The Lord is my Rock

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy32:1 - 32:52

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Deuteronomy 32:1 - 32:52
Today's reading consists of the song that Moses taught the Israelite people.  This song is to remind them that the Lord is their God, and when the time comes that they are abandoned by the Lord, they will know why it happened.

The people would be abandoned because they would fail to obey the Lord as they should.  They will begin to worship foreign gods and forget the true Lord who was their "Rock".  There are many places in this song that the Lord refers to himself as the Rock.  The enemies had their "rocks", but those rocks were not as strong as the Rock. 

The capitalization is important here, I believe -- The capitalization of the word "Rock" when referring to the Lord implies it is a name, and one that belongs only to the Lord.  All the other "rocks" are just insignificant, common objects.  They might call themselves rocks, the people might think of them as rocks, but they are not THE Rock.  They are not the mighty Rock.  They are insignificant when compared to the Rock. 

I thought all of this was so interesting because I don't recall any previous reading where the Lord was referred to as the Rock.  I've only read 1/4th of the bible, so I'm hardly an authority here -- I just think this might be the first mention I've seen of it (or that I've noticed of it).  Of course I've heard songs and people say the Lord is my Rock, but like many other things, I was unsure of how it tied back to the bible.  I didn't know if was just something people said, or if it was written in the bible.  I hadn't given it any thought, really.  So the whole thing is just very interesting. 

Eternal Punishment and the Choice of Life

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 31:1 - 32:1

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Deuteronomy 31:1 - 32:1
The Lord told Moses that he was soon to die.  Moses was 120 years old when he addressed the people and told him that it was soon his time to go.  It pains me that Moses did not get to go to the promised land himself because one of his previous actions greatly angered the Lord.  But the Lord told Moses that his time was near, and Moses was to prepare for it.

The Lord also told Moses that the people will break His covenant when they enter the new land.  They were continually breaking His laws when Moses was there; once he was gone it was going to get much worse, until the point comes where the Lord has to pour down the curses he warned them of.  The reading ends with the Lord giving Moses a song to teach the people, so that when all that has been promised comes to pass, that they know why it has happened and so they know that the Lord has turned away from them. 

That's such a scary thought -- being told by the Lord that these horrible things will come to pass because of how you acted.  If the Lord told YOU of the things that would come to pass if you turned away from Him, would you listen before it becomes too late? 

My last reading in Deuteronomy was about the choice between life and death.  In that passage Moses warns the people to fear the Lord -- suffering on earth is only temporary; but the Lord deals out in eternal punishment. 

Eternal punishment -- that is not a topic I focus on much at all.  I believe whole-hardheartedly in Jesus Christ, and I tend to focus on the great things the Lord provides to me and my family.  He blesses us, He provisions for us, and He protects us.  That being said, I would greatly fear the wrath of the Lord if I wasn't on His side. 

The Lord does warn us about what will happen if we don't follow Him.  It's called Hell - and it is an eternal punishment greater than any curse that we might deal with on the earth.  We are warned, and we need to take heed of that warning.  Do we take the blessings of the Lord?  Do we stand at His side, allow Him to provide for us, and live for eternity in a world with no suffering?  Or do we choose eternal punishment?  The choice for me is clear -- it is a choice of life. 

The Choice Between Life and Death

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 29:1 - 30:20

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Deuteronomy 29:1 - 30:20
Moses continued to prepare the Israelites for their journey to the promised land.  Moses told then that if they obeyed the covenant then they will prosper; disobey it and they will loose everything. 

Starting at verse 30:15 and continuing out the rest of chapter 30, Moses explains to the people that they need to make a choice of life and death.  Moses basically tells the people that they choose life by loving the Lord and obeying him.  The entire passage should be read, I'd like to quote it all here but it's too long.  Instead I am just going to quote the last verse (verse 20):

"You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him.  This is the key to your life.  And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Love the Lord with all your heart and all your soul, and obey him.  These things bring us life, blessings and provision.  To me, the choice is easy -- I choose life!

Obeying the Lord

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 26:1 - 27:26

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Deuteronomy 26:1 - 27:26
The people are preparing to go into the land that Lord has promised them.  They are being given instructions, and if these instructions are followed the Lord will bless the nation.  This passage from chapter 26 caught my attention:

18  The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.

19  And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made.  Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown.   You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD you God, just as he promised.

 I think it's important to remember that God expects a commitment out of us when we declare ourselves to be a Christian.  We often focus on the fact that Christ died for us and that we are forgiven of our sins, but the Lord does expect that we obey Him after we accept Christ into our hearts. 

So this is what I'm keeping in mind as I start off the year 2013.  I need to be mindful that I am always obeying the Lord in all I do and say.  This is how I will show the Lord that I love Him.

Should a Person Make Vows to the Lord?

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 23:1 - 25:19
• Proverbs 12:12 - 14

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Deuteronomy 23:1 - 25:19
Chapters 23 - 25 of Deuteronomy outlined various miscellaneous laws for the people of Israel.  The laws covered the treatment of slaves, foreigners, widows and orphans.  There were many verses that commanded the people not to harvest every last morsel out of their fields.  Instead, they were to leave small amounts for others to find. Whereas society might ridicule the poor, the Lord looks after those less fortunate.

We saw more laws outlining what happens when a widow dies without an heir.  In that case the brother of the man who died is supposed to step in, marry her, and give her an heir.  I've read that many times over, but there was a part of it I hadn't read before.  Mainly it just struck me as funny, because in the US today this wouldn't be considered much of an insult, but I suppose it was serious at the time.  If the brother ultimately refuses to marry her, despite being talked to by the elders, this is what is to happen:

25:9  The widow must walk over to him in the presence of the elders, pull his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face.  Then she must declare, "This is what happens to a man who refuses to provide his brother with children."

25:10  Ever afterward in Israel his family will be referred to as 'the family of the man whose sandal was pulled off!'

 On a more serious note, the verses that spoke most strongly to me was 23:21 - 23.  In these verses the bible talks about making a vow to the Lord.  We are told that it is not a sin if we do not make a vow to the Lord.  However, if we make a vow to the Lord, we must be quick to fulfill that vow.  Any vow we make to the Lord is voluntary; He does not require us to make vows.  But should we make a voluntary vow, we shall be guilty of sin if we do not fulfill that vow. 

Have you ever made a vow to the Lord that you knew you might not keep?  Maybe it was in the form of, "I promise Lord that I will do better at this", "I promise Lord I won't do this again", "If you do this for me Lord, I promise that I will do this."  Be wary of making those promises.  Even if the thing you're promising is not to commit some sort of sin, should you fail you would then be committing more sins -- the sin of whatever it was you did, plus the sin of breaking a vow to the Lord.  That's food for thought, eh?


Proverbs 12:12 - 14

12  Thieves are jealous of each other's loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.

13  The wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble.

14 Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.

Verse 12 talks about thievery.  Godly people are not thieves -- no matter how one might try to justify thievery, even "Robin Hood" situations, the bible clearly lets us know that thievery is in no way godly.  

Verse 13 isn't telling us that the godly escape the trouble of using wicked words.  Instead it is understood (or at least, this is what I understand) that the godly don't get themselves in a position to be trapped in the first place.  With all the verses about our words betraying our hearts and wicked people saying wicked things, the godly as set aside because they do not do as the wicked do.

Verse 14 talks about wise words and hard work.  As a contrast to wicked words that trap people, wise words bring reward.  Wise words are godly.  Another thing that is godly is hard work.  No where in the bible that I have read so far does it say that God will just up and bless people without them putting work into it.  I call this the "lottery syndrome".  "Well, God will provide for me, God will bless me, so therefore I just know I'm going to win this lottery drawing on Saturday!"  Yes, the Lord will always provide you with provision, but that doesn't mean riches.  Yes, the Lord will bless those who are faithful, wise, honest and hardworking.  But that doesn't mean you're going to be filthy rich, and it doesn't mean that you're going to realize that blessing here on Earth.  I'm not saying you won't realize it on Earth, but the bible does state the blessings that await in eternity for those who are faithful to Him.  While I enjoy being comfortable on this Earth, if I have to choose between the two, I choose abundant blessings for all of eternity.  This life, after all, is just the blink of an eye.

Responsibility, Adultery, Rape and Liability in Deuteronomy

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 21:1 - 22:30
• Proverbs 12:11

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Deuteronomy 21:1 - 22:30
Today's reading was a list of rules and regulations.  Some of them I do not recall reading before, but that doesn't mean they weren't there, just that I don't remember.  The rules covered many things,and I found many of them interesting, so I'm going to just jot down a list.

The first thing that caught my eye was in verses 21:1 - 21:9. These are instructions on what to do if a person is murdered and you do not know who did it.  In these situations the elders and priests must perform a ritual to cleanse the community from the guilt of murder.

What strikes me about this is that murder is a community sin.  Murder isn't the only community sin, however -- many of these punishments are designed to purge the sin or evil from the community.  I see that, at least according to the Old Testament, that God deals with people at the community level.  I don't know if there is ever a shift where the Lord deals with mainly individuals (since I haven't read much of the New Testament) , but from what I'm reading so far, the community/nation/etc that you belong to matters and can be judged as a whole.  God knows our individual hearts and we will be saved at death as long as we are faithful believers in Christ.  Since a community is composed of individuals, I suppose it would make sense to say that the heart of the community will reflect the majority of people in it, and for that reason the Lord can (and has) purged many entire communities from the land. 

Moving on to verse 22:22:

"If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die.  In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil."

This verse tells me that there isn't a  so-called "double standard"for adultery, in that women are unfairly judged while the men go free.  There are other verses in this chapter that reiterates the point, where both men and women are charged equally.

Verses 22:-25 - 27 talk about rape.  If a woman is raped, she is "as innocent as a murder victim."  I don't have much to say about this, except that the Lord considers the rape victim to be innocent. I have never been raped, but I imagine that many women who have struggle with realizing that they are victims.  Just know that in the eyes of the Lord, you have nothing to be ashamed of.

Verse 22:1 - 4 talks about responsibility.  If you see your neighbor's lost property then you must retrieve it and keep it safe until it is returned.  If you see your neighbors animals running away, you must alert your neighbor.  If you see your neighbor's animal collapsed on the side of the road, you must help your neighbor to get it back on it's feet. We have a responsibility to others in trouble, we are told not to look the other way.

There are many interesting verses in these chapters, but the last I will focus on is 22:8:

When you build a new house, you must build a railing around the edge of its flat roof.  That way you will not be considered guilty of murder if someone falls from the roof.

Even today, when we own property, we can be considered liable if something causes harm to another person while they are on our property.  In some cases it wouldn't matter if the person was on our property illegally, we could still be held liable.  This verse makes me think of the dangers of pools.  Many people have small pools set up in their yards, and every year there are stories of drownings.  In the most heart-wrenching of cases, these were pools owned by neighbors instead of the person who has the young child.

I have a three year old, I have refused to even put our pool up for the past two years because of his ability to get into anything, no matter where it is or the obstacles you place in front of it.  It doesn't matter, he can get into anything.  When we did have a pool up, we'd always remove the ladder so that no one could easily climb in.  That wouldn't ultimately inhibit a determined child like mine from getting into the pool, but it might at least defer them for awhile.  So please, if you have a pool, take some measures to keep neighborhood children out of it.  The same goes for any glaring hazard on your property.  

Proverbs 12:11

A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.

This verse made me laugh out loud, I guess because I wasn't expecting it to conclude with "has no sense."  I expected it to say something like, "goes hungry" instead.  Either way it's the truth, if you're going hungry because you're chasing fantasies, then you don't have any sense.

I don't think this verse discourages against having dreams.  But if you're chasing the next big thing, or spending all your money plus more on this idea you're sure is going to make you rich, then take a clue here.  There are people who strike it rich accidentally,  but for the rest of us, we work hard.  Work hard first, chase those other things with more hard work.  The Lord expects us to work hard, it is mentioned over and over again.  If you want to achieve your dreams, then work for it.  Don't expect it to just fall from the sky and land in your lap.

Witchcraft is Forbidden in Deuteronomy

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 18:1 - 20:20
• Proverbs 12:10

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Deuteronomy 18:1 - 20:20
Moses instructs the people of Israel on a variety of topics today.  These topics range from the Levites, to cities of refuge, to judgement and punishment of people's crimes, to prophecy and witchcraft.  The part I want to focus on is in Chapter 18, verses 10 & 11:

Do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.

What I find most interesting about verses like these is the confirmation that things such as witchcraft, sorcery, and communicating with the dead certainly exist.  I recall how shocked I was, when reading the story of the Exodus from Egypt, of how the Pharaoh's sorcerers were able to perform many of the things Moses had done (though to a much lessor extent) using magic.

I am finding that being a Christian and truly studying the Word of God shows that there is more to the spiritual world than many people believe there is.  In the New Testament we are told of the casting out of demons and sickness.  In the Old Testament we are told of sorcery and of communication with the dead.  And that's just the parts of the bible that I've studied, which is only 1/4 of the bible.  I can't even imagine all that I will learn by the time I am done with this first thorough study of the bible.

Proverbs 12:10

The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.

This is a seemingly odd verse out, and at the moment I'm not sure how to interpret it right it this second.  As visions of puppies and kittens are dancing in my head, I have to first stop and realize that the bible is likely referring to livestock in this case -- aka, work animals -- not fuzzy little kittens.

This verse is also hard for me to interpret when I apply the definition of a "wicked" person as being a person without salvation.  But from my studies of the bible so far, I see being wicked as being more of a condition of the heart.  If your heart is wicked -- if you long to spite people, cause trouble, speak rudely to those around you, spread mischief and rumors, hurt others, etc -- then I can't imagine that you'd treat your work animals very well either. 

So when I take this verse under the conditions that (1) animals == work animals and (2) wicked == a condition of the heart; then the verse finally makes more sense to me.

Conclusion
I am 1/4 of the way through this bible study!  I have complete read: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Matthew, and Mark.  I am currently studying Deuteronomy, Luke, Psalms and Proverbs.  I have learned and questioned so mch around me.  I have opened up spiritually in ways I have not before.  In short, this experience is fulfilling.  It's enlightening.  It's outstanding.  It's life changing.

Laws of Festivals, Judges, Trials, and Appointed Kings in Deuteronomy

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 16:1 - 17:20
• Proverbs 12:8 - 9

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Deuteronomy 16:1 - 17:20
 Moses told the people which festivals they were to celebrate each year.  These festivals were to be celebrated at the single place God chose for his sanctuary -- the people would have to travel there.  These festivals were: Passover, Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters.

Moses also informed the people of God's instructions for dealing with idol worship, disagreements, lawsuits and more.  The people were to appoint local judges and officials to hear cases.  Should these people be unable to decide, the case was to be brought to the Levitical priests to decide.  Should a person be found guilty, their punishment must be carried out exactly as stated by the judge's sentence. 

People who worship idols or natural elements (sun, moon, etc) were to be put to death, but only if at least two witnesses saw them.  Those witnesses had to throw the first stones before the rest of the community could join in.

The people were also told requirements for a king, if they were to appoint one.  First of all, the people must make sure that the Lord has chosen the king.  The king must be an Israelite and must live humbly as a king.  He shouldn't build himself a fortune, and he should keep the instructions written on a scroll to read daily so that he would stay true and humble to both the citizens and to the Lord.

It's interesting to see the parallels between our democratic society today and the society the Israelites were to be a part of.  It's always reassuring that the Lord insists on fairness out of the leaders and the judges, and that there must be multiple witnesses if someone was going to be convicted of a crime with a death penalty.  No one said that the Lord our creator had to attempt to be fair to us.  Yes, I know life isn't fair -- but the Lord lays basic rules in attempt so that people be treated fairly.  The Lord created us all -- what if He wasn't concerned with our treatment, with how we treat others?  I am truly thankful that we have a Lord who is concerned with our fair treatment.

Proverbs 12:8 - 9

8  A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised.

9  Better to be an ordinary person with a servant than to be a self-important but have no food.

 It is better to be a sensible, ordinary person than a pompous, poor person with a warped mind!  Whenever you might think you're too ordinary, just remember the things that make you beautiful to God -- because those are the only things that truly matter.

Tithing, Debt Cancellation and Slavery in the Old Testament; Godly Advice is an Extension of Virtue

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 13:1 - 15:23
• Proverbs 12:5 - 7

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Deuteronomy 13:1 - 15:23
These three chapters in Deuteronomy had many interesting topics, including tithing, debt cancellation and the release of slaves.  Rather than write a long post on just one of these topics, I think I'd like to write a little bit about each one.
Tithing, Debt Cancellation and Slavery in the Old Testament
I am always interested to learn what the bible says about tithing.  I've seen little about it so far.  Chapter 14 says that the family must take their 1/10 tithe of their crops and eat it before the Lord.  If it's too far to journey with the crops, they should be sold and then the money should be used for a great feast and celebration before the Lord.  Every third year, the money or crops should be given to the Levitites, the widows, the foreigners and the orphans.

As I've mentioned before, my tithe is a combination of donations to my church and to various Christian charities that I believe in.  I don't know enough about tithing to know if that is acceptable -- should I be giving 10% to my church, and then contribute to charities in addition to that?  This passage at least gives me reassurance that tithing can be a combination of the two, and it seems like the formula is 67% to the church, 33% to charities.  I am certain I will learn tons more about tithing, but for now I at least have something to go on!  And without looking at my budget right now, I can say that's probably close to the ratio I have going on now.  

I thought the topic on debt cancellation was interesting.  Chapter 15 tells us that debts were to be cancelled every 7th year if they were not paid back.  I think that many types of debt in the US today also have statues of limitations -- the most common being 7 years.  There are debts that are not subject to those rules, but credit cards, utility bills, etc often have limits like that imposed.  I think it's interesting how I can read about debt cancellation in Moses's time and still see a correlation to today's time.

Chapter 15 also discussed slavery.  You were to release your slaves after a period of six years, and you were supposed to send them away with a generous gift.  I hear people often refuse to even consider Christianity because the bible talks of slaves.  But I have yet to see how slavery in the bible is the same as slavery as we seem to think about it -- with an entire single population being forced into lifelong slavery.  I certainly haven't read enough of the bible to take a stance, but I can say that the things I've read so far -- such as freeing your fellow slaves with generous gifts after a six year period -- seems to fall more along the lines of indentured servants than slavery.  But please remember -- this is my opinion as of this point in time.  I am almost 1/4 through the bible -- so I still have quite a bit to read that could change my mind!

Proverbs 12:5 - 7

5  The plans of the godly are just; the advice of the wicked is treacherous.

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

7  The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stands firm.

More words of wisdom to consider from Proverbs.  These words make a lot of sense -- the passages about the godly and their words and their advice makes me think of the virtue ethical theory.  In this theory (from what I remember in college), if a person was deemed to be virtuous, then by default any and all decisions that they made would automatically be considered virtuous and correct.

So I see these verses as an extension of the ethical theory of virtue -- if a person is godly, then the things they do, the plans they make, the advice they give -- is automatically just and right.  Now of course that theory has many flaws, I was just noting the similarity between these passages and that ethical theory.  It makes sense though -- if a person truly is godly, and their plans are godly, their lives are godly -- then the Lord has bestowed upon them favor, blessing and wisdom to pass along to others.  So where should you turn to when you are in need of advice or direction?  Turn to the godly person you trust! 

How to Show the Lord your God that you Love Him

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 11:1 - 12:32
• Proverbs 12:4

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Deuteronomy 11:1 - 12:32

11:22:  Be careful to obey all commands I am giving you.  Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.

 Moses continued to talk to the people of Israel about obeying the Lord in their new land.  He told them where to worship (in a centralized location), and how to worship (how the sacrifices should be carried out, what can and can't be eaten), what to do once they reach the land (tear down all sanctuaries to false gods) and what not to do (worship false idol).

Moses reminded the people that the children had not experienced the same things that they had.  They did not see the mighty hand of God as he delivered the people from Israel, nor did they see his wrath as he opened the ground to swallow Dathan and Abiram.  Moses tells them to teach the commandments to the children, ensure they know them -- to write the commandments on their doorposts, and tie them to their wrists and foreheads.

The verse that stuck out to me the most was verse 11:22, written above.  This verse tells us to show our love for the Lord by obeying him and by leading the life he'd have us to lead.  That's a profound statement.  How many of us (myself included) profess to love the Lord wholeheartedly, yet intentionally disobey his commands for us?

I don't think that we are unable to love the Lord if we don't obey his commands -- plenty of children love their parents, even though they don't always obey them.  But I do think that, if we truly love the Lord, we should think about our actions. 

Suppose you are married, and you know that your spouse despises something you frequently do.  Let's say this thing you do really hurts them, and you can tell you have caused them pain.  Out of love you might stop doing the thing that hurts them.  But if you don't stop doing this thing, it not only hurts your spouse, but it can tear your relationship apart -- to the point where it feels irreparable and ends in divorce.

Our relationship with the Lord can always be repaired, no matter how far we have strayed from Him.  But when we consider sinning against the Lord, perhaps we ought to step back and think about how this hurts the Lord -- who we to love above everything else.  And if we love the Lord above all else, why are we intentionally sinning against Him?

Proverbs 12:4

A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.

Wow, that's a powerful verse.  I haven't yet read anything about what makes a good wife.  I will have to pay attention for that topic as I come upon it in the future.

How Does One Fear the Lord?

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 9:1 - 10:22
• Proverbs 12:2 - 3

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Deuteronomy 9:1 - 10:22 
Moses continues his monologue to the people of Israel.  Now that I think about it, this monologue makes a lot of sense.  Moses is addressing the second generation of Israelites.  Because the time is near for the people to enter the promised land, that means that almost everyone from the rebellious first generation has already died. 

It must have been odd for this generation.  They grew up in the wilderness, being led (quite literally) on a journey by the Lord.  They might not have realized the severity and oppression of the situation they had left.  They also might not have realized how rebellious their parents had been throughout the entire journey. 

So Moses continued to tell them their history.  He told them of their many rebellions.  He told them how he interceded on their behalf when the Lord was so angry that he was going to destroy them all.  Moses told them that it wasn't because they were good that the Lord was giving them this land - instead it was because the people in the land were more wicked than they, and the Lord had promised plentiful land to their ancestors. 

Moses concludes by giving them guidelines to live by.  In verses 10:12 - 13, Moses outlines what God requires from his people.  These four things are:

1. Fear the Lord
2. Live in a way that pleases the Lord
3. Love and serve the Lord with all your heart and soul
4. Always obey the Lord's commands

Looking at those four things, there is one that leaves me with a bit of wonder.  What does it mean to fear the Lord?  Should I literally be afraid of Him?  I don't think that would be possible for me -- I love and trust the Lord too much to literally be afraid of Him.  It doesn't seem that the words trust and fear go together.  Fear and obey, maybe -- obeying out of fear.  But trust -- how can one trust someone they are afraid of?

My study bible notes that fearing the Lord meant that the Lord "wanted his people to recognize their finiteness and unworthiness in His divine presence".  That does make more sense to me.  The people who lived in the presence of the Lord remained fearful of entering His presence if they were not purified, for the holiness of the Lord would instantly kill them. 

Every single one of us is completely unworthy of the Lord's salvation for us.  We are unworthy of His forgiveness.  Yet the Lord still loves us, and the Lord still provides for us!  It's truly amazing.

So what does it mean to fear the Lord?  Honestly, I don't know yet.  I'll have to keep reading, and see what the Word of God says to me about this topic in the future.

Proverbs 12:2 - 3

2  The Lord approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness.

3  Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.

 So what's worse than doing something wicked?  Planning it!  Have you ever planned something -- an event, an outing, a night out -- where you knew that you were planning to be sinful that night?  How that must anger the Lord when we plan in advance to sin. 

I find the second verse interesting -- I would not have linked wickedness and instability together on my own.  But it makes sense.  I am to handle each and every thing thrown at me in life better because I have the Lord in my life.  I know that the Lord is always there for me, no matter how dire the situation, no matter what I am going through.  He is with me.  He is my stability.  My roots are planted in Him, and they can't be up-heaved.  The Lord and my salvation are my stability.  Thank you, Lord!

Remember Where your Blessings Come From

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 7:1 - 8:20
• Proverbs 12:1

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Deuteronomy 7:1 - 8:20
Chapters 7 and 8 of Deuteronomy convey a strong warning to the people of Israel.  In these chapters Moses summarizes the people's struggles with food and water on the journey to the promised land.  Moses reminds the people that the Lord provided them with manna and with water.  Their clothes did not wear out for the entire 40 years, and their feet never blistered or swelled in all of their travels.  The Lord provided for every single need of the Israelites for forty years.   

Moses tells the people what the land that will be theirs is going to be like.  It is going to be overflowing with food and water.  There will be wheat and barley, grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey.  They will lack for absolutely nothing.

Moses also tells the people what their lives will be like.  The people will lead blessed lives.  They will be fertile -- we are told that there will be no men or women who are childless (7:14).  They are told that the Lord will protect them from illness and from the diseases that they suffered in Egypt (as a side note, I wonder what those are?).

Moses does have some warnings for the people.  Most of it involves not being drawn up into worship of other gods.  Some of the ways this can happen is by marrying someone who worships for other gods.  For this reason, the people are order not to intermarry with the people of the lands.  They are also told to tear down all the alters, destroy the alters, and to not covet any of the gold coverings of these idols. 

One warning struck higher with me than any of the others, though.  Moses tells them to be careful, when they are happy and wealthy, have fine homes and are prosperous, to remember where these blessings came from. 

The following is a clip from 7:17 - 18

He did all this so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy'.  Remember the Lord your God.  He is the one who gives you power to be successful ...

This reminds me that, even though we might have worked with our own hands to obtain our comfort and happiness, none of it would have been possible without the Lord.  We wouldn't even have the power to be successful without the Lord.  Those of us who are highly driven -- and like to attribute our success to being driven, need to remember that it was the Lord who made us this way.  Without the Lord -- we could be driven and we could work hard, yet not gain comfort in our lives.  These chapters are a nice reminder that we need to remember the Lord, even when we are sitting comfortable in our fine houses with plenty to eat.

Proverbs 12:1

To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

This verse is a nice reminder to me that this entire bible study project is a lesson in discipline and correction.  After all, I want to study every single word of the bible so that I can learn -- learn how the Lord expects me to live for every minute of my life.  To learn how the Lord wants me to worship him.  To learn how the Lord wants me to treat others.  To learn how the Lord wants me to treat my children.  To learn the history of my religion.  To learn to future of my religion.  To L-E-A-R-N. 

But it's hard to have learning without correction.  While I'm learning all these things, I must apply them to my life and correct my ways.  I must love correction.  And my reward is the wisdom that I gain each and every day, and the ways I change my life to be more pleasing to the Lord.  Thank you, Lord, for giving us your Word.  Thank you for correcting us.

How Does One Become Righteous?

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 5:1 - 6:25
• Proverbs 11:29 - 31

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Deuteronomy 5:1 - 6:25
I loved these two chapters in Deuteronomy.  These chapters both sum up the commandments and tell us why we should obey them.  These chapters also sum up the events surrounding the issuance of the commandments.  I have a feeling I'm going to really like Deuteronomy for the way it summarizes Israel's journey in a more conversational tone.

There were two sets of verses that most caught my attention today.  The first is 6:5 - 7:

5  You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength

6  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

7  Repeat them again and again to your children.  Talk about them when you are home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.  

 I was thrilled when I read verse 6:5 -- to love the Lord God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength -- because it is such a famous verse, and one I love dearly.  And unlike some of my other favorite verses (like John 3:16), I didn't know where this verse was in the bible.  Such a lovely verse to live by!

Verses 6 and 7 struck me differently.  Here we are told to wholeheartedly give ourselves to the commands, as well as teach them to our children every chance we get.  When I read this it made me wonder how often do I wholeheartedly give in to the Lord's commands?  It seems that I give away to failure too easily.  And don't get me wrong, I'm not talking just about the Big Ten -- but I'm talking about all the ways that we are supposed to live according to Jesus Christ. 

The verse about teaching the children made me pause.  I take my children to church each Sunday and they enjoy going and learning.  I ask them about the things they learned, and I offer them children's bible study packages to complete for "bible bucks".  But what I don't do very often is discuss with them the way that the Lord wants us to live.  I realize now that I need to make an effort to teach this to my children so that they are equipped to handle all of life's situations with grace.

The second set of verses that caught my attention are verses 6:24 - 25:

24  And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day.

25  For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.

 We aren't being told that we need to obey arbitrary commands because the Lord wants us to lead lives that are less fun.  No, we're being told that these commands preserve our lives and that the Lord blesses those who follow his commands. 

I especially like verse 25, because I have seen many references to the righteous and the godly vs. the wicked and those who don't obey.  But this is the first place (that I recall) where we are told how to be righteous.  And it is summed up very nicely, isn't it?  To be righteous, to carry all the blessings and protection of the righteous, one must simply follow the Lord's commands.  That's it.

Proverbs 11:29 - 31

29  Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind.  The fool will be a servant to the wise.

30  The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.

31  If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?

I love how the word "righteous" is used in these verses, after I just wrote about the meaning of the word.  I suppose that if the righteous (those who follow the Lord's commands, as noted above) are rewarded on the earth, so must the wicked be punished on earth.  I know that is not always the case, or that might not seem to be the case from what we see, but I'm really not concerned about the punishment of the wicked.  It will come sooner or later.  But I love that the Lord protects and provides for us who trust in Him.

Seek the Lord with All Your Heart and you will Find Him

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 4:1 - 49
• Proverbs 11:28

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Deuteronomy 4:1 - 49
Moses continued give his monologue to he people of Israel.   In chapter four he stresses greatly on being faithful to the Lord.  He reminded them that there was a covenant, there were laws, and there were things that anger the Lord (such as idol worship).  But if the people were to only obey these things, if they would only stay faithful to the Lord, then they would be blessed with long lives in the land that the Lord had provided to them.

Moses also tells us that those who break this covenant will be scattered among the nations.  They will eventually start worshiping other gods and forget about the Lord. 

Even though we might be scattered, one glorious promise still remains: (4:29)

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.

We might be reading the Old Testament here, but that promise is still true to today.  The Lord is merciful and forgiving, and He is waiting for us who have scattered to turn back and seek Him.  And when we do, if we search with our hearts and souls, He will be there for us to find.  Isn't that wonderful?


Proverbs 11:28

Trust in your money and down you go!  But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

It is so hard to have money and not to trust in it, isn't it?  Even those of us who have been blessed financially by the Lord and who realize it can still fall into this trap.  The Lord loves the poor, for they rely upon Him for everything that comes their way.  They are eternally thankful for every day that they manage to make an end meet. 

No matter how little or how much money we have, we must still remember that we can't trust in it.  It can be gone tomorrow.  But the Lord is there for us always, so we should constantly be thankful that he meets (and often exceeds) our needs.  Thank you, Lord, for blessing me and my family. 

Don't Covet the Blessings of Others

Today's Reading:

• Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:29
• Proverbs 11:27

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Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:29
These first three chapters of Deuteronomy are a monologue by Moses that summarizes the forty-year journey of the Israelites.  I found the compact telling of the events to be quite interesting.  Sometimes I think the overall story can be hard to follow when it's dragged out over multiple books.  Not that I think the story "dragged" -- I have learned so much more than I ever thought possible.  I will say that the details of their journey -- where they traveled, how long they were at each place, etc -- were hard for me to follow.  So this concise summary is nice.

I noticed something in Chapter two about the lands the Israelites traveled through.  The Israelites traveled through many lands and conquered much land as they went.  But there were lands they were told specifically not to touch.  The Lord even told them He would not give them any of that land.

Why?  Because the Lord had already given it to someone else.  That land had been promised and provisioned for others, and it would be theirs.  Yet the people of Israel were not without land -- soon enough the Lord gave them their own lands to inhabit.

What I liked about these passages is how the Lord protects His people -- even from His own people.  The Lord had rewarded those people with land and it was solely theirs.  The Israelites were God's chosen people.  He led them out of Egypt and personally stayed within in their camp.  He led them for 40 years.  They committed offense after offense due to their continuous lack of faith, yet the Lord still resided with them. 

One might even be jealous of the blessings bestowed upon the Israelites.  Perhaps one might feel like the blessings would be better spent on them.  But the point of all I've read comes down to this -- The Lord has an infinite amount of blessings to bestow upon His people.  All those who are faithful to Him will receive their share.  And the Lord will honor the blessings He has given to you, as long as you honor the one who gave them to you. 

So next time you feel like God gives more favor to another person, keep this in mind.  The Lord has plenty to give to each of us.  The Lord loves us and he wants to bestow these things upon us.  And if you're looking towards the blessings someone else has, you're missing what is right in front of your face.  Don't be shortsighted. 

Thank you, Lord for the profound blessings you have bestowed upon me and family.  May your strength stay with me and might your Word remind me to always be aware and always to be thankful for the blessings you have given to me.  Amen.

Proverbs 11:27

If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!

That's a strong warning.  What do I want to find me, good or evil?  Of course I want to find favor, so I must remember to set my sights upon the Lord, for He will never lead me down a perpetually dark path.  When I follow Him I will find the light.  It is always there, beaming and beckoning to us from wherever we are.  We have but to seek it.