Over the last few weeks, I’ve been reading and sharing some thoughts about the first few chapters of the book of Deuteronomy. The Bible is all about gaining wisdom because we are learning from the past, praying in the present, and listening for instructions toward the future. Keep up with my spiritual journey over the next few weeks either through following this blog or the Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God – A Spiritual Journey. Let’s share thoughts or ideas about applying our faith in current times.
History shows us that the good things that happened were directed by God. In the post “Perfect Way”, Moses uses history and experiences to build confidence for the future. As we look back on history, we see that it was the times when we trusted and obeyed God that things fell into place for our benefit.
The post “Purpose in Every Step” documents the life mission of Moses. He had brought the Israelites out of bondage and then it became time to hand over the leadership to Joshua. It’s important to focus on the purpose God gives us in our life. To start on the journey and never give up. If everything is not accomplished during your lifetime, God may use what we have set in place for others to finish.
We learned more about the incentive for obedience to God in the post “Rewards for Obedience”. The Israelites were blessed when they followed the commandments of God and the ultimate reward was the Promised Land. Obedience continues to be the wise choice in current times because with the invitation to accept Christ as Savior, there are blessings that ever wait for those who activate the power of their faith.
The focus of the post “Step Ahead on the True Path to Liberty” was how the Ten Commandments can put order into our lives. It is through order that we have a path to liberty. When we pay attention to the Word of God, we’re not filling our head with impracticable concepts but we’re giving direction to our daily tasks and a road map to our dreams.
The post “Love the Lord with all Your Heart” was about relating the Word to our interest. Every conversation we have, every book we read, and every song we hear can have a lesson we can learn and be used as building blocks along the path to a brighter future for ourselves and those we know.
A take away from “Worship the ONE Who Brings Blessings” is that God responds to those who love Him. The result is rational thinking and principled living which adds to the fabric of an elevated society with blessings that extend to better health, security, and a thriving economy.
The reading plan below will be used to hold me accountable in sharing about God’s word over the next few weeks. As I share about my study, it’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Christ as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day with God amazing!
Questions for Reflection
Deuteronomy 8 – What has the Lord taught Israel during the wilderness experience? What experiences in your life has God used to humble you? How are the Israelites to regard its natural resources? Why is it harder to maintain our relationship with the Lord in a time of prosperity rather than in times of hardship?
Deuteronomy 9 – How is Israel’s potential self-righteousness dealt with in this chapter? To what extent do you cite your morality or services as the basis of your success? What is wrong with this attitude?
Deuteronomy 10 – What is revealed here about the character of God (relate his attributes to Moses’ commands of fear and love)? How can the teaching in today’s passage affect your attitude towards all people? In what way is God your praise?
Deuteronomy 11 – What past signs of God does Moses refer here? What will be the outcome if they keep His commandments? What is the role of parents in handing over God’s plan for us? (See vv. 6, 7, 20)
Deuteronomy 12 – What is the difference in the Canaanite gods and the Lord God? What is to be their attitude in worship? To what extent are these attitudes important today?
Deuteronomy 13 – What are the areas of enticement here? In today’s culture, what and who entices you from God? What happens when we are enticed away from God?
Feel free to respond with a short note or a comment about any of the questions above. Also, I welcome any other thoughts or ideas, favorite inspirational videos, photos, or favorite Bible verses. Just add them to the comments.
Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
“Sermons.” Sermons | FUMC Waco. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://fumcwaco.org/resources/sermons/>.
“Bible.” The Bible – The Word of God – ChristNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 2017. <http://www.christianity.com/bible/>.
Nicholes, Lou. “Recent Commentaries.” Family-Times.net – Devotional Commentary Index. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.family-times.net/commentary/>.
“Bing.” Microsoft. N.p., n.d. Web. Images >.
“BibleGateway.” BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://www.biblegateway.com/>.
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