Deuteronomy chapter 11.
Same as previous chapters. Obey God. Love God. Be faithful to God. Why does God have to keep repeating the same thing? Because we are easily deceived. We need continual encouragement and ongoing accountability. If we don't have it then we easily become swayed by that which the world has to offer. What the world presents is anti-God. But they do it like it's a matter of fact and you'll be stupid if you don't believe it. Our world is defining truth. In fact our churches or church congregations are asked to define Truth by voting on if they want to accept what our culture is accepting.
For example, certain denominations are voting if they want to have gay pastors. Some denominations are leaving it up to each individual church and congregation to vote on what is acceptable.
God never asked Israel to decide or vote on what right and wrong is. He always ask them to obey the established laws over all other laws and practices in this world.
But let us be careful lest we think we are more righteous than others because we don't promote the gay agenda. Because I find it a daily battle to stay faithful to the Lord in other areas. Once we think we are better than others, we set ourselves up to fail in an entirely different area. That's why God keeps reminding everyone: LOVE ME. OBEY ME. BE FAITHFUL TO ME. BE COMMITTED TO ME. PROMOTE ME IN YOUR FAMILY.
Don't let the world seep in with truth that draw us and our family away. If we don't promote Jesus to our family, then their attention will go towards whatever else it's being promoted. And that will be the world.
Challenge: start today with a family devotional and prayer time. Along with living out the Bible around them.
We read in chapter 11 about how Israel could choose to either be blessed or cursed by God. Verses 26-29 are very clear.
“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.”
In the next book that we will be reading, Israel is reminded about their choice of who to serve again in Joshua 24:14-15. “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Israel struggled with following God. Like Israel, we all have to choose whether we are going to live God’s way or the world’s way. May we make the right choice and do what it says in Psalm 100:2.
“Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!”
My son goes to daycare while my husband and I work and it was so important to me that we start him in a faith based school. It was more expensive and a bit of a drive but I’m so thankful we did it. He loves to say “amen!” And even though he is only 2, we talk about God and Jesus and pray before our meals. At his daycare he learned about Jesus and would bring home coloring pages with stories from the Bible. Sometimes I don’t feel like I do enough to bring Christ into our day and I thought if he could get it at school at least if I’m falling short at home he will still learn about God. I pray that I can be a spiritual leader in my sons life, even if he is only 2! That I step up and match what he is learning at school if not more. That each and every day we start and end with a prayer together to God!