Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20
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Deuteronomy chapter 29 verse 29 is intriguing today – “There are secret things that belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our descendants forever, so that we may obey these words of the law.”  I think this is good for us to remember – there are secrets of God that we will not know this side of heaven.  And I don’t think we need to worry or speculate on what these secret things might be, because “the revealed things belong to us.”  God has revealed himself to us in the Bible!  His very Word.  He has revealed himself in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  And he reveals himself in the life of the body of Christ today – the church.  We have everything we need to know to love & follow God.  And I think God’s secrets can remain secret to us this side of heaven – I don’t know about you, but I like a little mystery in God!  🙂

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminds me of Micah Tyler’s song (with a fun/silly video here 🙂 “Praise the Lord!”

Is the devil trying to get you? Click here and Praise the Lord!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 28:1-68
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I love the blessings for obedience that open up our Deuteronomy chapter 28 readings today!  I actually first heard these read at a wedding several years back.  The best man in the wedding read these verses as a blessing to the bride & groom.  Somehow I missed the “obedience” to God’s commands part of the blessing… Obedience is quite a word I think for Christians to consider.  I’m not sure that it is a popular word for us sometimes.  I do believe that we are called to obedience as followers of Jesus.  Jesus himself was of course obedient – obedient even to death on a cross.  Is there an area of your life where you feel God might be calling you to obedience?  Will you obey?  Below is a little obedience humor for you… 🙂

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Deuteronomy reminded me of the Switchfoot song “Always.” Here’s a nice live acoustic version of this song:

Is God always yours? Click here for Always!

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Back to my Deuteronomy chapter 28 reflections on obedience – do you think about “obedience” very often when it comes to your relationship with God?  Do you think obedience is a very popular concept amongst Christians today?  Do you think there are blessings that come along with obedience?  Have you experienced blessings in your life because of obedience?  Conversely, do you think there are consequences to disobedience?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26
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Later this year in the One Year Bible when we read Galatians, you’ll note that Paul powerfully references today’s readings in Deuteronomy chapter 27 verse 26:  “‘Cursed is anyone who does not affirm and obey the terms of these instructions.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’” One of the best things we can ever do when studying the Bible is simply let Scripture interpret Scripture.  So here we go on Galatians chapter 3 verses 10 through 12: “But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”  So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.””  How do these verses from Galatians speak to you?  Do you agree that we cannot be made right with God by trying to keep the law?  Do you think the way of faith is very different from the way of law?

As we’re in the Easter/Good Friday season, let me continue on with a few more verses here from Galatians chapter 10, continuing with verses 13 and 14: “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.”  Has Jesus rescued you from the curse pronounced by the law?  Do you believe that Jesus took upon himself the curse for your wrongdoing?  Have you received the promised Holy Spirit through faith?

Today in Deuteronomy chapter 26 verses 1 & 2 we read about the offering of first fruits: “When you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there, put some of the first produce from each harvest into a basket and bring it to the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored.”

Worship Video:  Today’s readings remind me of Third Day’s song “Soul on Fire:”

Are you a soul on fire? Click here for Fire!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
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There are quite a few miscellaneous and interesting regulations in our readings today!  🙂  All in all, very good advice of course.  Deuteronomy chapter 25 verse 4 tells us this wise advice – “Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain.”  I think it is quite fair for an ox to eat while he’s working!

 

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of Matthew West’s awesome song “Don’t Stop Praying:”

Have you stopped praying? Click here and pray!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
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It is interesting to read about the cleansing for an unsolved murder in Deuteronomy chapter 21.  I think God makes it crystal clear here that murder is such a horrible crime that affects the entire land and community.  The Ten Commandments are obviously clear on “do not murder.”  These verses in Deuteronomy go into a bit of what happens to the land when one is murdered.  Interesting to think about these verses on murder – and then realize that Jesus, whose blood was wholly innocent, was murdered on a cross.  Was Jesus’ murder unsolved?  Who is guilty for this murder of Jesus?  Whose sins put Jesus on the cross?  Thankfully, whose sins does Jesus’ blood cover?  Who does Jesus rescue and redeem through His innocent blood shed on a cross?

Deuteronomy chapter 22 has various rules & regs, including sexual purity.  It makes sense that there needed to be rules & regs for 1 million+ Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years – and for them as they are now about to enter the Promised Land.  Essentially, these rules & regs kept the peace.  But, hopefully more than that, they kept the Israelites minds & hearts focused on God and not on sin.  I think the rules & regs for sexual purity are obviously still so needed today.  Our culture can take us quickly into the depths of sexual impurity.  Depths that are so dark – even though the culture doesn’t tell you about the darkness of sexual impurity as it is selling you the shiny lie.  Sexual sin unchecked is incredibly dangerous.  If you are struggling with it, please flee.  Run to God and Jesus.  Humble yourself in confession & repentance.  And allow Jesus to heal & transform you.  Sexual purity is something we must pursue diligently each and every day.  Don’t start to go down any slippery slopes.  It gets dark quickly….

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of the Terrian song “Honestly, we just need Jesus:” 

Do you need Jesus? Click here and meet Him!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20
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Wow, the past 3 months seem to have flown by…  It’s now April 1 and we are officially 25%, or one quarter, of the way through the Old Testament!  Congratulations! Give yourself a pat on the back!  High-five God!  Your marathon pace is going great!

In Deuteronomy 18:15 today Moses prophesies about Jesus!  “Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”  These words of Moses’ show that the coming of Jesus was not an afterthought, but part of God’s original plan.  In Acts 3:22-23 Peter quoted this verse to show that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah, the prophet referred to here in Deuteronomy.

Bob Deffinbaugh with Bible.org has a great commentary on Deuteronomy chapter 18 titled “False Prophets” at this link.  One good quote from this link from Bob is – “False prophets play down the majesty and holiness of God. They try, as it were, to ‘bring God down’ to our level. They make us feel comfortable around “God” (or the “gods”), and they even seek to convince us that we can manipulate God to our advantage. The true prophets did just the opposite.’”  Think there are false prophets in our world today?

In Deuteronomy chapter 19 we read about the Cities of Refuge today.  An image is below for verse 11 – which did not allow one safety in the Cities of Refuge…. “”But suppose someone hates a neighbor and deliberately ambushes and murders that neighbor…”

An image is below for Deuteronomy chapter 20 verses 1 through 4 – ““When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The LORD your God, who brought you safely out of Egypt, is with you! Before you go into battle, the priest will come forward to speak with the troops. He will say, `Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight today! Do not lose heart or panic. For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’”  This reminds me of a great lyric from Chris Tomlin’s Arriving CD – “If God is on our side, who can be against us?”

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me Matthew West’s terrific song “Maker:”

Have you given your life over to your maker? Click here and meet your Maker!

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  How have the first 3 months of readings been for you?  Have you learned something new about God?  About the Old Testament?  Are you looking forward to the next 3 months of readings?  Do you think this daily reading of the Bible is a good spiritual discipline?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20
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Deuteronomy chapter 16 verse 18 is of note today: “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in all the towns the LORD your God is giving you. They will judge the people fairly throughout the land.”  After Deuteronomy comes the book of Joshua, which is followed by the book of Judges.  And then… Israel won’t be satisfied with just judges.  Israel will want a king…

Below is an image for Deuteronomy chapter 17 verses 8 and 9 today: “”Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide–for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such cases to the place the LORD your God will choose, where the Levitical priests and the judge on duty will hear the case and decide what to do.” 

Worship Video:  Our readings in today remind me of the fantastic Third Day song “Revelation:”

Do you need a Revelation from God? Click here for His Revelation!

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23
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Wow.  Deuteronomy chapter 13 starts off with a strong warning today – “”Suppose there are prophets among you, or those who have dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles take place. If the prophets then say, `Come, let us worship the gods of foreign nations,’ do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you love him with all your heart and soul.”  Do you believe there are false prophets in our world today?  Are there people in our world that tempt us to worship false gods?  It is possible one of the false gods we can be tempted to worship today is even our own self?  Will we reject worshiping false gods and love and worship the one true God with all of our soul and heart? 

Verse 22 is powerful for us to meditate upon – “”You must set aside a tithe of your crops–one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored.”  What might “crops we harvest” be in our modern world today?  Is there a place we can bring a tithe to God today?  Do you believe that tithing honors God?  On a side note, I generally try to practice giving 10% and saving 10%, and live on the remaining 80%.  My 10% giving is spread among the local church, local and international ministries, and nonprofits.

Deuteronomy chapter 15 verses 4 and 10 & 11 stood out to me today – “There should be no poor among you, for the LORD your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession…. Give freely without begrudging it, and the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. There will always be some among you who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share your resources freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.” How do these verses speak to you?  I find it interesting that these verses say both – there should be no poor and that there will always be some poor among you.  I wonder why this is?  It seems kind of like a kingdom of heaven ultimate reality and our fallen world temporary reality perhaps…  Do you think the command to share our resources freely with the poor and others in need is still valid today?  How are you doing in giving freely to the poor?

In verses 16 & 17 we read – “But suppose your servant says, `I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he is well off with you. In that case, take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door. After that, he will be your servant for life.” 

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of the incredible song by Michael W. Smith called “Healing Rain.”  Here’s a great video for this song:

Has Jesus healed you? Click here for healing!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32
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Wow.  I like Deuteronomy chapter 11 a lot today. There are a ton of powerful verses in this chapter!  I love verse 22 – “”Be careful to obey all the commands I give you; show love to the LORD your God by walking in his ways and clinging to him.” I really like that… show Love to God by walking in his ways – and clinging to him.  I think I caught that term in our readings yesterday as well – “clinging.”  I know in our world today it’s not too cool to be too clingy. 🙂  But, I think God indeed wants us to be clingy when it comes Him!  I pray that I cling to God each and every day.  How about you?  When it comes to God, are you clingy?  Check out this amazing stained glass image of a woman clinging to the cross. Amazing.  I love the imagery. Take a few moments to meditate on this one…

Verses 26 through 28 are terrific verses on the choice the Israelites could make back then – “”Today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today. You will receive a curse if you reject the commands of the LORD your God and turn from his way by worshiping foreign gods.”  I believe this choice has morphed but still continues today through the New Covenant.  We can choose to follow Jesus or we can choose to follow our own ways.  One way is a blessing and one way is truly a curse.  Like the Israelites, we still have the choice of a blessing or a curse….  Which choice will we make? 

Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of Tasha Layton’s terrific song “Never:”

Will God ever let you down? Click here for Never!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on three verses of Scripture today: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse- the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will always choose God’s blessing for your life by walking in obedience to Him and His Word. Pray that you will never follow idols, which will only bring you curses.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22
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Okay, I’m really appreciating the New Living Translation little commentary headers before sections of our readings – as I discussed in yesterday’s post, these are not from the original manuscripts so should not be considered Biblical text.  Nonetheless, I personally do find them useful.   And I really do like the first header in Deuteronomy chapter 9 today in the NLT – “Victory by God’s Grace.”  You’ll note that you won’t actually find the word “grace” in any of the verses that follow.  However, I think we do get a good overview of how grace works in this section, and verse 6 gives an example of grace: “I will say it again: The LORD your God is not giving you this good land because you are righteous, for you are not–you are a stubborn people.”  This verse made me chuckle a bit when I read it.  Because it is true.  The Israelites were a stubborn people, as we’ve seen in our readings.   And yet, God was still showing grace by giving them the Promised Land.  This verse primarily made me chuckle because I think that we, today, are still oftentimes a stubborn people.  Not a lot has changed in 3,000+ years.  We humans are still a stubborn people.   And God is still a God of grace.  Then and now.  God shows us humans his grace.  Thank goodness!

 

Later in Deuteronomy chapter 9 we read about the golden calf, and we get a great reminder of how Moses truly was a mediator between God and the Israelites – in some ways foreshadowing the mediator role that Jesus is now between God and all humankind.  Verses 18 & 19 demonstrate Moses’ mediator role well – “Then for forty days and nights I lay prostrate before the LORD, neither eating bread nor drinking water. I did this because you had sinned by doing what the LORD hated, thus making him very angry. How I feared for you, for the LORD was ready to destroy you. But again he listened to me.”  And check out this amazing image below of Moses laying prostrate before God on behalf the Israelites…  can you imagine doing this for 40 days and nights for someone?  Particularly for someone who just sinned greatly against God?  Moses is amazing… 

Wow.  Deuteronomy chapter 10 verses 12 through 22 are about as inspiring of a speech as any from Moses.  What a great exhortation for the Israelites to love and be obedient to God!  There are surely some words of wisdom for us in these verses today as well.  Below is a great image from these verses and here are verses 12 & 13, which I love:  “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? “

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of Phil Wickham’s fantastic song & video for “So So Good:”

Do you know our good God? Click here to know Him!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!