Deuteronomy 24: 12-13, 19 - Oppressing the Poor

Throughout the Bible, God talks to us on how we should deal with the poor. God warns us that if we willfully oppress the poor (as well as the fatherless and the widow), He will not allow us to get away with it!

God has shown me great mercy in the past. He has always provided for my needs, and has kept me safe, even during the worst storms I have ever experienced. If I strike out against the poor and needy, wouldn't I be showing contempt to God for all the times He was merciful to me? God loves for us to show mercy, even when it is within our powers (and rights) to bring judgment and destruction.

Deuteronomy 20 - Rules of Engagement

When I was a young boy, I loved to play certain historic military board games put out by a company called Avalon Hill. These were special games with a lot of rules and thousands of pieces! The players set up the board and pieces, according to the scenario, and for hours we would recreate famous battles or change historic tactics to see if the outcome would change. When I played these as a youth, I learned a fundamental rule: the bigger your forces, the better chance you had at winning! This rule has been fundamental since the beginning of time. Though training and tactics are critical, size really did matter in ancient warfare.

In Deuteronomy 20, God takes this basic rule and throws it right out the window.

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. - Deuteronomy 20:1

When Israel went to battle, God commanded them not to fear if the enemy was bigger, stronger, or faster. Unlike their opponents, they had an ally that was far greater: the LORD. As long as they had God on their side, the army of Israel didn't have to worry about the outcome. Granted, some would be wounded and even killed, but in the end God would give them the victory.

It's the same for the believer. There will be times when your battle will seem to be unbeatable. Your enemies will be bigger, stronger, faster, but if you are trusting Christ as your savior, you can rest in the fact that in the end, when the dust settles, you will be victorious in Christ.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

Will there be casualties? Maybe.

Will you suffer hardships? Possibly.

The one fact that is clear: in the end, you will have victory in Christ, if you are trusting Him and following His commands.

Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 - Rex Lex or Lex Rex?

During the feudal period of Briton, an issue rose up among the people that threatened to tear the island nation apart. The king would set laws, but then would ignore them himself. The king placed himself above the law, which the latin term Rex Lex came to signify (lit. King is Law). Open rebellion ensued and a revolution began. In the end, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, thus placing himself under the law: Lex Rex (meaning Law is King).

Deuteronomy 17 is clear: when God appoints a king over His people, that individual must be in submission to God's laws. Matter of fact, the king is ordered to have his own copy of the law and to read them every day (vss18-20). This doesn't sound very special in today's day and age, only because we usually have several copies ourselves, but keep in mind: printing was not invented yet, and to own your own book was a big matter.

The king is not above the law, but instead the Law (God's Word) is above the king!

Deuteronomy 15: 1-11 - Caring for the Poor

I find it interesting how God commands us to care for the poor in our communities. The people of Israel was commanded not to ignore the poor in their neighborhoods. God promised to bless them if they follow His Word, and in the midst of their prosperity, the people were not to harden their hearts against the poor, even if it means taking a financial loss.

I think God is looking for heart attitude more than you being a good steward of your money.

Deuteronomy 13 - Destroying Apostasy

There are times when our enemy will rush in and attempt to batter down the gates of our defenses. We clearly see his plan of attack, and with the strength of God, we can easily ward off such assaults. There are other times when the enemy comes in quietly and with stealth. He will have one of your friends, or even a family member introduce him t you as a person to be trusted. This is the most insidious attack because we don't always know when these strikes will come, nor are we always prepared when the devil sneaks in the back way.

Be extremely careful child of the Living God! Examine every spirit that comes your way.

There was a story I once heard how people who work with money are trained how to identify counterfeit currency. It's not that they are shown all the different fraudulent bills, but instead they are continually working with the real bills. The tenders are so familiar with the "real thing" that when a fake comes along, it is easily and quickly detected. We need to be the same way. Our walk with God must be so constant that when a fake attempts to creep into our lives, they are quickly identified and arrested!

Deuteronomy 12: 2-3 - Destroying Satanic Strongholds

When the people of Israel were to enter the promised land, God commanded them to destroy the pagan areas of worship. They were not to study their idolatry. They were not to sympathize with them. They were not to show mercy! Israel was God's judgment on a people who would rather worship gods of stone and wood, than worship the true and living God. It was a lesson to Israel in order to teach them not to play around with the filth of idolatry.

The blood bought child of God is to have the same attitude toward satanic strongholds in their lives. When God's Holy Spirit reveals an area in our lives where there is a stronghold of worldliness, we are commanded to zealously attack and overthrow these altars, and break these pillars, and burn these graven images, destroying the area of worldliness completely.

Deuteronomy 11: 26 - To Choose a Blessing or a Cursing

Let me share with you a story of a Bible student I know. He went to Bible college fully committed to serve the LORD with all of his heart! He asked God for a God-fearing wife, and the Lord blessed him with a wonderful gal. While serving in a ministry, this guy allowed bitterness to grow in his heart. Over the course of time, this bitterness grew into a spirit of anger. In the end, it destroyed his walk with God, his testimony before man, and finally his very beloved family was in shambles! Though this student of God's Word started off well, he stopped following God's Word, and curses ensued in his life.

In Deuteronomy 11, there are three times where Israel is commanded to obey God's Word (vss. 1, 13, and 22). They are told that if they keep God's statutes, He will bless them and they will be prosperous. But, if Israel does not keep God's commandments and they start chasing after other gods, He will bring curses down on them.

It's the same for the believer. If we commit ourselves to diligently obey the Bible and seek after God with all our hearts, God will bring blessings into our lives. If, on the otherhand, we turn away from God and seek after worldly pleasures more than things from above, Satan wil establish strongholds in our lives and we will become miserable wretches!

What has become of this wretched Bible student? I praise God to be able to say that he has repented of his sin, and has returned to his Lord and savior Jesus Christ! Though he hasn't seen his beloved wife and children for almost four months, he is trusting God to protect them and have his wife return to Christ as well. If you want to pray for him, please do! His name is John Hall, and you can encourage him by writing (johncalvinhall@gmail.com) and letting him know that you will pray for him and his beloved family!

Deuteronomy 10: 16 - Circumcision of the Heart

Circumcision was a willfull ceremony commanded by God to demonstrate a willfull decision of dedication of God. From the time of their circumcision, that male child was brought up and educated to make God first in his life. While Israel practiced the circumcision of the foreskin, true circumcision was of the heart!

Have you seen rebelliousness in your heart? Are you refusing to obey something you know what God wants you to do? Have you stiffened your neck against God's Holy Spirit? O lost soul, turn to God and ask Him to save you. Brother/ Sister in the LORD, cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness! Repent of your sins and circumcise your hearts before our Lord and Savior!

Deuteronomy 10: 12-13 - God's Expectations of You

I've had the opportunity to work under people who clearly explained to me what they expected of me. I've also worked for some who were completely nebulous and I had to grope on the dark to find out what they wanted. I've even worked under pne person who told me one thing and then expected another! In Deuteronomy 10: 12-13, the Bible clearly spells out what God expects of us:
1. To fear the LORD thy God,
2. To walk in all His ways,
3. To love Him,
4. To serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
5. To keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes

So, now you might be asking, what do you get in return? Well, once you ask Christ to forgive you of your sins, you automatically obtain everlasting life (John 5:24). Then if you obey God, then you will find wealth that the riches man could not buy!
Let's just look at the benefits of the fear of the LORD. When you truely fear/ respect God at the level He deserves, this allows you:
A. Knowledge beyond the standards of this world (Proverbs 1:7)
B. Wisdom greater than the wisdom of this world (Proverbs 9:10)
C. Prolonged days to your life (Proverbs 10:27)
D. Strong Confidence in the LORD (Proverbs 14:26)

For me to go into more detail would fill this Blog Server! The benefits infinitely and eternally outweigh anythig this world can offer. Friend, if you are trusting Christ as your savior, and yet not walking in His ways, then let me encourage you to go to your savior and give your life entirely to Him!

Reader, if you have not trusted Jesus to be your savior, please, don't do one more thing until you have gone to Him and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to save you from an eternity in hell! God loves you! He would rather be your adoptive father, than to be your judge.

Deuteronomy 9: 26-29 - Interceding Before God

Several times throughout Moses' career/ ministry he has had to go before God and intercede in behalf of the people of Israel. They had done wickedly, and everything was pointing to the conclusion that God was going to destroy them for their murmurring, their rebelliousness, and their idolatry.

How often do we go before God and ask Him not to judge and punish our loved ones for their wickedness? Your heart breaks when you see your son or daughter openly rebel against God's Word! You stand and watch your beloved spouse refuse to obey God, even though they might know the right thing to do. Do you interced on their behalf? Do you cry out to God, asking your heavenly father to draw them back to His side?

Please, my brother and sister in Christ, don't stop interceding!

Deuteronomy 7:9-10 - God is Faithful!

We should always work to never forget that the LORD is faithful!

For some reason, the Holy Spirit keeps bringing me back to vs. 9:

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Over the past couple of months I've gone through some of the worst trials in all of my life. Granted some of the tribulation I'm going through was brought on by my own foolishness, but it's has now gotten to the point where the persecution is poured out only because I refuse to bend with regards to my personal walk with Jesus Christ. Though the persecution is harsh, and I would never seek after it, I am finding sweet peace in the faithfulness of my Lord and Savior.

A person, who I have always counted to be my closest and most personal friend, has actively sought my destruction. I have diligently sought reconciliation, but they refuse to listen or even obey God's Word. Though I have done all that I can, it is not enough. I have now let go of my dear friend, and turn them over to God, because I know that HE IS FAITHFUL! Rather than deliver me from this seemingly endless storm, God is captaining my feable bark through the wind and waves. I can trust Him, because He is faithful!

Deuteronomy 6: 19 - Casting Out the Enemy

I came across a verse that I thought could not be done anymore due to our current political and social world,

"To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken."

I can't obey this, LORD! I cannot go and cast out all the pagans and sodomites. I don't have the political authority to throw out all the idolaters and witches. How can God give us a commandment and not allow me to do it? So, I went to Him with this verse and asked, "My LORD, what should I do with this command, and how should I obey it?" His response was immediate and sure,

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." - Ephesians 6:12

I realized (again) that we need to never forget that our battle is not a physical/ carnal battle, but a spiritual war! We are to cast out of our lives anyting that would allow Satan to have a stronghold in our lives:
+ Wrong television programs
+ Games that promote ungodliness
+ Books that encourage worldliness
+ Music that does not glorify God

We must cast out the enemy from our lives, but not forget that the enemy is Satan and his demnic network, and not those who do not know Jesus Christ as their savior.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:" - II Corinthians 10:3-8

LORD, give me opportunities to reach out and witness to the lost, yet keep me, Father, from the stains of worldliness!"

Deuteronomy 5: 27 - Drawing Close to God

"Go thou near..."

We are commanded to draw close to God. Not some stone image or a paintng are we to draw close to, but the Mighty and Terrible God of all creation! To the people of Israel, God looked like a great consumng fire on top of the mountain. Moes wrote that the LORD's voice was like the sound of mighty thunderings. No wonder the people were afraid! God is a Holy, Righteous, and All-Powerful God, but we are commanded to draw close to Him!

Deuteronomy 4: 1 - The Secret to Success

EVERYONE WANTS TO SUCCEED, BUT NOT EVERYONE WILL!!!

Recently, I've started working out of my home. Having the opportunity to care for my mother, I found it critical to spend as much time at home as God will possibly allow. The problem is, I am not experienced with the area of occupation that I think God has placed me in. So, I turned to God, and His Word, in order to find out how I might be SUCCESSFUL in my next occupation, and the following are the verses God gave me!

Deuteronomy 4:1 - Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them , that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.

Joshua 1:8-9 - This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE - True and absolute success comes from obedience to the Word of God!

Numbers 32: 23 - Getting Away with Sin

...and be sure your sin will find you out.

No matter who you are, what position you hold in society; no matter how much you earn, or where you live, one fact is very sure: everyone of us is a sinner. The sad part is that many times we are deluded into thinking that we can and will get away with our sin. Yet, God's Word tells us this will never happen.

As a child of God, we have two great and powerful forces that will keep us from getting away with our sin:

Powerful Force #1: Satan
As a blood-bought Christian, we have acquired a very powerful and terrible enemy: Satan. He wants to strike back at our heavenly father, and the best way he can do that is by striking out at God's beloved children. Satan will not give up an opportunity like one where the believer voluntarily and willfully disobey's God. The devil will use it to his full advantage to hurt God's heart by destroying the believer.

Powerful Force #2: God
God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten son to die on the coss for our sins (John 3:16). He knows what sin we do because He paid for each one with the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our father also will not allow us to get away with our sin, because He loves us and desires to perfect us!

One time, a little child was shopping with his mother at the local grocery store. When they passed by the candy aisle, he spied out his favorite chocolate! Noticing that his mother's back was toward him, he quietly snuck the candy into the shopping cart, hiding it below another package. Imagining that he was going to get away with his plans, the little boy couldn't help but think how smart he was! That is, until they arrived at the checkout stand. Mother placed each item in front of the cashier, and low-and-behold, she came to the hidden candy! To make a long story short, the little boy got caught, and no, he didn't get away with his sin! When I trusted Jesus Christ as my savior, and asked Him to forgive my sin, He voluntarily took all my sins (past, present, and future), and paid for them on the cross of Calvary! You won't get away with your sin, because they were each paid for by Jesus!

In our foolishness, we think no one sees us sinning, but the truth is yes, we are seen and we will not get away with our sin.

...and be sure your sin will find you out.

Numbers 25 - Whoredom Brings Curses

Balaam knew that he could not curse Israel, but he so desperately wanted the money from Balak. So, he told the king how he could destroy Israel: by getting the men of the camp to commit whoredom with pagan girls. When this was done, God's blessings were stopped and the Lord's wrath was poured out on God's chosen people.

When worldliness crept into the camp, God's anger was turned against Israel. It was only abated by the zealous commitment of Phineas, the son of Eliazar, Aaron's grandson.

IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL TRUTH: Christian, have you dedicated your life totally and completely to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? If you have, you are now on the devil's top "hate list." He will do whatever he can to destroy you. Satan knows that he cannot curse you as long as God's hand of blessing is upon you, but that crafty old devil knows if he can get you a whoring after the world, God's hand will come off, and you will be dragged away like some dumb animal to the slaughter. Guard your heart, O child of God! Guard your heart, and be zealous for God!

Numbers 22: 22 - Obeying God

And God's anger was kindled because he went....

Balak was worried. The nomadic people of Israel were coming his way and he was afraid that they would do to him as they had done to the other nations who had resisted them. So he sent for Balaam, a man who had the reputation for being able to bless and to curse. But like so many unsaved, Balak didn't see that the true power came from God and not from Balaam.

Balak sent money and men to Balaam and asked for him to come and curse Israel. Balaam went to God, and God said do not go! So Balaam sent them packing. Balak, thinking like a typical lost person, sent even more important people with even more money. Balaam went back to God, and God said to go with them. Interesting thing is that when Balaam went, God's anger was kindled, because he went!

* IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE #1: If you know what God wants the first time, DO NOT go back and ask a second time! This is foolishness and God will treat you like a fool! Obey God the first time and DO NOT waiver.

Balaam was acting so foolishly that God used an ass to rebuke him. Balaam was so blind by the money that he did not see God's angel blocking his way. Even the dumb animal saw the fiery messenger, but Balaam was too foolishly blinded by worldliness. It was only when God opened the eyes of Balaam that the prophet saw the danger.

* IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE #2: Worldliness will spiritually blind you. You might be walking with the Lord, enjoying sweet fellowship with His blessed Holy Spirit, and then in a single moment, become blind by a lustful thought, or a worldly desire. Brother/ Sister run from such foolishness! Be constantly on guard against anything that will get in between you and your blessed master! Be zealous over your time and walk with God, because it is so easy to become blind to the things of heaven.

Numbers 21: 4 - Discouragment

Discouragment will try and get you to take your eyes off of God. If this is done, the natural result is rebellion, which leads to ven more trouble!

Numbers 20: 14 - 21: 3 - Succeeding in Life

While Israel was journeying through the wilderness, they were forced to pass through certain populated areas (Edom, Canaan, etc.). Moses tried to plead with Edom to let them pass, but they said, "No!" Israel even thought about forcing their way through, but Edom resisted, so Moses moved on. When they came to Canaan, it was the same thing. Israel fought with them and lost. This was when Moses cried out to God, and asked Him for success over their enemies. God gave it to them and Israel destroyed the Canaanite cities they fought against.

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE: Success comes from God! Seek His will, and obey His Word and you will have good success (Joshua 1:8).

Even though Moses and Israel was obeying God's will, they still encountered resistance. They were even failing to break through this resistance until Moses went to God for help. We might be doing God's will but this does not means we will not encounter obstacles. We need to know what God wants us to do, go to Him in constant prayer, and obey His every direction.

Numbers 19: 2-3 - The Red Heifer

The Red Heifer was taken outside the camp and was slain. With hindsight we can see that this s a picture of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who was taken outside the city gates and was slain for our sins.

Numbers 17 - God Chooses His Leaders

Many were murmurring against Moses and Aaron because they wanted different leaders. They forgot that God Himself appointed these two men, and for murmurring against them, they were rebelling against God. So, the LORD told Moses Moses to collect a rod from each tribe, and the Levites would be represented by Aaron. The next day only Aaron's rod budded and bore fruit (almonds). This showed everyone (in a peaceful way) that Aaron was God's choice. God, in His mercy, chose this method so that people would not rebel and die.

When we murmur against our leaders, we rebel against God! In our country we can elect our leaders. If we don't like them, or if they do a bad job, we can attempt to vote them out, but while in office they are God's appointed leaders.

Numbers 16 - Rebellion Against God's Annointed

Korah raised up a group of Levites and Reubenites, trying to rebel against Moses and Aaron. He and the 250 who followed him were killed by God. These people forgot that God is the one in control, and not His appointed servants.

In our country, we have the wonderful opportunity to vote for our leaders. Yet, we should never forget that it is God who places the individual in the seat of authority. As a Christian, it is vital that I vote for the individual who will best lead our nation on a God-fearing path. But if the leadership that obtains the office is not to our liking, it is very important to realize that God's will has allowed that person to be there. Rebellion against authority is rebellion against God Himself.

Numbers 15: 30-36 - Sinning Presumptuously

When a son of Abraham sinned presumptuously (disobeying God's Word with the impression that they can "get away" with their sin), they were to be thrown out of the camp. This is the same today for the child of God. When we willfully sin against our Lord, we are "thrown out" of His presence, and we lose fellowship with Him.

My Unbelieving Friend, you might have the impression that this is a small matter, but to the true child of God, there is nothing worse! You see, since Jesus is the Prince of Peace, we have no peace apart from Him. Since Jesus is the Lord of Life, we have the odor of death about us. Since our blessed God is our Great Comforter, there is no rest apart from Him! Yes, we don't lose our salvation, but we do lose our sweet fellowship with our dear Lord.

My friend, have you found yourself walking in darkness? Are you seeking for peace, yet have none? Are you looking for comfort in this evil world and have found none? Turn to Jesus! Cry out to Him, and plead for mercy! He will not ignore your pleads.

Lord, hear the cries of the lost! Turn their hearts to You, and show them how You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. - Amen

Numbers 15: 22-29 - Sinning Ignorantly

During the Old Testament Period/ Mosaic Law, when a person sinned ignorantly, they still had to offer a sacrifice to atone for their sin. Today is the same. Though we might sin ignorantly, we still have to make it right, both before God and man.