The Poor Among Us

Reading:  Deuteronomy 14, 15, 16
My Verse:  "But you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be" (15:8).

I find this whole concept of the poor fascinating, especially as how You dealt with it LORD God and how You tell us to deal with the poor among us.

 You tell us that we are to help the poor gladly.  "You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him"(15:10).  Oh, LORD God, there so many needy.  It can be quite overwhelming!   I need to be reminded here that when You were here on earth You did not save all from their illnesses or from their poverty.  You only saved some.  You tell us to do only what we can, only what You lead us to do.  I am to pray for those You lead me to pray for.  I am to help those You lead me to help.  If I keep my focus on You always then I won't be overwhelmed because I am only an instrument through whom You do Your great work!  Thank You for helping me to take the focus off myself!

You also say that the poor will always be with us.  "For there will never cease to be poor in the land"(15:11).  This can be so depressing!  We are to help the poor but it is like we hardly make a dent in the problem for it will always be!  Again, I realize it is not for me to say the situation is hopeless.  I do not see the big picture.  I can only do my part.  I can only be obedient to You and Your guidance.  This is where I always wonder at how You connect us to others.  I marvel at how You connect us all together in the little acts we do for one another!  It will be wonderful to see how all these lives and acts are woven together in the great tapestry of life! I so look forward to that!

You tell us if we do this, give to the poor gladly You will bless us.  "for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake"(15:10b).  Oh, LORD God, help me to not be judgmental of the poor - of those that are in difficult situations.  It is not for me to chastise or question.  All that is required of me is to do what I am able, what You lead me to do. 

Thank You for showing me this, LORD God.  Thank You  for breaking this concept of the "poor always with us" down for me to grasp a hold of. Thank You that I do not need to be overwhelmed but simply be obedient and do the part You would have me to do!

"Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20,21 NIV).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Beware of Dreamers!

Reading:  Deuteronomy 12, 13
My Verse:  "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, 'Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them', you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (13:1-3).

This is an interesting warning.  How You know us LORD God.  You know our propensity for following after dreamers!  So many religions have sprung up because some person had a dream, a vision.  These dreams and visions are outside of Your written holy Word and so lead away from You. They all have some bit of truth in them but they either add to or take away from Your holy commandments and statutes.  They do exactly what You say is not to be done.  "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book" (Revelation 22:18).  Dreamers can be so alluring and dangerous.

We had a great teacher come to our church, Justin Peters.  His is a most needed ministry directed at our need for discernment.  Too many swallow all that they hear and fall away from the truth.  We are all susceptible.  He spoke of a book that was so popular, Heaven is For Real.  I read it myself and thought it good.  But he pointed out that the Bible is never quoted in that book.  I never noticed that and felt so gullible after hearing him speak about it.  The book speaks only of this little boy's dreams - and they seem such good dreams.  He mentioned several others that are out there - they just sound so good!  But they take us away from You. 

Oh, LORD God, help me to be discerning!  Help to turn to You as my first act of the day to guard my thoughts and actions, that I filter all through You.  Help me to not "listen to that prophet or that dreamer of dreams." Help me to be careful of those that speak deceiving words.  “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (Romans 16:17-18)

It is also interesting that it is You that allows me to be exposed to these dreamers.  You are allowing me to have this test to check me, to check if I love You with all my heart and with all my soul!  This is Your greatest commandment.  It is so unfortunate that we need this kind of testing.  There is a saying that speaks of the importance not so much of the test itself but how we respond to the test or difficulty in our life.  I am sorry to say I do not always respond well.  I too quickly fret and bemoan my state.  Forgive me LORD God.  I know that with Your help I can do better.  I can overcome all that comes my way because You have already given me the victory!

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 15:57).
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

Thank You, LORD God for this warning.  Thank You for providing Your word, the Bible to lead and guide us.  Thank You for providing the Holy Spirit to help me to be discerning of dreamers that would lead me astray.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

We Are Not Righteous!

Reading:  Deuteronomy 9. 10
My Verse:  "Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land, whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you" (9:4).

Again, You remind us of the way it is!  You do not save us because we are worthy of Your salvation.  You do not bless us because we are worthy of Your blessing!  Only You, LORD God are worthy of love and praise.  All that You do here on earth is because of Your love and holiness.  No, the Israelites were not worthy of what You did for them.

How important it is to read Your Word, LORD God, Your whole Word!  That You would not simply destroy a people to make way for the Israelites is so important for us to understand.  You gave the people of the land that the Israelites were going into time to come back to You.  You only finally destroyed them when it was clear that this would not happen -that they would not repent of their sin and change their ways.  And this is how You deal with each individual.  We are not worthy but You give each human being that opportunity to come to You.  You are a holy God but You are also a God of love and grace. You do not want that any should perish.  "The LORD is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patent toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

There is so much I do not understand.  I do not understand why Adam and Eve had to do what they did.  Their action resulted in each and every human after them being born a sinner.  Their action made it necessary for each of us to come to that decision of how we want to live our life - how we are going to respond to You. I know that when I get to heaven all will be clear.  Then we will have understanding.

No, we are not righteous.  We are so undeserving.  And yet, You, LORD Jesus did that which is unthinkable.  You offered Yourself up as the final ultimate sacrifice for each of us.  You made it possible for us to come back into fellowship with You.  Thank You.  Thank You for loving me even before I knew You or loved You.  It is only because of Your love that I am even able to love.  "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

Thank You, LORD God for this lesson on our unworthiness.  Pride is such an awful thing and You warn us of it often.  It becomes a wedge that keeps us from fellowship with You.  It leads us to destruction.

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).
"When pride comes then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2).
"The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill.  Though you build your nest as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down," declared the LORD" (Jeremiah 49:16).
"The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?" (Obadiah 1:3).

No we are not worthy of You.  We are unrighteous.  

     "None is righteous, no, not one;
        no one understands;
       no one seeks for God.
     All have turned aside; together theyhave become worthless;
        no one does good,
         not even one" (Romans 10-12).

     "All we like sheep have gone astray;
        we have turned - every one - to his own way;
      And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

Yes, the Isaelites needed warning here - as to we!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Beware, Lest You Forget!

Reading:  Deuteronomy 7, 8
My Verse:  "Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth'" (8:17).

This is a wonderful passage on our need to remember from whence we have come!  We are so easily puffed up with pride in our own abilities and accomplishments.  It is so easy to forget that we could not do anything but for You, LORD God. 

You were constantly reminding the Israelites that they must remember Who You are and what You did for them.  "Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end" (8:11-16).

Oh, LORD God, You said this so long ago but all of it speaks directly to me -  today.
     How I need to remember the many wonderful things You have done for me.
     How I need to keep your commandments, rules and statutes.
     How I need to be careful of the easy life which brings me to a prideful and careless attitude toward You.
     How I need to remember that if not for Your salvation I would still be enslaved by the things of this world.
     How I need to remember those "fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground" moments of my life and how You brought me through each of those difficulties.
     How I need to remember those times when You met my dire need - those times when You "brought water out of the flinty rock."

Remembering helps me to deal with the present and future troubles.  Those memories strengthen and encourage me.  They remind me that I really am the apple of Your eye! "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings" (Psalm 17:8).

Oh, LORD God, how I need to remember that You hold all things together.  "And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). If not for You, Your love and compassion for this wayward world everything would come apart.  It really is amazing how very fragile all of life on this earth is.  You must truly be amazed at the arrogance of the people of this earth when in reality, we are so very dependent on You to keep it all together.

Thank You for reminding me that I need to remember that You are God Almighty.  You are the Creator God Who holds all things together by Your might and power and wisdom. I must remember that You are never changing.  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  I can depend on You.  Help me, LORD God to remember these things and have confidence in Your provision and care for my future.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

The Greatest Commandment!

Reading:  Deuteronomy 5, 6
My Verse:  "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (6:5).

Oh, LORD God, how I meditate on this, Your greatest commandment!  I wonder at it and try to visualize how this is to look in my life, this life You have given me, this walk You lead me on.

I know that before I can love You I need to know Who You are!  This is vital.  Tozer wrote a wonderful little book called "The Knowledge of the Holy."  In it he teaches how if we do not think rightly about Who You are then we simply cannot follow You because we do not know who it is we are following.  He states, "The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us."  How sad is that?  He goes on to say.  "With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence."
Yes, without knowing who You truly are, I cannot even begin to love You as You command.

I am to love You with all my  "heart."  Apparently in the early Hebrew the term "heart" meant mind.  So I am to love You with all my mind.  All my mind.  That is pretty amazing.  We have so many distractions. Our mind goes off on so many things.  I am finding that I need to be in Your Word daily or I feel myself start to stray - my mind  wanders and dwells on things that it should not.  Instead of being thankful for Who You are I begin to worry and be anxious about many things.  Oh, LORD, it needs discipline and You promise to provide me this.  "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7).

I am to love you with all my "soul."  I looked up "soul" in the Merriam Dictionary and one of the definitions is "the moral and emotional nature of human beings."  This is what separates us from animals.  This is what enables us to commune with You! Another part of the definition was, I thought, so interesting.  It said "an active or essential part."  The idea that the soul is our essential part is immense.  One often hears the saying, "To gain the whole world but to lose one's soul."  Such a tragedy.  So many in our world neglect the needs of their souls - they struggle to gain the world instead and pay the dreadful consequences of that pursuit.  Oh, LORD God, thank You for opening my eyes to You.  Help me to stay focused on You and worship You with all my soul!

I am to love You with all my "might."  This is the hands on part of Your great command.  We are not just to give you lip service on Sunday.  No, You ask us to give our all.  To worship You with all my might means I need to put all my energy and strength into this.  James teaches much on this.  He says, "Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves". (James 1:22). He goes on to say, "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:17).  So, yes, You want us to give You our all, only then can we truly enjoy the blessings You want to give to us.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-okKxiOGek

Thank You Lord God for this Your greatest commandment!  You repeated it throughout Your Word.

"This is the greatest and first commandment" (Matthew 22:38)"
"And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark12:30).
"And He answered, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27).

Yes, You are very clear on this!  Thank You for clarity, LORD God.  Keep me in You today.

Didat Deus - God Enriches!


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Do Not Tamper With God's Word!

Reading:  Deuteronomy 2 - 4
My Verse:  "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you" (4:2).

How I need to remember this command.  How vital it is to my walk with You, LORD God!  For You are sufficient unto all my needs!  You have preserved Your Word to teach me, to guide me, to grow me and to draw me ever closer to You! I do not need to look elsewhere for anything - You are all sufficient!

In the prior verse You told the Israelites that they were to obey the "statutes and rules" that You provided them.  You told them that only then would they be able to "live, and go in and take possession of the land." Their taking of the land was not dependent on their military strength or their military prowess.  No, it was dependent on their obeying You.  This speaks directly to me and to all Christians in the world today.

We do not need money, strength, intelligence, or connections to succeed.  All those things come if we obey and follow You.

"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9).

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

We do not need any new or special revelation.  We do not need some special indwelling of the spirit. You, LORD God indwell us when we ask You into our lives.  We do not need to be saying special prayers at particular times.  We do not need to be doing anything under our own power to get closer to You.  We must simply believe Your Word.  You bring us to You!  You alone are our salvation.

The Bible is complete and whole.

"Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:6).

"I know that everything God does is final.  Nothing can be added to it or taken from it.  God's purpose is that people should fear him" (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

"I warn everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book; if anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book" (Revelation 22:18).

Oh, LORD God, how I need to be vigilant in my pursuit of Your Truth.  Everything I read, everything I hear needs to be filtered through Your Word before I can accept it.  Help me in this.  Help me to be discerning.

Thank You, for making it so very clear how we are to deal with Your Word. We are not to add to it or take away from it.  It is all sufficient. We need only read it and heed it!

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near" (Revelation 1:3).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xPzTSpbYmk

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!