Deuteronomy 30:1-32:52

“He avenges the blood of His children” Deuteronomy 32:43

You know those encounters where you walk away and start thinking of a million different things that you should have said? I had one of those conversations yesterday and it has been haunting me since. I can’t stop thinking about the pain that it caused me. And the worst part is that the anger involved in the situation wasn’t even directed at me! Well, not directly anyway.

It was one of those situations where I was stuck in the middle between two people I greatly respect and admire. I walked away trying to pray about the situation but couldn’t come up with the words. So I just said, “Lord, please take care of this!” And He said, “I just did” meaning me and my conversation with the person. And yet I truly felt like I could have done a much better job of handling the situation if I had said… well… something more than what I said. And yet, now looking back 16 hours later, I don’t think He was talking about this one incidence, not completely anyway. I’m wondering if that conversation was to light a fire under me.

You see the problem was between two children of God. And as I stood there listening to the accusations, SERIOUS accusations being flung from one side to the other (who wasn’t present to defend himself) I stood there in the middle being wounded in order to shield my friend. And I’ve realized that this is precisely what Jesus is doing. He is standing in the middle of a circle of believers of different denominations slinging stones at one another for being who He created them to be only to hit Jesus instead.

My friends, WE ARE HIS BODY, when we cast stones at each other we’re casting them at HIM! And it HURTS HIM!

The other day my son noticed a man we know, who could best be described as a hippie. My son got into our car and announced rather loudly (the car windows were open) “Mommy, that guy is WEIRD!” After slunking down as far into my seat as I could, out of embarrassment, I said to him, “Gabe, don’t say that! He’s just different. And different is good. He is being the man God intended for him to be. He is CERTAINLY not like anyone else we know and that’s a great thing.” He certainly has brought a lot of laughter into our lives that’s for sure. 😉

My point is this, while is it devastatingly important for you to be the YOU God created you to be. It is just as important for the hippie guy to be the hippie guy, the wacky pyromaniac guy to be the wacky pyromaniac guy and the obsessively neat freak lady to be the obsessively neat freak lady. We CAN’T judge and condemn others for being who they are, just like they can’t judge and condemn us for being who we are. 1 Corinthians 12 says: 

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴ which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ²⁵ that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.”

We are the body, all different parts playing their respective roles. My ear can’t criticize my feet for not listening, just like my heart can’t judge my hands for their inability to pump blood throughout my body. My feet weren’t created to listen they were created to hold me up and take me places. And my hands weren’t created to pump blood they were created to hold my children and fix dinners. We were all created to perform a function specific to us. And NO ONE can criticize us for not performing THEIR specific function instead of our own.

Deuteronomy 28:1-29:29

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 28:1-2

I’m curious if you’re noticing a key phrase that seems to just keep popping up in Deuteronomy, “obey the voice of the LORD”. I just can’t help but going back to the Garden of Eden every single time I read it. I’ve written about it before, if I find it I’ll link to it at the end. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve had a choice before them, trust God’s word or Satan’s. One of them was lying and one of them was telling the truth, but which one. God told them that they could eat from ANY tree, including the Tree of Life. He only withheld this one single tree, that’s abundance is it not? And yet it is this very forbidden tree that they find themselves standing next to talking to Evil himself. And he leads them to believe that it’s God that is the liar and not himself.

Did you catch that? I would hate for a tremendous truth like that to pass you by without a second glance. Satan, the Father of Lies, leads us to believe that God, the Father of Truth, is the liar and not Satan. When God speaks Truth into our lives through His Word, the Bible, or through His Spirit, prophets, encouragers, teachers, pastors; Satan loves to come along and snatch that Truth from us by poking holes in it and filling us with doubt. He tries to convince us that the Truth is a Lie and that his Lies are the Truth. And if we’re not deeply rooted in God’s Word and Spirit (DAILY) then it will be so much more difficult for us to wave off the Lies and cling to the Truth.

As much as I want to write more, the Spirit is leading me in a different direction today. And I like it. He is leading me to link to some other things that He has had me write that do a much better job of driving His point home. So I HIGHLY suggest that you take the time to read these pieces. I guarantee that if you’re struggling with Satan right now over anything, by the time you’re done feasting your eyes on God’s marvelous light, Satan will be fleeing in seven different directions! Each of these were serious break through discoveries for me and I pray that they will be for you as well.

–Day 2: Shadows from True Intimacy

–Life Happens & Don’t Hold Back from Dandelion Season

–From Guilt to Grace & TODAY is the Day of Favor from You Have Been Redeemed

Deuteronomy 23:1-27:26

“You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house, two kinds of measures, a large and a small. A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. For all who do such things are an abomination to the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 25:13-16

Last Sunday morning I learned something about God I didn’t really know before. He hates an “I don’t deserve it” attitude.

I had just finished warming up with the praise band and we were taking our break before service when I felt the Holy Spirit calling me into a secluded little cubby at the front of the sanctuary. As I entered I simply fell to my knees I was so overwhelmed by His presence and love. While down on the floor He spoke to me of my position in this new church and in the world. And like every other time He has spoken to me of my calling I have answered with a “Me LORD? Really?” as in to say, “isn’t there someone else out there more qualified? Better suited? You know, someone who knows what in the world You’re talking about.” And when He answered me I could feel the heat of His anger burning against me in a way that made me giggle with glee. (Yeah, I know, weird right? But it’s true!) He said,

“I hate it when you use false humility to deny yourself My blessings made available through Christ. You are RIGHTEOUS. It’s a gift. Receive it! And everything that comes with it. I am so sick and tired of your false humility! Stop that! If I say that you are, then you are. You are made in My image. You’ve ALWAYS been made in My righteous image. You are My CHILD. ACT LIKE IT!”

Then I immediately thought of Romans 12:3 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

You see there’s this principle in life where if something is true, then the opposite is also true. So if we are not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, then the opposite is also true. We should not think of ourselves more lowly than we ought. But rather, to think of ourselves with “sober judgment” (or a sound mind) according to the measure of faith that God has given us.

In this verse God has given us a measuring stick with which to judge ourselves, our amount of faith. And where does it say that that faith comes from? “God has assigned” it. The scripture goes on to say,

“for as in one body we have many members and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:4-8)

You see, we’re all different. And we’re all different for a REASON; to perform different functions. Some people were just made to be hands; generous in everything they do, giving to a fault. While others were made to be mouths; they just can’t help talking about Jesus and what He’s done and who He is. Then there are others that were made to be feet; going where others wouldn’t dream, doing what others are too afraid to do, seeing what some just couldn’t face. We all have our parts to play in this dance we call life. And I can look at those hands and those feet and think to myself, “I should be more like them”, but I would be fooling myself. Can a foot talk? Can a mouth walk? The thought is preposterous, but it’s the truth. You’ve got to be who God made you to be, do what God made you to do, say what God made you to say.

One day, a lawyer asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40)

I ask you, how can you fully love your neighbor if you can’t even love yourself? And how can you love yourself if you don’t know who you really are, who were you created to be? And how can you know who you were created to be if you’re never talking to your creator and reading His Word?

And that, my friends, is precisely what we’re spending the rest of the year working on! We are spending time in God’s word, digging around for the Treasure of the Truth of who YOU really are. How? By finding out who HE is! Remember, we’re made in His image. But it will only be as effective as you allow it to be. If you’re not searching your Bible every day for clues, there’s a high likelihood you’ll miss one. His word is alive and active, sharper than a double-edged sword, and filled with POWER beyond your wildest imagination. So let’s get in there and see what we can find for ourselves!

Deuteronomy 19:1-22:30

As I read this morning, I got about halfway through the reading and the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, “this is the Law”.

The reading starts out detailing the cities of refuge, places where people could run for safety from the “avenger of blood” (19:6) until a trial could be held to prove their innocence or guilt.

While this reading and the Law are speaking specifically to actual situations where accidental murders are taking place, there is always a deeper meaning buried in the scriptures waiting for treasure seekers like myself to unearth them. This instance is no different.

The avenger of blood is a symbol of Satan, he loves to seek out the lawbreakers.

In Deuteronomy 21:22-23 we read:

“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death [ALL sin], and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.”

We ALL, because of Adam’s sin, have committed crimes punishable by death. Speaking out in anger is committing murder in the eyes of God, and I don’t know anyone who hasn’t done that! (see Matthew 5:22)

But then there’s Jesus.

Jesus is symbolized by the cities of refuge.

He is where we can flee from the avenger of blood and remain safe. In Galatians 3:10-14 the Holy Spirit gives us tremendous hope and Truth:

“For all who rely on works of the law [obeying the Law for salvation and favor] are under a curse, for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith,’ But the law is not of faith, rather, ‘The one who does them shall live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’ – so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

Satan points to our

He is known as the accuser of the brethren. His entire goal is to remind us of our lack of righteousness (or right-ness with God) through the Law. There was one law in the Garden of Eden, and it was through this one law that Satan caused Adam and Eve to fall resulting in the curse (see Genesis 3). This is not a coincidence, it’s Truth. Satan USES the Law to cause us to fall. It’s what he does.

When we rely on our own strength and wisdom to follow the Law we give Satan a huge foothold in our lives, because the Law is his strength. The Law is PERFECT in absolutely every aspect. WE are not perfect.

We weren’t created to be perfect beings. We were created to be imperfect beings in search of THE PERFECT GOD to fill in our imperfections. We were created to be weaklings in search of THE STRENGTH OF GOD. Satan points out those things out in order to make us feel unworthy of God who loves and cares for us more than anything.

Jesus points us to Himself.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” – Matthew 6:33

“In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

While Satan loves to point his accusing finger

to Deuteronomy 29:21: “Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” And with hate-filled words he says to you, “You’re not enough”.

Jesus points to the cross where He gave His life for yours.

He points to the soldiers who spit in His eye instead of yours. He walks his nail pierced feet over to you, points his hole-y hands to His chest and says to you, “You don’t have to be enough, because I AM. You don’t have to obtain righteousness on your own, because I’ve already purchased it for you.” Extending His arms out toward you, He presents you with a gift – Righteousness. HIS Righteousness. “Here, it’s yours, a gift of love from Me to you. You need only take it and wear it as a robe of honor, like Joseph’s. It’s filled with color and Life more abundant than you could ever imagine! You need only wear it every day, live in it. Don’t just save it for special occasions, keeping it tucked away in the back of the closet for safekeeping. It’s been made to WEAR. I promise you it is sturdy enough to hold up to anything you can possibly throw at it. It will never wear out, it will never stain, it will never tear because it’s My perfection – not yours. It’s a symbol, a reminder, of My Life, My sacrifice, My everlasting love for YOU.”

Deuteronomy 14:22-18:22

“And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to hear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and by doing them that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children in Israel.” Deuteronomy 17:18-20

Wow! We have reached a mile-marker day and I can’t let it pass by without pointing it out and reminiscing at least a little bit. As it stands today, I have been writing for 4 years, published 345 blog posts which have been viewed 4,846 times by people in 71 countries. Those posts have turned into 10 books

and 2 journals all written, formatted, edited, designed and published by yours truly (in 4 years).

During this time, I read and wrote my way through the Bible from Acts to 2 Kings, then back to Acts and on to Deuteronomy.

It was when I got to 2 Kings that I came to an interesting juncture. While I had been reading and writing through the Bible the whole time, I hadn’t been consistent in reading, posting or publishing. Then I got an email from a woman who had purchased Mission Minded Mom on Kindle and was enjoying reading through the Bible with me alphabetically. However she had finished the book and wanted the rest of the series… the alphabetical Bible reading series I hadn’t kept up with and ends at Deuteronomy 15:23. It was in that moment that a conflict arose in my mind. God had issued me a challenge and I had taken Him up on it, write through the Bible in a year. And I started out like gang-busters too, like I usually do. But then I missed a day, and then another day, until I had fallen so far behind I had used up all my “grace” days. That was the beginning of the end for me. It’s when I started giving up. I started letting myself stay up later and later which then gave me an “excuse” to sleep later rather than getting up. I was giving up the gift to myself of 30 minutes of breathing in the peace-filled Word of God before the morning chaos.

The first thing to fully drop off was the publishing of the e-books; and that my friends, is today’s mile-marker. We have reached the last reading from the last published e-book of Season 1 (You Have Been Redeemed). I find it no small coincidence that as I reach this mile-marker, I am finalizing the publishing of the first e-book of Season 2 (Jesus Loves YOU it should be up and available by tomorrow afternoon – God willing).

But what is amazing me right now more than anything was re-reading those posts. Not the last one from the last published book, but the next post after that. I mean just look at the title, “A New Book”. I was so excited to be finishing The Pink Polka dot Kitty, and to know now where God has taken it since then! Wow!

I had a pastor’s wife purchase it for her daughter’s Christmas present. Later this pastor’s wife contacted me and let me know that her daughter reads PPDK, every day and then ends up calling her mom to tell her what God told her through it! I don’t think there’s a much higher compliment than that, is there?

Anyway, back to our mile-marker. So I had marked in my Bible this place where I had left off in publishing the e-books and I’ve been eagerly watching it approach over the last few days. Mostly, because I’m thrilled to PASS IT!!! To get farther than I did last time, well, as long as I actually publish this month’s book that is I suppose. J But then, as the icing on the cake, for there to be a scripture in today’s reading about the king reading the book of the law (aka. The Bible) every day of his life, well, that was just poetic in my eyes. When I finally gave up trying to make things work in Season 1 and decided to start over and allow myself to move on to a Season 2, it was only about a week into it that I was pleading to God to help me NEVER stop reading His word and writing about it. This is something that I truly want to do every day of my LIFE. I know that “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) but I’m praying that the season for writing through the Bible never ends for me. (God-willing.) While I may continue counting up the seasons every year, I pray that the project have no end. That it continue to cycle around my life like the sun cataloging more and more milestones with joy and pain.

I have discovered such beauty and love in His word and it has been through writing about it that I was truly able to absorb it and bring it to light in my life. May God BLESS our reading and writing from this mile-marker on throughout the rest of this 365 cycle for LIFE!

Deuteronomy 10:12-14:21

“if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping all His commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 13:18

Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in YOU I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to You for refuge. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God! Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground! (Psalm 143:7-10) LORD, fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so I may walk in a manner worthy of You, fully pleasing to You, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May I be strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to You, the Father, who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Lord, thank you for delivering me from the domain of darkness and transferring me to the kingdom of Your beloved Son, in whom I have redemption, forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9-10)

Amen!

Watch: Sidewalk Prophet’s song: Help Me Find It

Click here, or on the image, to download a free printable version of this prayer

Deuteronomy 6:16-10:11

“And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commands or not.” Deuteronomy 8:2

I mentioned briefly last week, the not so small coincidence that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s first recorded test of faith was food; followed by much larger tests of faith, a furnace and a lion’s den. I then laughed at the “coincidence” this Sunday in service when our pastor gave his own personal story of his faith and obedience being tested in the grocery store parking lot. Would he be faithful in the small thing and put the cart away?

It’s just a fact of the Christian life; our own faithfulness is always being tested. The scripture today mentions that the purpose of the testing is to humble us, to know what is in our hearts and to see if we will obey Him (even when it’s hard).

I’ve got news for you, it’s always hard. And many of the times, the opposition to your faith comes from the least likely of places. Sometimes it comes from the people you hold in the highest of regard. Sometimes it comes from the people you love and cherish the most. Sometimes it comes from things that seem good at the time, making them a sneaky test, because they’re “good”.

Sunday night we were turning the DVD player off and headed to bed. It was already past 10 and it had been a big week. But when we turned the DVD player off the Satellite was still on and a show popped up on the TV. It was a movie version of the story of Joseph, a good one. You know how a lot of times Bible story movies aren’t always the highest quality of movies, this one wasn’t like that. It was GREAT! The acting was good, the sets, the costume, even the script was great. So great, that I couldn’t pull my eyes away. There were parts of me that were screaming inside going, “you have to get up at 6 in the morning and if you stay up any later you’re just not going to be able to do that properly.” But did I listen to that voice of reason? Sadly, no.

I stayed up until ONE in the morning watching this movie that we were recording. (sadly shaking head) I could have gone to bed and watched it later. But I stayed up anyway. Against the schedule God had given me to follow, a schedule I had asked Him for in the first place. And guess who has had to practically throw that schedule out the window this week because I stayed up so late on Sunday? Yup, me.

Tests are designed to show the teacher AND the student what the student knows, what level they have achieved mastery, and whether or not they’re ready to move on to a higher level. Now honestly, it’s going to be pretty hard to convince me that God doesn’t already know if I’m ready to move on or not. If He really is the all-knowing God that He claims to be, which I believe that He is, then His tests aren’t aimed for Him to find out the condition of our hearts. But rather, the tests are for us to discover the condition of our hearts. Tests are humbling experiences. They are those times in life when we come to fully see our inability to remain faithful in the smallest things, like going to bed at a decent hour. Personally, it’s usually the bigger tests that are easier, because they’re more obvious. I can tell you that despite the prompting of the voice of reason, at the time I didn’t view that movie as a test. But the more I look at it now, the more I realize that it was. It was a test in more things than I’d like to admit to you right now. And I’m pretty sure I failed in all of them.

But, like I said, that’s what tests are for. They are humbling experiences that provide greater heart knowledge of our willingness to obey the specific commands that the Father gives us through His Holy Spirit.

How far are you willing to go to obey Him? Are you willing to risk judgment and condemnation from a family member? Are you willing to be looked upon with scorn or shame from someone that you care about deeply? How about standing in the middle of a fire, or a lion’s den; where the situation is potentially HOTTER than you’ve ever experienced and there will be biting remarks intended to wound deeply but fall short of killing? How much is your own obedience worth to you? I can tell you it’s worth an awful lot to Him. He gave Adam and Eve one commandment and look what happened when they didn’t obey. Or Moses, he missed out on entering into the Promised Land because he struck a rock with a stick instead of just speaking to it. That’s what I call a small detail to be obedient to, yet it wasn’t small in God’s eyes. Now I’m not saying there isn’t Grace in all things, because we have that now and they didn’t then. However, we still have to realize the importance of keeping up our end of the bargain.

My one late night, may cost me dearly. I’m not sure how dearly, but most likely more than I want to pay. And it’s probably only payable in more time as I have to go through the class again and re-take that test until I pass it. Jesus help us!