Deuteronomy 1:1-8 Common English Bible
The first heading: Introducing Deuteronomy
1 These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan River, in the desert, on the plain across from Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab. (2 It is eleven days from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea along the Mount Seir route.) 3 It was in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, that Moses spoke to the Israelites precisely what the Lord had commanded him for them. (4 This was after the defeat of Sihon, the Amorite king who ruled in Heshbon, and Og, Bashan’s king, who ruled in Ashtaroth and[a] Edrei.) 5 Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this Instruction. He said the following:
Leaving Mount Horeb
6 At Horeb, the Lord our God told us: You’ve been at this mountain long enough. 7 Get going! Enter the hills of the Amorites and the surrounding areas in the desert, the highlands, the lowlands, the arid southern region, and the seacoast—the land of the Canaanites—and the Lebanon range, all the way to the great Euphrates River. 8 Look, I have laid the land before you. Go and possess the land that I[b] promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as to their descendants after them.
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.
Thanks be to God for this gift of life which we carry with us into this new year.
Thanks be to God for this gift of time which we are called by God to utilize for the sake of His glory, to edify and build His Kingdom, preaching, teaching the Good News of His Son, Jesus Christ unto new life, leading to salvation in Him.
Every new year brings new opportunities and challenges for both the secular world and the Kingdom of God – when two influential powerful worlds collide .
Proverbs 27:17 Authorized (King James) Version
17 Iron sharpeneth iron;
so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
In this forge, sparks fly everywhere, a whole lot of fire and heat is generated, a whole lot of hard work from mighty men with muscles and wills as large as the largest mountains, try to their utmost to give perfect shape to their creations.
As these two mighty warriors clash for victory, May the Lord prepare us all to receive something new, exciting and different in this year to improve our lives.
Many people begin the year by making New Year’s resolutions and promises, but that approach rarely works well. To receive from God, we must believe that He has prepared something miraculous for us. We need to dismiss all old tired ideas, ancient thoughts of not being worthy or deserving of God’s blessings.
We are all brought here right now by the Grace of God for His purposes. We may imagine and speculate what God will do for us, but we do/can never really know. (see 1 Corinthians 2:9).
To receive from God, we must fully believe He will continue to do as He says.
We cannot lean into our own understanding or dwell too much on the past because we might miss seeing God’s hand at work (Isaiah 43:19).
Isaiah 43:16-20 Authorized (King James) Version
16 Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea,
and a path in the mighty waters;
17 which bringeth forth the chariot and horse,
the army and the power;
they shall lie down together, they shall not rise:
they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
18 Remember ye not the former things,
neither consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing;
now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?
I will even make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field shall honour me,
the dragons and the owls:
because I give waters in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my people, my chosen.
When God nudges us forward, we cannot allow old tired doubts, ancient fears to keep us in our (dis)comfort zones or be .1% satisfied with our current situation.
We can’t allow ourselves to talk ourselves out of what God wants to do through us. Let us recount, recall, remember our history with God, be ready to receive.
Let us continue to struggle with our doubts, so we can all, through the Word of God, cast those doubts far into the Sea of Forgetfulness, trust him and we can be more responsive, more prepared, more confident, intentional in our obedience.
We can plead the Holy Spirit to help us receive God’s blessings in this new year.
Do we doubt God needs us to step out, receive the blessings He waits to give us?
In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 103 Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 103
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul:
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
3 who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy diseases;
4 who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord executeth righteousness
and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses,
his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide:
neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins;
nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth,
so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children,
so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame;
he remembereth that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are as grass:
as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone;
and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,
and his righteousness unto children’s children;
18 to such as keep his covenant,
and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens;
and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels,
that excel in strength, that do his commandments,
hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts;
ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion:
bless the Lord, O my soul.
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.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 