesn’t come with the WHAT, but is found in the HOW.

This is the big question… the law showed the Israelites WHAT God required, but it didn’t offer any resources as to HOW it was to be accomplished. The Israelites continued to fail because the LAW CANNOT ENABLE. All it can do is show a man what He is lacking. The book of Galatians tells us that the Law is a SCHOOLMASTER; a teacher that makes us see our need, and hopefully causes us to turn to the only One who can give us the resources to meet that need. Man cannot keep the law in his own strength. No matter how great the man, he still has a sin nature, and still breaks the law on one level or another on a regular basis.

In the text here God asks the Israelites to be circumcised in heart, and to stop resisting the work God wanted to do in them. You see, they had begun as a nation by FAITH. It was only by continuing to walk by FAITH, trusting in the sacrifices God had ordained, receiving grace and mercy from Him, that they could have a successful walk.

Today, we have JESUS. We don’t just know the WHAT, we truly have the HOW. God has given us all the resources that we need to live up to His standards. He has come to fulfill in and through us the righteous requirements of the law. As we live by grace and walk according to the Spirit; we can achieve what would be impossible in the flesh. “With men this is impossible; but with God, all things are possible.”

Deuteronomy 9

Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.

(Deu 9:1-4)

It is in our blood… I don’t care what the situation or the circumstances might be, our natural response when God has done something for us is to try and take some kind of credit. We want to see ourselves as having a part in what happened, or as earning it by our great deeds… Why??? Because we always want a little taste of the glory.

God was about to do some incredible things in and through the lives of the Jews. Here where these people named the Anakim, and they were known around town as the guys no one could stand a chance against. Now, beating the guy no one else can beat does one thing for you… it makes you the new king in town. What God is concerned about here is who that king would be, Him or the Israelites. He is warning them now that they couldn’t claim a part in the victory because THEY DID NOT DESERVE IT.

It is a difficult idea to get in our heads, but the fact is, WE DON’T DESREVE TO GO TO HEAVEN. WE DON’T DESERVE TO BE FORGIVEN. We have no right claiming to have earned ANYTHING from the Lord, when the one thing we really HAVE earned is the sentence of death. You see, the way we come by any greatness in this life is through humble faith in the Lord. The danger God wants to keep us from is looking at the blessing we receive and thinking “I earned that”.

It was true for the Israelites and it is true for us. The attitude we take toward the victories in our lives will determine the state fo our future experience. If we remain humble and see it as a gift from the Lord, then we can expect to continue to benefit from that same grace. If we take credit on the other hand, we can be sure that a fall will not be to far off in our future. The Bible makes it clear, “pride comes before a fall”. So, don’t think you have somehow earned the right to wear the name “Christian”. Remember that ALL we have is a product of GRACE, getting from God what we DON’T deserve!

Dueteronomy 8

And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger, and then He fed you with manna, which you did not know, neither did your fathers know it, so that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of Jehovah man shall live.

(Deu 8:3)

I love this verse! It is an incredible reminder to us that we are not mere flesh, but we are spiritual beings.Notice the two things that are being compared here. We have BREAD and the WORD OF GOD. The connection that is drawn for us between these two things is LIFE.

Now, bread is used here as descriptive of the basic food that we eat. Eating and life are intimately connected. If I decide today that I don’t want to waste my time eating any more, and I go day after day without food, it won’t take long until the difference it makes in my body is obvious. First I will start to feel hunger pains, next I will grow weak and lack energy. As I continue to grow weaker I won’t be able to do any “normal” things, I will just lie around looking like death… then I will die. Food is essential for life, our bodies depend on it a source of fuel. Our bodies are not self-sustaining, we need outside fuel and regular “maintenance” to keep us running.

Spiritually, God’s Word does the same thing for us. It is essential for us to keep our spiritual man alive. The longer we go without the word of God, the weaker we get. Eventually we will go spiritually comatose if we don’t “feed” on God’s Word.

Here is the big question for all of us… We all notice when we miss a physical meal, but are you noticing when you miss a spiritual meal? Think about that for a little while, hopefully it will make you want to be in God’s Word all the more. I pray that you would realize what a blessing it is to be fed “fresh manna” from the Lord each day!