This is our very first reading schedule. Deuteronomy actually started May 23 which was Friday so I guess we will go Friday to Friday so we can start on Deut. 1. So we will read a chapter a day. Our church schedule is a little wonky so here it is:
Friday - May 23: Deut. 1
Saturday - May 24 Deut. 2
Sunday- May 25 Deut. 3
Monday - May 26 Deut. 4
Tuesday - May 27 Deut. 5
Wednesday.- May 28 Deut. 6
Thurs - May 29 - Deut. 26 (notice the big skip!)
Friday - May 30 - Deut. 27
So you will leave your comments here for the whole week. Just make sure you reference the verse in your comments.
For instance here is what I would put in the comment box:
DEUTERONOMY 1:
The Israelites are ready to enter the Promise Land. The events recorded in Deut. only cover one week or two of the 11 month of the 40th year of wandering. The 12th month of the 40th year was spent mourning for Moses. They entered the Promise Land the 1st month of the 41st year. This journey was an 11 day journey!
V. 6 - it says "you have stayed here long enough". To me, that meant there is a time limit for testing. When the season is over, it's time to leave......time to leave the grief, pain, loss, sadness, past, whatever has been keeping you in the journey there.
v. 7 - "Break camp" - you are going to leave your comfort zone (the place that is not necessary comfortable, but familiar)
"go in and take possession" - now it is going to require action not passivity. You may want to stay, it's familiar. You may be afraid, you have to be courageous. You have to "weep" forward. You have to let go to move forward.
v. 9-15 were a review of their life in the desert
v.26 - They never entered the Promise Land because they were unwilling to go
v. 27 - They grumbled and complained and blamed everyone
v. 31 - God reassured them that He would go before them and fight for them as he did before and carry them as a father carries his own child
v. 32 - in spite of all of this, they did not trust or believe their Lord so they forfeited their chance to enter the Promise Land.
My take away:
Grumbling, complaining, blaming, rebellion, arrogance and unbelief will keep me from being where I am supposed to be. It is a choice. I don't want to live my life with that kind of attitude. I pray that God will show me anywhere that I am complacent. Help me to believe God. To trust Him when I have to break camp and don't know what's around the corner. Help me to be active and strong and courageous and be who God wants me to be and go where I am suppose to be. That is where abundant life waits.
Deut. 2:7 which I posted on fb was like my new life verse. My take away from Deut. 2 was the Lord picks our battles and shows us which enemies we need to fight in our life and then he shows us how. When you obey exactly, you will have complete victory. Remember the Old Testament is always an external picture of the New Testament, internal. So our enemies in this age are more internal like worry, doubt, fear, unbelief, anxiety, etc. That will help with application hopefully.
ReplyDeleteDEUTERONOMY 3:
ReplyDeleteGod told them to not be afraid, he would hand the enemy over to them and God did. They traveled in belief instead of unbelief and had victory. Their mindset had changed, their perspective changed.
V. 21 was to give Joshua courage. He got to see all that Lord did so that his faith would be strong enough to lead them on in place of Moses.
v. 22 - "do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God Himself will fight for you."
v. 23 Moses was speaking in this verse and wanted to see the land that he would not be leading the people into. So God showed up and told him that Joshua would lead them. Moses could not only go, he had to encourage and strengthen Joshua.
TAKE AWAY:
When we choose to disobey, there will be consequences but there will also be grace to go through those consequences. Our attitudes can get us in trouble. Moses' attitude and anger and disrepect of God in front of Israel is what kept him out of the Promise Land. I need to keep my in check.
When I walk in belief ....I walk in victory
DEUTERONOMY 4
ReplyDeletev.2 do not add or subtract from these commands
( I don't know why man always thinks he knows better and knows more, pride I guess. The Pharisees did just that, add a bazillion more commands to those God gave, lke God's weren't clear enough!)
v. 6 Observing God's commands not only give you life (v.1) but it is a huge witness to others of God's glory because of your wisdom and understanding. The other nations were very religious. They needed to see s distinct difference in our God and theirs.
v. 9 Be careful, Remember always, Be thankful, Teach others
I think it is very ironic that your past with God is to be remembered, relived, thought of everyday because it will refuel your faith. But your past with the enemy will utterly destroy you if you remember and relive it. Choose what past you think about! Your past with the Lord and what He has done should be on your mind continuously.
v. 15 We are prone toward idols. Period. We are. We are to watch and see what triggers us toward idols. Remember the New Testament is internal.
v. 25 If you turn to idols you will forfeit your Promised Land. Your Promised Land is a place of property (where God has you now), a place of people (those in your life that you influence) and a place of purpose (where you get to serve Him). That give you security and fulfillment and abundant life. "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8
v. 29 So you went after an idol, maybe even developed a stronghold that is holding on strong. What do you do? v.29 "But if there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." You change where you are looking. Go back. Seek God. Change focus.
v. 30 sometimes you have to hit bottom first "When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey Him"
How will God respond to your rebellion? v. 31 "The Lord your God is merciful; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant he made with you."
He is waiting with arms open, he will run to meet you.
TAKE AWAY:
If I take the time to remember and be thankful, it will save me from a multitude of problems. It will guard my heart from idols of worry, doubt, fear, unbelief. I have to be diligent in what I think of. Make a point to be thankful everyday.
DEUTERONOMY 5
ReplyDeleteI love how God spells it out. There is no question as to what he wants and expects. It is plain and simple.
v. 6 God gave you freedom, delivered you from bondage, therefore it would behoove to listen (that's how I would've put it!!!)
v.7 & v. 8 What is the difference? Isn't an idol going to be a god in my life?
v. 7 is you shall no other gods before Me or besides Me
v. 8 is you shall not make for yourself an image of likeness....to worship
So we can be drawn to an image that becomes an idol or we can create one for ourselves. I think sometimes we create God Himself in the image we want. That way He thinks like I do. No conviction, no rebuke, no changing. I find myself doing that so I don't have to face my sin and do something about it.
v. 8 The sin of idolatry is hereditary. Your children see you and it becomes a learned behavior, normal. You have more to think about than yourself.
v. 16 Honor your father and mother, the position of honor
We talked about how lying is right in there with murder and stealing. Serious business.
And you all know the story of don't covet your neighbor's donkey. I was really coveting something my friend had, a relationship not a material thing, but that verse spoke volumes to me.
v. 22 These are the commands that the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice!!! It would have to be loud for 2 million people to hear, just don't get that!!!
v. 33 I don't know about you but I want to live long and prosper. "Walk in the ways that the Lord your God has commanded you" and you will. He wants it more than we do!
TAKE AWAY:
What do I need to change in my life that is not on track with God's way? An attitude, a thought pattern (too much being critical, not enough thankful), complaining, grumbling, unbelief. God will show me if I will listen.
V8 struck me....we are ultimately responsible for leading our children in the right path.... and I'm guilty of not always being a good example.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved those verses Crystal. Hard to do, but I love them!
DeleteI am trying to figure this out :-) I don't have my notebook with me, but I really like Crystal's verse, too.
ReplyDeleteDEUTERONOMY 6
ReplyDeletev. 3-4 PROMISE that we will "enjoy" long life. Not just long life in a nursing home but "enjoy" long life!1!
I really liked verse 5. You shall love the Lord YOUR God. I love the your, .makes it more personal. And then verse 7. You shall diligently teach your children and you shall talk to them... It is so easy to get caught up in life and and to not "talk" to your kids.
DeleteChapter 26
ReplyDeleteDon't know why we skipped to 26, but I liked verse 17. By keeping these commandments you declare that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in his ways and listen to his voice. And He will declare that you are his treasurer possession. I like being his treasured possession!!
Ok this is a test.....
ReplyDeleteDeuteronomy 29
ReplyDeleteI really liked verse 25, I thought of our nation today. " when the nation falls and people ask why it is because the people abandoned the covenant of God and went and served and worshipped other gods". It is kind of scary because Christians are becoming the minority.
Deuteronomy 30
ReplyDeleteVerse 11-14 was my favorite. The commandments are not far away - in heaven or across the ocean - they are in your mouth and in your heart. So, they are a part of you. Not even in a book or bible...they are a part of you. But you must study and make them a part of you.
I really liked these as well. Part of us....wow....I mean wow. Basically like saying it is in us but we have to study and mold those things in us.
DeleteDeuteronomy 31
ReplyDeleteMoses turns 120! Joshua succeeds him in leading Israel. In verse 26-29 moses tells him that he knows that they are rebellious and after his death they will be worse! LOL! But back in verse 8 he tells them "it is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." I love this verse!! It is one of my favorites.
Deuteronomy 32
ReplyDeleteThis chapter is the song that Moses gave the people. I thought it was a sad song of what God would do if they didn't obey. There was a lot of disaster and cutting into pieces going on. Seems to me like Moses was really worried the people wouldnt make it without him.