Month: January 2020

Week 10: Day 5- Deuteronomy 6:12-13

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

Deuteronomy 6:12-13

Explanation

As we learned yesterday, God can be trusted. He keeps His Word. God also is a God who blesses. God had certainly blessed the children of Israel. He had brought them out of Egypt and the bondage that was there. He had provided manna, quail, and water to sustain them in the desert. He had protected and provided for them. Now he was going to give them this land that He had promised to them and to their forefathers.

But with blessing comes a temptation. Moses tells them to be aware that blessing can make one forget the source of the blessing. He was concerned that they would begin to think that they were the source of the good things they had rather than God.

Instead of forgetting the Lord, Moses called on them to fear the Lord.

Application

We are so blessed where I live. I have so much. God has blessed me with a rich heritage and access to the Gospel. I have a comfortable home, a great family, a great church, a fulfilling and challenging job, and really don’t lack for any needs, and most of my wants. If I’m not careful, I will forget the Lord.

How? I begin to think that I’m more than I am. I can grow prideful. I can begin to think that God is really blessed to have me. The truth is that the best of us don’t deserve anything good from God. We were His enemies. We were sinners, but because of God’s great love, He sent His Son to die on the cross so that we can be forgiven, and then we can be made into the likeness of His dear Son.

Instead of forgetting God, I need to fear Him, to serve Him, and to swear allegiance to Him.

Response

  1. Are there any ways that you are forgetting the Lord in how you live because of the blessings that you have?
  2. Have you thanked God for your blessings lately? Take time to do that today!

Week 10: Day 4- Deuteronomy 6:10-11

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10 And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, 11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;

Deuteronomy 6:10-11

Explanation

Moses calls them to obedience to God’s law, then he calls them to pass God’s Word along to their children. In today’s text and tomorrows text he gives another reason that they need to obey and pass God’s Word along. You see, Moses knew that God was a promise keeping God. That means that they were going to go into this land because God had promised this land to Abraham.

18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Genesis 15:18

He also made this promise to Isaac.

2 And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

Genesis 26:2-3

He made this promise to Jacob.

13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Genesis 28:13

It was coming time for God to fulfill his promise, at least in part, to the children of Israel. That meant they were going to go in and militarily take over this land, that God would be with them in the taking of the land, and they would possess all kinds of blessings for which they had not worked.

The implications of this He will address with them in the verses we will study tomorrow.

Application

For today we can be assured that God will do what He says He will do. What God promises God will do. His promises are sure.

6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psalm 12:6

God can be trusted. Those who know Him and follow Him must live in trusting obedience. Just as the Israelites had to trust God by going into the land in obedience, we must act on our trust in God in our daily lives. The just shall live by faith.

Response

  1. Is there something that you are not trusting God for?
  2. Take some time today to praise God for all of the blessings that He has provided for you.

Week 10: Day 3- Deuteronomy 6:6-9

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(6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
(7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
(8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
(9) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Explanation:

After talking about being obedient to the law, and loving the one and only true God, Moses commands the people about extending these values to the next generation. We can see how to pass along God’s law to future generations by noticing three responses He commands an older generation to model for the younger generation.

First, He commanded them to own God’s Word for themselves. He told them that the law should “be in thine heart.” That means they know it, value it, and live it out. You can’t give what you don’t have. Often younger generations don’t love God and His Word because they were lead by people that didn’t own God’s Word themselves.

Second, He told them to talk about God’s Word with their kids. It’s not enough to believe it ourselves, we must talk about God’s Word with the next generation. How? We ought to do it in the every day course of life. Notice the four postures of when it is to be done:

  • Sitting
  • Walking
  • Lying Down
  • Rising Up

In the mundane, everyday course of life we teach the next generation the Word of God. There are formal times of teaching at church and in the home, and informal times of teaching with the church and int he home.

Third, He told them to display God’s Word for their kids. He told them to bind it on their hands and foreheads, and to post it on their gates and doorposts. The idea is to keep the truths of the Word of God in front of their kids all the time.

Application:

Parents, Grandparents, Sunday School Teachers, Pastors, Youth Pastors, Uncles, Aunts, Neighbors, Friends…disciple the next generation! How? Not being hypocritical and living a genuinely godly life in front of them, telling them about God’s Word, and displaying God’s Word for them to see constantly. Ultimately teaching them to open God’s Word for themselves and teaching them to teach the next generation as well is the aim. What’s at stake? The eternity of future generations!

Response:

  1. Do you own God’s Word yourself?
  2. Who are you teaching? How are you doing at teaching?
  3. How can you display God’s Word to the next generation?

Week 10: Day 2- Deuteronomy 6:4-5

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4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Explanation:

We learn two very important doctrines from this particular verse.

First we learn that there is only one God. There are not multiple gods. There is only one God. He is the supreme Creator and Ruler of Heaven and Earth. We know that He exists as One God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is not just a New Testament teaching. The foundation for this truth is found in the Old Testament as all three persons of the Godhead are seen in the Old Testament.

Secondly, we learn that we ought to love God. One implication of this command is that God has given to us, His creation, the freedom of will to decide to love Him or not to love Him. He has given us so much. He created us. He sustains us. He created life and breath and all that is in the earth for His glory and for our good. We know that He also has not kept His Son back from us, but gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. This God commands that we love Him, and gives us the choice to obey or not.

This passage is called the Shema by the the jews. Shema means “listen”, and was often quoted by them. Jesus said that this command was greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37-38.

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.38 This is the first and great commandment.

Matthew 22:37-18

Application:

We ought to know God as He is, as He has revealed Himself. There are not multiple Gods. Yet in many peoples lives, including my own at times, there are competing gods vying for my worship and allegiance. For the children of Israel pagan idol worship and all that came with it might have been their temptation. For us it may be entertainment, work, hobbies, sex, possessions. On and on the list can go. Anything we set our hearts desires on can take the place that only God deserves in our lives. There is only one God.

We ought to love God for who He is, and for what He has done for us. It’s the most important thing in life, to worship and love the True and Living God. It’s a choice that we can make. It’s a choice that we must make. How should we love Him? With all our heart, soul, and might! The only way that can happen is by first a regeneration of my heart. I must be saved. Then after I am saved, I am indwelled by the Spirit who then fills me, and empowers me to love God like that.

Response:

  1. If you could take a temperature of your love for God, what would it read? How are you demonstrating your love for Him? Are you spending time with Him?
  2. Do you have anything or anyone in your life that is taking the place of God?