Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

Read that and meditate on these seven words:  The Lord, my God, goes before me.  God who created all and is in all and over all goes ahead of you to make the path you will take ready for you who seeks Him and His will. Where God guides; He provides is not a catch phrase but it is who God was, is, and always will be—GOD of all who knows exactly what we need when we need it.

The words that soon follow the proclamation of His Presence going before us are always: “Be strong and courageous; don’t be afraid.”  These holy, power-filled words from God to His People through the ages remind and encourage all of us to trust Him completely. 

These are the some of the final words of Moses from God to His People.  These last words of Moses also announce the next leader, chosen by God—Joshua.  God’s message and mission will not change with the “changing of the guard” of leadership.  The mission to enter the Promised Land has now arrived.  Joshua will be the leader who will follow the Lord who has already gone before them all.  Hold that thought. God does the same for us today.  And again, we say; “the Lord, my God goes before me.”  So, with God; I will not be afraid.  I will be strong and courageous.

Deuteronomy 31

Joshua to Succeed Moses

Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: ² “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’ ³ The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said. ⁴ And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. ⁵ The Lord will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

⁷ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. ⁸ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Public Reading of the Law

⁹ So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. ¹⁰ Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles, ¹¹ when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. ¹² Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. ¹³ Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Israel’s Rebellion Predicted

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.

¹⁵ Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. ¹⁶ And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. ¹⁷ And in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’ ¹⁸ And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.

¹⁹ “Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. ²⁰ When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. ²¹ And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.” ²² So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

²³ The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”

²⁴ After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, ²⁵ he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord: ²⁶ “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. ²⁷ For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! ²⁸ Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them. ²⁹ For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.”

(Tomorrow we will read the words of the song God told Moses to write.)

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We can learn much from a people who followed God as long as He met all their physical needs after delivering them from slavery to the Egyptians.  Even though, they grumbled and complained in the dessert, disobeyed whenever Moses turned his back as if God didn’t know, and then they defied God by crafting images so they could see and feel a form to worship—but God’s love for them did not change. God was sadden and angry in those moments; but His faithfulness to them did not change.  This is Good News for us.

Through the wilderness journey; God was jealous their lack of love for Him because He knew what was ahead for them.  God desired to pour out His blessings over them—blessings of becoming more like Him.  But they wanted their own way.  Even Moses had his moments, but he trusted God.  What we learn from Genesis to Deuteronomy is this:  We are all created in the image of God for our good and His glory. When we rebel against the molding and shaping of God in and through us; it will not go well for us.  And only we who rebel are to blame. 

God knows our hearts can be deceitful. God knows what we think, how we think, and who influences us.  God knows what we will face each day in our crazy world.  What we need to know and grabbed hold of with all our strength is this: 

God so loved us that He sent His Son, Jesus, a part of Himself, to come to earth, move into the neighborhood of humanity to shed the Light of Truth in our world, darkened by the Enemy of deceit.  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  Jesus healed the brokenhearted, gave hope to the poor, brought life to the walking dead, and opened the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf—both spiritually and physically!  

Jesus tireless walked from town to town to do this while training those who would do “even greater things” after He would ascend back to heaven.  Then the last part of God’s mission to His Son was to die for our sins in the cruelest way possible invented by man—crucifixion.  The cross came after the beatings, mocking, betrayals, and lies; stripping him of all humility as a human. 

Jesus had the power to stop it all, call down tens of thousands of angels from heaven to destroy the enemy—but He did not.  This was not the will of God.  God loved us.  Jesus knew this love and loved us, too.  This relentless love of God in Jesus was the reason he willingly and obediently laid down his life for ours to pay for our sins—in fact all the sins of the world.  God did all the work to redeem us from sin and deliver us from the bondage of our sins and set us free. Nobody else could do that for us.  There is no one like our God!

So, when God says, “Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. I have gone before you and I will be with you always.”  We can believe it and trust Him with our very lives because He is Life!

“I AM the Truth, the Way, and the Life,” says Jesus.  “NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Trust Truth who is Jesus. Avoid what the world says, “follow your heart” because that is not truth.  Our hearts are human and are deceitful for we are not God.  Follow Jesus who fulfilled and renewed the covenant to love God with ALL our hearts, minds, and souls as God taught the Israelites.  Follow the heart of God!

Jesus is OUR HOPE because God’s Son defeated the Enemy of death by God’s resurrection power on the Third Day! 

Matthew, a disciple who was trained well by Jesus writes;

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

God has gone before us to help us face what we do not yet know and God is with us always.  Jesus is our Hope of eternal life for all who believe.

Believe, repent to Jesus.  Accept the mercy, Receive the grace of salvation.  Trust in His relentless, unchanging love and His leading.  His love never fails or gives up on us. 

He has gone before us.  He is with us always. Don’t be afraid of doing what He says.

Lord,

Thank you for this day of remembering to fear you as we stand in awe of You, grateful and humbled by all you have done for us to save us!  Your love drives out all earthly fears of the unknown, becoming the solid rock foundation of our faith in you.  Thank you for redeeming us. Thank you for being with us always. Thank you for courage and strength with your Words to tell the Truth to others!  Lead the lost in my family to your saving grace.  Lead me in all I think, say, and do for your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Live long and prosper”—What does it really mean?  Let’s talk…

Avoid the prosperity gospel that presents the comforts of modern consumeristic lifestyle in spiritual wrapping paper. How can we recognize and resist its charms?  Who doesn’t want all things in our imperfect world to be perfect for us?  But what is good and perfect in God’s way of thinking?  There is a fine line we must not cross.  We live on the edge of disaster when we think we should tell God what we think we must have or what He must do as a way to control or bargain with God who knows what we truly need at any given time.  Leaders in this religion also use this way of thinking to judge others’ measure of faith.

“The prosperity gospel—or the “health and wealth gospel”—insists that the gospel of Jesus brings physical wellbeing and material prosperity. It redefines Jesus’s death upon the cross such that his atonement not only provides salvation from the guilt of sin, but also promises freedom from sickness and poverty. One of the easiest ways to recognize prosperity gospel theology is by its view of sickness and poverty. It does not see them as merely a consequence of the fall. Instead, it sees sickness and poverty as sin itself, resulting from unbelief, from which one must be saved by faith. The prosperity gospel falsely promises that God will eradicate them from a believer’s life.” –Christopher David, The Gospel Coalition

There are dangers in following a trend that looks like the Word, talks like the Word, but is not the Truth.  Deuteronomy might lead us to thinking if we are very good, doing all that God says then we will prosper in riches and nothing bad will ever happen to us.  But God also tells Moses that there will be enemies to conquer.  So, if we are being good, doing all the right things God tells us to do—why will there be enemies who get in our way? Are we not “good” enough to obtain a perfect life without troublesome enemies or circumstances?  It depends on our view of what prosperity is for us.

“Prosperity gospel” denies God’s providential ordaining of suffering in the believer’s life. Instead, it claims the Christian life is one that is always victorious and devoid of sorrow and loss.  Not true.  ALL the disciples of Jesus suffered…sharing in the sufferings of Jesus who was, is and is to come the only Way to God, the Truth of God, who provides Life eternal. 

All the succeeding followers of Jesus also suffered as they told of the Truth of what Jesus did to set all who believe free from the bondage of sin.  God uses suffering in our world to build our faith and trust in Him no matter what the circumstances—all for our good and His Glory!

The Apostle Paul, whose letters to the churches planted by God’s teams of ordinary people through the known world, now fill the rest of the pages of the New Testament after the Gospels and Acts of the disciples.  Paul tells and demonstrates to the world how to reconcile and reconnect to a God who loved them so much He sent His Son to suffer and die and then be raised in resurrection power to prove His power to all who would call on His Name!  All have sinned. No one is good.  Only Jesus saves us.  No one can “boast” then of being good.  Only God is good.

Remember, Paul wrote most of his God-inspired letters from various jail cells—imprisoned for telling the Good News of Jesus’ salvation with joy—in all circumstances!  This is prosperity—rich in Jesus, full of the love of God!  Paul was in jail for giving his whole heart, mind, and soul to God through Jesus and telling others about Him!  Paul declares often the richness and prosperity of knowing Christ and wanting to be like Him in every way—even sharing in His suffering that Jesus did for us.

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”—Paul, Philippians 3:7-11

Paul, (formerly Saul), who had obeyed all the tenants of The Law, now had an intimate, growing relationship with God through Jesus Christ, his Savior and Lord. Only by God’s Grace was Saul to Paul saved to know God in relationship so he could tell the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died and rose again while prospering personally in the limitless love, mercy, and unending grace of our Lord!  Jesus changed everything about Paul.  Whew, not let’s us get back to our next passage…

Deuteronomy 30

Prosperity After Turning to the Lord

When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, ² and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, ³ then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. ⁴ Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. ⁵ He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. ⁶ The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. ⁷ The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. ⁸ You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. ⁹ Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, ¹⁰ if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

The Offer of Life or Death

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. ¹² It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ¹⁴ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

¹⁵ See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. ¹⁶ For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, ¹⁸ I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God’s Son, Jesus explains the intent of God’s Law with the power from God to fulfill it in every way.  Listen in as one day, Jesus stops to give an “inquiring mind” answer to a question about being good many ask today, such as; How good do I have to be to get into heaven?  What is that good thing that I must do that will secure me a place in heaven? Jesus responds to this young man of influence who felt pretty proud of his upbringing of obedience to the Law. We wonder if his question was more about telling Jesus how “good” he was for the purpose of gaining a good and best seat in heaven.  Afterall, the disciples tried this a time or two.  Here is the true story…

Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

Jesus said, “Why do you question me about what’s good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you.”

The man asked, “What in particular?”

Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.”

The young man said, “I’ve done all that. What’s left?”

“If you want to give it all you’ve got,” Jesus replied, “go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.”

That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go.”  Matthew 19:16-22, MSG

To the world, prosperity of material wealth is a sign of God’s favor and faith is the key to unlock this blessing.  “You don’t have because you don’t have enough faith.” Danger sign.  Prosperity teachers often quote the Old Covenant with Abraham and The Law given to Moses.  But, Jesus spoke of not only fulfilling the Law but going beyond the Law to developing a growing, prospering spiritual wealth of blessings from God that is beyond the world. All false gospels replace the gift of God’s grace by a religion of works.  Be alert and aware to avoid.

We have done and can do nothing to earn God’s grace.  We don’t deserve God’s mercy.  Only Jesus could do this work for us that we cannot do for ourselves—Save us from our sins.  Not only that, Jesus removes all repented sins from us—to be remembered no more by God.  We now live new, redeemed, lives in Jesus!  This is God’s work alone through His Son, Jesus. 

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:3-11

We can have it all because God gave HIS all for us.  Only God is good and is always more than enough for us.  “When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life” (Romans 8:11 MSG). 

“Sin may, and will, touch you, discourage you, and distract you, but it cannot condemn you. Christ is in you, and you are in him, and “therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans  8:1).

Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for lifting the burden of trying to be good enough as if this is the mechanism that controls your goodness to us.  Your love, mercy, and grace is who you are.  Help us to lean into You, listen to You, and love you back with all our hearts, minds, and souls so we can know you more.  Show us the path for today and we will follow because we know You are with us always through it all—what rich and blessed assurance!  May we prosper in sickness and in health, content because of your love that is growing in us.

In Jesus Name, Amen

If you had caring, loving parents who wanted the best for you and read God’s Word and believed what He said; you probably heard directives come from them throughout your life such as—

“Do it the task this way and it will work better for you.”

“Be kind and treat people they way you want to be treated.”

“Don’t hit back, instead try to make a friend.”

“Listen to your teachers and do what they say, if you don’t understand, ask questions.”

“Take a shower, please, so you won’t offend anyone and you will be healthier for it.”

“Don’t forget, I love you, God loves you, and your family loves you.”

“I’m on your side and come to help you.”

“Help others when they need it.”

“Look for the helpers when you need assistance with a problem.”

“Remember, God is with you always with you.”

We heard these words and much more while growing, maturing children, making our way through adolescence.  If we survived middle school and high school, still believing God but testing the waters; we became young adults who would also learn the consequences of disobedience to parental wisdom that ultimately originated with God, our Father in Heaven.

The altar at Mount Ebal was to serve as a reminder of the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. Actions have consequences. Because the Israelites neglected to obey God, they later fell into the hands of the Assyrians and the Babylonians.  But that’s a lesson for later…

Deuteronomy 27

The Altar on Mount Ebal

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands that I give you today. ² When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. ³ Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. ⁴ And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. ⁵ Build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool on them. ⁶ Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. ⁷ Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord your God. ⁸ And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up.”

Curses From Mount Ebal

⁹ Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God. ¹⁰ Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”

¹¹ On the same day Moses commanded the people:

¹² When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin. ¹³ And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.

¹⁴ The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:

¹⁵ “Cursed is anyone who makes an idol—a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁶“Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁷ “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁸ “Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

¹⁹ “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁰ “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²¹ “Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²² “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²³ “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁴ “Cursed is anyone who kills their neighbor secretly.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁵ “Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

²⁶ “Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain. Psalm 139:1-7

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?

“All believers have God in their heart. But not all believers have given their whole heart to God. The question is not, how can I have more of the Spirit, but rather, how can the Spirit have more of me?” –Max Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

Read that again and realize God knows our hearts.  We cannot hide anything from the God who create us and knows our “inmost being”! (Psalm 139) So, why try?  Our obedience to God should not come from fear of what He will do to us.  Instead, our obedience to God should be a demonstration of our love for God!  The desire of our hearts should be a mind that seeks to honor, please, worship, and give God glory with all that is within us—all because we love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

It is the effectual love of God that first changes our hearts to make us capable of love, and it is His example of love that reminds us again and again of our need to love other people.  His love growing and maturing in us causes us to obey the top ten commandments that were written in love.  Love God.  Love Others—the two most important commandments according to Jesus who was God in the flesh.  ALL other commandments hang on these two and have their origins the love God has for us.

How can God’s Holy Spirit have more of me?  Surrender.  Be still, let go, and know God.  Ask God for His Spirit to lead.  Seek God first in all things. Ask for wisdom (skills for living) for all things of this life.  But, most of all begin by loving God back. From God’s love in us; Love others like God loves us.

David, who was “the apple of God’s eye” and rose from shepherd boy to King of Israel, wrote from a place of disobedience to God asking for a return of God’s Holy Spirit within him.  This psalm of David was his song of repentance to God.  The prophet Nathan came to him to bring him back to God after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.       Psalm 51:1-13

This is the great example of a man who has sinned, confessing his sins to God, taking full responsibility for his sins, asking for God’s forgiveness.  There will be consequences for his disobedience but with a humbled heart he comes to God.  God gives grace to the humbled before Him.

No matter what we’ve done, no matter how far we’ve fallen, God is always ready to forgive and welcome us once again into his presence.  We will never go where God is not.  This is blessed assurance of God’s love for us:

“Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:34-39, NLT

Believe and be saved. 

Love God. Love Others. 

In Jesus Name, for our good and His glory, Amen!

One special moment in time, in the ministry God gave me of taking young adults to the mission fields to serve; I and our team had the privilege to observe the parade of people who bring in the first fruits of harvest and place these baskets of all kinds of produce at the altar before the Lord.  This is powerful as God’s commands to bring the “sacred portion’ to Him was obeyed willing and joyfully!  This was truly an expression of love from believing hearts to our Holy God who received these gifts with a His plan and purpose to help others with these gifts. It was joyful, colorful, and breathtaking to see this act of worship!  And we were a part of it!

Churches in our part of the world, the United States, may last for an hour, or thirty minutes more if something special is going on.  But in Haitian churches, be ready to enjoy over three hours of rejoicing, learning, and praising God. Children sit obediently through it all and stand to sing joyfully when it is their turn to praise as a beautiful choir of voices! The children are on bleachers one side of the building while adults are in the makeshift benches in rows. There is always a middle aisle for people to come down and bow at the altar. 

But that day was special. And it might take a bit more time but time stood still! It was God’s time!  That day was the celebration of first fruits, which has its foundation in the story of the Exodus. While the biblical day of first fruits celebrated the offerings of the harvest season of Israel, and later the resurrection of Jesus, this day for the Haitian church was set aside to offer the first fruits of their harvest on the altar of the Lord! The bounty of produce would be distributed to the needy in the name of mercy later in the week. This was also profoundly moving because we were amazed at such plenty given in the midst of poverty.  The love and generosity of those who offer their very best in the face of having so very little humbled us—all of us who were there to take it all in!

This is how it began: Early that morning, before the start of worship, basket after basket full of fresh produce piled up outside the doors of the church. Women dressed in their finest and brightest clothing had carried these large baskets on their heads down steep hills on dusty roads with the grace of ballerinas.  At just the right time; the women lined up outside the entrance doors. When the music began; they entered the church with songs of thanksgiving and praise to God who gave them the harvest.  They joyfully danced in a march down the aisle and place their overflowing baskets in front of the congregation.  I will never forget the experience.  As I read our next chapter of Deuteronomy; I am reminded of the goodness and provisions of God!  And again, I say rejoice and give God praise!

Deuteronomy 26

Firstfruits and Tithes

When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, ² take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name ³ and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” ⁴ The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. ⁵ Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. ⁶ But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. ⁷ Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. ⁸ So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. ⁹ He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; ¹⁰ and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. ¹¹ Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

¹² When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. ¹³ Then say to the Lord your God: “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them. ¹⁴ I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done everything you commanded me. ¹⁵ Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Follow the Lord’s Commands

¹⁶ The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. ¹⁷ You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. ¹⁸ And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. ¹⁹ He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
All your money, talents, time, and love;
Consecrate them all upon the altar,
While your Savior from above speaks sweetly,

Trust Me, try Me, prove Me, saith the Lord of hosts, and see
If a blessing, unmeasured blessing,
I will not pour out on thee.”

(Hymn writer, Lida Shivers Leech, 1928)

What is our sacred portion?  God has created all and owns. He gives each one of us a portion in this world to manage which includes our money, time, and abilities to serve.  Our sacred portion might be related to our ability to manage our resources as we love Him back with how He loves us.  Let us pause to reflect and consider that thought…take all the time you need; I am.

God reminded the Israelites how he had faithfully provided for all their needs. They were also instructed to give the first portion of each harvest to God, and he would bless them in the land.  Giving God the FIRST of what He had given to them taught them to put GOD FIRST!  Our obedience to God’s command to give and to live to give Him praise shows the depth of our love for God.  “Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your mind, and ALL your soul” commands the Lord.  “Give back a portion of what I have given to you” is a way to meet the needs of those who have nothing to give at all.  This is a win-win!

When we are willing to give back, we show that we understand that God is the source of all that we have and that only in Him can we truly find contentment and joy.

We learn that a mere casual acquaintance with the Word isn’t sufficient. If God’s Word is to nurture us and change us so that God can bless us (Ps. 1:1–3), we must devote ourselves to Him, heart, mind, and soul.  We must read, meditate, asking for God’s Holy Spirit to help us gain more wisdom, (skills for living), and guide us from His Word to live for God.  Jesus is the Word made flesh and “dwelt among us” (John 1) as our perfect example to follow.  It would make sense then that Jesus must become our filter through which all we think, say, and do must pass through. Jesus is Savior and must become Lord of our lives!

So, what is our sacred portion to give back to God?  God commanded a tenth, the FIRST tenth of all we have been given, as a place to begin.  This will take faith with a rearranging of how we think which will transform our budget behaviors. Know this, even with all our tithes (tenth) and our offerings given—we will never out give God!  Does He need what we give back?  No, it is our need to give that must be met.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

We give because God gave!

Why is giving a portion sacred? Because we thought about it and gave cheerfully and gratefully from our hearts to God!

“Trust Me, Try Me, Prove Me,” says God.  He will not disappoint!

Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the opportunities to give back a sacred and holy portion of all you have given to us to manage.  Thank you for giving us Jesus to teach us and then to save us from all sins.  Thank you for being a God who is our Father and we are your children, joint-heirs with Christ. Thank you for all you have provided and more so that we can give to others with the love in our hearts that began with your love for us!  What a mighty, gracious, holy, and giving God you are!  And again, I say rejoice!

In Jesus Name, Amen

When we do not agree with what is said or done; the people who disagree with us become our enemy. Do we agree?  Some of us say heartily, “YES, we agree!”  Some of us pause a bit to analyze the situation.  What is disagreeable about this statement?  What is it that we disagree? Is there a solution to the dispute?  How can we come to an understanding with resolution?  And can we truly love those who disagree with us? Whew, what does God think?

Through the lips of Moses to God’s Chosen; God continued to give laws to his people. God wanted them to treat each other with respect, dignity with integrity of character because of His love for them. In the following passage, the laws give us cause for alarm and we ask why? The times were different but the intent is relatable. The Hebrews spent decades living in a land of ungodly behaviors, the worship of other gods, the sacrifice of children to the gods, along with other detestable habits and behaviors not of God, their God.  Moses is teaching God’s people to do what God says as they encounter these same evil practices that will be demonstrated by the people they are to conquer as they possess the Promised Land.  “Purge the evil,” says God.  Think about it this way: God took them out of Egypt now God is taking Egypt out of them!

Deuteronomy 25

When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. ² If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, ³ but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.

⁴ Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

⁵ If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. ⁶ The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

⁷ However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” ⁸ Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” ⁹ his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” ¹⁰ That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.

¹¹ If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, ¹² you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

¹³ Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. ¹⁴ Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. ¹⁵ You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. ¹⁶ For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.

¹⁷ Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. ¹⁸ When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. ¹⁹ When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God promised a new way for all people, not just the Israelites, to really hear and understand Him.  Most of His People had gone deaf to His words of instruction of faithfulness to Him.  He announced a new covenant coming soon through his prophets; but still to deaf ears.  Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord declared, “This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; . . . I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33).  Still most would not listen, the power given to priests went to their heads, pride and greed replaced true obedience and worship of God alone until darkness overcame them and they no longer knew God or heard from Him.  But still there was a remnant who did believe God and they stood firm and faithful.  2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”  When God finds them; God blesses them with His ever-present help, care and leading.

After 400 years of silence from God, it was time to fulfill the promise of a Messiah as announced by the prophet Isaiah and others.  God once again looked over the earth to see whose hearts were firmly committed to Him; and He found Mary and Joseph.  Jesus, the Promised One, who would save the world and redeem all people who believe from all of their sins, was born to a virgin, Mary who was pledge in marriage to Joseph.  This is God in the flesh who came to earth and moved into the neighborhood of humanity!  His Name was called Jesus.  Jesus would demonstrate God’s love, mercy, and grace while proclaiming who God is and what He wants from us like no one else could.  Deaf ears began to hear.  Blind eyes suddenly saw God for the first time.  Crippled people from society, illness, demons and oppression were set free!  “God is truly with us” said those with opened hearts ready to receive Him with gladness!  Jesus was The Law God placed in those who believed and received Jesus, while writing The Law on their hearts!  God does what He promises!

Jesus came with New Covenant—a new and better way to think about God; He demonstrated with the Law of Love!  Jesus repeatedly assured everyone who would listen; “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20

Jesus then taught the people, beginning with the truth of the original Law, which some knew but did not always understand because the teachers of The Law had “muddied the waters” with personal addendums to the Law to support their greed and pride while “lording over” the people with more oppression.  Jesus, the only one with authority and right to judge, enters these conversations with the love of God permeating His being.

Here are some examples which “fulfill” the Law of Moses given to the Israelites by God while extending the full intent of the Law of God.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” –Jesus, Matthew 5:38-42

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48

Wait, what? Love my enemies, pray for them, and be perfect like God is perfect?  We were made in the image of God, Our Creator.  To become more like God we must love like God loves us—perfectly, without conditions to love.  Think about it this way;

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 8:6-8

God’s perfect love for us is what saved us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

This is Perfect Love.  It is this love of God that is made perfect in us by God as His love grows in us.  We discover this truth: The more we realize the depth of God’s love for us the more we love others—including our enemies! It is God’s love in us that causes us to pray for them with compassion—just like Jesus did for his enemies!

Jesus repeatedly told the world the two greatest commandments of The Law:

Love God.  Love Others.  All other laws hang on these two laws to love.

Jesus demonstrated God’s perfect love as He walked throughout the surrounding towns of Jerusalem to observe people and reach out to them with compassion.  Paul, who later realized this love of God in Jesus, explains it this way;

“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:1-11

To know God is to know Love.  (1 John 4:7-8)

Doing life with God means to love like Jesus who is God in the flesh who laid down his life for ours. Camp on that thought. Read the definition of love with how to love in 1 Corinthians 13.  God loves us!  We love Him back and love others—not suggested but commanded!

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts of all that is not you and fill us with your perfect love that knows no limits! Renew our minds so that we think more like you. Refresh our souls. Continually restore the joy of your salvation at work within us. “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.”

In Jesus Name, Amen

When moms and dads send their kids off to college or they move to another town because of a new job; what do they say?  There is a plethora of last words that are on repeat, right?  We reiterate all the wisdom words our parents gave us over all the years we were with them in their house, while guided and mentored by them.  Can you recall some of those instructions, even now, after years have passed?  Are we now the ones who say these “last words of instruction” before our own go to live independent lives away from our home?  Is this bringing back memories for some of you?

As parents who watch our offspring start “adulting,” and we almost feel a panic as they load up all their stuff and cram it into their vehicle to leave us.  Have we said enough, prepared them enough, and given them enough learning experiences to be on their own? 

As we read then continuation of Moses’ final words (God’s commands) to God’s people before they pack up to go possess the promised land; we feel his heart for the people that has been developed over the many years His service to them.  We also see how much Moses has grown in his own faith in God.  God called Moses from a burning bush in the wilderness to go back to Egypt, lead His people, the Hebrew nation, out of the bondage of slavery, to be His possession, His children.  God led them out from under the oppression of the Egyptians who knew Him not in miraculous ways!

However, God’s Chosen had to learn to fully trust God and do what He said who provided physically for them “so all would go well with them.”  God also provided challenging learning experiences, (due to disobedience), on their journey to the promised land, so they would learn to fully trust and obey Him for their good and His Glory.  Read on…

Deuteronomy 23

Exclusion From the Assembly

No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord.

² No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.

³ No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation. ⁴ For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. ⁵ However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you. ⁶ Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.

⁷ Do not despise an Edomite, for the Edomites are related to you. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you resided as foreigners in their country. ⁸ The third generation of children born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.

Uncleanness in the Camp

⁹ When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. ¹⁰ If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there. ¹¹ But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp.

¹² Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. ¹³ As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. ¹⁴ For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

Miscellaneous Laws

¹⁵ If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand them over to their master. ¹⁶ Let them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they choose. Do not oppress them.

¹⁷ No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. ¹⁸ You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both.

¹⁹ Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. ²⁰ You may charge a foreigner interest, but not a fellow Israelite, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess.

²¹ If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. ²² But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. ²³ Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.

²⁴ If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. ²⁵ If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Through His servant, Moses, God continued to give laws to his people “so all would go well with them.” God wanted them to treat each other with respect and dignity with integrity—all traits of His love. God revealed his concern for families in His Law. For God’s people, family responsibilities should be a higher priority than civil responsibilities.  We should obey because it is the moral, right thing to do, not just because it is a written law.  Laws do not change our minds and behaviors; God does by His power working in us.

In other words, these laws didn’t give people the right to take food from their neighbors’ fields, vineyards, and orchards any time they wanted a snack. The privilege was reserved for the truly hungry and especially farm laborers, strangers, and the poor. This law also helped travelers passing through the land. However, Moses made it clear that the food was to be carried away in the persons’ stomachs and not in bowls or baskets. The law gave people the privilege of meeting their need but not satisfying their greed.

Conviction with Course Corrections—Designed by God

Paul preached that the Law is a guide that convicts us.  But the Law does not save us. Only Jesus saves us! In fact, when we compare our lives with the rules of the law, we must finally admit that we are desperate sinners. Paul, a devote Jew who knew ALL the Laws with determination to adhere to The Law writes; “All have is sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)  Paul also said to his protégé, Timothy: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (I Timothy 1:15)

We violate God’s law in more ways than we can count. Paul reminds us repeatedly that we are all imperfect humans in need of a Savior without sin, who offers and provides perfect forgiveness!  Jesus came down from heaven, born of a virgin, grew in stature and in wisdom as the Son of God born as the Son of Man.  As the Son of Man, He saw, heard, felt, touched, and listened to the worst and the best of humanity. Jesus responded by demonstrating the love of God with compassion to all who came to Him.  Jesus was our perfect example of how we should love and treat each other, putting others needs and interests ahead of our own.  (Philippians 2)

But Jesus’ ultimate mission was “to seek and to save the lost” and bring them back to an intimate relationship with God.  Jesus proclaimed it Himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)

As Jesus walked through the villages and towns in the seeking; He was led by God, the Father.  Jesus mentored His disciples and other followers, as the Son of God.  Speaking in ways that people “had never heard before;” Jesus helped people understand the real intent of God’s Law while offering complete and perfect forgiveness of all sins committed against God.  The Law convicts; Jesus saves with the authority from God to forgive all sins. In fact, Jesus was The Law of Love and eternal Life! 

Then Jesus, who knew no sin, placed all sins, yours and mine, on His shoulders and carried them to the cross where He willingly laid down His life for ours as the once and for all perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world! Nobody else but Jesus, Son of God, could do this for all the world whom God loves!  (John 3:16-17)

Jesus did for us what we cannot—remove all our sins—to be remembered by God no more! Jesus is all we need to come back to God and be reconciled (reconnected) to Him!  Because of Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit comes to live in us with the purpose to guide us to all Truth. What a gift full of God’s power to us!

The law brings knowledge of sin. The ultimate conclusion is that we deserve God’s judgment. But because of God’s love, mercy, and unending grace; we are forgiven.  Wow.  This is the Law of Love.  Believe, repent in Jesus Name, and be saved!

Lord,

Thank you, Father, for the loving reminders of why we trust and obey you as your children, joint heirs with Christ. Thank you, Jesus for saving our souls and cleansing us of our sins. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for guiding us to all that is Truth with course corrections along the way.  Lord, make me a vessel of your love so others will know you, too. May your Kingdom come; Your will be done.

In Jesus Name, Amen