DEVOTIONS

 March 24, 2023
 Daily Reading – Deuteronomy 12-14 / Luke 1:57-80

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

     Little children have forever been told not to follow after strangers. Do not get in the car with someone you do not know. Even if that person might tell you a very sad story, do not follow them. With social media today it is even harder to patrol who is trying to lure children into life threatening situations. False identities, fake pictures, and tempting situations easily attract an unsuspecting innocent mind away from safety. Today’s market is full of companies, all claiming to have the best way to protect them. The best deference has always been to know for sure what is right, know where you are safe, and then do not stray from what you know. Oh yes, and never wander off alone. Always stay with someone you know and trust.

 

     God’s warning through Moses to Israel was, do not follow someone who says they have a new god, a new way, a new truth. Justify everything you are told, with what God has said and done. This is still great advise today. In fact, Jesus gave the exact same advise in Matt. 24:23-25 when He said, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before.” We can identify the false guy if we justify and verify with God’s Word.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

 

       Oh, one more thing. When we become a child of God, we never walk alone again. God said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He is someone you know, and defiantly someone you can trust. 

With so much information out there today, how do you sort out what is true?

 

 

 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?