Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.
But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.
Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
Deuteronomy 15:12-18
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The first part of Deuteronomy, Chapter 15, involves the command to cancel debts at the end of every seven years (verse 1). These early verses discuss this debt cancellation as primarily monetary but as the chapter continues through the verses above, we see that people were involved as well. This is because people would sell themselves to people they owed money to when they had no other means to pay. And scripture tells us that a Hebrew man or woman who sold themselves and served for six years were to be set free…not empty-handed but supplied from the flock, threshing floor and winepress. The Israelite slave owner was to give to the freed man or woman in accordance with the way the Lord had blessed them and not consider it a hardship. They were also reminded of their own enslavement in Egypt and the redemption God provided then…a redemption they were expected to duplicate toward their slaves.
This matter of redemption is central to this scripture passage and should be central to our daily Christian walk. Why? The answer can be found in the following verses:
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:3-8
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:21-24
Friends, redemption should be central to our lives because we can’t have redemption without Jesus. He is central to the redemption message and, as Christians, we are to proclaim the redemption He brings as we go forth to carry out His call to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey all that He commanded. And as we write Christ’s redemption on our hearts and testify about it to all we see, then we begin to embody the concept of redemption in our own lives. We find ourselves willing to forgive and love others just as Jesus did for us on Calvary. My hope is that through living and breathing redemption in our day to day calling, we can reach a point where the entire world feels like the Psalmist did when he wrote the following words:
My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning…put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. Psalm 130:6-7.
Amen
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
A GIVING HEART
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the Lord's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Consider the following facts below:
- According to the US Census Bureau, 35.9 million people live below the poverty line in America, including 12.9 million children.
- According to the Bread for the World Institute, 3.5 percent of U.S. households experience hunger. Some people in these households frequently skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for a whole day. More than 9 million people, including 3 million children, live in these homes.
- Children make up 39 percent of the poor and 26 percent of the total population.
These statistics aren’t coming from a nation where wealth and resources are an issue. These numbers exist in the United States, the nation that has been blessed with so much…the nation that is the richest in the world. And yet, the numbers don’t lie. How well are we really taking care of each other?
Our scripture today, although at face value centered on the cancellation of debts every seven years, has a deeper message for us today. For the responsibility to care for those who are poor is truly the main theme of these verses from Deuteronomy, Chapter 15.
Moses tells Israel that “there should be no poor among (them)”. Why? Because God was “giving them a land to possess as an inheritance…a land that would leave them richly blessed. This blessing would include a bountiful abundance that would allow Israel to “lend to many nations but…borrow from none”. There would more than enough for everyone and no reason for anyone to be poor and without.
Fast forward to today. Has God not given the United States a great abundance as well…so much so that there shouldn’t be anyone who is in need? And yet, the statistics tell the sad story of where we are. I often wonder how anyone or any group that has been blessed with a rich plenty can really enjoy that plenty when there are so many people without. Just today, I read where an athlete had a swimming pool built on their property that cost over a million dollars. How many people would a million dollars have helped if that money had been used to help others instead of provide a lavish status symbol of being rich?
Friends, we need to understand that the Lord expects us to be giving people. As scripture tells us,
“there will always be poor people in the land” and so this is why we were commanded to “be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy.” We aren’t to possess our money, time and talent like we somehow had anything to do with gaining it. No…the Lord blessed us with it and this is why we have anything. He expects us to be good stewards of what He provides…to “give generously to (another) and (to) do so without a grudging heart”. For God loves a cheerful giver... (2 Corinthians 9:7) one who gives from the heart and does so gladly.
So what do we do with this scripture today? My prayer is that we take it to heart each and every day. That we seek to help anyone we see who is down and out. Don’t turn the other way from the poor but see how you can help them. The Lord will grant you the guidance as to how you can meet their needs. We need to only answer His call. In the end, wouldn’t our world be a better place if we all just shared the wealth? Wouldn’t it be such a wonderful world to live in if no one went hungry or died from a health problem that was treatable if the afflicted person only could afford the care needed?
Again, as in my last devotional, I raise up the words of our savior Jesus as He tells us:
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me." Matthew 25:40
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the Lord's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Consider the following facts below:
- According to the US Census Bureau, 35.9 million people live below the poverty line in America, including 12.9 million children.
- According to the Bread for the World Institute, 3.5 percent of U.S. households experience hunger. Some people in these households frequently skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for a whole day. More than 9 million people, including 3 million children, live in these homes.
- Children make up 39 percent of the poor and 26 percent of the total population.
These statistics aren’t coming from a nation where wealth and resources are an issue. These numbers exist in the United States, the nation that has been blessed with so much…the nation that is the richest in the world. And yet, the numbers don’t lie. How well are we really taking care of each other?
Our scripture today, although at face value centered on the cancellation of debts every seven years, has a deeper message for us today. For the responsibility to care for those who are poor is truly the main theme of these verses from Deuteronomy, Chapter 15.
Moses tells Israel that “there should be no poor among (them)”. Why? Because God was “giving them a land to possess as an inheritance…a land that would leave them richly blessed. This blessing would include a bountiful abundance that would allow Israel to “lend to many nations but…borrow from none”. There would more than enough for everyone and no reason for anyone to be poor and without.
Fast forward to today. Has God not given the United States a great abundance as well…so much so that there shouldn’t be anyone who is in need? And yet, the statistics tell the sad story of where we are. I often wonder how anyone or any group that has been blessed with a rich plenty can really enjoy that plenty when there are so many people without. Just today, I read where an athlete had a swimming pool built on their property that cost over a million dollars. How many people would a million dollars have helped if that money had been used to help others instead of provide a lavish status symbol of being rich?
Friends, we need to understand that the Lord expects us to be giving people. As scripture tells us,
“there will always be poor people in the land” and so this is why we were commanded to “be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy.” We aren’t to possess our money, time and talent like we somehow had anything to do with gaining it. No…the Lord blessed us with it and this is why we have anything. He expects us to be good stewards of what He provides…to “give generously to (another) and (to) do so without a grudging heart”. For God loves a cheerful giver... (2 Corinthians 9:7) one who gives from the heart and does so gladly.
So what do we do with this scripture today? My prayer is that we take it to heart each and every day. That we seek to help anyone we see who is down and out. Don’t turn the other way from the poor but see how you can help them. The Lord will grant you the guidance as to how you can meet their needs. We need to only answer His call. In the end, wouldn’t our world be a better place if we all just shared the wealth? Wouldn’t it be such a wonderful world to live in if no one went hungry or died from a health problem that was treatable if the afflicted person only could afford the care needed?
Again, as in my last devotional, I raise up the words of our savior Jesus as He tells us:
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me." Matthew 25:40
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
IT'S BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Deuteronomy 14:22-29
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Today’s passage coupled with the instruction in Numbers, Chapter 18, provided Israel with guidance regarding tithing. The word “tithe” is actually a Middle English word derived from the old English word “tegotha” which means tenth. In the church, it would represent “a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment”.
This certainly was the case in our scripture passage. The words of Moses told Israel to “set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year”. This tenth was to go to the Levites who you’ll remember were not permitted to produce their own sustenance (scripture states they had “no allotment or inheritance of their own”). Instead, the people of Israel were responsible for tithing and taking care of those God appointed to be the spiritual leaders and sanctuary maintainers.
Our passage from Deuteronomy provides additional guidance to the Israelites. For a portion of the tenth they were to give the Levites was to be eaten “in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name” for by doing this Israel would “learn to revere the Lord…always”. God expected the people to come together in a communal meal of thanksgiving and praise to the One who provided their bounty…the bounty from which they would be eating from.
You’ll see that a potential problem is also addressed in the scripture. For the place where God wanted Israel to go and present their tithe might be too far for someone to travel given the tenth the had to bring. What would they do? Well, God shows us that He always has a Plan B. In the case of Israel, they were to sell their goods for silver, carry the silver to the place where God wanted them to bring the tithe and commune, and then purchase their goods at that place using the silver. The end result was that God’s command was met, only through a pair of purchases and sales. God had a Plan B for Israel…and He has one for us as well in times when we need one.
Note as well that every three years, the people of Israel were to bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows” could “come and eat and be satisfied”. Through this, the people of Israel would find themselves blessed “in all the work of (their) hands by the Lord. In other words, the hard work and effort that went into the harvest would bring satisfaction by way of the blessing it provided to those who were most in need. Israel would learn that it’s far better to give than receive.
In fact, these early Old Testament requirements to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate by taking care of them would be expounded on by Jesus. Remember these words?
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
Then the King will say to those on His right, ”Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.”
Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?”
The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.”
Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.'”
They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?”
He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.”
Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus definitely let us know He expects us to care for those who are having difficulties in life. We are to look after anyone who is struggling or suffering or hungry or thirsty or in need of clothing or in trouble, giving what we can to help them through their situation. Truly, we are drawn into joy and satisfaction through the blessing we provide to someone in need. But there is far greater reason to be joy-filled. For as we do things for the least, it is as if we are doing it to the One who is the Most…Christ Jesus Himself. And in doing this we gain the inheritance…the “kingdom prepared since the creation of the world”…a place where we will be with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…forever. We can’t gain this if we are selfish and centered on ourselves. Truly, it is better…far better now and forever…to give than receive. Let’s recommit to doing it every chance we get. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Deuteronomy 14:22-29
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Today’s passage coupled with the instruction in Numbers, Chapter 18, provided Israel with guidance regarding tithing. The word “tithe” is actually a Middle English word derived from the old English word “tegotha” which means tenth. In the church, it would represent “a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment”.
This certainly was the case in our scripture passage. The words of Moses told Israel to “set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year”. This tenth was to go to the Levites who you’ll remember were not permitted to produce their own sustenance (scripture states they had “no allotment or inheritance of their own”). Instead, the people of Israel were responsible for tithing and taking care of those God appointed to be the spiritual leaders and sanctuary maintainers.
Our passage from Deuteronomy provides additional guidance to the Israelites. For a portion of the tenth they were to give the Levites was to be eaten “in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name” for by doing this Israel would “learn to revere the Lord…always”. God expected the people to come together in a communal meal of thanksgiving and praise to the One who provided their bounty…the bounty from which they would be eating from.
You’ll see that a potential problem is also addressed in the scripture. For the place where God wanted Israel to go and present their tithe might be too far for someone to travel given the tenth the had to bring. What would they do? Well, God shows us that He always has a Plan B. In the case of Israel, they were to sell their goods for silver, carry the silver to the place where God wanted them to bring the tithe and commune, and then purchase their goods at that place using the silver. The end result was that God’s command was met, only through a pair of purchases and sales. God had a Plan B for Israel…and He has one for us as well in times when we need one.
Note as well that every three years, the people of Israel were to bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows” could “come and eat and be satisfied”. Through this, the people of Israel would find themselves blessed “in all the work of (their) hands by the Lord. In other words, the hard work and effort that went into the harvest would bring satisfaction by way of the blessing it provided to those who were most in need. Israel would learn that it’s far better to give than receive.
In fact, these early Old Testament requirements to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate by taking care of them would be expounded on by Jesus. Remember these words?
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
Then the King will say to those on His right, ”Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.”
Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?”
The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.”
Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.'”
They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?”
He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.”
Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus definitely let us know He expects us to care for those who are having difficulties in life. We are to look after anyone who is struggling or suffering or hungry or thirsty or in need of clothing or in trouble, giving what we can to help them through their situation. Truly, we are drawn into joy and satisfaction through the blessing we provide to someone in need. But there is far greater reason to be joy-filled. For as we do things for the least, it is as if we are doing it to the One who is the Most…Christ Jesus Himself. And in doing this we gain the inheritance…the “kingdom prepared since the creation of the world”…a place where we will be with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…forever. We can’t gain this if we are selfish and centered on ourselves. Truly, it is better…far better now and forever…to give than receive. Let’s recommit to doing it every chance we get. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Monday, July 28, 2008
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
You are the children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, for you are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
Do not eat any detestable thing. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.
Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean.
You may eat any clean bird. But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.
All flying insects that swarm are unclean to you; do not eat them. But any winged creature that is clean you may eat.
Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. But you are a people holy to the Lord your God.
Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
Deuteronomy 14:1-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Chapter 14 begins with Moses reviewing guidelines for what foods God permitted Israel to eat. Food was divided into one of two categories: clean or unclean. Anything placed in the clean category was fine for Israel to eat. But if the food was labeled unclean, it was not to be eaten.
Two important things to remember about Moses giving these guidelines:
1. The guidelines had already been given and in much more detail in Leviticus (review chapter 11). So these directions weren’t new…only reminders.
2. Jesus revised the matter of clean and unclean food. Consider His words from Matthew, Chapter 15, verses 17 through 20:
"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "
Jesus sets things straight. Food doesn’t make someone unclean. It’s what’s in the heart that does.
OK…so here’s the 99 million dollar question. Why in the world were these restrictions placed on food if Jesus was just going to write them off in the not too distant future? I think the answer comes in the prior chapter.
Remember the words from Deuteronomy, Chapter 13:
“The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
The test spoken of in chapter 13 was whether or not Israel would give in to those who would entice them to engage in worshipping false gods. In chapter 14, the test involves whether or not Israel could avoid eating the foods that God told them not to eat.
Note that Israel wasn’t going to starve to death. It wasn’t as if God told them they couldn’t eat. He just told them what they could and couldn’t eat. All Israel had to do was be obedient to what God commanded. Israel would be what they ate. If they ate in accordance with God’s expectations, then they would be righteous and holy. If they ate the things that God told them not to eat, then they would be wicked and evil in sinful disobedience.
Today, we have many things available to us…some holy and pleasing to God and some detestable and evil in God’s eye. Everything we see, everything we hear, everything we do, everything we think, everything we breathe, everything we eat and everything we drink, all revolve around a myriad of choices. We can choose to ingest or engage in things that God desires or decide to go against His desires, choosing the world’s or Satan’s instead. And we, like Israel, will become what we eat…or drink…or breathe in…or hear…or watch…good or bad…holy or evil…righteous or wicked…whichever we choose. We are continuously being put to the test and, in the end, it does become our heart that determines whether we are clean or unclean…just as Jesus said.
So how is it with you? If you consider that you are what you eat, how are you doing when you consider what God expects? If the Lord were to look into your heart this very moment, what would He see? The answer to that is between you and the only One who can either help you change or continue to lead you in the right direction. Where would we be without Him? Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
You are the children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, for you are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
Do not eat any detestable thing. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.
Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean.
You may eat any clean bird. But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.
All flying insects that swarm are unclean to you; do not eat them. But any winged creature that is clean you may eat.
Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. But you are a people holy to the Lord your God.
Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
Deuteronomy 14:1-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Chapter 14 begins with Moses reviewing guidelines for what foods God permitted Israel to eat. Food was divided into one of two categories: clean or unclean. Anything placed in the clean category was fine for Israel to eat. But if the food was labeled unclean, it was not to be eaten.
Two important things to remember about Moses giving these guidelines:
1. The guidelines had already been given and in much more detail in Leviticus (review chapter 11). So these directions weren’t new…only reminders.
2. Jesus revised the matter of clean and unclean food. Consider His words from Matthew, Chapter 15, verses 17 through 20:
"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "
Jesus sets things straight. Food doesn’t make someone unclean. It’s what’s in the heart that does.
OK…so here’s the 99 million dollar question. Why in the world were these restrictions placed on food if Jesus was just going to write them off in the not too distant future? I think the answer comes in the prior chapter.
Remember the words from Deuteronomy, Chapter 13:
“The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
The test spoken of in chapter 13 was whether or not Israel would give in to those who would entice them to engage in worshipping false gods. In chapter 14, the test involves whether or not Israel could avoid eating the foods that God told them not to eat.
Note that Israel wasn’t going to starve to death. It wasn’t as if God told them they couldn’t eat. He just told them what they could and couldn’t eat. All Israel had to do was be obedient to what God commanded. Israel would be what they ate. If they ate in accordance with God’s expectations, then they would be righteous and holy. If they ate the things that God told them not to eat, then they would be wicked and evil in sinful disobedience.
Today, we have many things available to us…some holy and pleasing to God and some detestable and evil in God’s eye. Everything we see, everything we hear, everything we do, everything we think, everything we breathe, everything we eat and everything we drink, all revolve around a myriad of choices. We can choose to ingest or engage in things that God desires or decide to go against His desires, choosing the world’s or Satan’s instead. And we, like Israel, will become what we eat…or drink…or breathe in…or hear…or watch…good or bad…holy or evil…righteous or wicked…whichever we choose. We are continuously being put to the test and, in the end, it does become our heart that determines whether we are clean or unclean…just as Jesus said.
So how is it with you? If you consider that you are what you eat, how are you doing when you consider what God expects? If the Lord were to look into your heart this very moment, what would He see? The answer to that is between you and the only One who can either help you change or continue to lead you in the right direction. Where would we be without Him? Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, July 27, 2008
PUT TO THE TEST
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.
If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in that wicked men have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods you have not known), then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. Destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. Gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt. None of those condemned things shall be found in your hands, so that the Lord will turn from his fierce anger; he will show you mercy, have compassion on you, and increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your forefathers, because you obey the Lord your God, keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.
Deuteronomy 13
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
A great deal of attention was paid to the matter of worshipping gods other than the one true God…the Maker of all things…the Father of all mankind. This was because every other culture outside of Israel practiced polytheism…the worship of many gods. And several of those nations were living in Canaan, the land that Israel was about to inherit.
In Chapter 13, Moses spends time warning Israel about those who might try and persuade them to engage in polytheistic worship practices. We see where he specifically addresses prophets, family members and even complete communities that might try and lead them astray toward worshipping “other gods”. In every instance, Israel was not only supposed to reject the propositions but they were to kill anyone who tried to entice them. There was no room for evil in God’s kingdom and anyone trying to tempt Israel were working under the auspice of Satan, not the Holy Spirit.
It’s this point that gets to the central message I would like to focus on in this devotional. For the key verse in this passage comes in the beginning when Moses is warning Israel about the polytheistic-believing prophets they might encounter. Note these words from Moses:
“The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
The false prophet coming to Israel might have been seen as God attempting to tempt Israel to see if they would fail to be obedient to His commands. But this would go counter to the scriptures that tell us that God does not tempt. Satan does that. God does test us though to see how we respond when Satan does tempt us. If we love Him with all our heart and soul, then we will stand firm in obedience to Him when Satan attempts to tempt us. And we only come to this place of loving God with all our heart and soul when we commit ourselves to follow and revere Him, every second of every minute of every hour of every day. In other words, always. And when we are committed to God at that level, then we will find it easy to keep His commands, obey Him, serve Him and hold fast to Him.
So how are you doing in your life? How are you passing the tests that life will bring to you…the enticements that Satan will use to see how resolute you are in your relationship with the Father. Are you firmly rooted in Him with all your heart and soul? Or is your relationship more occasional…like whenever you want to be in relationship with Him? The rest of the time, you are obedient to your own sinful desires.
Friends, the scriptures make this clear: life is a test and God is grading us day-by-day. How are you doing? Do you have a passing grade? Only you know the answer to that question. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.
If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in that wicked men have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods you have not known), then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. Destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. Gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt. None of those condemned things shall be found in your hands, so that the Lord will turn from his fierce anger; he will show you mercy, have compassion on you, and increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your forefathers, because you obey the Lord your God, keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.
Deuteronomy 13
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
A great deal of attention was paid to the matter of worshipping gods other than the one true God…the Maker of all things…the Father of all mankind. This was because every other culture outside of Israel practiced polytheism…the worship of many gods. And several of those nations were living in Canaan, the land that Israel was about to inherit.
In Chapter 13, Moses spends time warning Israel about those who might try and persuade them to engage in polytheistic worship practices. We see where he specifically addresses prophets, family members and even complete communities that might try and lead them astray toward worshipping “other gods”. In every instance, Israel was not only supposed to reject the propositions but they were to kill anyone who tried to entice them. There was no room for evil in God’s kingdom and anyone trying to tempt Israel were working under the auspice of Satan, not the Holy Spirit.
It’s this point that gets to the central message I would like to focus on in this devotional. For the key verse in this passage comes in the beginning when Moses is warning Israel about the polytheistic-believing prophets they might encounter. Note these words from Moses:
“The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
The false prophet coming to Israel might have been seen as God attempting to tempt Israel to see if they would fail to be obedient to His commands. But this would go counter to the scriptures that tell us that God does not tempt. Satan does that. God does test us though to see how we respond when Satan does tempt us. If we love Him with all our heart and soul, then we will stand firm in obedience to Him when Satan attempts to tempt us. And we only come to this place of loving God with all our heart and soul when we commit ourselves to follow and revere Him, every second of every minute of every hour of every day. In other words, always. And when we are committed to God at that level, then we will find it easy to keep His commands, obey Him, serve Him and hold fast to Him.
So how are you doing in your life? How are you passing the tests that life will bring to you…the enticements that Satan will use to see how resolute you are in your relationship with the Father. Are you firmly rooted in Him with all your heart and soul? Or is your relationship more occasional…like whenever you want to be in relationship with Him? The rest of the time, you are obedient to your own sinful desires.
Friends, the scriptures make this clear: life is a test and God is grading us day-by-day. How are you doing? Do you have a passing grade? Only you know the answer to that question. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Saturday, July 26, 2008
GOD'S APPOINTED PLACE OF WORSHIP
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land. Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains and on the hills and under every spreading tree where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.
You must not worship the Lord your God in their way. But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.
You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit, since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord. And there rejoice before the Lord your God, you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns, who have no allotment or inheritance of their own. Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.
Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
When the Lord your God has enlarged your territory as he promised you, and you crave meat and say, "I would like some meat," then you may eat as much of it as you want. If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want. Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give, and go to the place the Lord will choose. Present your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat. Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.
The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, "How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same." You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
Deuteronomy 12
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The theme of today’s devotional is worship and what better day to talk about it than the Sabbath.
So I will start with three questions and I think you, the reader, will fit into one of the three:
1. Are you not seeking or attending a church right now?
2. Are you currently seeking a church home, worshipping in different churches until you find the right one?
3. Are you currently attending one church regularly?
See which of the questions fit you and I’ll get back to them in a minute. First, we need to go to the scriptures.
For there we see Moses talking about the matter of worship with Israel before they cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. In the seven verses above, we see Moses make a true distinction between the right and wrong way to worship.
Israel was commanded to completely destroy “all the places on the high mountains and on the hills and under every spreading tree where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.” Israel was not to allow any place to stand where any other god was worshipped other than the one, true God…the Creator God who was giving Canaan to Israel.
Israel was also told to not “worship the Lord your God in their way”. Instead, they were to “seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.” In other words, God would show Israel their appointed place of worship and they were to rejoice and bring their tithes, offerings and gifts to Him there, celebrating the way God had blessed them.
Today, God still has appointed places of worship for every one of His children. Back to the three questions:
1. Are you not seeking or attending a church right now? My secondary question is, “What are you waiting for?”
God has an appointed place of worship for you. You need to only pray about it and allow Him
to guide you. Trust me….He will lead you where He wants you to be. Even if you end up working on Sunday mornings, churches have services at other times…some on Wednesday nights, others on Saturday and Sunday nights. The time to get started is now.
2. Are you currently seeking a church home, worshipping in different churches until you find the right one?
Two words for you if you are in this category: keep looking. And while you’re looking, never give up hope. God has an appointed place of worship for you and will lead you to it. Be patient and wait for Him to reveal that place to you.
3. Are you currently attending one church regularly?
If you answered yes to this question, great! You are already know that God has an appointed place of worship for you. But I do have a secondary question for you as well…”Are you so deeply rooted in your church that you would be unable to pull up those roots if God called you to?” For God just might do that. There’s nothing to say that He won’t want to send you to a different appointed place during the course of your life. Consider what pastors endure. Seldom do they just lead one congregation in the course of their ministry careers. No…they go where the Lord calls them to go…to their appointed places of worship. We should be ready to respond as well.
So there you have it. Three different worship scenarios. One constant…that being God. He has an appointed place of worship for you, and I and every one else. Thanks be to God for that. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land. Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains and on the hills and under every spreading tree where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.
You must not worship the Lord your God in their way. But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.
You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit, since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord. And there rejoice before the Lord your God, you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns, who have no allotment or inheritance of their own. Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.
Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
When the Lord your God has enlarged your territory as he promised you, and you crave meat and say, "I would like some meat," then you may eat as much of it as you want. If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want. Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give, and go to the place the Lord will choose. Present your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat. Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.
The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, "How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same." You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
Deuteronomy 12
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The theme of today’s devotional is worship and what better day to talk about it than the Sabbath.
So I will start with three questions and I think you, the reader, will fit into one of the three:
1. Are you not seeking or attending a church right now?
2. Are you currently seeking a church home, worshipping in different churches until you find the right one?
3. Are you currently attending one church regularly?
See which of the questions fit you and I’ll get back to them in a minute. First, we need to go to the scriptures.
For there we see Moses talking about the matter of worship with Israel before they cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. In the seven verses above, we see Moses make a true distinction between the right and wrong way to worship.
Israel was commanded to completely destroy “all the places on the high mountains and on the hills and under every spreading tree where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.” Israel was not to allow any place to stand where any other god was worshipped other than the one, true God…the Creator God who was giving Canaan to Israel.
Israel was also told to not “worship the Lord your God in their way”. Instead, they were to “seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.” In other words, God would show Israel their appointed place of worship and they were to rejoice and bring their tithes, offerings and gifts to Him there, celebrating the way God had blessed them.
Today, God still has appointed places of worship for every one of His children. Back to the three questions:
1. Are you not seeking or attending a church right now? My secondary question is, “What are you waiting for?”
God has an appointed place of worship for you. You need to only pray about it and allow Him
to guide you. Trust me….He will lead you where He wants you to be. Even if you end up working on Sunday mornings, churches have services at other times…some on Wednesday nights, others on Saturday and Sunday nights. The time to get started is now.
2. Are you currently seeking a church home, worshipping in different churches until you find the right one?
Two words for you if you are in this category: keep looking. And while you’re looking, never give up hope. God has an appointed place of worship for you and will lead you to it. Be patient and wait for Him to reveal that place to you.
3. Are you currently attending one church regularly?
If you answered yes to this question, great! You are already know that God has an appointed place of worship for you. But I do have a secondary question for you as well…”Are you so deeply rooted in your church that you would be unable to pull up those roots if God called you to?” For God just might do that. There’s nothing to say that He won’t want to send you to a different appointed place during the course of your life. Consider what pastors endure. Seldom do they just lead one congregation in the course of their ministry careers. No…they go where the Lord calls them to go…to their appointed places of worship. We should be ready to respond as well.
So there you have it. Three different worship scenarios. One constant…that being God. He has an appointed place of worship for you, and I and every one else. Thanks be to God for that. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Friday, July 25, 2008
NO MIDDLE GROUND
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Love the Lord your God and keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws and His commands always. Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: His majesty, His mighty hand, His outstretched arm; the signs He performed and the things He did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; what He did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how He overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them. It was not your children who saw what He did for you in the desert until you arrived at this place, and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.
Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today — to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul - then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow — to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him - then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the western sea. No man will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses. As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, west of the road, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal. You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you have taken it over and are living there, be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today. Deuteronomy 11
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
I believe there are three categories of people today:
1. Those who believe in the Lord and conscientiously strive daily to obey His commands, word and will.
2. Those who refuse to believe in the Lord and have no interest in following His commands, word and will.
3. Those who live in between…those who say they believe in the Lord but decide when they want to live in obedience and when they don’t.
Israel too often fell into Category 3 and this is why so much dialogue was invested in instructing them in the matter of obedience. In Chapter 11, we see Moses once again discussing the matter with Israel, reminding them that their success in Canaan would rely largely on how well they kept the Lord’s requirements, decrees, laws and commands. Complying would ensure they would “have the strength to go in and take over the land (they were) crossing the Jordan to possess…”so that (they could) live long in the land that the Lord swore to (their) forefathers…a land flowing with milk and honey.” And the land would remain bountiful for Israel as long as they “faithfully obey(ed) the commands” Moses gave them which included “to love the Lord…and…serve him with all (their) heart and…soul”. This would result in “rain on (the) land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that (Israel could) gather in (their) grain, new wine and oil”. Grass would be provided “in the fields for (the) cattle and (Israel would) eat and be satisfied”.
Yes, life would be good is they would just be obedient. But what if they chose to do otherwise?
Well, Moses tells them what to expect in that instance as well. He warns Israel to “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.” Moses made it very clear. Disobedience would bring misfortune The choice was up to Israel.
So the lines were drawn. Obey or disobey. Flourish or fail. Or as Moses would sum it up, it would be blessing or curse. Once again, consider his words from our passage:
“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.”
Note there is no middle ground. No in between. If you obey, you will be blessed. If you disobey, you will be cursed. Choosing to obey when and where one wanted to was not an option. It wasn’t then and it isn’t today either. Don’t believe for a minute that God has changed the way He feels about disobedient behavior…AKA sin. Sin is what caused Him to sacrifice His only Son on the cross. God hates sin and will not accept any cavalier approach toward dealing with it.
Given this, we have to see that there’s only one primary expectation from God and that is for us to eradicate sin from our lives. And we don’t need to act as if we haven’t been told or shown how. For His word instructs us and His Son came to earth to live and personally demonstrate righteous living to us. God has provided all the direction we need. Now it’s up to us to step up spiritually and say no to the world and its sinful enticements, trading it for the holiness and righteousness God wishes and wants for us.
Are you standing on middle ground? Know there is no such thing. Blessing only comes to those who are committed fully to obedience. Curses await the rest. God’s word tells us so.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Love the Lord your God and keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws and His commands always. Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: His majesty, His mighty hand, His outstretched arm; the signs He performed and the things He did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; what He did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how He overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them. It was not your children who saw what He did for you in the desert until you arrived at this place, and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.
Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today — to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul - then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow — to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him - then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the western sea. No man will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses. As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, west of the road, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal. You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you have taken it over and are living there, be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today. Deuteronomy 11
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
I believe there are three categories of people today:
1. Those who believe in the Lord and conscientiously strive daily to obey His commands, word and will.
2. Those who refuse to believe in the Lord and have no interest in following His commands, word and will.
3. Those who live in between…those who say they believe in the Lord but decide when they want to live in obedience and when they don’t.
Israel too often fell into Category 3 and this is why so much dialogue was invested in instructing them in the matter of obedience. In Chapter 11, we see Moses once again discussing the matter with Israel, reminding them that their success in Canaan would rely largely on how well they kept the Lord’s requirements, decrees, laws and commands. Complying would ensure they would “have the strength to go in and take over the land (they were) crossing the Jordan to possess…”so that (they could) live long in the land that the Lord swore to (their) forefathers…a land flowing with milk and honey.” And the land would remain bountiful for Israel as long as they “faithfully obey(ed) the commands” Moses gave them which included “to love the Lord…and…serve him with all (their) heart and…soul”. This would result in “rain on (the) land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that (Israel could) gather in (their) grain, new wine and oil”. Grass would be provided “in the fields for (the) cattle and (Israel would) eat and be satisfied”.
Yes, life would be good is they would just be obedient. But what if they chose to do otherwise?
Well, Moses tells them what to expect in that instance as well. He warns Israel to “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.” Moses made it very clear. Disobedience would bring misfortune The choice was up to Israel.
So the lines were drawn. Obey or disobey. Flourish or fail. Or as Moses would sum it up, it would be blessing or curse. Once again, consider his words from our passage:
“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.”
Note there is no middle ground. No in between. If you obey, you will be blessed. If you disobey, you will be cursed. Choosing to obey when and where one wanted to was not an option. It wasn’t then and it isn’t today either. Don’t believe for a minute that God has changed the way He feels about disobedient behavior…AKA sin. Sin is what caused Him to sacrifice His only Son on the cross. God hates sin and will not accept any cavalier approach toward dealing with it.
Given this, we have to see that there’s only one primary expectation from God and that is for us to eradicate sin from our lives. And we don’t need to act as if we haven’t been told or shown how. For His word instructs us and His Son came to earth to live and personally demonstrate righteous living to us. God has provided all the direction we need. Now it’s up to us to step up spiritually and say no to the world and its sinful enticements, trading it for the holiness and righteousness God wishes and wants for us.
Are you standing on middle ground? Know there is no such thing. Blessing only comes to those who are committed fully to obedience. Curses await the rest. God’s word tells us so.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Thursday, July 24, 2008
HE IS OUR PRAISE
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky. Deuteronomy 10:14-22
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The Webster-Merriam dictionary defines praise as expressing a favorable judgment or commending…it’s also glorifying something or someone especially by the attribution of perfections. The word “praise” is derived from the Middle English word preisen which came from the Anglo-French word preiser, priser meaning to appraise and esteem.
There are many things we can praise in life. We might praise a person for great things they have done. We might praise something we see as being noteworthy. We typically have no problem showing praise to things of the world. But how well do we show praise to the One through all these things are possible?
This is the point in our passage today, the final verses in Chapter 10, as Moses attempts to open the eyes of Israel to God…their God…the One who was to be their praise.
Moses begins by reminding Israel, and us, that all things we know are from God, the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth. He states, “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.” In other words, everyone belongs to God and as we studied in a previous lesson, we are His treasured possession.
Indeed, He treasures everyone and shows no favoritism or partiality. He “defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” And He expects His people to do the same. He reminds Israel that they were once aliens themselves when they were in Egypt. Their numbers were few then, seventy in all at first. But now, on the brink of the land promised to their forefathers…the ones who initially entered Egypt…Israel’s population was vast…made by God to be as “numerous as the stars in the sky.” And now look at our world today…a multitude, all with the opportunity of life forever.
For through Jesus, the gates of heaven were cast open for Jew and Gentile. All who believed and trusted in Him would have the promise of eternal life and no one would come to the Father except by way of His Son...the One who is the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)…the slain Lamb of God who is worthy to receive “…power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12) Truly, we are a blessed people…a people who belong to a mighty, awesome God.
Friends, this mighty, awesome God is to be our praise. And we should lift Him up and glorify Him with every breath we take through every day He blesses us with for all things are by and through Him. My hope is that we all will live the words of one of my favorite hymns, All Creatures of Our God and King. The lyrics are as follows:
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfoldest blessings on our way,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
Let them His glory also show.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky. Deuteronomy 10:14-22
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The Webster-Merriam dictionary defines praise as expressing a favorable judgment or commending…it’s also glorifying something or someone especially by the attribution of perfections. The word “praise” is derived from the Middle English word preisen which came from the Anglo-French word preiser, priser meaning to appraise and esteem.
There are many things we can praise in life. We might praise a person for great things they have done. We might praise something we see as being noteworthy. We typically have no problem showing praise to things of the world. But how well do we show praise to the One through all these things are possible?
This is the point in our passage today, the final verses in Chapter 10, as Moses attempts to open the eyes of Israel to God…their God…the One who was to be their praise.
Moses begins by reminding Israel, and us, that all things we know are from God, the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth. He states, “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.” In other words, everyone belongs to God and as we studied in a previous lesson, we are His treasured possession.
Indeed, He treasures everyone and shows no favoritism or partiality. He “defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” And He expects His people to do the same. He reminds Israel that they were once aliens themselves when they were in Egypt. Their numbers were few then, seventy in all at first. But now, on the brink of the land promised to their forefathers…the ones who initially entered Egypt…Israel’s population was vast…made by God to be as “numerous as the stars in the sky.” And now look at our world today…a multitude, all with the opportunity of life forever.
For through Jesus, the gates of heaven were cast open for Jew and Gentile. All who believed and trusted in Him would have the promise of eternal life and no one would come to the Father except by way of His Son...the One who is the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)…the slain Lamb of God who is worthy to receive “…power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12) Truly, we are a blessed people…a people who belong to a mighty, awesome God.
Friends, this mighty, awesome God is to be our praise. And we should lift Him up and glorify Him with every breath we take through every day He blesses us with for all things are by and through Him. My hope is that we all will live the words of one of my favorite hymns, All Creatures of Our God and King. The lyrics are as follows:
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfoldest blessings on our way,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
Let them His glory also show.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
WHAT DOES THE LORD ASK OF YOU?
To all,
The Christian Walk ministry is one year old today, it has been a pleasure sharing God’s word and wisdom with you as well as sharing fellowship and prayer. It’s been an awesome blessing for me to be used by the Lord to serve you. I look forward to the next year with excitement and expectation as we continue to journey together. Thanks for all your support and encouragement!
In Christ,
Mark
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“Remember this and never forget how you provoked the Lord your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord. At Horeb you aroused the Lord's wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you. When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water. The Lord gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God. On them were all the commandments the Lord proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.
At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the Lord gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. Then the Lord told me, "Go down from here at once, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made a cast idol for themselves."
And the Lord said to me, "I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed! Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they."
So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands. When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the Lord your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the Lord had commanded you. So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them to pieces before your eyes.
Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the Lord's sight and so provoking him to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the Lord listened to me. And the Lord was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too. Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.
You also made the Lord angry at Taberah, at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah.
And when the Lord sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, "Go up and take possession of the land I have given you." But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You did not trust him or obey him. You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you.
I lay prostrate before the Lord those forty days and forty nights because the Lord had said he would destroy you. I prayed to the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin. Otherwise, the country from which you brought us will say, 'Because the Lord was not able to take them into the land he had promised them, and because he hated them, he brought them out to put them to death in the desert.' But they are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm."
At that time the Lord said to me, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden chest. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the chest."
So I made the ark out of acacia wood and chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. The Lord wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. And the Lord gave them to me. Then I came back down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made, as the Lord commanded me, and they are there now.
(The Israelites traveled from the wells of the Jaakanites to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar his son succeeded him as priest. From there they traveled to Gudgodah and on to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water. At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today. That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as the Lord your God told them.)
Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time, and the Lord listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you. “Go," the Lord said to me, "and lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land that I swore to their fathers to give them."
And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
Deuteronomy 9:7-29, 10:1-13
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Through the remainder of Deuteronomy, Chapter 9 and the start of Chapter 10, Moses reminds Israel of their stubborn sinfulness, consistently violating God’s commands, laws and decrees. From Horeb where Israel had worshipped the golden calf, causing Moses to smash the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments…to Taberah, Massah and Kibroth Hattaavah…to Kadesh Barnea where Israel blew their first attempt at entering Canaan and ended up wondering the desert for forty more years before the point where they were now…on the brink of entering the Promised Land. Israel’s behavior is summed up by Moses when he tells them “From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord.” And had it not been for the times Moses went to God and interceded for them, Israel might have been completely destroyed before they got to the Promised Land. Certainly, they had angered God many times over.
Well, that was Israel. How about us? If we were to sit down and document all the times and places we were stubborn in our sinfulness, how long would our list be? On second thought…maybe we don’t want to go through that drill.
Moses concludes this summary with some words of wisdom for Israel…and for us as well. For he tells all of us the things that the Lord expects from us…the things He asks from us. Let’s look at each one separately.
1. The Lord asks that we fear Him. Does this mean that we are to be afraid of the Lord? No, this means we are to hold the greatest sense of esteem and admiration for Him. This part of verse 12 is translated in “The Message” as “Live in his presence in holy reverence”. He is God and is greater than anything or anyone. With that, we are commanded to respect Him.
2. The Lord asks that we walk in His ways. Life offers us many paths to travel. Left to our own navigation, we are destined to get lost and vulnerable to Satan’s attack. What an awesome assurance we have that we will never go astray or get lost of we just surrender the wheel to Christ. He will always ensure that we walk a Christian walk…one that adheres to the ways of the Lord.
3. The Lord asks that we love Him. How can we show God we love Him? By staying obedient to His will and way, sacrificing our lives to Him…just as He sacrificed the life of His only Son Jesus for us. And when we sacrifice our lives to Him, then we will love like He loves and that love will be poured out on others. For scripture tells us, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16
4. The Lord asks that we serve Him with all our heart and soul. We can’t just give God part of ourselves. We have to give Him everything. How can we do this? By making Him the treasure of our lives. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) If the Lord is our treasure, then He and He alone will be in our heart and when that happens, we will be serving Him with all we are because He will be all that is in us.
5. The Lord asks that we observe His commands and decrees. We can’t make up our own rules in life. God gave us His word to instruct us and impart wisdom on us. He then sent His only Son to walk the earth and model proper living to us. So we have no excuse. We have everything we need to live as the Lord wants us to live. We only need to carry it out.
So there is no mystery here as to what the Lord expects. We need not sit back and wonder. He lets us know clearly what He expects. What He asks us to do is not hard. But we must divorce ourselves from the world…a world that would move us to live counter to everything the Lord desires. Today is the day to recommit ourselves to the Lord and His principles. Then, let us read these expectations as we wake as a reminder as to what God asks for us to do each and every day. Thanks be to God for His word and will. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
IT'S NOT ABOUT US
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: "Who can stand up against the Anakites?" But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Deuteronomy 9:1-6
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Why do things happen to us in certain ways? Often times, this is a question that seldom has easy answers, although sometimes we try and make them easy…wanting to reason everything to our liking.
And when things happen to us or others, we also hear people say things like, “How could that happen? Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” Maybe you have asked that or heard someone else ask it.
My reply when I get asked that question is this and I think we can see the premise for it rooted in the scripture for today. For in response to the question, “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”, I always ask, “Who is good?” Now that might sound harsh but sometimes the truth hurts. Who is good? Are we not all sinners that fall way short of the grace of God? Who can stand and demand anything from God because of their righteousness. No one can. Yet, we still try. Because, like Israel, we are a stiff-necked people.
In our passage for today, Israel is being told what they will face as they “cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger…with large cities that had great “walls up to the sky.” And the people they would face, the Anakites, were “strong and tall”, leaving those who would oppose them to ask, “Who can stand up against the Anakites?" Moses had one answer for that question: God.
For Moses reminds Israel, “…be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them (the Anakites); he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.” God would go ahead of them and subdue the enemy before Israel even got to them. This would assure them victory. But Moses also added a warning. For there was a caution required for what was about to take place.
This caution dealt with Israel getting the wrong idea about why God was driving out their enemies. Let’s revisit the scriptures:
“After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, ‘The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.’ No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you…Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Moses makes it very clear to Israel that their enemies aren’t being driven out because they were righteous. No, their enemies were being driven out because those enemies were evil and wicked. God doesn’t honor evil, wicked people…those who are living in sin. The only way a person would be exempt from God’s wrath and judgment is if they were perfectly righteous and no one is that. Why? Be cause Israel…and everyone after them…have been stiff-necked …stubborn…too resistant to surrender their sinfulness for righteousness. Again, who is really good?
Friends, today’s scripture intends to keep us humble…ever mindful that we are undeserving of God’s grace, mercy, favor and love. And yet, He still cares for us with all these things and so much more because we are His children. Anything good that comes to us is strictly from His blessing, providence and provision…not because we have somehow done a deed that deserved reward. It’s not about us. It’s all about God.
So keep in mind where you stand with Him…stay humble before the One who gave His Son as a living sacrifice to pay the price for our sins…and surrender your stubbornness in exchange for a consistent drive toward righteousness and holy living. We will never be perfect but we simply must strive toward that goal, using Jesus as our model and the Holy Spirit as our guide…each and every day. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: "Who can stand up against the Anakites?" But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Deuteronomy 9:1-6
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Why do things happen to us in certain ways? Often times, this is a question that seldom has easy answers, although sometimes we try and make them easy…wanting to reason everything to our liking.
And when things happen to us or others, we also hear people say things like, “How could that happen? Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” Maybe you have asked that or heard someone else ask it.
My reply when I get asked that question is this and I think we can see the premise for it rooted in the scripture for today. For in response to the question, “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”, I always ask, “Who is good?” Now that might sound harsh but sometimes the truth hurts. Who is good? Are we not all sinners that fall way short of the grace of God? Who can stand and demand anything from God because of their righteousness. No one can. Yet, we still try. Because, like Israel, we are a stiff-necked people.
In our passage for today, Israel is being told what they will face as they “cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger…with large cities that had great “walls up to the sky.” And the people they would face, the Anakites, were “strong and tall”, leaving those who would oppose them to ask, “Who can stand up against the Anakites?" Moses had one answer for that question: God.
For Moses reminds Israel, “…be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them (the Anakites); he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.” God would go ahead of them and subdue the enemy before Israel even got to them. This would assure them victory. But Moses also added a warning. For there was a caution required for what was about to take place.
This caution dealt with Israel getting the wrong idea about why God was driving out their enemies. Let’s revisit the scriptures:
“After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, ‘The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.’ No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you…Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Moses makes it very clear to Israel that their enemies aren’t being driven out because they were righteous. No, their enemies were being driven out because those enemies were evil and wicked. God doesn’t honor evil, wicked people…those who are living in sin. The only way a person would be exempt from God’s wrath and judgment is if they were perfectly righteous and no one is that. Why? Be cause Israel…and everyone after them…have been stiff-necked …stubborn…too resistant to surrender their sinfulness for righteousness. Again, who is really good?
Friends, today’s scripture intends to keep us humble…ever mindful that we are undeserving of God’s grace, mercy, favor and love. And yet, He still cares for us with all these things and so much more because we are His children. Anything good that comes to us is strictly from His blessing, providence and provision…not because we have somehow done a deed that deserved reward. It’s not about us. It’s all about God.
So keep in mind where you stand with Him…stay humble before the One who gave His Son as a living sacrifice to pay the price for our sins…and surrender your stubbornness in exchange for a consistent drive toward righteousness and holy living. We will never be perfect but we simply must strive toward that goal, using Jesus as our model and the Holy Spirit as our guide…each and every day. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:15-20
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Ability. It’s defined as:
1. the quality or state of being able.
2. the physical, mental, or legal power to perform
3. competence in doing : skill
4. natural aptitude or acquired proficiency
We all have ability or abilities whether it be in the way of skills or competencies we have developed, acquired proficiencies or natural aptitudes. Indeed, we travel a road of discovery in our lives from beginning to end.
So as we discover these abilities and put them to use, the question is: Who do we give credit for them? Unfortunately, too often the answer is one’s self…something I call the “I Syndrome”.
This syndrome is an easy trap to fall into and one Satan is ever eager to lead us into. It revolves around self-pride in your accomplishments and is often fueled by the compliments of others who want to let you know how well you displayed your abilities in whatever way you have displayed them. In return, you acknowledge their compliments by taking credit for what you’ve done.
For example, I like to sing and have performed many times over. And every time I have sang, I have had people come up to me and tell me how good of a singer I am. It would be very easy for me to take credit for my efforts and tell them that I have practiced and worked hard to be as good as I am. But I would be only telling part of the truth. Why? Because although I had practiced and worked hard, any part of me being as good was all because of God and God alone.
So back to my example and what really happens every time I perform a song…or write a devotional message…or do anything that might garner appreciation from someone. I give God all the glory. For I could do nothing without Him. He is the One who has blessed me with ability. He is the one who has allowed me to be competent in skills. He and only He has given me natural aptitude…in fact, He created aptitude and that’s why it is “natural” in the first place.
Well in our scripture today, Moses reinforces this ideal of acknowledging God first before yourself. He tells Israel, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” Moses speaks from experience here. God has taught him the dangers of taking credit where it is due God. For you’ll recall that it was he and Aaron who took credit for bringing water from the rock when they were only doing it through the power of God not by their own. This error cost Moses the opportunity to lead Israel into Canaan. In other words, his inability to credit God cost him his privilege and ability to lead Israel to the Promised Land.
Friends, we need to learn from the mistake of Moses. We need to lift God up at every opportunity and render all honor to Him. Anything good that comes from us only comes from the goodness He has planted within us. Any talents we possess are blessings from Him that are to be recognized and praised, in public and in private. And any appreciation, adulation, acclimation or commendation we receive should be deferred and deflected from above…to the One through which all good things come…to the One from whom all blessings flow and flow abundantly. In the end, I pray that as Christians we might be more and more like God’s Son who we claim to be like…our Savior who said Himself:
"If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the One who glorifies me.” John 8:54
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:15-20
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Ability. It’s defined as:
1. the quality or state of being able.
2. the physical, mental, or legal power to perform
3. competence in doing : skill
4. natural aptitude or acquired proficiency
We all have ability or abilities whether it be in the way of skills or competencies we have developed, acquired proficiencies or natural aptitudes. Indeed, we travel a road of discovery in our lives from beginning to end.
So as we discover these abilities and put them to use, the question is: Who do we give credit for them? Unfortunately, too often the answer is one’s self…something I call the “I Syndrome”.
This syndrome is an easy trap to fall into and one Satan is ever eager to lead us into. It revolves around self-pride in your accomplishments and is often fueled by the compliments of others who want to let you know how well you displayed your abilities in whatever way you have displayed them. In return, you acknowledge their compliments by taking credit for what you’ve done.
For example, I like to sing and have performed many times over. And every time I have sang, I have had people come up to me and tell me how good of a singer I am. It would be very easy for me to take credit for my efforts and tell them that I have practiced and worked hard to be as good as I am. But I would be only telling part of the truth. Why? Because although I had practiced and worked hard, any part of me being as good was all because of God and God alone.
So back to my example and what really happens every time I perform a song…or write a devotional message…or do anything that might garner appreciation from someone. I give God all the glory. For I could do nothing without Him. He is the One who has blessed me with ability. He is the one who has allowed me to be competent in skills. He and only He has given me natural aptitude…in fact, He created aptitude and that’s why it is “natural” in the first place.
Well in our scripture today, Moses reinforces this ideal of acknowledging God first before yourself. He tells Israel, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” Moses speaks from experience here. God has taught him the dangers of taking credit where it is due God. For you’ll recall that it was he and Aaron who took credit for bringing water from the rock when they were only doing it through the power of God not by their own. This error cost Moses the opportunity to lead Israel into Canaan. In other words, his inability to credit God cost him his privilege and ability to lead Israel to the Promised Land.
Friends, we need to learn from the mistake of Moses. We need to lift God up at every opportunity and render all honor to Him. Anything good that comes from us only comes from the goodness He has planted within us. Any talents we possess are blessings from Him that are to be recognized and praised, in public and in private. And any appreciation, adulation, acclimation or commendation we receive should be deferred and deflected from above…to the One through which all good things come…to the One from whom all blessings flow and flow abundantly. In the end, I pray that as Christians we might be more and more like God’s Son who we claim to be like…our Savior who said Himself:
"If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the One who glorifies me.” John 8:54
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, July 20, 2008
FINDING SATISFACTION
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Deuteronomy 8:5-14
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.”
These words from Moses form the foundation for today’s devotion as we focus on the matter of satisfaction. Israel was about to enter the land God promised them, a land that was flowing with milk and honey…a land that was sure to meet their needs. Moses tells them more about Canaan saying it was a “good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.” Certainly, these must have been wonderful words of assurance to the people of Israel who had been wandering the desert for forty years to get this moment in time. The struggles they faced during that exile…struggles that left them hungry and thirsty…were about to be replaced with a rich abundance…and abundance that would lead them to “lack nothing.” Surely, things were about to change for Israel and change big time.
With this pending change, there was an associated concern. For Moses tells Israel that “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.” In other words, don’t forget the blessed, almighty Hand that feeds you. There would be a danger in Israel’s newfound bounty…a danger that they would get so comfortable that they would forget to give credence to the One who made it all possible for them. Thus, they were to “not forget the Lord” and were cautioned to not allow their heart to become proud…so that they might take for granted what the Lord had done for them. Instead, the hope was that they would come to realize and profess the Lord’s provision in all things, being satisfied with what He provided and giving Him full credit for everything.
Question: How satisfied are you in your life? Have you reached a point where you have taken the Lord for granted? Have you become one who is never satisfied with what God has given you and instead continuously longs for more and more and more? Has your heart become proud to the point where you have seen everything you have as being by your own hand and not from the Hand of the Lord?
Friends, we need to look at what we have at any one given time and give thanks for it. It’s easy to do this when we are experiencing times of plenty but the true test of our satisfaction comes when we go through the lean times in life, when it seems that we have little but the Lord to our name…when we come to appreciate Him the most.
It’s been said that when we place all our attention on possessions, they soon will start to possess us and I believe this is very true. Maybe you can relate.
The Lord would have us make Him our greatest possession in life so that He and He alone possesses us. For it’s then and only then, that we will find satisfaction in life…a satisfaction that perseveres and endures…a satisfaction that brings us peace, now and forever. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Deuteronomy 8:5-14
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.”
These words from Moses form the foundation for today’s devotion as we focus on the matter of satisfaction. Israel was about to enter the land God promised them, a land that was flowing with milk and honey…a land that was sure to meet their needs. Moses tells them more about Canaan saying it was a “good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.” Certainly, these must have been wonderful words of assurance to the people of Israel who had been wandering the desert for forty years to get this moment in time. The struggles they faced during that exile…struggles that left them hungry and thirsty…were about to be replaced with a rich abundance…and abundance that would lead them to “lack nothing.” Surely, things were about to change for Israel and change big time.
With this pending change, there was an associated concern. For Moses tells Israel that “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.” In other words, don’t forget the blessed, almighty Hand that feeds you. There would be a danger in Israel’s newfound bounty…a danger that they would get so comfortable that they would forget to give credence to the One who made it all possible for them. Thus, they were to “not forget the Lord” and were cautioned to not allow their heart to become proud…so that they might take for granted what the Lord had done for them. Instead, the hope was that they would come to realize and profess the Lord’s provision in all things, being satisfied with what He provided and giving Him full credit for everything.
Question: How satisfied are you in your life? Have you reached a point where you have taken the Lord for granted? Have you become one who is never satisfied with what God has given you and instead continuously longs for more and more and more? Has your heart become proud to the point where you have seen everything you have as being by your own hand and not from the Hand of the Lord?
Friends, we need to look at what we have at any one given time and give thanks for it. It’s easy to do this when we are experiencing times of plenty but the true test of our satisfaction comes when we go through the lean times in life, when it seems that we have little but the Lord to our name…when we come to appreciate Him the most.
It’s been said that when we place all our attention on possessions, they soon will start to possess us and I believe this is very true. Maybe you can relate.
The Lord would have us make Him our greatest possession in life so that He and He alone possesses us. For it’s then and only then, that we will find satisfaction in life…a satisfaction that perseveres and endures…a satisfaction that brings us peace, now and forever. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Saturday, July 19, 2008
GOD IS WITH US THROUGH THE JOURNEY
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Deuteronomy 8:1-4
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Think about the course of your life. It has had its share of joy and pain. There have been ups and downs…highs and lows…good times and bad times…but you have made it to this appointed place and time as you read these words the Lord is placing on my heart for you right now.
Indeed, just being here right now…me writing and you soon to read…is a blessing in and of itself. Consider that God doesn’t have to grant us one single day…and yet He continues to bless us with life…and even more for those who believe and trust in His Son Jesus…those who have gained the promise of eternal life.
Yes, the Lord has brought us through every part of our life’s journey to this day and this time…just as He brought Israel through the forty years to the place and time in which they listened to Moses speak in our scripture today. We see where Moses reminds Israel that all along the way in their journey, they were led by the Lord.
During that time, they didn’t have it great all the time. No, there were times of hunger and thirst, times of failure and discipline…times of humility and testing. Maybe you can relate to Israel a little bit…maybe you have had your own personal exodus as you marched toward the promised land.
So why did Israel have to go through all that they went through? Why all the hardship? I mean, weren’t they God’s chosen people? For that matter, why do we go through so much trial ourselves? Aren’t we God’s children?
Well, let’s look back into our scripture to see why God did what He did then…and why He is still doing it today.
For God had to humble Israel to teach them that they couldn’t make it in life without Him. If everything had always been made easy for Israel, they would have taken God for granted. And they would have no reason to have faith. For faith isn’t born out of good times but rather out of trouble. Our faith is truly tested and refined when we enter into challenge and affliction. It is during these times that we realize how very helpless we can be short of the Father helping us to make it through the difficult times. We realize that we don’t “live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Remember these words the next time you’re challenged in the midst of temptation and tribulation. Jesus did. Remember these verses in Matthew?
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' “ Matthew 4:1-4
Jesus had been on His own personal journey...a forty day and forty night exodus into the desert. When He was hungry and at His most vulnerable point, Satan entered the picture. Jesus, he thought, was ripe for the picking. He thought wrong.
For even in His weakened state, Jesus was able to ward off Satan. How? By using the word of God…the word that man cannot live without. And He did so to teach us how to deal with Satan in our own lives. You see, we have an advantage over the Israel of the Old Testament. We have Jesus to use as a reference.
God was with His Son as He was tempted. He helped His Son get through that difficult trial and test…just as He was with Israel during their exodus. And the good news is that He is still Emmanuel…God with us…today. Let us never forget that as we go through whatever life might bring our way…and know that there isn’t anything that we’ll go through that will defeat us because God is with us…and He will deliver us through our journey now and forever. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Deuteronomy 8:1-4
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Think about the course of your life. It has had its share of joy and pain. There have been ups and downs…highs and lows…good times and bad times…but you have made it to this appointed place and time as you read these words the Lord is placing on my heart for you right now.
Indeed, just being here right now…me writing and you soon to read…is a blessing in and of itself. Consider that God doesn’t have to grant us one single day…and yet He continues to bless us with life…and even more for those who believe and trust in His Son Jesus…those who have gained the promise of eternal life.
Yes, the Lord has brought us through every part of our life’s journey to this day and this time…just as He brought Israel through the forty years to the place and time in which they listened to Moses speak in our scripture today. We see where Moses reminds Israel that all along the way in their journey, they were led by the Lord.
During that time, they didn’t have it great all the time. No, there were times of hunger and thirst, times of failure and discipline…times of humility and testing. Maybe you can relate to Israel a little bit…maybe you have had your own personal exodus as you marched toward the promised land.
So why did Israel have to go through all that they went through? Why all the hardship? I mean, weren’t they God’s chosen people? For that matter, why do we go through so much trial ourselves? Aren’t we God’s children?
Well, let’s look back into our scripture to see why God did what He did then…and why He is still doing it today.
For God had to humble Israel to teach them that they couldn’t make it in life without Him. If everything had always been made easy for Israel, they would have taken God for granted. And they would have no reason to have faith. For faith isn’t born out of good times but rather out of trouble. Our faith is truly tested and refined when we enter into challenge and affliction. It is during these times that we realize how very helpless we can be short of the Father helping us to make it through the difficult times. We realize that we don’t “live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Remember these words the next time you’re challenged in the midst of temptation and tribulation. Jesus did. Remember these verses in Matthew?
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' “ Matthew 4:1-4
Jesus had been on His own personal journey...a forty day and forty night exodus into the desert. When He was hungry and at His most vulnerable point, Satan entered the picture. Jesus, he thought, was ripe for the picking. He thought wrong.
For even in His weakened state, Jesus was able to ward off Satan. How? By using the word of God…the word that man cannot live without. And He did so to teach us how to deal with Satan in our own lives. You see, we have an advantage over the Israel of the Old Testament. We have Jesus to use as a reference.
God was with His Son as He was tempted. He helped His Son get through that difficult trial and test…just as He was with Israel during their exodus. And the good news is that He is still Emmanuel…God with us…today. Let us never forget that as we go through whatever life might bring our way…and know that there isn’t anything that we’ll go through that will defeat us because God is with us…and He will deliver us through our journey now and forever. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
OUR GREAT AND AWESOME GOD
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them. The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction. Deuteronomy 7:12-26
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
“…for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.”
These words from verse 21 resonate across this passage and across the landscape of our every day lives. Where would we be without the great and awesome God who created us and this universe we live in? It’s enough of a gift that we even exist but we have so much more than this through the majesty of the Lord. Consider the following things He brings, all highlighted in today’s scripture:
1. He loves. Moses reminded Israel, “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you.” Truly, God loved Israel…and He loves us as well. Consider these words from the Psalms:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:8-12
Truly, there is no limit to the love of God. It reaches to the highest heights and the lowest lows…and spans from the east to the west. Thanks be to God for His love…for we only know how to love ourselves because He first loved us.
2. He blesses. God had blessed Israel and would consider to do so. Again from Moses:
“He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young.”
As long as Israel remained obedient, life would be good for them and they would experience the abundant provision of their great and awesome God.
Consider all you have in life and don’t simply account for the tangible. That’s how the world gauges blessings…on how much stuff they have. As Christians, we see the greatest value in the intangible. Just having life itself is such a rich blessing and one we should always give thanks for. Truly, God blesses abundantly. Thanks be to God for goodness.
3. He heals. We serve a Great Physician. For Moses tells Israel, “The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.” One could say that the power to administer disease is in the domain of man and they would be correct. There are all kinds of diseases in laboratories that could be unleashed by man. But the power to keep people free from disease? That is solely done by a great and awesome God.
Truly, God is capable of doing anything He wills to do to include healing. An obedient Israel could expect to be free from affliction. Too bad they didn’t hold up their end of the bargain because we will see Israel not remain obedient. They learn that the only way to live a God-blessed life is to comply with God’s expectations.
As we face afflictions, we should remember the awesome, healing power that God holds in His hands. Remember He assured us that nothing is impossible with Him. (Luke 1:37) What an incredible promise that is!
4. He protects. Israel would face adversaries in Canaan. God sends these words of assurance from Moses to Israel:
You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt… the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished…The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little.”
Israel didn’t have to be worried on how they would fare against stronger nations in Canaan, for those stronger nations lacked on important thing that Israel didn’t. They didn’t have God on their side.
Question: What adversaries do you face every day, especially as you go forth to carry out the command of Jesus to make disciples of all nations? Do you ever forget that we serve a great and awesome God…One who is always with us and will help us overcome our enemies just as He did for Israel. We only need trust Him and believe in Him.
5. He delivers. Moses tells Israel, “The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them.”
God promised to and did drive out the nations before Israel. He delivered the nations of Canaan into the hands of Israel just as He promised He would. And no one was able to stand against Israel because God was with them.
No one can stand in opposition to us either if we keep the Lord first in everything in our lives. He will rise up and help us when we face trials. He will allow us to stand firm in the midst of adversity, not by our own strength but by His strength living within us.
Finally…
6. He works miracles and wonders. “…remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out.” Truly, Israel’s emergence from Egypt was not a typical exit. After all, how many people can say that they walked across a dry sea bed while the sea was divided in two and suspended in air so they could pass safely? Israel could. They could confess first hand that their great and awesome God was a God of miracles and wonders.
And He does them in and around us still today. Look at the news closely enough every day and you can discover evidence of the miracles and wonders of the Lord happening all over the world. For God never takes a break, except on the Sabbath. Outside of that, He’s always busy amazing and astounding us…performing acts we can’t see possible…but remember, we serve a God through which all things are possible.
Have you stopped lately to ponder this great and awesome God we serve? Have you fully appreciated His love, His blessings, His healing power, His protection, His deliverance and finally the miracles and wonders He provides…and He provides them each and every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Somewhere in the world as you read this, God is performing a miracle. Believe it…because He is God…a great and awesome God. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them. The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction. Deuteronomy 7:12-26
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
“…for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.”
These words from verse 21 resonate across this passage and across the landscape of our every day lives. Where would we be without the great and awesome God who created us and this universe we live in? It’s enough of a gift that we even exist but we have so much more than this through the majesty of the Lord. Consider the following things He brings, all highlighted in today’s scripture:
1. He loves. Moses reminded Israel, “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you.” Truly, God loved Israel…and He loves us as well. Consider these words from the Psalms:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:8-12
Truly, there is no limit to the love of God. It reaches to the highest heights and the lowest lows…and spans from the east to the west. Thanks be to God for His love…for we only know how to love ourselves because He first loved us.
2. He blesses. God had blessed Israel and would consider to do so. Again from Moses:
“He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young.”
As long as Israel remained obedient, life would be good for them and they would experience the abundant provision of their great and awesome God.
Consider all you have in life and don’t simply account for the tangible. That’s how the world gauges blessings…on how much stuff they have. As Christians, we see the greatest value in the intangible. Just having life itself is such a rich blessing and one we should always give thanks for. Truly, God blesses abundantly. Thanks be to God for goodness.
3. He heals. We serve a Great Physician. For Moses tells Israel, “The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.” One could say that the power to administer disease is in the domain of man and they would be correct. There are all kinds of diseases in laboratories that could be unleashed by man. But the power to keep people free from disease? That is solely done by a great and awesome God.
Truly, God is capable of doing anything He wills to do to include healing. An obedient Israel could expect to be free from affliction. Too bad they didn’t hold up their end of the bargain because we will see Israel not remain obedient. They learn that the only way to live a God-blessed life is to comply with God’s expectations.
As we face afflictions, we should remember the awesome, healing power that God holds in His hands. Remember He assured us that nothing is impossible with Him. (Luke 1:37) What an incredible promise that is!
4. He protects. Israel would face adversaries in Canaan. God sends these words of assurance from Moses to Israel:
You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt… the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished…The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little.”
Israel didn’t have to be worried on how they would fare against stronger nations in Canaan, for those stronger nations lacked on important thing that Israel didn’t. They didn’t have God on their side.
Question: What adversaries do you face every day, especially as you go forth to carry out the command of Jesus to make disciples of all nations? Do you ever forget that we serve a great and awesome God…One who is always with us and will help us overcome our enemies just as He did for Israel. We only need trust Him and believe in Him.
5. He delivers. Moses tells Israel, “The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them.”
God promised to and did drive out the nations before Israel. He delivered the nations of Canaan into the hands of Israel just as He promised He would. And no one was able to stand against Israel because God was with them.
No one can stand in opposition to us either if we keep the Lord first in everything in our lives. He will rise up and help us when we face trials. He will allow us to stand firm in the midst of adversity, not by our own strength but by His strength living within us.
Finally…
6. He works miracles and wonders. “…remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out.” Truly, Israel’s emergence from Egypt was not a typical exit. After all, how many people can say that they walked across a dry sea bed while the sea was divided in two and suspended in air so they could pass safely? Israel could. They could confess first hand that their great and awesome God was a God of miracles and wonders.
And He does them in and around us still today. Look at the news closely enough every day and you can discover evidence of the miracles and wonders of the Lord happening all over the world. For God never takes a break, except on the Sabbath. Outside of that, He’s always busy amazing and astounding us…performing acts we can’t see possible…but remember, we serve a God through which all things are possible.
Have you stopped lately to ponder this great and awesome God we serve? Have you fully appreciated His love, His blessings, His healing power, His protection, His deliverance and finally the miracles and wonders He provides…and He provides them each and every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Somewhere in the world as you read this, God is performing a miracle. Believe it…because He is God…a great and awesome God. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Thursday, July 17, 2008
YOU ARE GOD'S TREASURED POSSESSION
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.
Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.
Deuteronomy 7:6-11
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Can you remember watching movies or shows where someone was going after a treasure? Typically, they are following a map or some other clues to try and find where the treasure is hidden so they might find it and have it for their own. These people…the treasure hunters…have three distinct yet common traits when it comes to dealing with treasure:
1. They seek it. Treasure hunters are always on the hunt for a bounty. They are relentless in their searching…perseverant in their quest…devoted to the chase. Nothing can sway them from finding what they set out to discover. This is why treasure hunters usually find what they’re after. And this leads to their second common trait.
2. They value their treasure. If you spend a lot of time and effort seeking something…if it was so important that you were willing to make significant sacrifices just to find your treasure…then you can bet you will value it once you find it. You will ensure you take good care of it because you value it. And when treasure seekers find the treasure they value so much then a third trait is revealed.
3. They protect the treasure they value so much. Treasure isn’t left unguarded. If it were, then someone else would step in and steal it away. And a treasure seeker can’t allow that to happen. Not after the pursuit that was invested to gain the treasure. Treasure seekers protect the treasures they find.
So what does this have to do with today’s devotion? Everything.
For as we see in verse 6, Moses tells the people of Israel that they are treasured…treasured by God:
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”
Truly, God treasured Israel. His words said so. And He treasures us as well for we are His children. The only problem is that too many people fail to treasure God as He treasures them. This places God in a position where He seeks the very treasures He cherishes so much...namely us. And in doing so, He displays the same traits of the treasure hunters discussed prior…only His seeking is not worldly but holy and righteous. Consider these traits of God…the One who seeks us, His treasure:
1. He seeks us. The Lord is always on the hunt for those who have gone astray. He is relentless in His searching…perseverant in His quest…devoted to the chase. Nothing can sway Him from finding the lost…those He sets out to discover. This is how God has found and continues to find His children who need to come back to Him. He never gives up the pursuit. Why? Let’s go to the second trait.
2. He values His treasure. He invests a lot of time and effort seeking His treasures. You see, they can be quite elusive and stubborn. Yet, God is willing to make sacrifices for His treasure. In fact, He was willing to give His only Son Jesus up because he loved and valued His treasure…His children…us…so much. He values us…and when He finds us…He takes such good care of us because this is what you do with treasure. And as He takes care of the treasure He finds, God performs trait 3.
3. He protects His treasure. If God left His treasure unguarded, Satan would come in and steal the treasure away. And God isn’t about to allow that to happen. At least not unless His treasure decides to not value Him as He values them. For we, as living treasures, can do something that material, inanimate treasure can’t do. We can leave the One who found us. And I can’t help but think this breaks the heart of God every time it happens…every time when someone decides to turn from Him and instead be stolen away by Satan.
Friends, this message today contains great news…great, good news from the Father. He loves us...He treasures us...He values us...He wants to protect us. Could we ask for anything more from a Heavenly, Almighty Father? Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.
Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.
Deuteronomy 7:6-11
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Can you remember watching movies or shows where someone was going after a treasure? Typically, they are following a map or some other clues to try and find where the treasure is hidden so they might find it and have it for their own. These people…the treasure hunters…have three distinct yet common traits when it comes to dealing with treasure:
1. They seek it. Treasure hunters are always on the hunt for a bounty. They are relentless in their searching…perseverant in their quest…devoted to the chase. Nothing can sway them from finding what they set out to discover. This is why treasure hunters usually find what they’re after. And this leads to their second common trait.
2. They value their treasure. If you spend a lot of time and effort seeking something…if it was so important that you were willing to make significant sacrifices just to find your treasure…then you can bet you will value it once you find it. You will ensure you take good care of it because you value it. And when treasure seekers find the treasure they value so much then a third trait is revealed.
3. They protect the treasure they value so much. Treasure isn’t left unguarded. If it were, then someone else would step in and steal it away. And a treasure seeker can’t allow that to happen. Not after the pursuit that was invested to gain the treasure. Treasure seekers protect the treasures they find.
So what does this have to do with today’s devotion? Everything.
For as we see in verse 6, Moses tells the people of Israel that they are treasured…treasured by God:
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”
Truly, God treasured Israel. His words said so. And He treasures us as well for we are His children. The only problem is that too many people fail to treasure God as He treasures them. This places God in a position where He seeks the very treasures He cherishes so much...namely us. And in doing so, He displays the same traits of the treasure hunters discussed prior…only His seeking is not worldly but holy and righteous. Consider these traits of God…the One who seeks us, His treasure:
1. He seeks us. The Lord is always on the hunt for those who have gone astray. He is relentless in His searching…perseverant in His quest…devoted to the chase. Nothing can sway Him from finding the lost…those He sets out to discover. This is how God has found and continues to find His children who need to come back to Him. He never gives up the pursuit. Why? Let’s go to the second trait.
2. He values His treasure. He invests a lot of time and effort seeking His treasures. You see, they can be quite elusive and stubborn. Yet, God is willing to make sacrifices for His treasure. In fact, He was willing to give His only Son Jesus up because he loved and valued His treasure…His children…us…so much. He values us…and when He finds us…He takes such good care of us because this is what you do with treasure. And as He takes care of the treasure He finds, God performs trait 3.
3. He protects His treasure. If God left His treasure unguarded, Satan would come in and steal the treasure away. And God isn’t about to allow that to happen. At least not unless His treasure decides to not value Him as He values them. For we, as living treasures, can do something that material, inanimate treasure can’t do. We can leave the One who found us. And I can’t help but think this breaks the heart of God every time it happens…every time when someone decides to turn from Him and instead be stolen away by Satan.
Friends, this message today contains great news…great, good news from the Father. He loves us...He treasures us...He values us...He wants to protect us. Could we ask for anything more from a Heavenly, Almighty Father? Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
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