One Year Bible, March 30

DEUTERONOMY 13:1-15:23                                                                          
REMEMBRANCE #7 (Deut 15:15): You were a slave to sin and Jesus redeemed you. Now you belong to Him.

CONDITION OF THE BLESSING: What is it that we have to obey in order to be blessed and not cursed? That's what Deut 12-28 is about.

(1) Utterly destroy the place of pagan worship (that is, the flesh) and it's "lusts and affections".

(2) You may not adjust your worship style to please people. Don't be snared by your enemies out of a desire to "fit in".

(3) False prophets, false relatives, false cities: Since the Bible says to "kill them all", it can't be talking about people for US to qualify.   Here we are talking about the INFLUENCE of evil.   The Bible says these things are anti-Christian, or anti-Christ - they lead you away from God.   Matt 10:34-37 tells us to crucify our natural affections (false relatives). Mark 8:34-35 tells us to crucify all self-preservation (false prophets) because they will cause you to put outward, eternal, temporary things above what is eternal. Luke 17:31-33 tells us to crucify the affection for any "treasure" but Jesus. Don't become more attached to the "gifts" than the Giver (false cities).   And while we are at it: John 12:24-25 says that YOU will have to die also. "Go into the ground and die" so that you will bear fruit for the Kingdom/Land. (death to SELF or flesh).

(4) Be Separate. This is talking about being DISTINCTIVE, not isolated. God has "chosen" us to be "a peculiar people". (which means "treasure". Oh yeah! We are His treasure!)  And so, we have holy bodies (don't become a "cutter"), holy food, holy motivations, holy money. God's chosen people pay TITHE.  If you don't want to bring a calf or a chicken to church, you may "turn it into money" and bring that. Tithing is evidence of gratitude at being a chosen and separated-out one! NOT tithing documents your ingratitude.

(5) Sabbaticals:   Our treatment of the disenfranchised must be holy. Sabbath means Rest and it typifies the Land (Kingdom of God, Life, etc)   What it meant was that every 7th year, everything was released: loans, indentured servants, land.  One exception: a "bondservant". This is a servant who wants to serve out of LOVE.  His ear was nailed to the door to pierce it for an earring. It signified he would ”hear and obey" for life.

RESPONSE:   Now you know the significance of the Israelite's golden calf in the wilderness being made out of earrings. They were pledging their obedience to it!   Of course we will serve what we worship - whether it is a person, an activity, thoughts, or things. Our own flesh is a hard taskmaster. This is why it must be put to death.

LUKE 8:40-9:6                                                                                                   
Here's something interesting: Raising up a 12-year-old girl, healing a woman who was sick 12 years, sending out the 12 apostles, and later picking up 12 baskets of leftovers. I believe that the number 12 in the Bible is symbolic of Kingdom rulership. If you think about it, there are a lot of 12's in our lives, beginning with 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. We know about the 12 apostles, 12 tribes, 12 gates of the city. Jesus is still talking about faith in Who He is, all authority. We believe the Truth, even if it means we have to change. We are not to be afraid when our world is turned around. He can heal, He can feed, He can provide. "Only fear not, believe only." Fear and faith are not compatible.

RESPONSE:   It looks as though the opposite of faith is not "unbelief", but "fear". Actually "fear" AND "unbelief" go together. They reside in the same heart together. They keep us from obeying God, and from inheriting His Kingdom rule. If I am afraid, I can't just believe - I have to take my heart captive and calm it's fears first. HOW? I talk to it, of course! "God, thank You for being faithful. God, You chose me and I am Yours. You are the Magnificent One. You are mighty and powerful. I am safe in Your arms. You will never leave me. You know all about me and my troubles. You are my Deliverer and Champion. Thank You for knowing all things and doing what is best for Your Plan. Nothing is too difficult for You."

PSALM 71:1-24                                                                                                 
Some Old Man wrote this Psalm.   Many in the Bible sinned in their old age and died "in sin": Eli (1 Sam 2); Judah (Gen 38); King Asa (2 Chron 16:12); Solomon (2 Ki 23:13). . I've been through some tough things in life, but through it all, God has been faithful. I don't want to be useless or cast off when I am old. "I will go in the strength of the Lord God." Before I die, I want to show the next generation what God is made of!

PROVERBS 12:5-7                                                                                         
NOTE:  The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, and judges them (Heb 4:12).  We are mistaken if we imagine that thoughts are secret.  No, God sees and knows.  A righteous person may think bad thoughts, but he does not indulge them. We have a rule at our house: "if it is mad, sad or bad you may not dwell on it. Thoughts can lead to words. A man can do a very good work with one right word spoken at the right time. Remember, the triumphing of the wicked is short.

RESPONSE:   The old generation of Israel sinned within eyesight of their inheritance. (Num 25:1)  They were almost there! They could see it from where they were camped.   What lessons they could have taught their children.  Instead, they became a warning of what NOT to do. "My tongue shall talk of Thy righteousness all the day long."