Tag: deuteronomy

The Lord our God wants all of us to respect Him and do what He says. He wants you to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 10:12

Deuteronomy 10:12-22 GOD’S WORD Translation

Israel Encouraged to Follow God’s Guidance

12 Israel, what does the Lord your God want you to do? He wants you to fear him, follow all his directions, love him, and worship him with all your heart and with all your soul. 13 The Lord wants you to obey his commands and laws that I’m giving you today for your own good. 14 Remember that the sky, the highest heaven, the earth and everything it contains belong to the Lord your God. 15  The Lord set his heart on your ancestors and loved them. Because of this, today he chooses you, their descendants, out of all the people of the world.

16 So circumcise your uncircumcised hearts, and don’t be impossible to deal with any longer. 17 The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, powerful, and awe-inspiring God. He never plays favorites and never takes a bribe. 18 He makes sure orphans and widows receive justice. He loves foreigners and gives them food and clothes. 19 So you should love foreigners, because you were foreigners living in Egypt. 20 Fear the Lord your God, worship him, be loyal to him, and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is your glory. He is your God, who did for you these spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds you saw with your own eyes. 22 When your ancestors went to Egypt, there were 70 of them. Now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

As the book of Deuteronomy begins, Moses and the people of Israel are standing at the edge of the promised land on the other side of the Jordan River.

Joshua will lead them across the Jordan and into the land after God commands Moses to die for his disobedience in striking the rock twice instead of just once.

In obedience to the Lord’s command, Moses hands authority over to Joshua.

But, before the change of leadership happens, the people take a long pause to listen to Moses explain the law, “Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to explain this law.” Moses is now 120 years old. God will let him rest.

In fact, the word Deuteronomy means “second law” or “repetition of the law.”

Our Verse for this devotional comes from chapter 10 of Deuteronomy just after Moses reminded the people of their parents’ failure when they fashioned and worshiped the Golden Calf.

In response to their idol worship, God was ready to wipe them out, but Moses plead with the Lord, appealed to the glory of his name. God graciously relented.

And, in Deuteronomy 10:10 Moses says, “The Lord was unwilling to destroy you.”

In other words, the mercy of God is on full display as we come to Deut. 10:12-13.

“The Mercy of God was on full Display”

“The Love of God was on full Display.”

“The Glory of God was on full Display.”

These truth’s are really important to remember when memorizing this passage.

These words of truth accurately describe what God deserves from his people and demonstrates our chronic inability to ever live up to it, all at the same time.

God demands and by His actions, by His works, He deserves our obedience and every affection locked away in our hearts. And, by God’s grace, and only for His Glory alone we should daily strive to give Him all of what is 1000% rightly His.

Why should we hesitate?

Why do we hesitate?

Why would we hesitate?

As we strive to live this out and labor toward obedience and fight for the godly affections of our hearts, we can also rest in the gospel truth that Christ has already achieved this obedience in our place. Jesus has feared the Lord our God.

He walked in all His ways without ever wavering. He walked, hungered, thirsted 40 long days and nights through the truly most extreme temptations that Satan could ever willfully inflict on Him.

Still, after all of that, He persevered, He still loved His Father with a perfect love. He served his Father with quite literally last every beat of his heart and every portion of his soul. He kept every commandment and statute of the Lord.

He walked the earth completely sinless.

It seems so natural to love God because he first loved me (John 13:34; 1 John 4:19).

But I remember all too vividly when I didn’t love God with all my heart and soul.

In that way each one of us is like the ancient Israelites.

There are people, things, and situations that both rigorously and vigorously compete for our maximum love and attention. They often start subtly and cause our love for God to shift, fluctuate, fragment. We take our leap from the Temple.

Our love for God ought to be a instinctive response to his love for us. Obedience is an excellent indicator of our love.

Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15).

Love for God and obedience to God are to be considered inseparable. We know very well that loving God goes far beyond mere words.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we follow the Lord by leaving our old life behind (Philippians 2:1-18). Our Lives are no longer all about us but all about our love relationship with the Lord.

We deepen our love by getting to know God’s character, who he is, his ways, and what he does.

We do this by reading the Bible, observing God’s presence in our lives, and being around people who love him. Love comes from a heart of gratitude.

So, as we hide this portion of the word in our hearts this week, let it be a call to obedience and an occasion for thanksgiving for the gospel, all at the same time!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 19

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven,
and his circuit unto the ends of it:
and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors?
cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright,
and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Sometimes we just need to stop right where are and reflect upon Memories of God’s Goodness. Deuteronomy 4:9

Deuteronomy 4:9-14 New American Standard Bible

9 “Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.  10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may have them hear My words so that they may learn to [a]fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ 11 You came forward and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire to the heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud, and thick gloom. 12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form—there was only a voice. 13 So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten [b] Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14 The Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, so that you would perform them in the land where you are going over to take possession of it.

The Word of God for the People of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

This will probably sound odd to some, but the book of Deuteronomy is one of my favorite Old Testament books of the Bible. Much of Deuteronomy is a review and summary of the law, but nestled in between this review are valuable words of true wisdom from Moses. Today’s verse is one we should pause and consider.

From our text, Moses is speaking to the Israelites.

They are on the edge of the Promised Land. Moses is told h cannot pass over to the promised land in clear view of his eyes. Moses is old and he will die soon. As he reflects back on his 120 years of life, considers the length and breadth of his long life and sheer numbers and weight of experiences, he gives us these verses.

Deuteronomy 4:9-14 The Message

9 Just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don’t forget anything of what you’ve seen. Don’t let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you’ve seen and heard to your children and grandchildren.

10 That day when you stood before God, your God, at Horeb, God said to me, “Assemble the people in my presence to listen to my words so that they will learn to fear me in holy fear for as long as they live on the land, and then they will teach these same words to their children.”

11-13 You gathered. You stood in the shadow of the mountain. The mountain was ablaze with fire, blazing high into the very heart of Heaven. You stood in deep darkness and thick clouds. God spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but you saw nothing—no form, only a voice. He announced his covenant, the Ten Words, by which he commanded you to live. Then he wrote them down on two slabs of stone.

14 And God commanded me at that time to teach you the rules and regulations that you are to live by in the land which you are crossing over the Jordan to possess.

He warns each of us to be careful and diligently keep our soul lest we forget the things we saw. What specifically did the Israelites see and experience from God?

When they were leaving Egypt, God sent 10 plagues.

Then, when it seemed they would have no escape, God parted the Red Sea and he wiped out the whole of the pursuing Egyptian army.

God had led them through the wilderness with a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. God’s very presence was unmistakably with them every single day.

God had provided manna, quail and water throughout their 40 year journey.

God would fight for them over and over again.

And yet, as we continue to read into Deuteronomy, they would forget all of God’s goodness and provision for them. It’s human nature. When times are good, we are very happy and when times are hard we grumble and complain.

Through it all, we too soon forget. We especially forget God’s work in our lives.

Moses pleads with us to remember all the works of God in our lives and pass our faith to our spouses, our children and our children’s children. Too tell all of our neighbors and friends and coworkers. Tell them, witness to, testify about all God’s miracles, tell them about how God continuously works in our lives, tell them about how God has always worked through all history and is still working.

If we don’t tell of God’s works, we forget them and our children will not know.

God is faithful to us, let’s reflect, on that faithfulness and let us likewise reflect upon God’s goodness towards us, remember to be faithful teaching our children our grandchildren, our spouses our friends, coworkers, neighbors, of his works.

Many of us have truly beautiful memories and stories of our parents, siblings, pastors, teachers, or neighbors showing their love and care for us, and we will never forget to recount what they have done for us. Many of us also share these stories with our children, friends, coworkers, and others. All these wonderful stories will always be part of our personal history, always work to shape life.

Similarly, as believers in God, we remember stories of God’s deliverance, grace, protection, and greatness shown to us. Memories of our spiritual formation and personal blessings give us encouragement and strength.

We would not be who we are nor where we are without God and what he has done in our lives. And when we remember and tell our stories, God receives the glory. Our faith is strengthened, renewed. When we tell others, especially the next generations, we share with them our love for and dependence on the Lord.

We can always find so very many ways to remember. Some of us may use daily or weekly journaling, daily times of reflection with prayer, pictures, artwork, and music that remind us of those significant times and places where we have encountered God in our lives. Some families and churches also designate times to tell stories about the teachings of Jesus and Holy Spirit’s work in their lives.

What are some ways you remember God’s goodness?

Who are you going to tell of these wondrous events in your life with God?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 119:1-16 The Message

119 1-8 You’re blessed when you stay on course,
    walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
    doing your best to find him.
That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
    you walk straight along the road he set.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
    now you expect us to live it.
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
    keeping to the course you set;
Then I’d never have any regrets
    in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
    I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
I’m going to do what you tell me to do;
    don’t ever walk off and leave me.

* * *

9-16 How can a young person live a clean life?
    By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
    don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart
    so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
    train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips
    all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
    than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
    I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life,
    I won’t forget a word of it.

* * *

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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