Tag: Moses

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Keeping the Covenant

Week 3, Day 3 of Choosing God Instead of the World, A Love God Greatly Study

Scripture Reading: Genesis 35 and Deuteronomy 30:16-20 (SOAP: Deuteronomy 30:15-16)

15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. Deuteronomy 30:15-16 NLT
Observation:

In our Deuteronomy passage we hear Moses encouraging the Israelites. Were we to listen to the whole “farewell speech” we would hear him reminding the people of all God had done for them and of what He had promised to do for them. Here in this section – what we hear is the reminder that God has set a choice before them – and what He expects their choice to be. They can choose life and prosperity or death and disaster. This makes me think of Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in John 10:10, when He told them He had come that the sheep, [believers] might have a rich and satisfying life, but the thief [the ruler of this world] comes to steal, and kill, and destroy – that certainly sounds like death and disaster to me. It also reminds me of Paul’s declaration, in Romans 6:23, that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord! Seems to me that while Moses was making a specific speech to the Israelites in Deuteronomy, God, through Christ has made the same offer available to the world today. We can choose the wages of our sins – or – His gracious and merciful gift of eternal life. To put it another way – we can choose Him [God] or the world.

Application: How then should we Live?

Life or death? Prosperity or disaster? God instead of the world? The answer to all of these questions seems crystal clear – doesn’t it? Yet so many have chosen option ‘b’ to each of the questions – even as believers who have chosen life over death by placing our faith in Jesus – we still find it difficult at times to choose option ‘a’ as the answer to the second and third questions. We choose ‘life’ through faith in Christ but then choose the world instead of His ways more often than not. In doing so we forego the prosperous and blessed life and relationship with God that Christ came to give, John 10:10. This kind of living comes with a warning from Matthew’s Gospel, where he recorded the Lord saying, “I never knew you”.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 7:21-23

One other note on this application and the “fire-insured Christian”, a believer with one of his/her feet in heaven and the other running after the world. The verses we find just prior to 21-23 seem to provide another good reminder not to treat salvation like an insurance policy. For rest assured, The Lord will be the one to judge whether or not your ‘policy’ is creditable or not.

So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Matthew 7:17-20 ESV

How then should we live if we want to bear fruit? Since I love a list when it comes to ‘how tos’ and ‘to dos’, let’s make a list so we can see how we are doing …

  • We should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. (Mark 12:29-31)
  • We should walk in His ways, keep His commandments, statutes, and ordinances If you’re wondering what Moses meant by the words, according to gotquestions.org they are all Hebrew words referring to commands from God to be obeyed by God’s people regardless of the situation you are in.
  • We should be enjoying His blessings of life and provision (property, in the case of the Israelites)
Prayer: My Response to God’s Word

Oh LORD, my God – You are to be loved, imitated and obey. Help me to live this way – so that I might find favor in Your eyes and know Your blessing – In Jesus’ name – Amen and Amen!

Your Turn:
  • What’s your prayer response?
  • How will you choose to follow God today?
  • What temptations are you feeling?
  • What is pulling you away from God and toward the things of the world?
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Reflections of Week 4, Beautifully Surrendered

Beautifully Surrendered, God’s Heart for His Daughters is a Love God Greatly Study

The women we’ve studied this week revealed stories and lives of surrender in the face of many different situations. Mary, a virgin, surrendered to the unexpected and unbelievable news that she was pregnant. Abigail and Esther both faced incredible danger and possible death and yet with eyes on God they showed us both courage and humility in the way they responded to their specific challenges. While Moses’ mother and the poor widow shared vastly different stories they both revealed not only courage but great faith in God and selfless love. There is much that can be learned from these beautiful stories. They are worthy of reading to ourselves, our children, or our grandchildren many times throughout the year. Lest we forget how God works miracles and blesses those who, by faith, follow Him even though it may mean danger or sacrificing their desires for His.

Trusting God isn’t always easy. He allows things in and around us that don’t make sense and that often cause us to wonder where He is. However, as we see through each of these women and those we have studied before them – He is faithful, loving, protective, kind, compassionate, understanding, and purposeful in His care for us.

Consider these stories and their truths often so that you do not grow weary and lose heart. Fix your eyes on Him and not the circumstances of Your life and surrender, even as Christ did in the garden, saying, “Not my will but yours be done”, or as Mary said to Gabriel, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me according to your word”.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own understanding;

6 think about Him in all your ways,

and He will guide you on the right paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 HCSB

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

Romans 8:28 NLT

If you missed any of this week’s devotions from me you’ll find them at this link

If you missed any of the Love God Greatly Blogs for week 4 you’ll find them at these links:

https://lovegodgreatly.com/fully-surrendered/

https://lovegodgreatly.com/faith-in-the-face-of-death/

https://lovegodgreatly.com/giving-our-all/

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study
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The Poor Widow: Giving God Everything

Day 5, Week 4 of Beautifully Surrendered, a Love God Greatly Bible Study

Today’s Reading: Mark 12:41-44 (SOAP/Focus: verses 43-44)

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Mark 12:41-44 NLT
Observations:

In the “making of disciples” Jesus didn’t always stand and preach but instead used real life situations to show and tell/teach them how to live. He observed people and events and used them as teachable moments. His observations of the poor widows gift was an opportunity to teach them about the real importance of giving an offering and the judgment that should and shouldn’t be made.

It’s important to note that Jesus wasn’t teaching that the wealthy should not give or that the poor should give all they have. Rather, He was pointing out how they gave – the wealthy gave out of their wealth, in other words not from what they needed but from what was left over – meaning it cost them nothing. The widow, however, gave out of her poverty or more specifically what she had to live on. Her offering cost her everything and it was her gift that Jesus pointed out as the greater gift. Again, not because it was monetarily more but because of what it cost her.

How Then Should We Live?

We should live as the ‘poor widow’, giving not out of what we have left over – but from what we need to live on. Did she have to give it all? No, I don’t think so, for Jesus didn’t use the moment to teach that “she gave what was expected” but rather that her two coins were more than all that the wealthy had given. This type of giving requires faith and surrender in every way. Give from the heart, give as the Lord leads you to give, and let whatever you give be a sweet smelling sacrifice to the Lord.

I think this is a good lesson for examining not only what we give but why we give, making sure that our gifts are acts of the heart rather than habit – as though we are paying a monthly bill. We must not see God as a debt collector but as the One who, by grace1, paid our debt2. He paid our sin-debt with the life of His son; and this was a free gift, one given out of His love3, not as a reward for something we had done1. When we see God as the extravagant gift giver that He is, we will give as the widow, not as though we could ever repay Him – but out of hearts of love – a love born out thankfulness and adoration for who is, what He has done, and what He’s promised to those who believe. 

1Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 
2Romans 3:23, For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. and Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 
3John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Prayer Response:

Father, Giver of life and love, of provisions and grace and endless mercies – You clearly give from the heart as is evident in the gift of Your Son. May we be so generous and purposeful in our own giving. And may each gift bring You pleasure and glory and be useful in drawing others to You – in His Name, Amen!

Your Turn:

What’s your take away from the poor widow’s story?

Reflection Questions:

The poor widow in Mark 12 gave everything she had:

  • Why did her sacrifice mean so much?
  • What did her giving reveal about her heart and her faith in God?
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Vision Check

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By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him[a] for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure. 26 He regarded abuse suffered for Christ[b] to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on[c] the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible.  Hebrews 11:23-27

Father, you are Good, Amid the distractions of the morning, the frustrations and hurts and concerns of this morning and the past week – in the middle of it all I am reminded that You are God and You are good. You are TRUSTWORTHY for You are FAITHFUL and TRUE! Help me, like Moses, to keep my eyes focused on You, looking forward to Your promise of life everlasting through the Messiah, Jesus Christ! Help my vision not be blurred by the pleasures and privileges of this life or blinded by the sufferings. Instead, help me to look to You above and before everything and everyone – and in this, may You find pleasure and be glorified!

Some trust in chariots some in horses but I will trust in the name of the name of the Lord, my God. Psalm 20:7

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Jesus Our Everything: Week 5, Day 5

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Question of the Day: According to verses 25 and 26, Moses was able to endure because his eyes were fixed on the reward. What was this reward?

Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 11:23-31 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 11:26-27)

By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him[a] for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure. 26 He regarded abuse suffered for Christ[b] to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on[c] the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood,[d] so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them[e] for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of[f] the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

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What Hebrews 11:26 means
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Jesus Our Everything: Week 3, Day 5

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 8:1-6: Colossians 1:15-20 (S.O.A.P Hebrews 8:6; Colossians. 1:17-18)

The High Priest of a Better Covenant

Now the main point of what we are saying is this:[a] We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,[b] 2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one too had to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer[c] the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 The place where they serve is[d] a sketch[e] and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For He says, “See that you make everything according to the design[f] shown to you on the mountain.”[g] 6 But[h] now Jesus[i] has obtained a superior ministry, since[j] the covenant that He mediates is also better and is enacted[k] on better promises.[l]

The Supremacy of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn[b] over all creation,[c]
16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in Him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions,[d] whether principalities or powers—all things were created through Him and for Him.
17 He Himself is before all things and all things are held together[e] in Him.
18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn[f] from the dead, so that he Himself may become first in all things.[g]
19 For God[h] was pleased to have all His[i] fullness dwell[j] in the Son[k]
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through Him,[l] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

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Day 5 – Jesus Our Everything

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Question of the Day: What was the purpose of Christ’s suffering? (Hebrews 2:10-12)

Scripture of the Day: Hebrews 3:1-6 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 3:3-4)

Jesus and Moses

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,[a] partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess,[b] 2 who is faithful to the one who appointed Him, as Moses was also in God’s[c] house.[d] 3 For He has come to deserve greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves greater honor than the house itself! 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s[e] house[f] as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken. 6 But Christ[g] is faithful as a son over God’s[h] house. We are of His house,[i] if in fact we hold firmly[j] to our confidence and the hope we take pride in.[k]

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