Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 26

Firstfruits and Tithes

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

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

Follow the Lord’s Commands

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

(Hymn writer, Lida Shivers Leech, 1928)

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

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

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

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

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

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

We give because God gave!

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

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

Lord,

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

In Jesus Name, Amen

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

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

Deuteronomy 25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lord,

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

In Jesus Name, Amen

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 23

Exclusion From the Assembly

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

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

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

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

Uncleanness in the Camp

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

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

Miscellaneous Laws

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

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

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

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

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

Conviction with Course Corrections—Designed by God

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lord,

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

In Jesus Name, Amen

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

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marriage Violations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

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

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

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

Possess the promises of God; Purge the evil.

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

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

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

Possess the promises of God.  Purge the evil. 

Lord,

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

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

In Jesus Name, Amen

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 20

Going to War

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

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

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

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

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lord,

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

In Jesus Name, Amen

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

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 17

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

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

Law Courts

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

The King

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

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

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

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

Lord,

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

In Jesus Name, Amen