March 23, 2023
 Daily Reading – Deuteronomy 9-11 / Luke 1:39-56

 GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

 

  Every Olympic competitor will tell you who the most important people are at the competition. Their parents and siblings may come to cheer them on, and these are very important people in their lives. Without them it is very likely they would not be who they are, nor, where they are in life. Their coach will be at the sideline giving them last minute advice on how to compete. The fans and spectators give them encouragement as they challenge others in their sport. Yet every contender knows, they are not performing for any of these people. They are keenly aware of where the judges are, and what they want to see. These judges will reward them if they do well.

    In today’s reading of Deuteronomy, Moses has reminded the Children of Israel once again that their God, and that God alone will be the judge of how they live their lives. In Deut. 10:17-18 it says, “For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment …” This means He is the only judge. He has all the power and does not show any partiality to one person or another. Also, you cannot bribe this judge. To receive reward Deut. 11:27 says, “A blessing, if ye obey…” Deut. 11:28 says, “And a curse, if ye will not obey…” He is the judge, but the choice is yours. Blessings or not, it is really up to you.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Do not misunderstand. Being good does not gain you entrance into heaven. These conditions were for God’s children. John 3:7 says, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Without Christ, you face a different type of Judge.

Which judge will Christ be for you?

 March 22, 2023
 Daily Reading – Deuteronomy 6-8 / Luke 1:1-38

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 6:5-6 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    Journaling has gained a bit of popularity with younger people today. One writer said that journaling was the gateway to recording life, understanding emotions, and uncovering parts of yourself. I think writing every day is a good idea. Journaling also helps us understand God.

 

    God told the children of Israel to remember His Words. To place them in their hearts. How did He say they should do that? In four ways.

 

   ● TEACH THEM: Deut. 6:7 “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,…” Any good teacher will tell you that they learn more from teaching than simply studying. Teach someone.

   ● TALK ABOUT THEM: Deut. 6:7 “…and shalt talk of them…” You want to remember something? Discuss it with others. The conversation will spark thoughts that will stick in your heart.

   ● TAKE THEM WITH YOU: Deut. 6:8 “And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.” Write down verses and take them with you. Read them throughout your day.

   ● TRANSPOSE THEM ONTO THINGS: Deut. 6:9 “And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” Write them in journals, hang them as art, paste them on your social media pages. Write it, Read it, and Remember it.. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    A good reason to journal, or to write God’s Word is found in Psalm 119:10-11 “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” 

 

Do you Journal?

 

 

 March 21, 2023
 Daily Reading – Deuteronomy 4-5 / Mark 16

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      Often when we think of jealousy, we think of the sin nature of envy. Human jealousy often is the result of one person seeing something that someone else has, and becoming jealous because they want it. This leads to another heart problem. For example, imagine a neighbor whom you have no quarrels with, buys a boat. You always wanted a boat, now that boat is flaunted in your sight, and you begin to feel angry at the neighbor because they have a boat. They have done nothing wrong except, park their boat where you can see it. Jealousy has moved into unwarranted anger. Our idea of jealousy, the bible often refers to that as envy. Wanting what someone else has.

 

      When God speaks of being a “jealous God,” He is not desiring what someone else has. God is jealous when someone gives away something that is rightfully His. He will not share your worship with a man-made god. It does not deserve worship that is rightfully His. God’s jealousy is the other side of His love. He loves you so much, He is not willing to share you with some false god. The Bible tells us how much God loves us by telling us how much we should love Him. Deuteronomy 6:5 says; “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Jesus repeats this in the New Testament. That is how much God desires from us because that is how much He gives to us, and even more.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

     When God has given to us His total love and commitment, to the point of sending His Son to die for our sin, it is no wonder that He does not want to share that love with a hunk of rock or piece of wood that He has also created.

 

Does God have all your heart today?

 

 

 March 20, 2023
 Daily Reading – Deuteronomy 2-3 / Mark 15:24-47

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 3:21-22 And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you. .

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    People go to great lengths to try and know the future. If any pastor wants to have a full house at the church, just preach on the book of the Revelation of John. People are fascinated with the future. Some will even go to sinful Psychics or read that hocus-pocus nonsense they call a horoscope to gain some idea of what is ahead. I have a much better way of predicting the future.

 

    For the first three chapters of Deuteronomy God used Moses to retell the story of the journey the Children of Israel made over the last forty years. Most of the people Moses was talking to did not remember all of the journey. Only Caleb, Joshua, and Moses had been around for the entire time, and God has told Moses he is about to die. Why would God have Moses take so much time to recall all that had happened during this Journey? Simple, if you see what God has done in the past, you will know how God will react in the future. In Malachi 3:6 it says; “For I am the LORD, I change not;…” This is repeated again in the New Testament in Hebrews 13:8 when it says; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” In today’s verses God told Moses to tell Joshua to remember the journey they had come through. He told him to remember that he had seen what God had done in fighting for them in the past. Know that this same God will take care of their future. If we are to know our future, we must simply remember our journey with God. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Instead of trying to foretell the future, why not just let God, who controls the future, have full control of our lives. Proverbs 29:25 says; “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.“

 

Doesn’t that sound a lot more secure?

 

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 1:39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    One of the hardest things I have been called upon to do as a Pastor is to stand beside grieving parents after the passing of a newborn child. I was called to the hospital one morning, and as I walked down onto the maternity floor, I could hear the sobs of a heartbroken mother. Her baby of only a few days, stopped breathing during the night. The doctors had done all they could, the faces of the nursing staff depicted their remorse. As I stepped into the room, the father broke down in tears, he grabbed me and looked at me and said, “WHY Preacher? Why did God take my baby?” There is never an answer to that question. After a while of weeping together, things started to calm a bit and the mom said, “Pastor, My baby is in heaven, right?” My answer was then and still is today, “Yes, I believe God keeps children safe until they are old enough to know good from evil, right from wrong.” 

 

     Most Pastors you talk to believe this. 2 Samuel 12:23 is where we often turn when David says after the death of his child “… I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” Meaning the child was in heaven and someday they would be re-united. However, in Deuteronomy 1:39 I believe we can hear the heart of God toward infant children as it says; “…and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.”    

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    I like what Jesus said in Luke 18:19 “…Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.” I am in no way trying to re-write scripture, but I think it would be accurate to say, that before there is good, there was God.
 

Don’t you just love how God loves children?

 

 THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

    No matter what the situation believers may find themselves in, you will always find, God Is There. We saw that in:

 

  ● Blessed Gathering
  ● Before I Go…
  ● Battle For Good
  ● Bargaining For Gilead
  ● Boundaries Are Given
  ● Before There Was Good

    God is always there. That does not mean we will never face any trials. It simply means we never face one alone.

 

     Enjoy today with your church and hear what God has prepared in the heart of His man for you this week.

   See you tomorrow.  

 

 SUNDAYS:

    Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastors heart. Whatever scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

 

March 20, 2023	Deuteronomy 2-3	Mark 15:24-47
March 21, 2023	Deuteronomy 4-5	Mark 16
March 22, 2023	Deuteronomy 6-8	Luke 1:1-38
March 23, 2023	Deuteronomy 9-11	Luke 1:39-56
March 24, 2023	Deuteronomy 12-14	Luke 1:57-80
March 25, 2023	Deuteronomy 15-17	Luke 2:1-24
March 26, 2023	No Passages Assigned

God Is There