One Year Bible, April 7

DEUTERONOMY 31:1-32:27                                                                           
REMEMBRANCE #14: (Deut 32:7) God has always been faithful.

 

Moses' Final Words: Moses was 120 years old. He spoke of God's Presence, God's victory, and God's faithfulness. His last instructions to the Priests: TEACH THE WORD.

Two-fold witness against Israel - yes, this new generation would also go "whoring", they will "forsake God", and "break my covenant": The two-fold witness against Israel is the Song of Moses and the Law placed in the Ark.

Deut 32:1-43 The Song of Moses. This covers the entire history of Israel: past, present and future.  It contrasts the unchanging faithfulness of God and the anticipated unfaithfulness of His people.  We are God's inheritance. Our sins are the giants He defeated to have us. NOTE: V.17 that serving other "gods" is actually serving "devils".  Heb 10:31 says, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." And so Deut 32:39 God said, "I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal:"

RESPONSE:   Why are we so prone to wander?  I think one factor might be a lack of Truth. Truth not only "makes us free", but it also "keeps us free".  We have to keep the Word of God constantly in our thoughts, where we can see it, hear it, say it, read it. Otherwise, our flesh will do a number on us, and we will be deceived - and wander off. Our human nature is so arrogant, so selfish, so rude, so rebellious - that it can't be trusted even a minute. Rom 8:7 says it can't obey God and doesn't even want to. Fill our minds with Truth - over and over and over again. Meditate - out loud - on the goodness and greatness of God. I have to, or I would get swept under.

LUKE 12:8-34                                                                                                       
"to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit" - is to insult Him. To deny or reject the witness of the Holy Spirit to your heart - disabling your salvation.

"Treasure" -That which motivates you to action. The "rich fool's" treasure was temporal financial security.  It was all in this world. Our treasure is the Kingdom of God and the King Himself.

RESPONSE:   "neither be of doubtful mind" - means not to be in a state of anxious suspense about the future, or about our physical needs, always in perpetual uncertainty, unsettled.  Then we are no different than anyone else!  It causes us to become disoriented to spiritual things.  We like to disguise our problem by calling it "concern", but really, can agitating about it help anything? I am not saying to live in denial.  But if you can't make yourself taller (thinner, younger) by thinking on it real hard, what makes you think you can think you way richer or more carefree?  Having said that, this DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULDN'T WORK.  It just means we shouldn't fret about the necessities of life.  Instead, orient yourself to our life with God. Talk to yourself about the goodness and the greatness of God.

PSALM 78:32-55                                                                                               
Verses 40-53 document Israel's ingratitude for the miracles of the Exodus. Verses 54-64 document Israel's ingratitude for the miraculous gift of the Promised Land. They "provoked" (Heb: marah- make bitter, be disobedient, disobey, grievously rebel against) and "grieved" (displease, grieve, hurt, make, be sorry, vex, anger) and "limited" (scraped to pieces, vexed, rubbed raw, exasperated). In the Land, they "tempted" and "provoked", "disobeyed", "turned back", "dealt unfaithfully" (treacherously), "provoked Him to anger", "moved Him to jealousy".

PROVERBS 12:21-23                                                                                     
God causes "all things to work together for good to them that love God," - that is, in accordance with God's purpose, and the NIV says here, "the wicked have their fill of trouble." "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord." Lies are destructive to relationships and to any of our business.

A fool can't seem to stop himself from showing the condition of his heart by the stupid stuff he says. In trying to show off his knowledge, he just looks more foolish. This is because he is disconnected from ultimate Reality.

RESPONSE:  I thought I was a hopeless case. The one thing that provokes God and displeases Him the most - that really, really vexes Him - is complaining and whining. Even when they disobeyed and were unfaithful, it was preceded by whining. Whining documents ingratitude. Ingratitude is the beginning of the slide downward. Rebellion always starts with ingratitude. Ingratitude is selfish, arrogant and self-seeking. Being ungrateful sets us against the Holy Spirit, walking counter to Him, and now He has to fight us. Let's face it. "Venting" our ingratitude only makes us more miserable, and now we become "experts" at being ungrateful! But how do we stop? Form a NEW habit. By regularly expressing gratitude and appreciation.