full of themselves

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
glass of water

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

 

full of themselves

Deuteronomy 8:10 When you eat and are full, you will celebrate Yahveh your God for the good land he has given you.
Deuteronomy 8:11 “Be careful or else you will forget Yahveh your God by failing to watch his commands, rules, and prescriptions that I am commanding you today.
Deuteronomy 8:12 When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in,
Deuteronomy 8:13 and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases,
Deuteronomy 8:14 be careful that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget Yahveh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

full of themselves

The Israelites were going to get what they wanted, but God knew that it would be too much. Their newfound prosperity would make them proud, and their fullness would make them full of themselves.

Celebrating the holidays, we can also run the risk of forgetting our Lord. In the midst of fun, food and family, there should be a seat at the table for the one who gave it all to us. This is especially true since none of those blessings are eternal. But permanent life is ours as a gift from our Savior, whose human birth we celebrate this day.

Thank you, Lord, giver of all good things.

Posted in Christmas, dependence upon God | Tagged | 1 Comment

a good land

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
red built structure against sky

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

a good land

Deuteronomy 8:5 Keep in mind that Yahveh your God has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.
Deuteronomy 8:6 So watch the commands of Yahveh your God by walking in his ways and fearing him
Deuteronomy 8:7 because Yahveh your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and hills;
Deuteronomy 8:8 a land of wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey;
Deuteronomy 8:9 a land where you will eat food without shortage, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and from whose hills you will mine copper.

a good land

Moses told the Israelites that there was a reason they had been facing hardship. God was disciplining them so that they would be obedient to his commands when they came into the good land he was leading them to.

Christian, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, perhaps it would be helpful to remember some of the hardships we have faced over the past year. Maybe some of those difficulties will prepare us for an amazing outpouring of blessings in the New Year.

Lord, thank you for the hardships you have allowed us to experience this year. We believe that all things are working together for our good. So we thank you for the preparation.

Posted in dependence upon God, suffering | Tagged | 1 Comment

helpful hunger

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
vegetables italian pizza restaurant

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

helpful hunger

Deuteronomy 8:1 “Carefully do every command I am commanding you today, so that you may live and increase, and may enter and take possession of the land Yahveh swore to your fathers.
Deuteronomy 8:2 Remember that Yahveh your God led you on the entire journey these forty years in the open country, so that he might discipline you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would watch his commands.
Deuteronomy 8:3 He disciplined you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that a human does not stay alive on bread alone but stays alive on everything that comes from the mouth of Yahveh.
Deuteronomy 8:4 Your clothing did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these forty years.

helpful hunger

Our Lord quoted from this text when Satan tempted him to turn a stone into bread when he was fasting. Sometimes our Father guides us into periods of temporary hunger. He wants us to learn dependence on him. But there is more to it than that. Rushing to get our needs met is something Satan wants. Steady focus on God’s word is what our Father wants.

Lord, when the hunger comes, remind us to turn it into something helpful, by focusing on your commands.

Posted in dependence upon God | Tagged | Leave a comment

destined to be destroyed

Posted on December 22, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
burning paper inside dark room

Photo by Adisak รักในหลวงตลอดกาล on Pexels.com

destined to be destroyed

Deuteronomy 7:25 Burn up the carved images of their gods. Don’t crave the silver and gold on the images and take it for yourself, or else you will be ensnared by it, for it is repulsive to Yahveh your God.
Deuteronomy 7:26 Do not bring any repulsive thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You are to abhor and detest it utterly because it is set apart for destruction.

destined to be destroyed

One of the Old Testament principles which inform the biblical concept of hell is explained in this text. The Israelites were to consider all idols as set apart for destruction. To bring such an object into one’s home was to share its fate. Idolaters were set apart for destruction like the idols which ensnared them.

This is one of the earliest images of the nature of hell in the Bible. The New Testament agrees with the principle as seen in Jesus’ warning that God can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28).

Father, give us the wisdom to purge from our lives all those unholy things which are destined to be destroyed.

Posted in destruction in hell, idolatry, sin, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

checkmate

Posted on December 21, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
battle black blur board game

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

checkmate

Deuteronomy 7:20 Yahveh your God will also send hornets against them until all the survivors and those hiding from you are destroyed.
Deuteronomy 7:21 Don’t be terrified of them, because Yahveh your God, a great and awesome God, is among you.
Deuteronomy 7:22 Yahveh your God will drive out these nations before you little by little. You will not be able to destroy them rapidly; or else the wild animals will become too numerous for you.
Deuteronomy 7:23 Yahveh your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion until they are exterminated.
Deuteronomy 7:24 He will hand their kings over to you, and you will destroy their names under the sky. No one will be able to stand against you; you will exterminate them.

checkmate

In chess, when you capture the opponent’s king, you win the game. It is called checkmate. The Lord promised to hand the kings of the land over to the Israelites. None of these mighty rulers would be able to stand against them.

Christian, is there a sin you just can’t find yourself able to shake off? Don’t give up the fight against it. Treat it like one of those kings, and claim this text as a promise from God.

Every time you get victory over that temptation, say “check “ — and trust God to bring you to checkmate against it. You will destroy their names under the sky.

Lord, we trust you to help us overcome every obstacle to possessing the mind of Christ.

Posted in sanctification, sin | Tagged | 1 Comment

your God will do the same

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
clouds daylight forest grass

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

your God will do the same

Deuteronomy 7:17 “If you say to yourself, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I take possession from them?’
Deuteronomy 7:18 do not be afraid of them. Be sure to remember what Yahveh your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt:
Deuteronomy 7:19 the great trials that you saw, the signs and wonders, the strong hand and outstretched arm, by which Yahveh your God brought you out. Yahveh your God will do the same to all the peoples you fear.

your God will do the same

It was only logical that the Israelites would compare themselves in the flesh with the nations they were called to drive out. It was no contest in the flesh. The children of Israel would lose quickly.

But the Lord reminded them that they did not have to rely on their own skill, abilities and might. They had the Lord himself, a mighty warrior— who would fight for them as he did in the past.

Christian, are you making your assessments according to the flesh? Remember the mighty power with which the Lord pulled you out of the serpent’s mouth. He’s got this.

Lord, we choose to trust you to fight the battles we must face.

Posted in dependence upon God, trust | Tagged | 1 Comment

Kriptonite

Posted on December 19, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
blue and red superman print tank top shirt

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Kriptonite

Deuteronomy 7:14 You will be empowered above all peoples; there will be no infertile male or female among you or your livestock.
Deuteronomy 7:15 Yahveh will remove all sickness from you; he will not place on you all the terrible diseases of Egypt that you know about, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.
Deuteronomy 7:16 You must destroy all the peoples Yahveh your God is delivering over to you and not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, because that will be a snare to you.

Kriptonite

The Israelites were to be like an invincible army of supermen. They would have more children, be impervious to common diseases, and wipe out everyone who dares to oppose them.

But these supermen would be vulnerable to one Kriptonite. Worshiping other gods would remove their protection. If they failed their God, they would be condemning themselves to destruction.

Lord, burn this fact into our memory so that we stay true to you.

Posted in obedience | Tagged | 1 Comment

your offspring and produce

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
vegetables stall

Photo by PhotoMIX Ltd. on Pexels.com

your offspring and produce

Deuteronomy 7:12 “If you listen to and are careful to watch these rules, Yahveh your God will watch his covenant loyalty with you, as he swore to your fathers.
Deuteronomy 7:13 He will care about you, empower you, and multiply you. He will bless your offspring, and the produce of your land– your grain, new wine, and fresh oil– the young of your herds, and the newborn of your flocks, in the land he swore to your fathers that he would give you.

your offspring and produce

Note the progression of these promises compared to the covenant with Adam. Our first parents were responsible to be fruitful and multiply and fill the land. Under the covenant with Moses, God promises to multiply the Israelites. Our first parents were responsible to subdue the land. Under the covenant with Moses, God promises to subdue the land for the Israelites. All the Israelites had to do was to follow the rules they had already agreed to obey.

Christian, when you came to Christ, and you agreed to be part of his kingdom, did you not understand that God wanted to bless this planet through you? If you have children, he wants them to be a blessing from God— not just to you, but to everyone. If you own a business, God wants to use that business not just to pay your bills, but to empower your community. It all depends on how faithful you are in following the commands of Christ.

Lord, everything we have is yours. Bless others through it.

Posted in blessings, witness | Tagged | 1 Comment

he watches, so watch

Posted on December 17, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
tourists at harbor

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

he watches, so watch

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know that Yahveh your God is God, the faithful God who watches his gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who care about him and keep his commands.
Deuteronomy 7:10 But he directly pays back and destroys those who hate him. He will not hesitate to pay back directly the one who hates him.
Deuteronomy 7:11 So watch the command – the prescriptions and rules – that I am commanding you to follow today.

he watches, so watch

We are tempted to think of God as going about his own affairs and only occasionally dropping a miracle down on us. Not so. Our God is not engrossed in some other section of the universe so that he doesn’t see all that happens in our lives. He is constantly watching, and waits to see if there is any act of obedience that he can reward. He also sees every act of rebellion, and hears every whisper of doubt.

Since we have a God who is constantly watching, we need to watch his commands, making sure that we obey them. In these last days he has spoken to us through his Son, and his commands are our responsibility.

Lord, make us diligent to obey all your commands, because you are watching.

Posted in obedience | Tagged | 1 Comment

cleansing Canaan

Posted on December 16, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
person using mop on floor

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

cleansing Canaan

Deuteronomy 7:5 Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their standing stones, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their carved images.
Deuteronomy 7:6 You see, you are a sacred people to Yahveh your God. Yahveh your God has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the land.
Deuteronomy 7:7 “Yahveh had his heart set on you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, because you were the fewest of all peoples.
Deuteronomy 7:8 But because Yahveh cared about you and kept the oath he swore to your fathers, he brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

cleansing Canaan

The Israelites were to be about the business of making a mark for God on the land he promised to them. But God is not happy being one among many. He wanted his people’s land to be free of the marks of all those false gods. A marker left standing would be temptation for the Israelites to pay homage to it. A sacred people required a sacred land. It had to be cleansed of its impurities.

Under the covenant with Christ, the land we are called to possess is the mind of Christ. We must cleanse our own Canaan of its unhealthy allegiances. No mark of sin must be left standing.

Lord, help us to cleanse our minds of the marks of past disloyalties.

Posted in commitment, loyalty, purity | Tagged | 1 Comment