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TheLastWordVideo: Hal Lindsey Report January 01-30-11
Hal Lindsey HD
Type: Prophecy News
January 01-30-11
http://www.hischannel.com/BackQ/75/75Gallery/.php
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DailyLight: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
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February 2
MORNING
Oh that thou wouldest keep me from evil.
Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. -- The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. -- I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible. -- He that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. -- The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations.
I CHR. 4:10. Luke 22:46. -Matt. 26:41. Prov. 30:7-9. Psa. 121:7. ‑Jer. 15:21. ‑I John 5:18. Rev. 3:10. -II Pet. 2:9.
EVENING One star differeth from another star in glory.
By the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all. -- Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.
They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righeousness as the stars for ever and ever.
I COR. 15:41. Mark 9:34,35. ‑I Pet. 5:5,6. Phi. 2:5-7,9,10. Dan. 12:3.
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LastCall Summary
It has been a rough week of computer work to combat a malware attack on my computer.
I "hope" that todays'"Last Call" shows progess is ongoing and getting better.
But for the time being We are sticking to a Mon- Fri Schedule.
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DailyLeadership: Do you speak the truth even when it is painful and unpleasent? (159-4)
Do you speak the truth even when it is painful and unpleasent? (159-4)
There are times when leaders need to speak the hard truth without compromise. Read Jeremiah 8:1-13.
In notes in The Maxwell Leadership Bible, John Maxwell looks at Jeremiah’s leadership assignment from God with understanding and empathy:
Jeremiah did not receive a pleasant message from God to deliver to his people. The Lord ordered him to declare judgment and destruction on Judah. God told the prophet that He was about to destroy a sinful generation, a group of stubborn men and women who had turned to idolatry.
The Lord had patiently borne with these people. For many years He had issued stern warnings about their sin – yet they refused to surrender to Him. They had grown so depraved and shameless that God told Jeremiah they could no longer even blush over their vile conduct (Jeremiah 8:12).
The truly godly leader takes no pleasure in announcing divine judgment. It is a grievous thing to have to announce that the time for retribution has come. God Himself grieves when His people’s sin sinks to the point of no return. On the other hand, a truly godly leader never shrinks from confronting sin or from declaring the message of God. Effective leaders faithfully confront sin and call the sinner to repentance.
It could not have been easy for Jeremiah to communicate God’s words of judgment. Neither is it easy to communicate today with people who need to be confronted over their sin. But leadership means speaking all the truth – sometimes unpleasant and painful truth – that God has entrusted to us.
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C.H. Spurgeon: This Morning's Meditation "Consider how much you owe to His forgiving grace"
Thursday, February 03, 2011
This Morning's Meditation
C. H. Spurgeon
"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors."—Romans 8:12.
Christ said, "It is finished!" and by that He meant, that whatever His people owed was wiped away for ever from the book of remembrance. Christ, to the uttermost, has satisfied divine justice; the account is settled; the handwriting is nailed to the cross; the receipt is given, and we are debtors to God's justice no longer. But then, because we are not debtors to our Lord in that sense, we become ten times more debtors to God than we should have been otherwise. Christian, pause and ponder for a moment. What a debtor thou art to divine sovereignty! How much thou owest to His disinterested love, for He gave His own Son that He might die for thee. Consider how much you owe to His forgiving grace, that after ten thousand affronts He loves you as infinitely as ever.
Consider what you owe to His power; how He has raised you from your death in sin; how He has preserved your spiritual life; how He has kept you from falling; and how, though a thousand enemies have beset your path, you have been able to hold on your way. Consider what you owe to His immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, He has not changed once. Thou art as deep in debt as thou canst be to every attribute of God. To God thou owest thyself, and all thou hast—yield thyself as a living sacrifice, it is but thy reasonable service.
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GodCalling: "If Man Oppose"
February 3 - If Man Oppose
Only believe. The walls of Jericho fell down. Was it axes or human implements that brought them down? Rather the Songs of Praise of the people and My Thought carried out in action.
All walls shall fall before you, too. There is no earth-power. It falls like a house of paper, at My miracle-working touch. Your faith and My power -- the only to essentials. Nothing else is needed.
So, if Man's petty opposition still holds good it is only because I choose to let it stand between you and what would be a mistake for you. If not -- a word -- a thought -- from Me, and it is gone. The hearts of Kings are in My rule and governance. All men can be moved at My wish.
Rest in this certainty. Rely on Me.
"Be not afraid, only believe." Mark 5:36
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StreamsInTheDesert: "What am I to do? I expect to pass through this world but once."
February 3
Do It Now!
"A cup of cold water only" (Matt. 10:42).
What am I to do? I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good work, therefore, any kindness, or any service I can render to any soul of man or animal let me do it now. Let me not neglect or defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.
--An Old Quaker Saying
***
It isn't the thing you do, dear,
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache
At the setting of the sun;
The tender word unspoken,
The letter you did not write,
The flower you might have sent, dear,
Are your haunting ghosts at night.
The stone you might have lifted
Out of your brother's way,
The bit of heartsome counsel
You were hurried too much to say;
The loving touch of the hand, dear,
The gentle and winsome tone,
That you had no time or thought for,
With troubles enough of your own.
These little acts of kindness,
So easily out of mind,
These chances to be angels,
Which even mortals find
They come in night and silence,
Each chill reproachful wraith,
When hope is faint and flagging,
And a blight has dropped on faith.
For life is all too short, dear.
And sorrow is all too great,
To suffer our slow compassion
That tarries until too late.
And it's not the thing you do, dear,
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache,
At the setting of the sun.
--Adelaide Proctor
***
Give what you have; to someone it may be better than you dare to think.
--Longfellow
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MikeMacIntosh: "Do you ever feel reluctant to do something you know God has told you to do?"
Today's Devotion
From Mike MacIntosh
Gideon said to Him, "O my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." And the Lord said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man."
Judges 6:13-16
Do you ever feel reluctant to do something you know God has told you to do? God promised to be with Gideon, but here we see that he's a little reluctant to do what God asked of him. Even though God gave Gideon a word of encouragement, he responds back with a word of sarcasm. In verse 13, we see that Gideon questions God; "If you're with us then why is all of this happening to us?" Then again, in verse 15 he says, "How can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest."There are a lot of sarcastic people in the world today when it comes to the things of God, and at times we, too, feel just like Gideon did here--we ask, "If God's with me, why am I going through this?" But the good thing we see here about Gideon is that he knew God's Word. Notice that after he questioned God, he actually knew the answer; Gideon recognized that it was God's miracles that delivered the Israelites out of bondage. And although he felt unsure and reluctant about God's plans for him, he knew God's word was true. You see, faith is believing in the unseen. Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of the things not seen.
If you have God in your life, no matter what comes your way, He's your shield; He's between you and this world. And no matter how mean, how ugly, how trying and testing this world is, rely on God's Word for strength when you feel reluctant. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us:
"No temptation [or testing] has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
God is speaking to you today--even right this minute--about the things in your life. Listen to Him. Don't get sarcastic with Him. Don't be reluctant or hesitant to do what He's asking of you. Live by faith and trust Him that He is doing the very best for you.
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MikeMacIntosh: "Do you ever feel reluctant to do something you know God has told you to do?"
Today's Devotion
From Mike MacIntosh
Gideon said to Him, "O my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." And the Lord said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man."
Judges 6:13-16
Do you ever feel reluctant to do something you know God has told you to do? God promised to be with Gideon, but here we see that he's a little reluctant to do what God asked of him. Even though God gave Gideon a word of encouragement, he responds back with a word of sarcasm. In verse 13, we see that Gideon questions God; "If you're with us then why is all of this happening to us?" Then again, in verse 15 he says, "How can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest."There are a lot of sarcastic people in the world today when it comes to the things of God, and at times we, too, feel just like Gideon did here--we ask, "If God's with me, why am I going through this?" But the good thing we see here about Gideon is that he knew God's Word. Notice that after he questioned God, he actually knew the answer; Gideon recognized that it was God's miracles that delivered the Israelites out of bondage. And although he felt unsure and reluctant about God's plans for him, he knew God's word was true. You see, faith is believing in the unseen. Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of the things not seen.
If you have God in your life, no matter what comes your way, He's your shield; He's between you and this world. And no matter how mean, how ugly, how trying and testing this world is, rely on God's Word for strength when you feel reluctant. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us:
"No temptation [or testing] has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
God is speaking to you today--even right this minute--about the things in your life. Listen to Him. Don't get sarcastic with Him. Don't be reluctant or hesitant to do what He's asking of you. Live by faith and trust Him that He is doing the very best for you.
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ExperiencingGod: Fear of people does not come from God
Power, Not Fear
Daily Devotional for Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
The only fear that God encourages in a Christian's life is the fear of God (2 Cor. 5:10?11;_Heb. 10:31). Fear of people does not come from God. The problem is that many Christians fear people more than they fear God. Their fear hinders them from pleasing God because they waste their efforts appeasing other people.Timothy was a young man, timid by nature, and_probably not strong physically (1 Tim. 5:23). He knew of Paul's frequent trials and persecutions. He knew that he, too, might suffer those same persecutions. Paul reminded his young colleague that fear of others does not come_from God.
Fear causes us to stop and question what God has clearly told us to do. Perhaps we were confident in our obedience until persecution came; now we doubt whether we heard God correctly. Most fear is fear of the unknown. We do not know what lies ahead of us, so we become apprehensive. Our imaginations can magnify problems until they seem insurmountable. We need a sound mind to see things in proper perspective. That is why God gave us His Holy Spirit, to enable us to see things as God sees them.
Fear is no excuse to disobey God. There is no reason to live in fear when you have the mighty presence of the Holy Spirit within you. Fear will enslave you, but Christ has come to set you free. Ask God to free you from any fear you are experiencing and to open your eyes. As He reveals the reality of your situation, He will enable you to continue in obedience.
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OurDailyBread: "Paul expressed his desire and prayer that their love “may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment”
Good Wishes
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February 3, 2011 — by C. P. Hia
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Philippians 1:9-18
This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment. —Philippians 1:9
In Singapore, the Chinese New Year season’s social and business dinners often begin with a dish consisting of salads, dressings, pickles, and raw fish. The name of the dish, Yu Sheng, is a pun that sounds like “year of prosperity.” It is traditional for those present to toss the salad together. As they do, certain phrases are repeated to bring about good fortune.
Our words may express our hopes for others for the year ahead, but they can’t bring about good fortune. The important issue is—what does God want to see in us in the coming year?
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul expressed his desire and prayer that their love “may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment” (1:9). The church had been a great tower of support for him (v.7), yet he urged them to continue to grow to love others. Paul wasn’t talking about intellectual knowledge but knowledge of God. Love for others starts with a closer relationship with Him. With a fuller knowledge of God, we can then discern between right and wrong.
Giving our best wishes to others for the coming year is fine. But our heartfelt prayer should be that we abound in love, so that we may be “filled with the fruits of righteousness . . . , to the glory and praise of God” (v.11).
Teach me Thy patience! still with Thee
In closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong. —Gladden
People with a heart for God have a heart for people.
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RayStedman: "The Restless Life"
The Restless Life
A devotion for February 3rd
Read the Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:8-18
Ecclesiastes 1:8-18
8 All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
"Look! This is something new"?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
11 There is no remembrance of men of old,
and even those who are yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow.
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15 What is twisted cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I thought to myself, "Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge." 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
New International Version
All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing (Ecclesiastes 1:8).
Solomon's thesis here is, All things are restless. He has observed that there is an inherent restlessness in everything. In fact, it is so widespread that no one can possibly describe all the restlessness of life.
He has two proofs for this. First, human desire is never satisfied: The eye never has enough of seeing. When my wife's mother was ninety-five years old, she was just a shell of a person, but her mind was still sharp and clear. One day she was in our home, and somebody mentioned a far-off place. Immediately she said, Oh, I wish I could see that. Despite her years, the eye was not tired of seeing; it longed yet to see other places, other realms, and other customs. The eye is never satisfied.
Nor is the ear ever satisfied with hearing. We are always alert to some new idea or something new that has happened. That is why news programs are always popular. Television, radio, and newspapers all cater to the ear's hunger to hear something. Some juicy gossip about a Hollywood star will sell thousands of magazines and newspapers. Some new way of making a profit always makes its appeal. The Searcher's argument is that the ear never tires because human desire is never satisfied; it is a consequence of the restlessness that is built into life.
But, second, he says, even though we long to see or hear something new, nothing new ever really shows up. Life is a rehash of what has happened before; it is the old played over and over again. This too is a result of the restlessness that is built into life. Although something looks new to us, actually, There is nothing new under the sun.
So the question is raised, Is this all life is about? Is it merely an empty pursuit of that which never satisfies? Can no breakthrough be made whereby something can be found that will continually meet the hunger of the human heart, to give an unending sense of delight, satisfaction, and joy? That is the search.
Lord, my heart is restless until it finds its rest in You. Thank You that in You all things are made new!
Life Application: Do we shop until we drop, always hoping to buy into the ultimate satisfaction? Is life simply an empty pursuit after things that never fully satisfy our deepest desires?
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RaulRies: God also knew Joshua’s heart
God’s Order
The LORD your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the LORD has said.
Deuteronomy 31:3
When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, there were three key people. There was Moses, Aaron his brother and then Joshua. We do not hear much about Joshua when they first depart from Egypt, but God planted him there because He knew Aaron’s heart.
God also knew Joshua’s heart, and He knew when Moses was gone who would best lead His people. God knew Joshua would lead the people and follow in the footsteps of Moses.
Joshua had the same vision and passion as Moses, but in a new way. Joshua was called to go out to battle, to remove the leaven, sin, from the land.
Moses had already written Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Now, in Deuteronomy, he had 32 chapters, but right before he concluded the book, God took Moses and allowed Joshua to finish the book.
This was a sign that He was passing things on to the next generation. It is always God’s plan to pass godly leadership on from generation to generation.
As parents, are you training your children up to be godly leaders in your family? In your work place, are you training up your Joshua to take your place when the Lord moves you on? That is the order of all things. That is God’s plan.
Order is Heaven’s first law.
-Alexander Pope-
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MyUtmostForHisHighest: You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel . . . .” Or you can say
Becoming the "Filth of the World"
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These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or “filth of the world.” “Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration-being “separated to the gospel of God . . .” (Romans 1:1).
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you . . .” (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, “I won’t submit; I won’t bow or bend.” And you don’t have to— you can be saved by the “skin of your teeth” if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel . . . .” Or you can say, “I don’t care if I am treated like ’the filth of the world’ as long as the gospel is proclaimed.” A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me. . .” (Galatians 1:16).
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BobCaldwell: "A Way Back to God"
Thursday, February 3, 2011 (top)
A Way Back to God
(Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20)
"And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." -Deuteronomy 30:6The covenant agreement that God offered Israel provides an amazing portrayal of the full extent of sin's impact on the human race. Sin, in its manifested expressions, had to be addressed. This covenant also portrays the amazing grace of God. God, as a gracious response to His people, promises every imaginable blessing as they lived faithful to God's commandments given within His covenant. However, the fact is, God is under no obligation to give us anything simply because we do the right thing any more than a policeman is under obligation to pay money to drivers who obey traffic laws. But in grace, God promises to prosper all that we do as His people if we seek to keep the wisdom of His Word (29:9). Added to this, God's grace is promised for all who turn their backs to God. If they repent, God will not only forgive but also restore the blessings that were lost because of sin and rebellion against Him. And, He promises not only to restore restoration also to provide divine help to turn our rebellious hearts toward Him to help us love Him. He will "circumcise" our hearts to love Him (30:6). Added to this, He also promises to write His Word upon our hearts.
It is this amazing backdrop of God's gracious love that draws our sinful hearts back to Him, making His love so real. Today make it your aim to honestly face yourself in His light. Confess sin and repent of it that God would "circumcise your hearts, set your hearts aside to love God with all that you are. For those who do, abundant blessings will burst forth. His grace promises it (30:9).
NKJV Bible Text
Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20
The Covenant Renewed in Moab1 These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb.
2 Now Moses called all Israel and said to them: "You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land— 3 the great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great wonders. 4 Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day. 5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. 6 You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or similar drink, that you may know that I am the LORD your God. 7 And when you came to this place, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out against us to battle, and we conquered them. 8 We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh. 9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
The Covenant Renewed in Moab v. 1 In The Land Of Moab – The first part of this chapter contains a summary of the events which led to God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt, followed by the events which led up to the children of Israel finding themselves at Moab ready to enter the Promised Land. v. 4 The Lord Has Not Given You – The children of Israel had seen all of the miracles which God had performed to deliver them from Egypt and to supply them with water from a rock and manna from the sky. Yet, they had not discerned with their hearts the power, faithfulness, and goodness of God. They refused to believe His promises and enter into the Promised Land. It is clear to us from the entirety of God's Word that He desires to give us spiritual eyes, ears, and hearts that can perceive His ways. But He is also bound by the condition and desires of our hearts. | v. 7 Sihon King Of Heshbon And Og King Of Bashan – Sihon means "fierce and tempestuous," and Og means "man of gigantic stature." These were representative of the ferocity of the opposition that Israel faced on their way to the Promised Land, and the faithfulness of God in delivering them and giving them the victory. v. 8 The Reubenites, Gadites, And Half The Tribe Of Manasseh – The lands of Jazer, Gilead, and Bashan were given to the two and a half tribes that chose to remain and settle on the far side of the Jordan rather than crossing over and dwelling in the Promised Land. (See Numbers 32 for their story.) |
10 "All of you stand today before the LORD your God: your leaders and your tribes and your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel, 11 your little ones and your wives—also the stranger who is in your camp, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water— 12 that you may enter into covenant with the LORD your God, and into His oath, which the LORD your God makes with you today, 13 that He may establish you today as a people for Himself, and that He may be God to you, just as He has spoken to you, and just as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
14 "I make this covenant and this oath, not with you alone, 15 but with him who stands here with us today before the LORD our God, as well as with him who is not here with us today 16 (for you know that we dwelt in the land of Egypt and that we came through the nations which you passed by, 17 and you saw their abominations and their idols which were among them—wood and stone and silver and gold); 18 so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 19 and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, 'I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart'—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.
v. 11 The One Who Cuts Your Wood To The One Who Draws Your Water – This is a reference to the foreigners who lived amongst the Israelites and to whom were assigned the menial tasks of servanthood. Joshua 9:21-27 tells the story of many of them. It is noteworthy here that God desired to make a personal covenant with them as much as with natural Israel, for He "desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). v. 17 Abominations – Meaning "filthy or detestable things," this word signifies the idols held in esteem by the pagans whom the Israelites traveled past on their way to the Promised Land. The word is also translated as "dung" in other places, and the false gods of idolaters were known as "dunghill gods" by the Israelites. This was not only because they represented false gods, but also because many of those idols represented detestable practices, such as human sacrifice that included the burning of live babies. | v. 18 Root Bearing Bitterness Or Wormwood – Both speak of bitterness, either in interpersonal relationships or in a condition of intense, continual regret over one's actions. It is also possible to become bitter against the Lord or His commands, as is implied here. The word "bitterness" is also translated "hemlock" in other places, which was a plant that bore an unusually tenacious root system. It was a continual source of trouble for Israel agriculturally. Hebrews 12:15 makes it clear that a root of bitterness should never be allowed to start growing in us without being confronted and removed. v. 19 That He Blesses Himself In His Heart – It is very dangerous to hear the Word of God and learn of the destruction that is caused by sin and rebellion, but then harden our hearts and think that we can still be blessed even if we knowingly disobey the Lord. |
20 "The LORD would not spare him; for then the anger of the LORD and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the LORD would blot out his name from under heaven. 21 And the LORD would separate him from all the tribes of Israel for adversity, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this Book of the Law, 22 so that the coming generation of your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, would say, when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses which the LORD has laid on it:
23 'The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and His wrath.' 24 All nations would say, 'Why has the LORD done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?' 25 Then people would say: 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; 26 for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. 27 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. 28 And the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.'
29 "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
v. 20 His Jealousy – The Lord is described in His Word as a "jealous God" (Ex. 20:5, 2 Cor. 11:2). The word "jealous" comes from the same root word as "zeal," meaning an intense desire for someone or something. God's jealousy is not to be confused with our sinful jealousy, as He is always focused on our good. His jealousy is only aroused because He desires to have us for Himself, rather than share our affections with those forces that seek to destroy us. The Lord Shall Blot Out His Name From Under Heaven – He will have no posterity, nor will he have a name in Heaven, or in Israel, or among any of the people of God. It will be as if he never existed. He will, in effect, be excommunicated from all of the remembrance of God's blessed people. | v. 22 So That – The purpose of God's intense acts of chastening described in this section was so that future generations would see and learn from the disasters brought upon previous generations because of their rebellion. The Lord is always interested in using us to teach future generations. And, if necessary, our calamity can at least be turned into a blessing for them if they look at us and see the destructive fruits of our backsliding. |
Deuteronomy 30
The Blessing of Returning to God
1 "Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you, 2 and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you. 4 If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5 Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 6 And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
7 "Also the LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 And you will again obey the voice of the LORD and do all His commandments which I command you today. 9 The LORD your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the LORD will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Chapter 30 The Blessing of Returning to God v. 1 It Shall Come to Pass – Everything that God had spoken to Israel through Moses was prophetic. God knew that they would follow Him for a short time and experience the blessings, which He had promised them in the past few chapters of Deuteronomy. But He also knew that they would disobey and break His commandments and experience the curses as well. You Call Them To Mind – Their first step in returning to the Lord as a nation took place when they began to remember that they were in captivity because of their backsliding and rebellion against God. v. 2 You Return – The second step in their restoration was when they repented of their disobedience and chose to walk in His precepts once again. This is the essence of repentance: to experience a change of heart about sin, and to actively turn from it and pursue the Lord by walking in the right direction (2 Cor. 7:9-11). v. 3 The Lord Will Bring You Back From Captivity – The Lord promised that when Israel repented, He would move into action on their behalf and take steps of restoration, just as they had taken steps to be restored unto Him. The first action He promised to take was to bring them out of captivity and back into the land He had given them. v. 4 To The Farthest Parts Under Heaven – During the various captivities and exiles of the Jews, many of them were driven to the farthest parts of the known world. v. 5 He Will Prosper You And Multiply You More Than Your Fathers – These prophecies and promises will ultimately be fulfilled at the Second Coming of Jesus, when He will gather all of Israel from every nation back into the Promised Land once again, and when He will rule and reign the earth from Jerusalem. The land of Israel and the Jews will then be the central focus for all the world's activities, mainly because Jesus the Messiah will be there on the throne during the Millennium. Hosea 1:10 also tells of how God will cause them to multiply as the sand of the sea, as is promised here. | v. 6 Circumcise Your Heart – Circumcision was always meant to be an outward picture of an inward reality. The cutting away of the flesh represented God dealing with our fallen natures "cutting away" and bringing us into a life in the Spirit. v. 7 The Lord Will Put All These Curses On Your Enemies – Descriptions of this event can be found in the passages that deal with the Millennium (the 1,000 year reign of Jesus on earth from Jerusalem), such as Zechariah 14:16-21 and Revelation 20:1-8. Also, this may be applied to the future time in which the wrath of God will be poured out on the earth, as well as at Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-21) and the final rebellion against Jesus after the Millennium (Rev. 20:9-10). When Israel receives Jesus at His Second Coming, those nations which still hate her and which will attempt to make war against her will be subject to the fury of God's vengeance. v. 9 Will Make You Abound – Descriptions of this time are again found in all of the Old Testament prophecies surrounding the 1,000 year rule of Jesus from Jerusalem. (See Zechariah 14:6-9; Ezekiel 47:1-9; Zechariah 8:3-12; Isaiah 11:6-10; Isaiah 65:19-23; and Micah 4:1-4, among others.) The Lord Will Again Rejoice Over You – The desire of the Lord is to take joy in His people. In fact, He rejoices over the same things that make us rejoice. All of the descriptions of the Millennium are a cause for hope and rejoicing because the earth will be returned to a perfect state, most likely resembling the conditions of the earth before the fall of man in Genesis 3. Here, God says that if those things cause us to rejoice, they cause Him to rejoice even more because He rejoices to bless humanity. Zephaniah 3:17 even says that God will rejoice with singing over His people on that day. |
The Choice of Life or Death
11 "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
15 "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."
v. 11 This Commandment Is Not Too Mysterious For You, Nor Is It Far Off – Here is another reminder that none of the commands of God in Deuteronomy are too difficult to understand or too hard for God's people to keep. First, John 5:3 tells us that the commands of the Lord should not be burdensome to us because we know that they are for our good. v. 12 It Is Not In Heaven – The words of this book were formed in Heaven and sent from Heaven. But they were delivered to His people on earth in a way that they could comprehend and follow if they chose. Moses again reminded the children of Israel that the commands of God have been spoken very clearly, easy to understand and obey. Paul quotes these verses in Romans 10:6-13 to demonstrate that the way of salvation is always through God's grace and by our faith. v. 15 I Have Set Before You Life And Good, And Death And Evil – Moses set before them the very real choice which they were being given: to either obey or disobey the commands of God. The prospect of our free choice is staggering, and yet it is presented to us as reality throughout the Bible. | v. 16 I Command You This Day To Love The Lord Your God – The next amazing revelation in this progression is that, in the midst of our free will, the highest option we can choose is to love the Lord our God. Moses did not attempt to force the people to love God as much as he revealed that if they desire to experience life and good over death and evil, the path that leads to that end is a love relationship with God. v. 19 I Call Heaven And Earth As Witness This Day Against You – Most likely, Moses was referring to the inhabitants of Heaven and earth who viewed this ceremony and the vow that Israel was taking to God. v. 20 Cleave Unto Him – The word "cleave" means to become one with, to adhere to. It is used in Genesis 2:24 to speak of a husband and wife becoming one in the sacrament of marriage, and also in Deuteronomy 28:21 to describe how a disease can become part of them. This is the level of relationship God desires with us as His people. He desires an intimacy with us so great that we become one with Him and He with us. In John 6:35-58, Jesus describes Himself as the Bread of Life and intimates that we must eat and drink of Him in order to have eternal life. This eating and drinking is a symbol of He Himself being invited to enter into us and become one with us on the deepest, most intimate level possible. (Also see John 17:21-23 to read more about Jesus' desires for us.) |
GregLaurie: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments"
Devotionals by A New Beginning
"My Burden Is Light"
Greg Laurie
Thursday, February 03, 2011
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. —1 John 5:3
All of the words of Scripture are inspired by God. They are inspired in Genesis and in Exodus, and throughout the Old Testament. They are inspired in the New Testament as well. And we learn about God from studying the Scriptures.
Jesus said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29). Then He added, "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (verse 30).
When I think of a yoke, I don't think of something light. But the word "light" also could be translated "well-fitting." A carpenter would custom-design a yoke for the animal that would be wearing it. So when we are committed to God and submitted to Him, the yoke He gives us is not heavy. In fact, 1 John 5:3 tells us, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
Some people think of the Christian life as a hindrance, as merely a bunch of rules and regulations. But I am wondering which of God's commandments they are struggling with. Does the fact that God forbids stealing, lying, and murdering people actually bother them?
Once I found a brightly colored little bird nestled in the grass of our backyard that looked like someone's pet. When my son borrowed a cage from a neighbor, the little bird hopped in, jumped on the perch, and started swinging away. He didn't see the bars of that cage as a prison that kept him in, but as walls of protection that kept predators out.
In the same way, we can either look at God's commandments as constraining, or we can see them for what they really are: a barrier of protection.
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AlistairBegg: "As God's creatures, we are all debtors to Him"
Devotionals by Truth For Life
In Debt to the Attributes of God
Alistair Begg
Thursday, February 03, 2011
As God's creatures, we are all debtors to Him: to obey Him with all our body and soul and strength. Having broken His commandments, as we all have, we are debtors to His justice, and we owe to Him a vast amount that we are not able to pay.
But of the Christian it can be said that he does not owe God's justice anything, for Christ has paid the debt His people owed; for this reason the believer is in debt to love. I am a debtor to God's grace and forgiving mercy; but I am no debtor to His justice, for He will never accuse me of a debt already paid. Christ said, "It is finished!" and by that He meant that whatever His people owed was wiped away forever from the book of remembrance. Christ has completely satisfied divine justice; the account is settled; the handwriting is nailed to the cross; the receipt is given, and we are no longer in debt to God's justice. But then it follows that since we are not debtors to our Lord in that sense, we become ten times more debtors to God than we should have been otherwise. Christian, pause and consider for a moment.
- What a debtor you are to divine sovereignty! How much you owe to His disinterested love, for He gave His own Son that He might die for you.
- Consider how much you owe to His forgiving grace, that even after ten thousand offenses He loves you as infinitely as ever.
- Consider what you owe to His power; how He has raised you from your death in sin; how He has preserved your spiritual life; how He has kept you from falling; and how, though a thousand enemies have surrounded your path, you have been able to hold on your way.
- Consider what you owe to His immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, He has not changed once.
You are as deep in debt as you can be to every attribute of God. To God you owe yourself and all you have: Offer yourself as a living sacrifice; it is but your reasonable service.
Family Bible reading plan
verse 1 Genesis 35, 36
verse 2 Mark 6
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JonCourson: "there are Christians who are just like them."
| February 3 | ||
| And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you? | ||
| Joshua 18:2-3 | ||
| It was evidently up to the leaders of the tribes to approach Joshua and say, “We’re here to receive our lot, our inheritance.” Yet at this point, seven of the twelve tribes had not yet done so. Why? I suggest it was that, without a specific region appropriated to them, they would have no battles to fight. They could be on the coast for a while and then go into the valley of Jezreel or on to Jerusalem. Whenever difficulties arose, they could simply pack up and move. And there are Christians who are just like them. There are people who have left the wilderness of carnality and who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They’ve entered the Promised Land of the Spirit-filled life, and are experiencing something of abundance - yet they don’t want to be locked in to a specific territory, a specific congregation. “I want to attend this meeting over here and that church over there,” they say - until the pastor makes them angry and they head in a different direction. “When the building project is complete, I’ll be back,” they say. Although people with this mindset might think they’re being led by the Spirit, in reality, they are simply neither accountable to, nor responsible for, anyone. They’re involved as long as it is comfortable for them, but if they’re asked to do something that stretches them, they’ll leave. The majority of the tribes failed to claim their inheritance. And, sadly, Joshua’s question still needs to be asked in our generation: “When are you going to quit floating around, sink some roots, put your hand to the plow, and claim territory for the Kingdom?” | ||
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JoyceMeyer: "Study God's Word; Hear God's Voice"
Study God's Word; Hear God's Voice
February 3
Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
— 2 Timothy 2:15
Anyone who wants to hear God’s voice must be a student of the Word. Of all the other ways God may choose to speak to us, He will never contradict the written Word, which was originally referred to by the Greek word logos. His spoken word in the Greek language is referred to as rhema. God specifically brings to our remembrance His logos for every situation. His rhema (spoken word to us) may not be found word for word on the pages of the Bible, but its principles will always be supported by the written Word. In this way, the Bible confirms whether or not what we are hearing is from God. For example, the logos, the written Word, doesn’t tell us when to buy a new car or what kind to buy. We need the rhema word for that. Even though the Word doesn’t give specific instructions on buying a car, it does say a lot about wisdom. If we think we have “heard” that we are supposed to buy a certain kind of car and then realize such a large purchase would put us into deep debt for several years, we can easily see that buying that car would not be wise and the voice we thought we heard was not God’s.
God’s word for you today: Logos + rhema = wisdom.
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CharlesStanley: "Hope is a healthy attitude."
Devotionals by In Touch
Hope: The Anchor of the Soul
Charles Stanley
Saturday, January 01, 2011
Hope is a healthy attitude. Anticipating good brings comfort to the mind and heart. In contrast, a state of hopelessness is a terrible condition in which to find oneself. It's overwhelming and depressing to think that what you're facing cannot be changed or resolved. For the person who has lost all hope, life looks like a long dark tunnel going nowhere.
Included in Proverbs is a verse that describes the result of this oppressive feeling: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Prov. 13:12). Emotional, physical, and even mental illness haunt a person who feels trapped in a bleak situation. But I want to tell you, my friend, that as long as there is a God, no situation is hopeless. In Him, we have the promise of the second half of that proverb: "Desire fulfilled is a tree of life."
Believers have a hope that anchors their souls. Our relationship with Jesus Christ brings us close to the throne of heaven, where we can cast all our burdens before an omnipotent God. Moreover, we can cling to Him through whatever trials are facing us. Because of the Lord's great love, He provides strength for weary bodies, peace for anxious minds, and comfort for grieving hearts. In short, He lights that darkened tunnel and tenderly guides us through trying situations.
An anchor was a popular image in the ancient Mediterranean world. In an economy that depended on shipping, the anchor symbolized safety and steadiness. The writer of Hebrews used the word to remind believers that God has given a hope that holds firm in any storm
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BobCoy: "God has given each of us a measure of faith."
Devotionals by Active Word
Faith's Fountain
Thursday, February 03, 2011
So far, we've seen what the definition of faith is: It's a belief that reaches beyond the things of this world. We've also seen that God has to be the object of our faith.
Most of us aren't too surprised or put off by that. But here's what may not be as well understood or accepted by us. Not only is God the object of our faith, but according to the authority of God's own Word, He's also the source!
Notice what the Word tells us above. We're told that God has given each of us a measure of faith. That's right. God actually fills us with the faith that we then place in Him as our object. "Are you sure that's true? Are you sure we're not spinning a single verse the wrong way?"
Absolutely not. The same principle shows up again and again throughout the New Testament. Just as God is said to be the object of our faith, He is also credited with being faith's source. And just so we don't miss it, the scriptures specifically attribute this to all three Persons of the Holy Trinity.
When Peter made his famous confession of faith that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus not only commends him but also states that it was His Father in Heaven who had revealed this to him (Matthew 16:16-17). In the Book of Hebrews, the anonymous author identifies Jesus as "the Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). And in Paul's letter to the Galatians, he identifies faith as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, KJV).
Clearly, faith isn't something we're expected to muster-up or produce on our own. It's something that we're given and granted by God, something which is a real game changer. Our faith isn't limited by our own shallowness but something that freely flows to us from God's fountain of limitless resources.
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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