One Of The most Neglected Aspects….

I think one of the most neglected aspects of the Christian walk is our lack of gratitude when we are full. I think it’s an omissive sin, but it’s still something we tend to do without realizing it. It’s probably one the Holy Spirit prays for us about. When Paul talks about the Holy Spirit groaning for us, in ways we can’t comprehend, it may include this kind of omissive sin. How often after a good meal, when we’ve eaten our fill, do we thank God for providing it? I know I don’t. How about when we return from a great vacation, and we are exhausted and want to crash, do we thank God for it, for the chance to get away from the “daily grind”, getting to experience new things, being refreshed? How about every single time our teenager comes home late at night from a weekend day escapade, do we thank God? Gratitude is an attitude that needs to be conditioned in our lives. Without it, it robs us of the joy we could be experiencing. Praise God when you are full, you owe it to Him for being so good to you.

10 When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. 11 “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey His commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. 12 For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, 13 and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! 14 Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. 15 Do not forget that He led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! 16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. 17 He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember the Lord your God. He is the One who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant He confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.19 “But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed. 20 Just as the Lord has destroyed other nations in your path, you also will be destroyed if you refuse to obey the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:10-20

God’s Blessing Of Fertility….

Do you ever wonder why people marry and then find out they cannot have children? I’m certain there are many reasons that explain this. But here in Deuteronomy we read of God’s promise to the Israelites that if they obey God when they enter and live in the Promised Land, not one single person will be childless. The inability to have children was seen as a curse. Sarah, Rachel, Elizabeth, and many others are mentioned in the Bible as having a barren womb. But God changed all that. God’s blessing of fertility is one we never fully appreciate unless we’ve had adversity trying to conceive. We all should see our ability to have children as a blessing. The sun rises on the evil as well as the good. God allows people to procreate, good and bad. Life is precious, we should alwaYs see it that way. For those of us that honor God, and see procreation as a reward for being faithful, continue to pursue God and point others to Him. Love your children, for they grow up faster than you think. Today, thank God for all of His blessings, especially your ability for being a pathway that the truth can travel into the future when you’re no longer here.

12 “If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the Lord your God will keep His covenant of unfailing love with you, as He promised with an oath to your ancestors. 13 He will love you and bless you, and He will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land He swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. 14 You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young. 15 And the Lord will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but He will inflict them on all your enemies! Deuteronomy 7:12-15

Step Out In Faith…

The secret to living the Christian life is no real secret, it’s making a whole-hearted commitment to trust God. It’s that simple, yet we struggle to do it. Consistency matters. That’s the key to living out the Gospel life. When you fully know and trust someone, you’re willing to step out in faith.

4 Take delight in the Lord,and He will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.Trust Him, and He will help you.6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Psalms 37:4-6

Drink Deeply From Him…

God is the source of life. He is our shelter. He is our fountain. He is the light by which we see. He is our judge. If God is all of these things I have one piece of advice, “know Him intimately, and drink deeply from Him”.

7 How precious is Your unfailing love, O God!All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings.8 You feed them from the abundance of Your own house,letting them drink from Your river of delights.9 For You are the fountain of life,the light by which we see. 10 Pour out Your unfailing love on those who love You;give justice to those with honest hearts.11 Don’t let the proud trample me or the wicked push me around.12 Look! Those who do evil have fallen! They are thrown down, never to rise again. Psalms 36:7-12

Humanity Has A Flaw….

Humanity has a flaw that is unconquerable when left to themselves to remedy it. That flaw is a short memory. How often do we get caught up in the desire to have or do something, regardless if necessary, and we forget God. We fail to ask Him. We fail to consult the Almighty. It’s because we allow the “now” to be more necessary than the past. We forget because we want, so we rationalize away “what’s right”. Over time it affects our memory, and slowly but surely, we lose the value on the past. God isn’t as important as before, and we fail to pass on this paramount truth. We fail to teach our children about God, to fear God, and to pursue God. When a culture forgets God, or even takes Him for granted, it loses its way. Idolatry, pain and suffering, and waywardness follows. Sin becomes a daily ritual and it’s not until we come to the realization that we brought it upon ourselves that we admit we need God to be first in our lives (need His help). Fortunately, God is forgiving. When we seek Him with all of our heart, we find Him, not because of our doing, but because of His mercy and willingness to forgive. The key to this cycle is not repeating it. When God gave the Ten Commandments, it came with a promise. Those that follow honoring our parents will be blessed to the third and fourth generation. Those that don’t will be cursed to a thousand generations (meaning forever). Our parents represent God to a child, so teaching them to be respectful has a huge benefit. It’s our job to love God with all of our hearts. Then pass that love on to our children. We do that by remembering all that God has done for us. We teach our children about God, and we do it not only by our words but by our actions. If your not an authentic follower of Jesus, you’ll never be able to convince your children that His ways are best. You’ll just be setting them up for a great fall when they realize your authenticity is as fake as a politician’s promise. They will question and doubt God because of you. And they will be cursed just as you are. Real believers point others to Jesus, not because they think it will earn them “brownie points” with God, but because they know it’s the only real thing they can count on to live real life, extending it beyond the grave. Teach your children to remember, honor, and respect God. It’s what He wants.

7 For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on Him? 8 And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?9 “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. 10 Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where He told me, ‘Summon the people before Me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear Me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear Me also.’ Deuteronomy 4:7-10

29 But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for Him with all your heart and soul, you will find Him. Deuteronomy 4:29

39 “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. 40 If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:39-40

Save Lives…..

Why do we follow God and preach the gospel? Because it frees enslaved souls and saves lives. We speak from firsthand experience.

6 The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives. Proverbs 12:6

Our Supreme Court System…

If you’ve ever wondered where the idea of our Supreme Court system came from, here it is. In the Bible. Deuteronomy (and Exodus - same story) chapter 1, to be specific. Notice it was established by God, an idea given to Moses by his father-in-law (Exodus 18), and God made it work. If we incorporate our action and procedures God’s way, they will be effective and establish consistency. God is a God of order, structure, and peace. Notice the original reason this came about, too many people, too much bickering. Sound familiar?

9 Moses continued, “At that time I told you, ‘You are too great a burden for me to carry all by myself. 10 The Lord your God has increased your population, making you as numerous as the stars! 11 And may the Lord, the God of your ancestors, multiply you a thousand times more and bless you as He promised! 12 But you are such a heavy load to carry! How can I deal with all your problems and bickering? 13 Choose some well-respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’14 “Then you responded, ‘Your plan is a good one.’ 15 So I took the wise and respected men you had selected from your tribes and appointed them to serve as judges and officials over you. Some were responsible for a thousand people, some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some for ten.16 “At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions 17 and impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’18 “At that time I gave you instructions about everything you were to do. Deuteronomy 1:9-18