GOD—MOSES’ PERSONAL FUNERAL DIRECTOR!

Posted on April 20, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Upon the death of Moses’ tired, worn out, physical body; God buries him.  God buries his old body where no one else can find him.  Moses is gone from the sight of the people he led for decades to receive God’s reward of being with God always in heaven.  How do we know that Moses lives with God? God later sends Moses along with Elijah to have a meeting with Jesus, God’s One and Only Son, who is “on assignment” to save the world, once and for all, for all our sins.

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” –Jesus, Matthew 17:1-9

Deuteronomy 34—FINAL CHAPTER OF MOSES…or is it?

The Death of Moses

34 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”

5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.

10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God is above all and in all creation.  God is in control.  God was, is and always will be God.  God directs the mission of His Plan to save us. God will prevail.  God is faithful. God lives. God loves.  We are always on the mind of God.  God knew all have sinned and in need of rescue.

Moses was a man, not perfect in all his ways, but who believed in what God said.  God had a plan for Moses that began at his birth and continued until his death.  For one hundred and twenty years—God nurtured and led Moses to lead God’s Chosen people out of Egypt so they could be free to love Him back with all their hearts, minds, and souls. When they trusted and obeyed all went well for them.  When they did not, they put themselves in harm’s way and had to pay the consequences of their own selfish actions.  But still, God loved them. God loved Moses.  Moses completed the mission God had for him. Moses was a Friend of God—and what a relationship they had!

Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph, a couple who loved God and were both born from the hereditary line of the Chosen.  God trusted His Son, Jesus to this couple who loved Him dearly.  Mary and Joseph listened to God and guided this child with wisdom from infancy to adulthood.  Jesus was Son of Man and Son of God in the same body.  Jesus was sent on a mission of rescue; similar to God’s plan for Moses. 

“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

It is the love of God that directs the Plan of God to give LIFE forever to all who believe!

During that week, the disciples must have pondered and discussed what Jesus meant by His death and resurrection.  God knew their hearts and provided a divine revelation of what eternal LIFE looks like. God planned for a select few disciple to see Jesus—in all His glory—meeting with Moses and Elijah!  Peter, James, and John fall on their faces in humbled respect for Moses, the Rescuer of their people and for Elijah the Great Prophet who proclaimed God! 

PROOF OF LIFE!

Moses and Elijah, once dead and gone from this world are both alive!  They have been sent by God to talk with Jesus. Did they come to encourage Jesus who would go through the most excruciating death of all times so that sinners could be saved?  We don’t know what they discussed but we know how they came! 

Moses, the great leader and Elijah the prophet, came to talk with Jesus on the mountain, shining brightly, in new glorious bodies, that were recognized and known by Jesus!  Jesus was “transfigured,” too!  Light spilled out from Jesus with brilliance so bright the disciples had to cover their blinded eyes from the explosive brightness. Brightness poured through every pore of his skin and stitch of his robe. Mark writes that Jesus’ “clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” (Mark 9:3).  And we worry about what we will wear to church on Easter Sunday!  Could this be why Jesus said, “Do not worry about what you will wear?” (Matthew 6:25-34) God takes care of all we worry about needlessly.

“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1John 1:5). He dwells in “unapproachable light” (1Timothy 6:16). The transfigured Christ, then, is Christ in his purest form.  It’s also Christ as his truest self, wearing his pre-Bethlehem and post-resurrection wardrobe. One who is “holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). A diamond with no flaw, a rose with no bruise, a song on perfect pitch, and a poem with impeccable rhyme.” –Max Lucado, The Encouraging Word Bible

And because Jesus defeated the Enemy of the darkness of death and rose victoriously in resurrection power, HE LIVES!  And because Jesus lives—We who believe will LIVE forever with Him—in all His glory with new glorious bodies!  John, the eye witness to the Transfiguration of Christ, writes; “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2

God wants us to be prepared for life forever with Him.

The first step we take is to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, the once and for all sacrifice for our sins. Receive Jesus by faith knowing our sins have been paid in full.

We fully realize that we did not deserve this act of kindness that led to our redemption and we certainly cannot earn it but we humble bow to accept this gift from God who loves us. 

We surrender ourselves daily to God as an offering to Him for all He has done for us, asking now what He wants. 

We then accept the Gift of God’s Holy Spirit who with power helps us to live a life holy, pleasing to God—all for our good and His glory!

We believe that Jesus died and rose again to give us this hope of glory. 

Because Jesus lives—we live—now and forever!

Lord,

Thank you for your word that explodes with the truth of your love for us!  May your glory be seen today with grateful praise.  May your glory be seen in me.

In Jesus Name, Amen

WE SHALL BEHOLD HIM!

The sky shall unfold
Preparing His entrance
The stars shall applaud Him
With thunders of praise

The sweet light in His eyes, shall enhance those awaiting
And we shall behold Him, then face to face

O we shall behold Him, we shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory
O we shall behold Him, yes we shall behold Him
Face to face, our Savior and Lord

The angel will sound, the shout of His coming
And the sleeping shall rise, from there slumbering place
And those remaining, shall be changed in a moment
And we shall behold him, then face to face

We shall behold Him, o yes we shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory
We shall behold Him, face to face
Our Savior and Lord
We shall behold Him, our Savior and Lord
Savior and Lord!

(Source: LyricFind; Songwriters: Dottie Rambo; We Shall Behold Him lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Concord Music Publishing LLC)

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GOD PREPARES US FOR OUR TRANSFER

Posted on April 19, 2025 by randscallawayffm

There are many word phrases we humans have invented to describe passing from this life to life in heaven such as;

“God needed him in heaven”

“She got her final promotion”

“No more pain for him who suffered much here”

These are but a few things the grieving say to ease their minds when feeling awkward and anxious upon the passing of a friend or family member.  And why do we always say, “Oh, she or he looks good.”  The body is empty of the soul!  The person we knew is not there!  We get a new body in the transfer from death to life! (2 Corinthians 5) I’m counting on that truth!

As former pastors, we’ve helped grieving families through many funeral preparations.  What I have noticed over the years, especially among believers, is that when death comes; our judgement finally ceases of the deceased.  Only “good” words, through the stories recalled, are said to honor the person who has passed from this life to the next.  (I sometimes wonder why we can’t honor each other with these words while we are still alive?!)

However, before death comes, believers who follow Jesus, seem to know their passing is near. What flows from their hearts and over their lips are more words of encouragement for loved ones who will be left behind with reminders of who God is and why they followed Him. This also seems to be part of God’s preparation in our transfer.  

God is preparing Moses for his transfer from death to life with Him.  Yesterday we read of God’s Song to Moses that has become a lesson in theology, history, and personal obedience, with several strong warnings included. In today’s passage, God gives Moses the final blessing to be said over each of the twelve tribes of Israel.  This blessing is saturated with God’s grace and mercy. It’s quite a contrast to the “blessing” Jacob gave his twelve sons before he died (See Genesis 49), revealing their hidden character and exposing sin. Moses opened and closed his blessing by extolling the greatness of the Lord!

Deuteronomy 33

Moses Blesses the Tribes

This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death. 2 He said:

“The Lord came from Sinai
    and dawned over them from Seir;
    he shone forth from Mount Paran.
He came with myriads of holy ones
    from the south, from his mountain slopes.
3 Surely it is you who love the people;
    all the holy ones are in your hand.
At your feet they all bow down,
    and from you receive instruction,
4 the law that Moses gave us,
    the possession of the assembly of Jacob.
5 He was king over Jeshurun
    when the leaders of the people assembled,
    along with the tribes of Israel.

6 “Let Reuben live and not die,
    nor his people be few.”

7 And this he said about Judah:

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
    bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
    Oh, be his help against his foes!”

8 About Levi he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim belong
    to your faithful servant.
You tested him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.
9 He said of his father and mother,
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.
10 He teaches your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.
He offers incense before you
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Bless all his skills, Lord,
    and be pleased with the work of his hands.
Strike down those who rise against him,
    his foes till they rise no more.”

12 About Benjamin he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
    for he shields him all day long,
    and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”

13 About Joseph he said:

“May the Lord bless his land
    with the precious dew from heaven above
    and with the deep waters that lie below;
14 with the best the sun brings forth
    and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains
    and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
    his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore the nations,
    even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;
    such are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18 About Zebulun he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and you, Issachar, in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain
    and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,
    on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 About Gad he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!
    Gad lives there like a lion,
    tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself;
    the leader’s portion was kept for him.
When the heads of the people assembled,
    he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,
    and his judgments concerning Israel.”

22 About Dan he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,
    springing out of Bashan.”

23 About Naphtali he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
    and is full of his blessing;
    he will inherit southward to the lake.”

24 About Asher he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
    let him be favored by his brothers,
    and let him bathe his feet in oil.
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,
    and your strength will equal your days.

26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
    who rides across the heavens to help you
    and on the clouds in his majesty.
27 The eternal God is your refuge,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,
    saying, ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel will live in safety;
    Jacob will dwell secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
    where the heavens drop dew.
29 Blessed are you, Israel!
    Who is like you,
    a people saved by the Lord?
He is your shield and helper
    and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
    and you will tread on their heights.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

These are the last written words of Moses, and they focus on the happiness of the people of God because of His blessings. As Moses finished blessing the tribes, he visualized the whole nation and the joy Israel ought to have because they know the true and living God. Their God isn’t a dead idol sitting in a temple; He rides the heavens to come to the aid of His people! The Psalms are full of same words!

But even more, God is Israel’s home and “dwelling place” (see Psalm 90:1), and they abide in Him no matter where they go. As we go forward by faith, he defeats the enemy and holds us up in the battle.

The Life of Moses

“In many respects, Moses comes across as a very Christlike person. Like Jesus, he was born into a godly home at a difficult time in Jewish history and, like Jesus, his life was threatened. When Moses gave up the treasures of Egypt, he was like Jesus, who became poor that He might share spiritual riches with many (2 Corinthians 8:9). Like Jesus, Moses was rejected by his people the first time he tried to help them (Exodus 2:11–15), but he was accepted by them when he came to them the second time (Exodus 4:29–31; Acts 7:23–36).

Israel rejected Christ at His first coming, but they will receive Him when He comes again (Zechariah 12:10—13:1). The only perfect example is Jesus Christ, but when we read about Moses, he reminds us of our Lord and encourages us to become more like our Savior in all things.” –Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Study Bible

As I write this, it is Saturday before Resurrection Sunday.  I am recalling the words Jesus said in His blessing with commands to His disciples before leaving earth to ascend back to heaven;

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Jesus, John 14:12-13

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” –Jesus, John 13:34-35

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”—Jesus, Matthew 28:18-20

God wants us to be prepared for death with hope of eternal life! The first step we must take is to believe in Jesus and believe in faith that Jesus died to pay the debt of our sins and remove them from our history forever! Believe, repent in Jesus Name, and salvation comes!  Upon believing, God sends the gift of His Holy Spirit to live in us, guiding us to all that is true so that we may live a life holy and pleasing to God.  We have a Helper and Counselor who will never leave us!  That is so like God!

Grief is normal but for believers in Jesus; despair is not.

“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

Bonus:  Jesus IS coming back!

Lord,

Thank you for the words of Moses, from Genesis to Deuteronomy, to reveal who you are with your purpose and plan to save us. Thank you for cleansing our hearts, renewing our minds, refreshing our souls, and continually restoring the joy of our salvation found only in you.  Our hope, trust and faith is built on you, the Solid Rock that does not move. Thank you for loving us the way you do. Thank you for leading us in all seasons and through all phases of life here in preparation for life there with you someday. God, you are amazing!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Tomorrow—God buries Moses’ body!

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SONG OF THE REDEEMER

Posted on April 18, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“The Nightingale“—

This literary fairy tale was written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Set in imperial China, the story recounts the friendship between the emperor and a nightingale. In the gardens of the emperor lived a nightingale whose song was more beautiful than the palace itself and was storied all over the world. He commanded that the nightingale be brought before him to sing. With the help of a poor kitchen girl, the nightingale was found and brought to the emperor, where he sang so beautifully that the emperor was moved to tears. Soon after, the emperor received a new gift: a jeweled nightingale automaton that also sang. This nightingale’s song was pretty, but always the same. The real nightingale, no longer appreciated, flew out of the palace while no one was looking. The emperor placed the artificial nightingale at his bedside and banished the real nightingale for his desertion. The artificial bird sang the emperor to sleep each night until its cogs wore down. The bird was repaired, but it could be played only once a year.

Five years later the emperor fell ill, and one night Death sat on his chest showing him the deeds of his past. The emperor wished for the artificial nightingale to sing away the unpleasant memories, but it was silent. Then a song erupted through the window, where the real nightingale was perched. The song restored the emperor’s health and persuaded Death to leave him in peace. The nightingale declined to become a guest in the palace again, but offered to come when he would and sing about all that he had seen in the kingdom, if the emperor agreed to keep this a secret between them.

This story reminds me of a song. “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before”…

The Thorn Bird—

There is an old Celtic legend about a bird, which sings only once in its life. It sings that single song more sweetly than any other creature on the face of this earth. From the moment it leaves its nest, this bird searches for a thorn tree and does not rest until it has found one. Having found the thorn tree, the bird sings among the tree’s savage branches and impales itself on the longest, sharpest spine. Then, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. The whole world stills to listen and God in his heaven smiles. The best is accomplished at the cost of the greatest pain, so says the legend.

This story reminds me Jesus who willingly and obediently laid down while nails were driven through his hands and feet and then “sang a song” of forgiveness, “Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:24, NKJV)

The Swan Song—

Leonardo da Vinci mentioned the legend of the swan in his notebooks: “The swan is white without spot, and it sings sweetly as it dies, that song ending its life.”

Jesus, who knew no sin, perfect in every way, became sin and sang a final song of the once and for all redemption for the sins of the world.  “It is finished.”

As in nature, there is a season to live and a season of passing from death here to life forever with God if we have been reborn and believe Jesus.  Moses’ death was near. He gave his last sermon in the form of a song. His passionate song reminded the people of their history and warned them not to repeat their mistakes but instead to trust the Lord. He prophesied their future disloyalty and punishment, as well as God’s forgiveness and mercy.  We have no excuse for abandoning God. Our Father protects, provides, and leads us like a Good Shepherd.  Listen to the Song of the Redeemer who loves and forgives. We must always put our faith and trust in Him.

Deuteronomy 32

The Song of Moses

And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
    hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching fall like rain
    and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
    like abundant rain on tender plants.

3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
    Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
    and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
    upright and just is he.

5 They are corrupt and not his children;
    to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.
6 Is this the way you repay the Lord,
    you foolish and unwise people?
Is he not your Father, your Creator,
    who made you and formed you?

7 Remember the days of old;
    consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
    your elders, and they will explain to you.
8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
    when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
    according to the number of the sons of Israel.
9 For the Lord’s portion is his people,
    Jacob his allotted inheritance.

10 In a desert land he found him,
    in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
    he guarded him as the apple of his eye,
11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest
    and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
    and carries them aloft.
12 The Lord alone led him;
    no foreign god was with him.

13 He made him ride on the heights of the land
    and fed him with the fruit of the fields.
He nourished him with honey from the rock,
    and with oil from the flinty crag,
14 with curds and milk from herd and flock
    and with fattened lambs and goats,
with choice rams of Bashan
    and the finest kernels of wheat.
You drank the foaming blood of the grape.

15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
    filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.
They abandoned the God who made them
    and rejected the Rock their Savior.
16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods
    and angered him with their detestable idols.
17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God—
    gods they had not known,
    gods that recently appeared,
    gods your ancestors did not fear.
18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
    you forgot the God who gave you birth.

19 The Lord saw this and rejected them
    because he was angered by his sons and daughters.
20 “I will hide my face from them,” he said,
    “and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
    children who are unfaithful.
21 They made me jealous by what is no god
    and angered me with their worthless idols.
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
    I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.
22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,
    one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
    and set afire the foundations of the mountains.

23 “I will heap calamities on them
    and spend my arrows against them.
24 I will send wasting famine against them,
    consuming pestilence and deadly plague;
I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts,
    the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
25 In the street the sword will make them childless;
    in their homes terror will reign.
The young men and young women will perish,
    the infants and those with gray hair.
26 I said I would scatter them
    and erase their name from human memory,
27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,
    lest the adversary misunderstand
and say, ‘Our hand has triumphed;
    the Lord has not done all this.’”

28 They are a nation without sense,
    there is no discernment in them.
29 If only they were wise and would understand this
    and discern what their end will be!
30 How could one man chase a thousand,
    or two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
    unless the Lord had given them up?
31 For their rock is not like our Rock,
    as even our enemies concede.
32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom
    and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,
    and their clusters with bitterness.
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
    the deadly poison of cobras.

34 “Have I not kept this in reserve
    and sealed it in my vaults?
35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
    In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
    and their doom rushes upon them.”

36 The Lord will vindicate his people
    and relent concerning his servants
when he sees their strength is gone
    and no one is left, slave or free.
37 He will say: “Now where are their gods,
    the rock they took refuge in,
38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
    and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise up to help you!
    Let them give you shelter!

39 “See now that I myself am he!
    There is no god besides me.
I put to death and I bring to life,
    I have wounded and I will heal,
    and no one can deliver out of my hand.
40 I lift my hand to heaven and solemnly swear:
    As surely as I live forever,
41 when I sharpen my flashing sword
    and my hand grasps it in judgment,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries
    and repay those who hate me.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
    while my sword devours flesh:
the blood of the slain and the captives,
    the heads of the enemy leaders.”

43 Rejoice, you nations, with his people,
    for he will avenge the blood of his servants;
he will take vengeance on his enemies
    and make atonement for his land and people.

44 Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Moses to Die on Mount Nebo

48 On that same day the Lord told Moses, 49 “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50 There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW WILL WE RESPOND?

What is our song?  Who is our Song? is a better question to ask ourselves.  What do we sing in the middle of the storm?  Who do we sing to when seeking calm when we are fearful, worried, and afraid? Paul’s answer to that question is profound and concise. “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).  Take note: this is not a peace from God. Our Father gives us the very peace of God. It is not given by humans; it is a gift from above. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn 14:27).

This peace of God calmed Jesus’ heart when he was falsely accused, steadied his voice when he spoke to Pilate, kept his thoughts clear and heart pure as he hung on the cross. This gift of the peace of God is given to all who believe in God’s Son as our Redeemer!

Sing the Songs of The Redeemer! Of which, there are many throughout the ages! 

Here is an excerpt—

The very same God
That spins things in orbit
Runs to the weary
The worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands
That hold me when I’m broken
They conquer death to bring me victory

Now I know my redeemer lives
I know my redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my redeemer

He lives to take away my shame
And he lives forever I’ll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
But now he’s alive and there’s an empty grave

And I know my redeemer, he lives
I know my redeemer lives…!

(Redeemer, written and sung by Nichole Mullins)

In Jesus Name, I pray and sing of His love, mercy, and grace, forever! 

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THE LORD GOD GOES BEFORE YOU

Posted on April 17, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 31

Joshua to Succeed Moses

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

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

Public Reading of the Law

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

Israel’s Rebellion Predicted

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lord,

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

In Jesus Name, Amen

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Prosperity

Posted on April 16, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 30

Prosperity After Turning to the Lord

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

The Offer of Life or Death

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

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

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

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

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

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

The man asked, “What in particular?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lord,

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

In Jesus Name, Amen

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STAND FIRM ON THE PROMISES OF GOD! 

Posted on April 15, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Ephesians 6:11
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:13
“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.”

1 Peter 5:9
“But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”

1 Corinthians 15:58
“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

Philippians 1:27
“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

1 Corinthians 16:13
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Philippians 4:1
“Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”

Moses summarized God’s guidance and provision for the Israelites during the previous forty years. The adults who originally escaped from Egypt had all died in the desert, but God’s agreement included their descendants. Many times, throughout the Old Testament, God renewed his agreement with them. Though all Israelites were invited to take part in God’s agreement, only those who chose to obey the agreement received his blessings.  To choose against God brings emptiness and pain—death. To choose God brings blessings and fulfillment—life.  We stand for something or someone.  Who do we choose daily to stand with and who will we follow?  How firm is our stand?

Deuteronomy 29

Renewal of the Covenant

These are the terms of the covenant the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb.

2 Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them:

Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 3 With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those signs and great wonders.4 But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. 5 Yet the Lord says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God.”

7 When you reached this place, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out to fight against us, but we defeated them. 8 We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

9 Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do. 10 All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God—your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel, 11 together with your children and your wives, and the foreigners living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water. 12 You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant with the Lord your God, a covenant the Lord is making with you this day and sealing with an oath, 13 to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 14 I am making this covenant, with its oath, not only with you 15 who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God but also with those who are not here today.

16 You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here. 17 You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold. 18 Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.

19 When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. 20 The Lord will never be willing to forgive them; his wrath and zeal will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will fall on them, and the Lord will blot out their names from under heaven. 21 The Lord will single them out from all the tribes of Israel for disaster, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this Book of the Law.

22 Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which the Lord has afflicted it. 23 The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur—nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, which the Lord overthrew in fierce anger. 24 All the nations will ask: “Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why this fierce, burning anger?”

25 And the answer will be: “It is because this people abandoned the covenant of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the covenant he made with them when he brought them out of Egypt. 26 They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods he had not given them. 27 Therefore the Lord’s anger burned against this land, so that he brought on it all the curses written in this book. 28 In furious anger and in great wrath the Lord uprooted them from their land and thrust them into another land, as it is now.”

29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We must remember that Moses is passionately restating the facts of the covenant as he and God’s Chosen people are standing on the border of the Promised Land.  God calls, prepares, and then sends.  Moses wants God’s people to “get it right while getting right with God” with a renewal of their promise to obey God’s covenant with them.  These “last words” from Moses, God’s leader who has stood firm in his faith, is a plea to the people to stand firm in their faith in God! 

They will enter, Moses will not.  Moses knows personally that when you go against God, it does not go well for us. (See Numbers 20) There will be a new leader that God has chosen who will take over the reigns of leadership into the Promised Land.  Moses has accepted that because he knows that God knows what is best—always!

The word “covenant” is used many times in this chapter; in fact, this chapter is the Book of Deuteronomy in miniature. Moses reviewed the past, called the people to obey God’s law, and warned them what would happen if they disobeyed. As we read and study Moses’ farewell address, we may get weary of these repeated themes, but they are the essence of God’s covenant with His people. Too often God’s people forget what they ought to remember and remember what they ought to forget!  God, through Moses, took the people out of Egypt. God continues to take Egypt out of the people before entering the land He has promised to them along with the promise to be with them—always!

Through Jesus, God gave us a new covenant of redemption and restoration.  Jesus was the once and for all sacrifice for the sins of the world for whoever would believe in Him.  “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

There are no more laws about when, where, how and why to sacrifice animals to cover sins (of which there are many when we try to do life on our own terms, with input from the Enemy of God), which leads to disaster then death.  Paul explains beautifully the terms of the New Covenant—


“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Romans 5:1

Justified means redemption complete, “just as if” the sin never occurred!  Jesus died to save us, we who were still sinners!  And not only that—Jesus defeated death and rose again on the third day to give us hope to live forever with Him!

“And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5 Yes, and Amen!

This is the New Covenant in action:

“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 5:6-8

Friends, I don’t know about you, but my heart skips a beat when I read of the love God has for us—so much so He gave us a part of Himself to set us free from the guilt and shame of our sins!  Gone—completely removed and forgotten—to be remembered no more!

“Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:9-11

We who believe, repent, and follow Jesus have been reconciled (reconnected) to God are now “plugged” into His Holy Spirit who gives us power, the level of power that resurrected Jesus from the grave! 

Are you plugged in?  Are you reconciled to God through Jesus? 

Salvation is for ALL!  Can I urge you to trust Truth who is Jesus? Your prayer could be this: “Lord, I believe.  Forgive me.  Now, I know my sins are paid in full by your work on the cross of sacrifice, nailing all my shame and guilt there, too.” Thank you, Jesus.

Trust the work of God for you. Then trust the presence of Christ in you. 

As for me, I’m standing firm on the promises of God who loves us and demonstrates His love daily for our good and His glory!  I’m not perfect but I know I am perfectly forgiven.  I don’t desire it, yet He gives me relentless love, great mercy, and unending grace!  AND God is with you and I who believe always and forever!  Yes, I’m standing on the terms of the New Covenant—the promise of Life eternal! 

Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen!  Yes, and Amen!

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“SO ALL WILL GO WELL WITH YOU”—OBEY GOD!

Posted on April 14, 2025 by randscallawayffm

We have two choices in this brief life on earth: To obey God or not.  Choose this day who you will love, trust, and obey.  It is a matter of life or death.  Choose Life!

You may have read or heard the words about staying in the “shadow of His wings” that is found in Psalm 91.  Let’s break it down to reveal the relentless love and care God has for us—all of us who love Him back and are eager to trust and obey His Will.  This is living and staying in the shadow under His protective wing—so all will be well with our souls!

One who lives in the shelter of the Most High will stay in the shadow of the Almighty.

Application to Oneself

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

Application to Others

Surely he will rescue you from the fowler’s trap, from the destructive plague.
With his feathers he will cover you,and under his wings you will find refuge.
His truth will be your shield and armor.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,nor the plague that prowls in the darkness, nor the pestilence that destroys at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only observe it with your eyes. You will see the punishment of the wicked.

Application to Oneself

Yes, you, Lord, are my refuge!

Application to Others

If you make the Most High your shelter, evil will not overtake you.
Disaster will not come near your tent.
Yes, he will give a command to his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.
They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent.

God’s Promise of Delivery

The Lord says, Because he clings to me, I will rescue him.
I will protect him, because he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him.
I will be with him in distress. I will deliver him and I will honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him, and I will let him see my salvation.

If we step back to Psalm 90; we discover that it was written by Moses who is heartbroken over the sins of God’s people but is still one who lives “in the shelter of the Most High and stays in the shadow” of the Almighty. (see Exodus 32:9–14).  Psalm 90 reminds us that we are only here for a brief time and that we should ask God to help us wisely make use of each day. Psalm 91 reminds us of the promises of God that do no fail us. To trust and obey God is staying, like Moses, under the shadow of God’s all protecting wings.

Deuteronomy 28

Blessings for Obedience verses the Curses and consequences of disobedience

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

7 The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

9 The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. 11 The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

12 The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

Curses for Disobedience

15 However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:

16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.

17 Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.

18 The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

20 The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. 21 The Lord will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. 22 The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. 23 The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. 24 The Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed.

25 The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. 26 Your carcasses will be food for all the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away. 27 The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. 28 The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. 29 At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.

30 You will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and rape her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit. 31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will eat none of it. Your donkey will be forcibly taken from you and will not be returned. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and no one will rescue them. 32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day, powerless to lift a hand. 33 A people that you do not know will eat what your land and labor produce, and you will have nothing but cruel oppression all your days. 34 The sights you see will drive you mad. 35 The Lord will afflict your knees and legs with painful boils that cannot be cured, spreading from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.

36 The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your ancestors. There you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone. 37 You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of ridicule among all the peoples where the Lord will drive you.

38 You will sow much seed in the field but you will harvest little, because locusts will devour it. 39 You will plant vineyards and cultivate them but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. 40 You will have olive trees throughout your country but you will not use the oil, because the olives will drop off. 41 You will have sons and daughters but you will not keep them, because they will go into captivity. 42 Swarms of locusts will take over all your trees and the crops of your land.

43 The foreigners who reside among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. 44 They will lend to you, but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, but you will be the tail.

45 All these curses will come on you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the Lord your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you. 46 They will be a sign and a wonder to you and your descendants forever. 47 Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, 48 therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.

49 The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a fierce-looking nation without respect for the old or pity for the young. 51 They will devour the young of your livestock and the crops of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine or olive oil, nor any calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks until you are ruined. 52 They will lay siege to all the cities throughout your land until the high fortified walls in which you trust fall down. They will besiege all the cities throughout the land the Lord your God is giving you.

53 Because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you. 54 Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children, 55 and he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all he has left because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of all your cities. 56 The most gentle and sensitive woman among you—so sensitive and gentle that she would not venture to touch the ground with the sole of her foot—will begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter 57 the afterbirth from her womb and the children she bears. For in her dire need she intends to eat them secretly because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of your cities.

58 If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God— 59 the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. 60 He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. 61 The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. 62 You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the Lord your God. 63 Just as it pleased the Lord to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.

64 Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. 65 Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. 66 You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. 67 In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening, “If only it were morning!”—because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see. 68 The Lord will send you back in ships to Egypt on a journey I said you should never make again. There you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God wants our lives marked by obedience and integrity. How do we justify avoiding God? Is it because of money that needs to be made, our precious time, life events planned by us, or anything else that demands our immediate attention? Is it because a fellow believer betrayed us and hurt us? Is it because Sundays are for sports?

Evaluate, adjust, and begin a fresh walk with God.  Let Romans 12 help us learn to trust and obey for there’s no other way with God—all for our good and His glory!  Here are some of the portions of importance;

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Will troubles still come? In this world, absolutely!  But where would you rather be when the storms of life come?  As for me—I want to be where God is.  He is my refuge; my ever-present help in times of trouble!  God is my Shelter in the times of storms.

Lord,

Help us to live and stay in the shadow of your protective wings of love, mercy, and grace.  When you move, we move on your command.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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BLESSINGS AND CURSES OF CONSEQUENCES

Posted on April 12, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Help others when they need it.”

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

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

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

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

Deuteronomy 27

The Altar on Mount Ebal

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

Curses From Mount Ebal

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

11 On the same day Moses commanded the people:

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

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

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

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

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Believe and be saved. 

Love God. Love Others. 

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

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THE SACRED PORTION

Posted on April 11, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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DISAGREEMENTS AND THE DISCIPLINE OF LOVE

Posted on April 10, 2025 by randscallawayffm

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

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