Tag: Always

50.t. Wilderness – 14.z. ” For your eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD that he did.”

 

 

Deu 11:1-7  “You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always. And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm, his signs and his deeds that he did in Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land, and what he did to the army of Egypt, to their horses and to their chariots, how he made the water of the Red Sea flow over them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD has destroyed them to this day, and what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place, and what he did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, son of Reuben, how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel. For your eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD that he did.

God commanded Israel to love Him. Love is not a matter left entirely up to our impulse or our feelings. We choose to love the LORD or not. Additionally, this reminds us of what the LORD really wants from us – our love. We could give Him a hundred other things, but none of it really matters unless we give Him our love. As Jesus said to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:4: Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. If we lose love, we lose all. Love for God never goes against His word. Some people think their so-called love for Jesus allows them to disregard His commands, but this isn’t real love at all. Real love for Jesus always translates into obedience. Moses addressed the generation which saw the works of God among Israel, both in blessing and chastening. He spoke to the generation that should know and remember. Moses called Israel to remember what God did in their history. Most of history – both official and personal – is simply concerned with what man has done. But God wants us to look at history and see what He did. We learn far more, and are far more benefited, by looking at what God has done, rather than looking at what man has done. (Guzik)

Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge—The reason for the frequent repetition of the same or similar counsels is to be traced to the infantine character and state of the church, which required line upon line and precept upon precept. Besides, the Israelites were a headstrong and perverse people, impatient of control, prone to rebellion, and, from their long stay in Egypt, so violently addicted to idolatry, that they ran imminent risk of being seduced by the religion of the country to which they were going, which, in its characteristic features, bore a strong resemblance to that of the country they had left.Moses exhorts them to obedience by rehearsing God’s works, Deu 11:1-9, and by the excellency of the land they were to possess, Deu 11:10-12. A promise of blessings to their obedience. (Brown)

What is it that allows us to forget? How do we go from sincere obedience, trust, and reliance to floundering like a fish out of water? How does this happen without our ability to recognize it? The answer can be hundreds of reasons but it boils down to our want and desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. Not wanting to forget the greatness of God. Wanting to please God. Intentionally choosing to always be close to God. Not living a single moment without praise and worship of God in your heart and mind being filled with the Holy Spirit and spending time in His Word so that you can discern right from wrong, good from bad, and holiness from sinfulness. It is an intentional life set apart from this world and sins of the flesh in reverent service to God. 

There are many things that draw us away from this. Basing our life style on that which we see in other christians. Normally we pick out the weakest and shallowest example. Would anyone be drawn to the God you proclaim to serve by the life you life and what you say? Think about this and ask God to reveal your heart and mind to you so that you can honor and glorify Him in all you think, say, and do.

Who satisfies you with good

Psalms 90:14  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Psalms 36:7   How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.  They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

Psalms 63:3     Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.  So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.  My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

Psalms 65:4     Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

Psalms 103:3     who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,  who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,  who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Zechariah 9:17    For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!

Psalms 23:6     Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalms 85:6    Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

Psalms 86:4     Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Psalms 149:2     Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

Philippians 4:4     Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Psalms 145:7     They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.  The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

John 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.

1 John 3:1     See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

2 Peter 1:4     by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

What are we looking for to satisfy us?  Where are we looking for this satisfaction to come from?  How do we know what true satisfaction is? The world continually throws lies to us in what will satisfy us.  These lies come in the form of how much better our life will be, how much higher others will think of us, and how much better we will think of ourselves.  Are we satisfied with the precious promises of God?  Are we satisfied with His purposes and plans for our life? Are we satisfied with His grace, mercy, and love?  Or, are we looking for more in the wrong places?  Trying to find satisfaction outside of the presence, purpose and plans of God is like chasing wind.  It is always elusive.  When was the last time you went to buy something and had such high hopes of it giving you satisfaction – in the end it was just another thing that did not fully satisfy.  It was temporary.  The only lasting satisfaction is found in and through Jesus Christ, with a desire to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Him.