REMEMBER—BE DIFFERERNT, BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY!

Posted on April 9, 2025 by randscallawayffm

It might be human nature to treat someone badly who we think is lower in status than us currently because someone in a higher position treated us badly—but it is not the way God wants us to be and behave.  As a people who have reconciled with God; we are to relate to people better than others treated us because of His love in us.  Because we experienced how it feels to be berated, beaten, and betrayed; we must respond to others differently than we were treated.  We have a responsibility and the power of God living in us to stop cycles of mistreatment and abuse by reacting and responding differently with the compassion of Jesus who so gracefully, eloquently, and perfectly demonstrated for us!  We must respond differently because when we come to Jesus, we receive complete forgiveness for all our sins.  “As redeemed people,” says God in this passage; gives us reason to respond to others differently! 

Jesus, the Word made flesh, will later teach that we should “go the extra mile” in living our new life as redeemed people.  Jesus will demonstrate how to do this often in front of his disciples and followers who have been oppressed by the Romans and their own religious leaders. Jesus will replace the hate with the love of God.  (See Matthew 5-7 for examples for living a life of difference from the darkness.)

Later, Peter the disciples who Jesus chose to “build his church” preaches:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10, NIV Made new and different!  Be different to make a difference so others will know and follow Jesus, too!

Before Jesus we were like the rest of the world but after receiving redemption from God through Jesus, His Son who paid our debt of sin in full; we are made new and new means living differently than those who walk in darkness without God. 

Deuteronomy 24

If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

5 If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.

6 Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a person’s livelihood as security.

7 If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating or selling them as a slave, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from among you.

8 In cases of defiling skin diseases, be very careful to do exactly as the Levitical priests instruct you. You must follow carefully what I have commanded them. 9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam along the way after you came out of Egypt.

10 When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge. 11 Stay outside and let the neighbor to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. 12 If the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge in your possession. 13 Return their cloak by sunset so that your neighbor may sleep in it. Then they will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the Lord your God.

14 Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. 15 Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.

17 Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Live differently!

The next two chapter of Deuteronomy covers details concerning the justice for all people.  For example, kidnapping was prohibited and was a capital crime. To kidnap people and sell them is to treat them like merchandise and not like people created in the image of God. The Israelites were not to enslave one another or sell one another to be enslaved by the Gentiles. The Lord had delivered His people from Egypt so they could be free, and kidnapping was the reverse of God’s purpose!

Jesus’ new way to respond to the “Golden Rule”:  Treat others BETTER than the way they treat you!  This is how to live God’s way which is different than the world around us expects. 

Throughout Mattew 5-7, Jesus preaches and teaches live differently, here are but a few examples:

“You are the salt of the earth” …to season the world with the goodness of God!

“You are the light of the world”…don’t hide the Light of Jesus in you, shine, giving light in your homes and to the dark world so others will know and praise God, too!

 “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 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.”

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”

“If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

There’s so much more!  Live differently requires study of the scriptures and prayer that involves talking and listening with God, being still, letting go of the old life, with a desire to respond to God in our new life.  God’s Holy Spirit gives the power to be and live differently!

Jesus is preaching a sermon on the mount that describes God’s radical reconstruction of the heart. (Matthew 5-7 with reference to Deuteronomy)

Max Lucado writes;

“Observe the sequence. First, we recognize we are in need (we’re poor in spirit). Next, we repent of our self-sufficiency (we mourn). We quit calling the shots and surrender control to God (we’re meek). So grateful are we for his presence that we yearn for more of him (we hunger and thirst). As we grow closer to him, we become more like him. We forgive others (we’re merciful). We change our outlook (we’re pure in heart). We love others (we’re peacemakers). We endure injustice (we’re persecuted).

It’s no casual shift of attitude. It is a demolition of the old structure and a creation of the new. The more radical the change, the greater the joy. And it’s worth every effort, for this is the joy of God.

And though your heart isn’t perfect, it isn’t rotten. And though you aren’t invincible, at least you’re plugged in. And you can bet that he who made you knows just how to purify you—from the inside out.” –Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

We are different when we give our lives to Jesus.  Now, says Jesus, live differently!  I’ll help you!

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new tender mercies delivered to us daily. Continually replenish the joy of your salvation at work within us as we surrender to your will to be and live differently for our good and your glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen

I love seeing a brand-new believers praise God when set free from sin through forgiveness by Jesus!  Even the expressions and features on their faces are different!  Brand-new believers are so excited to tell others of what Jesus did for them with what He is doing in them to transform them by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. The difference in their lives is compelling as well as noticeable!  It is beautiful to see! We praise God for Jesus who forgives us!  But when the “new” wears off and the darkness begins to creep in with the way we used to live; we must remember to run from that which will bind us as it did before we knew Jesus.  Those who have been living differently for a while must encourage and help new believers with reminders of God’s blessed assurance of their new identities in Christ as the “joint heirs” with Jesus who died for them so they could live differently.

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DON’T FORGET—A FEW MORE FINAL INSTRUCTIONS!

Posted on April 8, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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PURGE THE EVIL

Posted on April 7, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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ATONEMENT FOR SIN

Posted on April 6, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“The Bible is the story of two gardens. Eden and Gethsemane. In the first, Adam took a fall. In the second, Jesus took a stand. In the first, God sought Adam. In the second, Jesus sought God. In Eden, Adam hid from God. In Gethsemane, Jesus emerged from the tomb. In Eden, Satan led Adam to a tree that led to his death. From Gethsemane, Jesus went to a tree that led to our life.

Satan was never invited to the Garden of Eden. He did not belong there. He was not wanted there. He slithered as a snake into God’s garden and infected God’s children.

That’s all he’s done since. Hasn’t he entered a few of your holy gardens?”—Max Lucado, The Encouraging Word Bible      

The land belonged to God and the people living on it were His tenants. Their sins not only grieved the Lord but also defiled the land, especially the sins of sexual immorality and murder. The shedding of innocent blood was a terrible crime in Israel and laws were given to convict the offender deter the sin. 

Deuteronomy 21

Atonement for an Unsolved Murder

If someone is found slain, lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who the killer was, 2 your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns. 3 Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke 4 and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck. 5 The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault. 6 Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7 and they shall declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. 8 Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, Lord, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.” Then the bloodshed will be atoned for, 9 and you will have purged from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

Marrying a Captive Woman

10 When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives, 11 if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. 12 Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails 13 and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. 14 If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.

The Right of the Firstborn

15 If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

A Rebellious Son

18 If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21 Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.

Various Laws

22 If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23 you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Do you see Jesus yet again in this passage as we have throughout Deuteronomy?  Read verse 8 again.  That this ritual relates to Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross is clear from the elders’ words, “Do not charge your people with the guilt of murdering an innocent person.” On that tragic day when Israel asked to have her Messiah crucified, Pilate washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” and the people replied, “We will take responsibility for His death—we and our children” (Matt. 27:24, 25).

Like that innocent heifer, Jesus died for the nation and even prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus fulfilled God’s will and upheld His holy law:

  • Jesus died for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 John 4:14),
  • Jesus died for the church (Ephesians 5:25, 26),
  • Jesus died for the people of Israel: “For the transgressions of My people He was stricken” (Isaiah 53:8).

The entire ritual speaks of the grace of God, for man’s works could never earn God’s forgiveness. The young calf had never been worked, the ground in the valley had never been tilled, and the elders, judges, and priests had done nothing special to earn God’s forgiveness for His people.  It is by God’s grace alone that we are saved from our sins by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, and Our Lord!

God wanted His people to enjoy living in their land, and the secret of this enjoyment was obedience to His will.  Trust and obey for there’s no other way…to please God and for all to go well with us even when we struggle through tough times.  God is with us always and knows our hearts and needs.  In all circumstances, it is wisdom to trust and obey the Lord.  He knows what He is doing!

“If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son…” is a beautiful story that is parallel to Jesus’ story of the prodigal son.  Warren Wiersbe writes;

“This “law of the prodigal” helps us understand one aspect of our Lord’s parable, the fact that the father ran to meet his son (Luke 15:20). In the East, it isn’t customary for older men to run. Of course, the father’s love for his son compelled him to hasten to meet him, but there was something else involved. The news of this boy’s wicked life in the far country had certainly drifted back to his hometown, and the law-abiding citizens knew that he had disgraced their city. Seeing the boy approach, the elders at the gate might have been tempted to refuse to let him in, or in their anger, they might have picked up stones to stone him! But with the father holding the boy in his arms, kissing him, and welcoming him, the elders could do nothing. Had anybody thrown stones, they would have hit the father. This speaks to us of Calvary where God took our punishment for us that He might be able to welcome us home.” Wiersbe Study Bible

THIS is grace.  Oh how this touches my heart!

“All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down.” Romans 5:20-21, MSG

Jesus reversed the curse!  Since the fall of Adam and Eve to evil’s deceptions and disobeyed God; we were born under a curse from God to all mankind.  The rather gruesome symbolic act of hanging the guilty on poles after stoned reminded the people that God cursed people who committed capital crimes. The apostle Paul applied this truth to our Lord’s death on the cross: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)”” (Gal. 3:13). Those who trust Christ cannot be condemned by the law (Gal. 3:10) because Christ bore that curse for them. 

THIS is the love, mercy, and grace of our God through Jesus Christs, His Son—our Messiah who saved the world of all our sins. 

“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

To those who say the Old Testament is obsolete and no longer applies is one who has not read and studied what God is saying to us.  God was, is, and always will be God. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega—He was there at the beginning and will be there the end.  From Genesis to Revelation, God wants us to love Him back.

How great is our God!?  How tremendously grateful are we for God? Pause to praise!

Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you are, all you have done and all you will do to make us all you want us to be and enjoy in You.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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WISDOM IN WAR AGAINST THE ENEMY

Posted on April 5, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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WHERE CAN WE GO BUT TO THE LORD!

Posted on April 4, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Where could I go but to the Lord
Where could I go oh where could I go
Seeking the refuge for my soul
Needing a friend to save me in the end
Won’t you tell me
Where could I go but to the Lord

(Songwriter: James B. Coats)

When troubling circumstances become so great we feel cornered, hemmed in from all sides physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually; where can we go? We’re stuck, thinking what will we do next?  We think, how do we defend ourselves from something that happened accidentally without malice for anyone? Evil leaps at a chance to dismantle our faith in God at these pressure points in our lives.  When we realize this, whether evil was involved in the trouble or not, troubles will test the strength of our resolve and commitment to the Lord.  As evil leaps into these moments; our Lord noticed our demise and is already at work with a solution as our overcomer.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Where could I go but to the Lord?  God provides for us before, during, and after life’s challenges.  God is everywhere all the time. God knows before we tell him but God wants us to tell him so that we know he knows as we run to Him in bold confidence!  God uses these times of troubles to grow our relationship and strengthen our faith in Him.  “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4, NLT

Where could I go but to the Lord!  There is no one like our God!

In the days of Moses, when God’s commands were written and explained to His people, God, in His wisdom told them to set up areas in the Promised Land for places of refuge to run to when accused.  “Innocent until found guilty” are people who run to these cities and wait for the matter to be investigated.  They are to be kept safe until judgement can be made.  Read on…

Deuteronomy 19

Cities of Refuge

When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, 2 then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3 Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.

4 This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. 5 For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 7 This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

8 If the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them, 9 because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the Lord your God and to walk always in obedience to him—then you are to set aside three more cities. 10 Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.

11 But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor, and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.

14 Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

Witnesses

15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The cities of refuge were designated towns to which people who had killed a person by accident could flee. Murderers who intentionally killed someone were not protected in those cities. This is an Old Testament illustration of grace.

Believers, as refugees from sin, have a place to turn to—Jesus Christ.  There is nothing our Lord will not forgive.  Run to Him, believe, repent holding nothing back, and be saved from all that holds you down and hems you in from all sides.  By His grace we are saved and set free!  Debt of sins paid in full!

Where could we go but the Lord?  Here are reasons why:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 “No one is good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10) God knows all there is to know about each one of us—from the inside out and outside in because God knows our hearts.  He created us.  He does not give up on us; God’s love, mercy, and grace remains for all who come to him and humbly repent of all their sins in the Name of Jesus, His Son.  Anyone and everyone who calls on the Name of Jesus will be saved, all sins removed, and will inherit eternal life as a bonus of God’s goodness!  “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

PAUSE TO BE STILL

Where could I go?  That’s for each one of us to decide today.  Who and where has already been prepared and readied for us!   

Who can save me? The answer was, is and always will be—Our Lord, “our present help in times of trouble” who is also “the joy of our salvation”!  He is waiting…what are you waiting for? Run to Him!  His arms are open wide ready to receive you!

LIVE GRATEFULLY IN GOD’S GRACE!  GRACE WINS EVERY TIME! 

“God forgave us before we even asked for it. He extended mercy to us before we even knew we needed it. Why? Because the God of mercy took pity on us—a band of creatures who are incapable of saving themselves without his gift of mercy.

If you struggle with understanding God’s mercy, reflect on where you would be today without God’s grace. How have you experienced God as a place of refuge or safety? As a New Testament believer, you can now come before God’s throne where there is grace and mercy when you need it.” –Max Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Where do you run to daily in times of trouble and in times of calm?  I pray it is the Lord over heaven and earth, The Overcomer of all that tries to overcome us. 

Lord,

You are our Savior and Lord.  You are also the One who is always with us 24/7. You stand ready to be our refuge when troubles come with open arms to comfort us.  Just knowing this settles our souls as we receive your gift of peace. Thank you for who you are to us and for us. Thank you for being our ever-present help in times of trouble, confusion, and conflict. Thank you for using these times to grow our relationship with You. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy Spirit.  To you be the glory, honor, and praise. May your will be done. I trust you with my life for you are Life!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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CALLED TO BE DEPENDENT ON THE LORD

Posted on April 3, 2025 by randscallawayffm

It is in our nature to be independent.  Even though infants are totally dependent on our moms and dad to provide all that is needed; they will independently cry out, loudly, when they think their need is not being met immediately. Infants cry when they make a mess in their diapers, when stomachs signal the need to be immediately filled, when gas bubbles cause irritation, when a brother touches them or a sister comes too near to them, when mom does not hold them all day long and into the night or any moment they feel need and want to control their new environment.  Crying their only tool to communicate and independently declare what they want in this dependent state of being.  And it works!  We hear the cry and we run to fix it because of our love for these precious ones who with just a smile can melt our hearts. Who’s really in control here?

The Levites have been chosen by God to be fully dependent on God and His people for daily needs.  Their work is great and the load is heavy.  They must deal with the sins of the people in specific ways as commanded by God.  They must prepare the place of God’s choosing and keep it ready at all times so when He comes there is nothing left undone.  The Levites have a lot of specific tasks to be done daily such as cleansing the tools and places for sacrifices to be made. They also prepare for all the celebrations mandated by God as a time to “remember” and revere God who provides. 

Levite priests were judges for the towns in which they live when the disputes could not be settled among the people themselves.  But Levites have no income, no land to own, and no way to provide for their families. Their inheritance was with God alone.  God promised to take care of His appointed, anointed, consecrated, and ordained people from the tribe of Levi. They, in return, loved and served Him and the entire Israelite nation.  The Levite tribe’s only way of sustenance for food for their families came from the offerings presented to the Lord by the people of Isarael. 

Levite priests were dependent entirely on God who provided for them and became their inheritance—just as He promised.  They were able to move from town to town and minister in the Name of God and share equally in the offerings from the people as provision. 

God will also send prophets to speak for Him, chosen from among the nation of Israel.  Hold that thought as we continue our journey from Genesis through Deuteronomy and beyond!  They will be fully dependent on God, too.  They will cry out, but with God’s words in their mouths.  Unfortunately, some of the people will cry out like infants, wanting only what they want.   

Deuteronomy 18

Offerings for Priests and Levites

The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.

3 This is the share due the priests from the people who sacrifice a bull or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head. 4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep, 5 for the Lord your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the Lord’s name always.

6 If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose, 7 he may minister in the name of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. 8 He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.

Occult Practices

9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God.

The Prophet

14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”

17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.”

21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God provided precise instructions to the Israelites for governing themselves and honoring the divine moral code. God commanded his people how to care for the Levites who served them.  God also tells the future in our passage today!  He told the people of a prophet who would come, one of their own, to whom they should listen. Read verse 15 again!  This is a prophecy of the coming of Jesus!  Jesus will come to earth and move into the neighborhood of humanity to “seek and to save the lost” and who will ultimately be the once and for all, perfect without blemishes from sin sacrifice for our sins! 

What will this mean to us?  Jesus’ sacrifice of His body willingly laid down for our sins will be the end of animal sacrifices.  Animal sacrifices offered as specifically commanded by God to the Levites to reverently officiate merely covered over the sins of the people in an act of atonement.  The hand of the priests on the goat that symbolically carried those sins out to wilderness beyond where the people lived is no longer necessary.

Jesus’ blood shed on that agonizing, cruel Roman cross that day paid the debt of all the sins of the world and removed them—to be remembered no more!  What a difference Jesus made in God’s new way to reconcile his created to Him who created us—all of 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

Don’t miss this…Because Jesus was resurrected in power on that third day; Jesus won the victory over death and provides eternal life for ALL who believe!

But wait, there’s even more!  Let the holy scriptures speak to us—

Because of Jesus, He is our Source of rebirth to Life:

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:9-13

Because Jesus is for all—all are adoption into God’s family:

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans 8:14-17

Because of Jesus, whoever believes have eternal life with Him:

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”—Jesus, John 11:25-26

By Jesus’ example, we are called to point the Way to Jesus, living as God’s children.  We have new rights with new responsibilities to testify of the goodness of God and the redemption provided by His Son:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, NLT

God will take of those who believe, trust, and obey His call: 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I Peter 5: 6-7

God gives us His Holy Spirit to reside in us to help us daily:

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. —Jesus telling his disciples the work of God’s Holy Spirit, John 16:13-14

We can learn to be led by the Spirit of God and avoid being swept away by deception.  Romans 12:1-2 tells how with the holy discipline of daily offering ourselves as an offering to God; 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

We are called to be dependent on God alone for all things of this life:

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Jesus, Matthew 5:31-33

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:24-25

Lord,

Thank you for leading us remembering who we are in you.  Thank you for your Word that explains our rights as joint heirs with you, dear Jesus, with reminders of our calling with responsibilities!  We who belong to you must love like you so others will know you, too! Help us by the power of Your Holy Spirit.  Lead us to all that is truth.  Guide our words to others seeking You. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

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SACRIFICES AND SUBTLETIES

Posted on April 2, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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REMEMBER—CELEBRATE WITH JOY!

Posted on April 1, 2025 by randscallawayffm

● Why is this night different from all other nights?

● Why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread?

● Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs?

● Why on this night do we dip parsley in salt water and eat haroseth (horseradish)?

● Why on this night do we hold this Passover service?

Devote Jews still come together as a family to celebrate Passover.  Over centuries of time, these questions with actions to take were developed and still traditionally asked by the youngest child in attendance at the Passover meal.  Everything that is presented at the meal has a significant meaning.  Everything that is done is in reverence with thanksgiving to God.  Being set free from the bondage of a nation who enslaved them is an event not to be forgotten but celebrated with joy.

Here is a portion of the traditional script: (There is much more…later we will discuss “the Cup”!)

The Father of the family who sat at the Head of the table would reply to the questions of the youngest child in this way:

Our fathers went down to Egypt and lived there in a very small number. We turned into a nation great and strong and of an infinite multitude. The Egyptians afflicted and persecuted us, laying on us huge burdens. We cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, who heard us and looked down upon our affliction, labor, and distress. God led us out of Egypt with a strong hand, a stretched-out arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders. Even if all of us were wise and we could recite Scripture, it would still be our duty every year to tell the story of our deliverance from Egypt. To spend this time tonight remembering God’s mighty work is praiseworthy.

Exodus 12:1-14 is read. The Head of the Family holds up a lamb bone and says:

The bone represents the lamb of the passover.

All respond: What is the meaning of Passover?

Father: Passover means the paschal lamb which our forefathers sacrificed to the Lord in memory of that night when the Holy One passed over the houses of our fathers in Egypt, as it is written: “When your children shall say to you: What is the meaning of this service? You shall say to them: It is a remembrance of the passage of the Lord, when He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, striking the Egyptians, and saving our houses.”

The father again uncovers the first piece of unleavened bread and holds it.

All: What is the meaning of matzoh (unleavened bread)?

Father: This is the bread of affliction which our fathers took with them out of Egypt as it is written: “And they baked the meal, which a little before they had brought out of Egypt, in dough: and they made earth cakes unleavened: for it could not be leavened, the Egyptians pressing them to depart, and not suffering them to make any stay: neither did they think of preparing any meat.” (Exodus 12:39.)

The father lifts up the parsley and saltwater, All take the green herb (parsley), dip it in the salt-water.

All: What is the meaning of parsley and salt water?

Father: The vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins of God’s people; the salt water symbolizes the tears shed as a result of their slavery. On this night, we remember the harshness of slavery and the tears of our ancestors. All eat the green herb/parsley. Everyone takes parsley and dips it into the salt water. Taste the parsley and the salt water.

The father lifts up the horseradish, while all ask: All: What is the meaning of maror?

Father: Maror means bitter herb. We eat maror to recall that the Egyptians embittered the lives of our fathers, as it is written: “And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them and mocked them: And they made their lives bitter with hard works in clay, and brick, and with all manner of service wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth.” (Exodus 1:13-14.)

All: What is the meaning of the haroseth?

The father lifts up the haroseth, The Haroseth reminds us of the clay and mortar used by Israel in making the bricks for Egypt. Its sweetness is a reminder of the sweetness of God’s redemption from bondage.

Then a traditional song (psalm) is sung.  As a preface to the Hallel psalm, the father, lifts his cup of wine and says,

In every generation, each one person should think of themselves as though they had personally come out of Egypt. It is written, “you should tell your son on that day, saying, this is what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt” (Exodus 13:8) It’s our duty to thank, praise, glorify, bless and adore the Lord who did all of these miracles for our fathers and for us. The Lord brought us out of slavery into freedom; from sorrow to joy; from mourning to a festive day, from darkness to great light, and from oppression to redemption.

Now, imagine our Lord, Jesus sitting at the Head of the Table to celebrate what God has done in this familiar Jewish way with his disciples knowing what God will provide in His Son as THE PASSOVER LAMB OF GOD who will be the sacrifice once and for all for the sins of the world!  Pause to take it all in…take all the time you need.  This is God who is greatly to be praised, who made a way, the Way for mankind to come to Him and love Him back.  No more animal sacrifices of tradition, no more blood to be shed at an altar, no more bondage to sin for all who believe with all our hearts, minds, and souls!  Yes, THIS is cause to celebrate!  And there’s more to come!

“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 

Deuteronomy 16

The Passover

Observe the month of Aviv and celebrate the Passover of the Lord your God, because in the month of Aviv he brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 Sacrifice as the Passover to the Lord your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling for his Name. 3 Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt. 4 Let no yeast be found in your possession in all your land for seven days. Do not let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until morning.

5 You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you 6 except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. 7 Roast it and eat it at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. 8 For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to the Lord your God and do no work.

The Festival of Weeks

9 Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. 10 Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. 11 And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites in your towns, and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows living among you. 12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and follow carefully these decrees.

The Festival of Tabernacles

13 Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. 14 Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.

16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: 17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.

Judges

18 Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. 19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. 20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Worshiping Other Gods

21 Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build to the Lord your God, 22 and do not erect a sacred stone, for these the Lord your God hates.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Are we beginning to see the full picture?  What God commanded then was to prepare the nation of Israel for WHO is to come to take away the sins of the world!  ALL sins for ALL who believe and follow Jesus!  The book of Hebrews explains, here is a portion:

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”

then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” Hebrews 10:1-18

Our response?  Sincerely believe, humbly repent of sins in Jesus Name, listen to the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit who lives in all who believe, and do what He says.  Then celebrate with joy that is unspeakable and full of the glory of God!  Our sins have been taken away, we are no longer held in bondage to darkness but have been brought into the Light of Jesus who did not merely cover over our sins but removed them once and for all!  Our sins, our past, to be remembered no more!  Hallelujah!

“Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, MSG

Remember, celebrate with joy!  And we’re singing, “holy is the Lamb who is seated on the throne, there’s no one like the Lord” …In Jesus Name, for our good and Your Glory, Yes and

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GIVE AS I HAVE GIVEN TO YOU

Posted on March 31, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“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

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