Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

Moses gave the people laws on incest, murder, adultery, fornication, inheritance, discipline of children, and social responsibilities.  The following passage will be hard to read and understand but we must look back in history to consider the barbaric times in which the evil inhabitants of the Promised Land lived before we become too overwhelmed with words that describe the sins followed by God’s command to “purge the evil.” God loves His People.  God knew what they were walking into and prepared their hearts and minds with detailed directions with how to purge the evil.  The Israelites will see behaviors that are appalling and detestable to God and should be to them. They will encounter the dark deeds of evil as a normal way of life for the Canaanites who lived in the land they were to possess. They must not become like them.

God’s order: Possess the land and purge the evil. 

God gave us principles that we should honor as given to us by Jesus who would explain the intent of the Law of God along with the love, mercy and grace extended by God by giving us His Son to redeem us from our sins.  For more understanding read Matthew 5-7, known as the “sermon on the mount”.  Jesus warns all who believe in God to get rid of all that is not of God and live in ways that are like God.  Jesus, who is God in flesh, teaches how to live with detailed instructions.  Remember God delights in the details of our lives and offers all the help we need to live for Him in power!

Here is why:  Satan is still at work, just as determined as in the Garden of Eden, to doggedly intrude in every detail of our lives, distract us from all that is holy, deceive us with lies about who we are to God, while dismantling what we believe about God who is Truth.  Evil’s goal is to destroy every living being who believes in God, the Father and follows Him obediently and willingly as redeemed people through Jesus Christ, His Son.  Satan hates. God loves. 

Cling to God; purge the evil by His power living in us!

Deuteronomy 22

If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner. ² If they do not live near you or if you do not know who owns it, take it home with you and keep it until they come looking for it. Then give it back. ³ Do the same if you find their donkey or cloak or anything else they have lost. Do not ignore it.

⁴ If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet.

⁵ A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this.

⁶ If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. ⁷ You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

⁸ When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.

⁹ Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.

¹⁰ Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.

¹¹ Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.

¹² Make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear.

Marriage Violations

¹³ If a man takes a wife and, after sleeping with her, dislikes her ¹⁴ and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,” ¹⁵ then the young woman’s father and mother shall bring to the town elders at the gate proof that she was a virgin. ¹⁶ Her father will say to the elders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her. ¹⁷ Now he has slandered her and said, ‘I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.’ But here is the proof of my daughter’s virginity.” Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town, ¹⁸ and the elders shall take the man and punish him. ¹⁹ They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives.

²⁰ If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, ²¹ she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.

²² If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

²³ If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, ²⁴ you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death—the young woman because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you.

²⁵ But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. ²⁶ Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, ²⁷ for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her.

²⁸ If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, ²⁹ he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

³⁰ A man is not to marry his father’s wife; he must not dishonor his father’s bed.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Paul, inspired the Holy Spirit of God, said it best:

“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:17-32

Possess the promises of God; Purge the evil.

“Is there a realm untouched by Satan? Is there a place unscarred by his sword? The church? The government? Children? Purity? Promises? And you! And me! We are called to be holy. We were made to be holy. Set apart for his good work. We are the prized flowers of the garden. But is there one person who has not felt the foot of the intruder?

What Satan did in Eden, he does today. For that reason, we need to know that what Jesus did in Gethsemane, he does today. He reclaims the holy. He will not long sit silent while Satan strip-mines the sacred. At the right moment Jesus stands and speaks. And when he stands and speaks, Satan stumbles and is silent.” –Max Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

Believe, repent, and be saved and sealed for eternity with God.  Truth: God so loved us He sent His Son, Jesus to redeem us and “whoever” else believes from all our sins.  He also gave us His Holy Spirit to live in us to help us purge the evil and stay attached to Him forever!  We are overcomers because Jesus overcame all that is evil for us. We are not perfect but we are perfectly forgiven by God “whose compassions they fail not—Great is the faithfulness of God! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Possess the promises of God.  Purge the evil. 

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, transform our behaviors to be more and more like you.  Refresh our souls with your new tender mercies each day.  Daily restore and replenish the joy of your salvation at work with us which gives us blessed assurance and fills us with your peace.  Make us holy by your power with help to purge the evil that creeps into our lives to make us unholy.  Deliver us from evil. 

I’m listening.  I’m yours.  I trust you with my life for you are Life!

In Jesus Name, Amen

The War of Discontent.  We wake up each day to new opportunities to declare the glory of God.  We also rise each morning with groans from aching bones while wondering how we will get through another day’s agenda.  We should praise God for waking us up at all.  But, do we?   We also wake to another day to battle an enemy who hates all who love God.  This enemy is the enemy of God who works diligently to distract us from God, deceive our thinking about God, as he and his demons plant thoughts in our minds in his efforts to dismantle and destroy our faith in God.  We have heard it said: “The devil is in the details;” but the Bible says God delights in all the details of our lives and will be with us in this battle over our souls with power—the same mighty power that resurrected Jesus from death to life on that third day!

The War of Worry.  Friends, we worry over small things and big moments to come not knowing the outcome of either.  We all do it.  But Jesus has wisdom for this battle, too and simply says, “do not worry about tomorrow; each day has troubles of its own.”  Are we hearing what Jesus is really saying?  We tend to look for trouble beyond today and stew over how we will respond with what we will do before we know it will even happen about things that are not in our control anyway! This isn’t a skill to obtain for living but a habit that wastes precious time and needs to be eradicated!  Simmering over troubles causes our creative minds to overthink while our lives go into overdrive which is an exercise of futility that only makes us weary and accomplishes nothing.  Vessels that simmer on the stove never come to a boil—they just keep the contents warm—neither hot or cold. Stew on that truth for a bit.  Worry slanders the promises of God to always love us and be with us—EVERY day of our lives!

Another war strategy to consider:  Look to God first, seeking His awesome power, wisdom, and strength.  Ask Him what He wants for us for this day, leaving self-interests and desires out of the equation.  Pray like Jesus taught us.  Ask God to help us to walk through whatever the circumstances around us will be each day while we trust and obey His will and agenda. May His will be done.  In Jesus Name, for our good and His Glory!  Do we really believe that God knows us, knows what is happening, knows what is best for us, is with us not against us, with powerful help from His Holy Spirit to guide our responses to life?

God knows the battles we will face.  Moses reminded the people that the Lord had successfully brought them from the land of Egypt to the plains of Moab and defeated every enemy that had attacked them.  Just as the Lord had defeated Pharaoh and his army in Egypt, so He would defeat the nations in Canaan.

Deuteronomy 20

Going to War

When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. ² When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. ³ He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. ⁴ For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

⁵ The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. ⁶ Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. ⁷ Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.” ⁸ Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.” ⁹ When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

¹⁰ When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. ¹¹ If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. ¹² If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. ¹³ When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. ¹⁴ As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. ¹⁵ This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

¹⁶ However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. ¹⁷ Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. ¹⁸ Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.

¹⁹ When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them? ²⁰ However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The words, “do not be afraid” (over 300 times in the Bible) are what every believer needs to hear when confronting the enemies of the faith.  Remember, write it down, post this truth where we see it each day: Jesus defeated the Enemy when He rose from the grave and walked among his people with his scars fully visible.  He said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

Even though the war has been won, skirmishes with Satan and his demons still go on until the final war of judgement when Jesus comes back for his own.  For those who “have not seen but yet believe;” Satan battles with intensity by turning up the heat!  Satan battles our faith in Jesus daily with the same, tired tools of his trade with limited power that he has had from the beginning when he manipulated the thinking of Adam and Eve. “Satan is a liar,” declares Jesus adamantly as a warning to us to avoid and dismiss all that he says. Jesus follow up with this Truth: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4, NIV

However, the SAME GOD who helped Abraham, Jacob, and now Moses lead His people in war against all things detestable to God is the same God who leads us!  His love for us never changes and His faithfulness to us lasts a lifetime the prophets declare!  When we walk by faith and keep our eyes on the Lord, God will give us the peace we need (Phil. 4:4–9). We, too are heading for victory when we know and truly believe that the Lord is with us, fighting for is as we trust and obey His will and purpose.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

What promises!  That’s why we sing, “I’m Standing on the Promises of God”!

Got Wisdom for War? —Paul give us guidance for these daily battles:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, transform our behaviors, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us as we seek you first today. Show us the way we should go for today.  Thank you for being with us always to learn from you as we grow our relationship with you. You are God. We are not. I trust you with my life because you are Life!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Do we often “sacrifice” because sacrifice is a new kind of pride?  I remember a commercial years ago of a complacent mom in the kitchen. She was enjoying the quiet, without family noise, reading a book, eating Rice Krispies bars.  The commercial is telling us how easy these treats are to make but she hides this fact from her family.

To show the family her sacrifice, she throws flour (not an ingredient) on her face and wiped her brow to show her family how hard she sacrificed herself so they could have a special treat that they believed took “hours” of her time to make.  She reveled in her family’s gratefulness!  This seems silly but is a small example of the subtlety of sin.  Evil slyly seeps into our daily living in subtle ways to distract, deceive, and dismantle our faith—if it is not recognized for what it is and stopped from affecting us and those around us.

It has been said and followed up with hard evidence by George Barna, a scientific researcher who has a heart for God, that the tables of faith in churches in the United States are flipping.  “The church is being affected by society more than we as the church are affecting society.”  Evil walks into our churches along with all the people who gather each week. We accept it, even sacrifice for it, and are eventually enticed by it—if we allow it.  https://www.barna.com/stateofthechurch/

Yes, we should accept all people, (do not hear what I am not saying). It is evil that presents itself in the forms of pride, arrogance, jealousy, envy, and greed that is unacceptable. God detests these evil inspired behaviors because it gives birth to gossip, selfishness, demanding that self needs are met, along with false power plays, while jockeying for position while demanding praise from people for people. Evil behaviors must be dealt with and removed before it dismantles the faith of all believers falling for it.  Evil is subtle most times and is even presented as “an angel of light.”  2 Corinthians 11:14–15 contains perhaps the most important bit of information all believers need to remember concerning the nature of Satan and his work. Paul warns the church that the Devil “disguises himself as an angel of light” (v. 14). (We won’t get into how the “church” reacted to each other in front of the world during Covid in 2020!  We didn’t do so well as the church in our responses to each other and to the world!)

In Moses time, God cannot emphasize too much that the religion of the Canaanite nations was unspeakably filthy and mingled blind superstition with gross immorality (Deuteronomy 16:21–22). Human nature being what it is, the Israelites would be attracted to gods they could see and ceremonies that appealed to their sensual appetites. This explains why God commanded the Israelites to wipe out every vestige of Canaanite religion from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–11), for He knew that the hearts of the people were too often set on doing evil in spite of His holy laws and His warnings.

Deuteronomy 17

Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.

² If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant, ³ and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars in the sky, ⁴ and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, ⁵ take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. ⁶ On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. ⁷ The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.

Law Courts

⁸ If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose. ⁹ Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict. ¹⁰ You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. ¹¹ Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left. ¹² Anyone who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering there to the Lord your God is to be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel. ¹³ All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.

The King

¹⁴ When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” ¹⁵ be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. ¹⁶ The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” ¹⁷ He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

¹⁸ When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees ²⁰ and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Throughout God’s Word, God tells His Stories proclaiming His deep love and compassion for all He has created “in his own image.”  We learn that God wants us to love Him back but He has given us a choice to do so—or not. God’s desire to pour out His blessings of all that is good over us.  But evil by the Enemy of God shows up with other choices that are not of God.  How will we respond? The choice is up to everyone.  Do I want and seek a loving, intimate relationship with the God of Creation—or not? There are only to choices. No gray areas.  We choose God or we choose evil. We choose to live in God’s ways or in the ways of evil that lead to destruction. God gives life. Evil leads to death.  Both are forever.  Your choice.  My choice.

Imitating the world instead of trusting the Lord has always been the great temptation of God’s people, and each time they’ve succumbed, they’ve suffered. During their wilderness journey, Israel compared everything that happened with what they had experienced in Egypt, and at Kadesh Barnea they even wanted to choose a leader and go back to Egypt (Numbers 14:1–5)!

Warren Wiersbe writes; “The church today is equally guilty of unbelief. When church leaders adopt the methods and measurements of the world, then the church has taken a giant step toward becoming like the world and losing its divine distinctives. Instead of trusting the Word of God and prayer (Acts 6:4); we depend on following the world’s wisdom, imitating the world’s methods, and catering to the world’s appetites, giving people what they want instead of what they need. Believers today need to take to heart God’s reminder to Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples” (Leviticus 20:24).  –Wierbe Study Bible

When Israel got around to demanding a king (1 Sam. 8), God was not surprised when His people demanded a king so they could be like other nations. (See 1 Samuel)  God had already anticipated that disappointing rejection of His authority by the nation. He gave those future kings (and by extension all leaders) some helpful guidelines in dealing with the temptations that go with power. Unfortunately, history has recorded too few instances in which leaders have heeded God’s instructions. Yet we remain responsible for how we respond to God’s Word, making sure to engage in “regular reading” so that our attitude and actions are shaped by the truth.

Lord,

Cleanse our evil invaded hearts of all that is not you.  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that guides us to discern all that is truth in all circumstances.  Renew our minds.  Transform our behaviors in ways that please you. Deliver us from evil.  Turn our messy lives into a testimonial message that give you praise alone!  Daily restore the joy of your salvation at work within us. Open our eyes to see your glory all around us so we will be quick to trust and obey for we know there is no other way to be at peace with You. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  Matthew 26:6-13

Jesus immediately came to the defense of Mary because He always protects His own. He rebuked Judas and the other disciples and praised Mary for her loving act of devotion. Nothing given to Jesus in love is ever wasted. Her act of worship not only brought joy to the heart of Jesus and fragrance to the house but also blessing to the whole world. Her devotion encourages us to love and serve Christ with our very best. Such service blesses others in ways that perhaps we will know nothing about until we see Him.

So, we assume poverty can never be overcome, right? It’s a problem that simply can’t be solved, right?  Wrong thinking—wrong questions.

Yes, in fact, it just so happens that in saying “The poor you will always have with you,” Jesus was quoting another well-known Biblical phrase – from a well-known passage of the Jewish Torah. Everyone hearing Jesus speak back then would have caught on. We will read this quote today: “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be…For the poor you will always have with you in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’” (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)

So, reading Jesus’ words in their original context you can see that His words were meant to spur our generosity towards the poor. “Open wide your hand!” The command to be open-handed towards the poor comes directly from God himself—not apathy and tight-fistedness as we use these words to mean today.  So, the next time someone says, “The poor you will always have with you…” Be sure to complete the sentence: “Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.” 

Read the same passage from the gospel of John to gain even more insight! Jesus says these words to rebuke Judas who was scornful towards a woman for pouring out her perfume on Jesus.  Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. (John 12:6).  So, when we use Jesus’ words to justify not caring about the poor, we are actually repeating the very sin of Judas himself, who was robbing the poor. Yikes! 

Let’s go even deeper—(no excuses, just open minds)

Of course, this posture of generosity and open-handedness from Torah to the Master Teacher parallels the rest of Jesus’ life and teachings, starting with the revolutionary song sung by Mary while Jesus was still in the womb:

“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:53)

You can see Jesus fulfilling this prophecy in the feeding of the 5000. “The crowd all ate and were “filled”.  (John 6:12) The need of 5000 hungry people was met in that place and time because one little boy was willing to be “open-handed” towards the poor and needy.

Deuteronomy 15

The Year for Canceling Debts

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. ² This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. ³ You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. ⁴ However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, ⁵ if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. ⁶ For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

⁷ If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. ¹⁰ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Freeing Servants

¹² If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free. ¹³ And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. ¹⁴ Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.

¹⁶ But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, ¹⁷ then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant.

¹⁸ Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.

The Firstborn Animals

¹⁹ Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep. ²⁰ Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. ²¹ If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God. ²² You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer. ²³ But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus can be seen from Genesis to Revelation.  Don’t forget that. 

God’s love for us prompts Him to give.  “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

God’s love is in all who believe Jesus for God is love.  Our love for God who lives in us in power, the power of His Holy Spirit leading us, guides our response to God in our giving to others.  Are we like Judas or Jesus?  Are we holding back or giving all?  Pause, take all the time you need—I am. Every day of our lives we are given opportunities to give from pure hearts of praise for our God who so generously gives to us! 

Jesus taught with words that stirred all hearts, minds, and souls to action.  Giving like God has given to us as demonstrated by Jesus, His Son so beautifully and willingly brings me to my knees in pure gratitude.  I don’t deserve all He has given to me and has done for me.  I gratefully love and praise God for he has met me where I am and refused to leave me there.  I have discovered that He is the only One I really need.  The poor among us might be super materially rich but poor in knowing the God who gives.

God LOVES a cheerful giver is more that a Sunday School phrase to put on the wall!  Giving is in God’s DNA that is passed on to all He has created in His image.  Mm.

Oh, but wait, there’s more!

Later, after Jesus’ death, the early believers also took these teachings on open-handedness seriously:  And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were NO needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales, and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. (Acts 4:34-35)

There were no needy persons among them! Poverty was eradicated in their midst. That was the natural outcome of taking Jesus’ teachings seriously.  Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom is here and He is calling us to be part of it that includes getting in on the giving! The poor among us are going to be lifted up around us. The hungry are going to be fed. All because God gave first.  We are called, actually commanded, to be open-handed but it begins with an open, honest, sincere heart.

So, what are we waiting for?  Every day is the day of jubilee—for Christ has risen!  He paid all our debts of sin and took our shame in the process! By His Spirit we will rise!  So, above all, may Jesus be honored as we give back to God who so generously gave to us.  To God be the glory who teaches us how to give in Jesus Name.

Lord,

Lead us to give from hearts of love for You first and then others.  We want to get in on the giving gene passed on to us who believe and follow you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

It is very important to stop and consider all that God has done in our lives to this day.  In fact, it is pleasing to God when we seek Him as soon as we rise each morning because the more we realize God is in all the details of our lives, seeks to protect us from harm, loves us enough to save our souls from evil and then provides all we need and then pours out blessing beyond all we think or imagine—only then will we learn to live our lives in gratitude for who we are. 

We are children of the Father God who created us in His own image and created the world in which we are told to care for and manage in His Name for His glory.  We are a people made holy by the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, the Messiah sent to earth to seek and to save the lost while demonstrating the relentless, tremendous love of God who is Love.  To all who believe, God has chosen us His adopted children to be included into His family as His treasured possessions forever!  Now, there is no difference between the Jews or Gentiles, men or women, poor or rich, or shade of skin color—As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12-13

And for that reason, God gives His people commands and decrees to follow for our own safety and protection in our daily lives. God knows the world and everything in it. God knows what is good to eat and what is not in that time and in that place.  Moses relays God’s commands and Joshua follows up with the same when they enter the Promised Land and reside there. God also knows exactly what we need when we need it; if only we would listen!  We would probably live healthier!  God is all the details of our lives because He loves us. So, put down those French fries and stop over indulging in the bacon and fried cheese stacked hamburger!  Overindulgence and gluttony is also taught in God’s Word as being “unclean” ways to eat!

As His people, the sheep of His pasture through out the world, may we listen to our Shepherd and do what He says for our good and for His glory.  God knows what He is talking about for He created all.  All belongs to God.  We are also told to give back a portion of all God has provided so to help others who are in need and for those who serve us.  This is one of many joyful ways to worship the God we love and give Him glory. That’s who we are—or should be.

Deuteronomy 14

Clean and Unclean Food

You are the children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, ² for you are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.

³ Do not eat any detestable thing. ⁴ These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, ⁵ the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. ⁶ You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud. ⁷ However, of those that chew the cud or that have a divided hoof you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the hyrax. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. ⁸ The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.

⁹ Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. ¹⁰ But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean.

¹¹ You may eat any clean bird. ¹² But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, ¹³ the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, ¹⁴ any kind of raven, ¹⁵ the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, ¹⁶ the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, ¹⁷ the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, ¹⁸ the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.

¹⁹ All flying insects are unclean to you; do not eat them. ²⁰ But any winged creature that is clean you may eat.

²¹ Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to the foreigner residing in any of your towns, and they may eat it, or you may sell it to any other foreigner. But you are a people holy to the Lord your God.

Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

Tithes

²² Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. ²³ Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. ²⁴ But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away), ²⁵ then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. ²⁶ Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. ²⁷ And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.

²⁸ At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, ²⁹ so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God gave the Israelites directives that helped them keep His priorities. The principles we follow today also help us keep our perspectives in line with His thinking. God’s Holy Spirit who comes to live in all believers gives the power to obey what is right and true which pleases God.  Because the Holy Spirit leads us to all that is truth; we have spiritual discernment in decision making in all the details that arise each day about what do we eat, what should we wear, who should we talk with and what words should be said that will be truthful, helpful, encouraging, inspiring, necessary, and kind so others will know Jesus by seeing and hearing Jesus in us. 

God also gave His People holidays and times of celebration. God wants us to have joy in our relationship with him and with others, too! We are given times to give God glory, praise, and thanksgiving on our family and church calendars, too!  May the reasons for celebrations be pure and holy, helpful and inspiring for if it is not, we might be celebrating with wrong motives.  God knows our hearts. Jesus warned the Pharisees and other religious teachers of doing right things for wrong reason.

Jesus loves celebrations and being with His friends!  Wait, what? The perfect example of this was a family wedding where all his family were in attendance.  He had just chosen his disciples who would follow him for three years. This might have been their first party to attend together.  Imagine these new disciples watching to see what The Teacher will do at the wedding where the culture dictates singing, eating, drinking the good stuff, and dancing until dawn for most of a week!  How will this holy man of God act and respond at the party? Jesus invited his new friends to join him and have some much needed fun!  Who they saw was the Son of Man/Son of God enjoying himself with his family!  God created joy.  Jesus demonstrates joy in being with others to celebrate this special occasion of a marriage!  How beautiful!

Max Lucado gives a new perspective concerning The Wedding Feast (John 2:1-11) where Jesus would be asked by his mom to turn water into wine so the hosts would be saved from embarrassment.  Consider another perspective for why he attended—

“His purpose wasn’t to turn the water to wine. That was a favor for his friends. His purpose wasn’t to show his power. The wedding host didn’t even know what Jesus did.  His purpose wasn’t to preach. There is no record of a sermon. Really leaves only one reason. Fun. Jesus went to the wedding because He liked the people, He liked the food, and heaven forbid, he may have even wanted to swirl the bride around the dance floor a time or two.

So, forgive me, Deacon Drydust and Sister Somberheart. I’m sorry to rain on your dirge, but Jesus was a likable fellow. And his disciples should be the same. I’m not talking debauchery, drunkenness, and adultery. I’m not endorsing compromise, coarseness, or obscenity. I am simply crusading for the freedom to enjoy a good joke, enliven a dull party, and appreciate a fun evening.

Maybe these thoughts catch you by surprise. They do me. It’s been awhile since I pegged Jesus as a party lover. But he was. His foes accused him of eating too much, drinking too much, and hanging out with the wrong people! (See Matthew 11:19.) I must confess: it’s been a while since I’ve been accused of having too much fun. How about you?

We used to be good at it. What has happened to us? What happened to clean joy and loud laughter? Is it our neckties that choke us? Is it our diplomas that dignify us? Is it the pew that stiffens us?  Loosen up. Don’t you have some people to hug, rocks to skip, or lips to kiss? Someone needs to laugh at Bugs Bunny; might as well be you. Someday you’re going to learn to paint; might as well be now. Someday you’re going to retire; why not today? Not retire from your job, just retire from your attitude. Honestly, has complaining ever made the day better? Has grumbling ever paid the bills? Has worrying about tomorrow ever changed it?

Let someone else run the world for a while.  Jesus took time for a party . . . shouldn’t we? Remind yourself of what is important. Take some time to just enjoy all that God has given you. Take a walk with your family. Send money to someone in need. Be a volunteer. Spend time worshiping God. Allow your perspective to be refocused.” –Lucado, The Encouraging Word Bible

Seek God first, believe all He says, quickly respond with joy, following His lead in all things of this world in preparation for the next—heaven—the biggest party of all! Why?

“…and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” Deuteronomy 13:29

Lord,

Every Word teaches us a new perspective of who you are with who we are in you as your chosen, your holy children, your beloved and your treasured possession.  We belong to you—the One and Only who created us and loved us so much you came to earth to save our souls and redeem us from the evil of this world, all so we may enter heaven cleansed and holy with confident joy and everlasting peace!  To You be the glory!  Lead me, Lord in all I think, say, eat, wear, and do. Be in all the details of life for you are Life!  May Your Kingdom come; Your Will be done.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“If Christ is not raised, if his body is decayed into dust, what are you left with?

How about Eastern mysticism? Let’s travel back in time and around the globe to India. It’s 490 BC, and Buddha is willing to see us. Here is our question: “Can you defeat death?” He never opens his eyes, just shakes his head. “You are disillusioned, dear child. Seek enlightenment.”

So we do. By virtue of a vigorous imagination, we travel to Greece to meet with the father of logic, Socrates. He offers a sip of hemlock, but we pass, explaining that we have only one question. “Do you have power over the grave? Are you the son of Zeus?” He scratches his bald head and calls us raca. (Probably Greek for “turkey brains.”)

Undeterred, we advance a thousand years and locate the ancient village of Mecca. A bearded Muhammad sits in the midst of followers. From the back of the crowd we cry out, “We are looking for Allah incarnate. Are you he?” He stands and rips his robe and demands that we be banished for such heresy.

But we escape. We escape back in time to Jerusalem. We ascend the stairs of a simple house where the King of the Jews is holding court. The room is crowded with earnest disciples. As we find a seat, we look into the radiant face of the resurrected Christ. The love in his eyes is as real as the wounds on his body.

If we ask the question of him— “Are you raised from the dead? Are you the Son of God?”—we know his answer.

Jesus might well personalize the words he gave to the angel. “I am raised from the dead as I said I would be. Come and see the place where my body was.”

Quite a claim. Just like passengers in the airport about to board a plane, we get to choose how we respond. Either board and trust the pilot—or try to get home on our own.

I know which choice I prefer.

One of the best ways to avoid false teachers and their teachings is to know the Word of God.” –Max Lucado, The Encouraging Word Bible

Moses led the Israelites to demonstrate that worship of God must be free from all idolatry—the worship of all other gods. God even used false prophets in order to test God’s people. What if a false teacher proclaimed the future and it came true?  Would you follow him/her when they suggest following other gods?  When someone comes into our lives that seem like God’s prophet, walk and talk like a prophet and appear to be successful—should we follow without question?  No, we must be cautious and discerning especially when they suggest anything other than God and is not in God’s Word. 

Deuteronomy 13

Worshiping Other Gods

If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, ² and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” ³ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴ It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. ⁵ That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.

⁶ If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, ⁷ gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), ⁸ do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. ⁹ You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. ¹⁰ Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ¹¹ Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.

¹² If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in ¹³ that troublemakers have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), ¹⁴ then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, ¹⁵ you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. ¹⁶ You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt, ¹⁷ and none of the condemned things are to be found in your hands. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger, will show you mercy, and will have compassion on you. He will increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your ancestors— ¹⁸ because you obey the Lord your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

There is no question about the first four of the concise Ten Commands of God:

1 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

God wants what is best for you. If you put something else before Him in your life, we lose sight of God, our Father in heaven. Our communication with God is hampered.  Our attention is distracted with our time given to other gods of this life rather than the God who longs to bless us with all that is good and right for us! 

2 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” Exodus 20:4

Anything we worship more than God is a “graven image.” Cars, clothes, sports, even our jobs and the lives of our family members are dangerous things to worship because they can go away. But God will never go away. God was, is, and always will be God and that’s why it’s best for us to only worship Him.  Who or what we think about most is who or what we worship.

3 “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” Exodus 20:7

This can mean using God’s name like a swear word, or it can mean saying you are a Christian believer but not living or acting like Jesus, God Son, who was sent to earth to save us from our sins and teach us how to love God and love each other. 

4 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8–10

Sunday, or the Sabbath day, is a day we can all gather in a place dedicated for worship of God.  We also go to learn how about who God is and what He requires of us. God knows we need Him and others who know Him, to make us and keep us holy as we cannot do this for ourselves. Keeping it holy means pausing our agendas to be still, let go, and surrender to what God wants to do in and through us.  Lord, make us holy, is our prayer individually and corporately in worship.

“In this way you will purge the evil from among you” is a statement found at least eight more times in the Book of Deuteronomy. Paul quoted it in 1 Corinthians 5:13 with reference to discipline in the local church. We don’t stone guilty people in our churches, but we should see evil and guard evil from others who openly live in sin, refuse to repent and obey the Word of God.  Israel enemies were enemies of God who did detestable sins such as killing their own children, drinking human blood, in the their worship of all kinds of gods but God.

At this point, I’m reminded of what Jesus said:  “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.” –Jesus, Matthew 5:43-45a We don’t stop loving the offenders and enemies of God; we compassionately pray for those who need Jesus and turn to other gods but God alone.  It is not God’s desire that anyone perish but to live.  But we must also guard ourselves from becoming like those who run after other gods to do what is not pleasing to God. It also occurs to me that others are watching to see if we who believe God follow other gods!

Jesus also explained that sins unrepented are like yeast that permeates dough in bread.  It spreads!  Sin is like yeast and when it’s not purged, it will spread and infect others in the church. (See 1 Corinthians 5:6–8; Galatians 5:9) Just as a surgeon skillfully removes cancerous tissue from a patient’s body to keep it from spreading, so the local body of believers must experience skilled compassionate surgery, no matter how painful, to maintain the spiritual health of the church—The Body of Christ.  When we pursue the god of self and our wants, not willing to ask God what He wants; we are in danger of judging others’ lives.  Ask God for wisdom in all relationships!

The bottom line:  You shall have NO OTHER gods before me says God.  None, nada, zero. Only God is God!  Only God resurrected Jesus from death in victory! Only God created all, is in all, and loves to help us with all the details of our lives.  Only God reigns eternal and forever!  There is no one like our God!  Love God.  Love Others.  Do what God says.

Trust and obey God.  We must consistently rid ourselves of all that is not of God or God. Why? Because it makes our lives too confusing.  Stay focused!  Fix your attention on God!  These warnings are made from God’s prophets and teachers throughout His Word.  God wants us to live a simpler life of relentless love that permeates our beings with a desire to love Him back and to love others like He loves us.  AND God will help us with the same power that resurrected Jesus by His Holy Spirit who lives in all who believe Him.  Yes, there is no one like our God!

Lord,

Thank you for your help to focus on You.  You are the most important relationship to have and to cling to in our lives!  All other glorious relationships begin with our relationship with you for you are love. By realizing the depth of love you have for me, my love for others naturally grows deeper and wider.  Your Holy Spirt transforms my thinking and behaving, my responses and reactions to the world as you guide me to all that is true.  So, continue to cleanse my heart of all that is not you. Renew my mind, refresh my soul.  Daily restore the joy and peace of your salvation powerfully at work within me.  I love you with all my heart, mind, and soul.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

In Jesus Name, Amen