DEUTERONOMY 21:1-22:30
Chapters 18-26 review God's Laws for the Land to this new generation. Remember, this is all symbolizing spiritual realms. So, purging the Land of foreign tribes is the same as purging ourselves of the flesh, or self-life and self-hyphenated sin. None of this is negotiable, it is a fact of our Covenant. WE ARE OUR BROTHERS' KEEPER.
21:1-9: Life is so sacred that, even if you are innocent of the shedding of innocent blood, the closest town needs to avenge the death by slaying a cow vicariously.21:10-14 (Obviously this refers to wars fought after the settling of the Land, because those women were to be "cut off" during the battle campaigns.) A war-bride (which each of us are) was not to be regarded as a slave, but as someone brought from captivity into covenant.
21:15-17 The rights of the firstborn. (We are "the Church of the firstborn", Heb 12:23.) Personal feelings have nothing to do with Divine principle. Whether your mother (your denomination that raised you), is the favored one of God or not, you are still God's firstborn.
21:18-21: What to do with stubborn and rebellious children: Stone them to death. MODERN TRANSLATION: Pelt them with the Word, teaching them the fear of the Lord, while you help them crucify the flesh.
21:22-23: Cursed is He that hanged on a tree. (Gal 3:13)
22:1-4: Love is an obligation to do what is best for your "neighbor".
22:5: Women shouldn't wear pants, and men shouldn't wear dresses. (just kidding) This is referring to "cross-dressing" because of gender confusion.
22:6- 7: Even animals have affection for their young and God also holds that sacred.
22:9-11 Love demands that we abstain from mixtures of things God wants kept separate.
22:12: Love for God demands that they sew tassels upon the hem of the upper garment, as a reminder of their calling to walk before the Lord in faithful fulfillment of the commandments of God.
RESPONSE: God is pretty particular how we treat each other. He goes into relationships in a lot of detail. And just to be sure that the new generation hears it correctly, He repeats Himself. Remember: Moses is giving this discourse to over 600,000 soldiers who are about to go to war! You would think he would take them to the shooting range! Instead, he instructs them how love behaves toward one another. The best defense you have against your enemies is INTEGRITY.
LUKE 9:51-10:12
When you enter a house/town: Never avenge yourself when you are rejected. When you follow Jesus, you don't always know where you'll end up. Excuses are a cover-up for disobedience and unbelief. A man who has been "broken" does not look back. When you are truly "received" by a house, leave a blessing. Eat whatever is set in front of you. Don't allow yourself to waste time, be distracted, or be hindered in the prompt and faithful discharge of your important mission of announcing the Kingdom's arrival. Notice He said, "Go ye" - NOT "send ye".
RESPONSE: Notice that it's not IF you go to preach, but WHEN you go. It is assumed that you will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom wherever you go. If it makes the homeowner mad, it's THEIR problem, not yours. You just "wipe the dust off" - which means in modern language, "Don't carry the effects of rejection with you when you leave."
PSALM 74:1-23
Why does God allow evil people to hurt His own people without lifting a hand to help us? Has God forsaken His people, or have we forsaken Him? Have you noticed that people associate the Church and Christian with God Himself. So any attack on us, is an attack on God's character, God's credibility and God's honor. V.13-17 say emphatically seven times, "It was YOU who made everything." So do something!
PROVERBS 12:11
Idleness (following vain pursuits) leads to being "void of bread", as well as being "void of understanding".
RESPONSE: I hope these Psalms of Asaph have some answers. Why does a worship-leader care about such heady questions anyway? It could be because 2 Chron 29:30 says that the worship-leaders were also prophets and as such had expectations of God. Worship-leaders genuinely love God and enjoy intimacy with Him, and because of that, don't always use objectivity in looking at God's eternal purpose and vision, in the joy of our "personal God". When we are unable to see any meaning in our suffering and God APPEARS to have forsaken us, it is time to "come up higher" - and get revelation of the God Who created the universe, not just our little corner. But do not despair - Psalm 76 is the answer to Psalm 75! At least we aren't the only ones asking those questions! 
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