Deuteronomy 9 - Unworthy but Blessed

At the precipice of a new chapter in the life of Israel, Moses shares a promise of God, that though the enemy is more powerful than they, God will go before them and overcome them. What an assurance they had!

Moses quickly reminds the people that it isn't because they are good or worthy, but because the other nations are so wicked. Moses then goes on to remind the people of the many ways they have not been faithful or obedient. 

When we are at the end of one chapter of our lives and about to open the door to the next, is our faith and trust really in God for the opportunities that might be there?  There was a richness in the promised land but great danger; the Israelites operating in their own strength would easily be overcome. Only as they trusted God and gave Him the credit would they know the full joy that could be theirs. Their history of faithfulness was not good, yet God for His own name's sake demonstrated His goodness toward the people so that all nations would know the character of God and turn toward Him. 

As I currently sit at my own precipice facing the prospect of both danger and richness undertaking a new project, I recognize that my blessing is not earned. I am not worthy of God's favor. I fail Him it seems daily. It is for His own name's sake that He goes before me and demonstrates His character to both me and the oeople all around so that no one can doubt that it was the hand of God who accomplished this. 

When I consider Christian friends who when asked "how are you?" respond "I am blessed", I wonder if they understand how blessed they really are. Do they really appreciate that God provides for them not because of their faithfulness but because of the wickedness all around and God's desire to be known of all men?  Their blessing is a witness to the world, not a reward for their goodness. If God has blessed you, how will that blessing be a witness to the believers and the unbelievers all around you. 

Our purpose is to proclaim the glory of God. his blessings give us the object lessons needed to give Him attribution and recognize our great position. Unworthy but blessed. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.  

Deuteronomy 8 - God Alone

Who is the master if your destiny?  Who provides for you needs?  As we are in great need we are prone to look to God for our provision and even perchance attribute that provision to God's intervention in our lives. God showed us a need and as we prayed to Him we saw His hand of provision. I believe most Christians can do that for short term needs, particularly if God rescues us soon. But what happens to us in different circumstances?  

Abundance

When things are going well and we have no perceived needs can we praise God with our whole hearts?  God was about to release the Israelites into the promised land with abundance of crops, water and resources. "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." Deut. 8:9. Israel had just won the lottery of God (it was rigged by the way, the winners were selected in advance). They would enjoy abundance when all their lives they had lived moment to moment (most had been born since the Exidus from Egypt). God knew their nature (and ours).  

He wanted His people to thank God for their provision even in abundance, but human nature likes to take credit when things go well. "You may say to yourself, 'My power and strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.'" Deut 8:17. Only wealthy men claim to be self made men. Rarely do you see a beggar taking credit for his condition. We too need to guard our hearts so they are not deceived when we enjoy abundance. It is God alone who provides even the wisdom we possess and the strength of our hands is from God. 

Discipline

When God seems to be against us and nothing goes well, can we praise Him then?  Maybe we are in a wilderness of our own with great thirst, hunger and venomous snakes everywhere. Maybe we are out of work, facing some horrific pain or up against a seemingly vicious foe. Will we continue to pray and praise when our suffering continues for an extended period as it did for the Israelites in their 40 years of wandering?  

Will we thank God when we are disciplined by His hand?  "Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so The Lord your God disciplines you." Deut. 8:5. God chastises His people to turn them from wickedness and to teach them to place their trust in the Master of their destiny. Can we praise even when hard times are also long?  It is a test of our faith, but as we look to God day by day, He can give us His thinking and change our hearts to lovingly praise Him in all conditions. 

Paul said it best when He wrote to the Philippians, "for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  Phil. 4:11a - 13. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

Deuteronomy 7 - Intermingling with the Heathen

In this chapter God lays out grave warnings for the nation of Israel to keep their alliegiance to God strong and secure and to stay away from living like the world. He warns about intermarriage and following the practices of worship even pursuing wealth. He reminds the people that He is their God and there is none more powerful, loving and faithful than He is. He can and will provide for their sustenance even increase their wealth, keep them from disease if only they make their calling to follow God secure. 

He reminds them of His power. Even though they will come up against seven nations stronger than they are, He will enable them to defeat the enemy and to claim the land for themselves. They must totally remove the current nation and not peacefully coexist but forcefully destroy them. They have no good that Israel can gain from their continued presence. 

As I apply this passage to my own life, I am struck by how often living in a secular world doing secular work that I face head on the pressure to hide my faith.  I have no idea how many opportunities to witness have passed me by. I feel the pressure to conform to the world and to operate by its tenets. I see people hostile to God allowed to speak their hate outright while Christians are quieted. The majority in the middle are confused and don't know what to believe. There is no one who can speak intelligently and ore seen the hope of the gospel. 

We live in the conditions God spoke about in this chapter. Even good Christians attending church three times a week find themselves influenced by the culture. We can stop this degradation of our witness and take back the boldness we once had as new believers if we will return to God, repent of our sliding into the culture and ask His to give us His power for proclaiming Him to the world again. We must face that stronger force knowing it is God who gets the glory when He gives the victory. 

Our success measures are not those of the world, but success is having God and His power seen and recognized by the unbelievers we live among. When it comes down to it, there are only two sides; those who follow God and those who don't. We have an opportunity to take back our witness and live wholly for God if we will not be afraid of the confrontation we may face. If we follow God's leading He has all power to disable the enemy. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

Deuteronomy 6 - Love Demonstrated

Love has a way of changing us. When I fell in love with my future husband life took on a new character. There was a spring in my step and there was joy of anticipating our next encounter. I loved to do special things for him and to see him appreciate the special kindnesses. Love always changes our attitudes and actions. 

In this chapter God says the same to the nation of Israel. God looks for actions of love on the part of the people He has preserved and protected. He describes the lavish gifts He wants to give them if only they will love Him in return. The commands God gives are small demonstrations of affection He longs for in His people. He says, "love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deut 6:5). He longs to be loved by His people; in return He gives us His life and provides for our needs. Psalm 19:8 says "the precepts of The Lord are right giving joy to the heart."  God's law not only shows us His standard for Holy conduct but also shows us His desire for His people. 

Our love for God should overwhelm us. It should flow into acts of obedience to please the lover of our soul. God brings his people through much difficulty and pain to show his affection and great power that we would turn to Him even in the midst of prosperity and find our lives complete in Him, but far too often we content ourselves with the pleasures of this world and fall in with the ways of the unbelievers. 

If we could seek hard after God and find Him to be the desire we have longed for we could be salt and light to a dying world and let them see there is more life than they have experienced when they see it in you. We must pursue this love for ourselves and share it with others. We are God's people given to the world that theyay know Him and love Him too. How about it? Are you ready to shine that Jesus may be glorified hear and to find the life our soul thirsts for?  

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

Deuteronomy 5 - Boundaries of Love

Every good parent establishes house rules to follow. These rules are not meant to Lord authority unduly, but to protect from danger and to train children in proper conduct. As children, we either comply with our parents desires or we rebel against them. Rules grate against us preventing us from doing what we would naturally do. They form boundaries that seem to hold us back and fence us in. 

God established the 10 Commandments with his people to outline for Israel what holy conduct looks like and to ensure they would stay close to God and not stray into the conduct of the nations they would soon inhabit. God shares His heart  when He says, "oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever". (Deut 5:29). His desire is not to frustrate but to see His people enjoy peace, prosperity and security. Isn't that what we want for all our children?

Now we know that everyone has fallen short and broken the commandments of God. If we have broken one commandment we are guilty of breaking all the law because they are so intertwined. Jesus came to fulfill the law and to reconcile us to God, knowing we were fully guilty and unable to save ourselves from God's judgement. But this law stands today to remind us of God's holy standard and His desire that we would be holy for His glory and for our benefit. He longs that we would fear Him and respect Him and worship Him for His goodness toward His people. 

If Israel had reason to worship because of the miracles God performed in the Exodus and in the wilderness, how much more having been redeemed by God's son do WE have reason to sing God's praise and to honor His instructions for our lives?  We have not just been given a land to live in but we have hope of eternal salvation and to live in the presence of God for all eternity. We have great promises; will we heed the voice of God in our lives today?

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

Deuteronomy 4 - Higher Authority

We live in an age that largely despises authority and mocks the obedient and glorifies the rebellious. Tattoos, dressing like inmates, gangsters, tramps and the like are prevalent while those who seek after purity are mocked as ignorant and passive. 

From the beginning of time in the garden man has sought to be his own master and call his own shots. We like getting our way and being in charge. God makes it clear in this chapter that there is only one in charge - only one Master. He reminds the Israelites of the ways He has chastised their disobedience and reminds them that they belong to Him and their loyalty is demonstrated in obedience. 

It is right I obey God. Who cares for His people better? Who is more powerful than any enemy?  Who demonstrates faithfulness to generation after generation?  God reminds them f His mighty works and His purpose for doing them. He wants to be known and loved among the nations, but blatant rebellion must be addressed. 

God does not love us because of our acts of obedience, but because of our love for Him and trust in Him. Can we see beyond our circumstances and trust a God who is all powerful, loving but unseen in the moment?  In the midst if our crisis and conflict can we really trust God to pull us trough? 

The person who looks at oppression or injustice and looks to God finds that He is more than faithful to His people. He will glorify himself and make himself known in the midst of your situation if you can trust. The degree of our trust is demonstrated in our obedience. 

I don't believe all people who dress like gangsters are gangsters, but they have identified with rebellion so there always will remain a question. We act like our heroes.  We pattern our choices after theirs. So our challenge from this chapter is to pattern our choices after the commands God has given and to look like Jesus to the world around us. Will you take that challenge?

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

Deuteronomy 3 - God's Got Your Back

Time after time, God seems to be teaching the Isrealites the same lesson - God can be trusted but their ways cannot. God chose this little nation and grew them to great numbers and fought for them to prove to Israel they served a mighty God who would provide for their needs and to show the nations around them that God is worthy of their worship and respect. 

This chapter details the defeat of King Og and the 60 cities he ruled. One by one, lands were given to Israel and they were beginning to divide the territory. God saw them through so many obstacles; only their rebellion and lack of faith caused them to suffer. 

When we God's people will make Knowing God's ways and patterning our lives after those ways we can be sure God will have our backs. I love verse 22 of this chapter,

"Do not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God will personally fight for you." I know fear of reactions grips me when I want to witness for The Lord. I don't want to be rejected or seen as fanatical. So I keep quiet and pray and hope for an opportunity for a real heart to heart. How much misery do I bear as a result?  The lessons God had for Isreal are ours too if we will embrace them and learn from them. God has our back if we are walking in His way.  At the end of this chapter, Moses is denied his request to step over the Jordan and enter the promised land on the other side. God had other plans for Moses and Joshua was chosen to assume authority. God's ways are not always our own. When we pray and ask for something that is contrary to God's plan we can expect that we will not be allowed to pursue a direction that takes where God does not want us to go.  The difference between Moses and the rest of the people was that Israel would rebel and harden their hearts against God and so they experienced judgment. For Moses, he asked but accepted God's reply and so God let him see the land but only from afar. His time on earth was coming to an end, but he got to see the victory that would be given to the people he led.  May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.