John 10:1-30

  Jesus told a parable about sheep. There are two characters.. actually three.. that we need to recognize in this story...  First there is the doorkeeper.  He is the one who opens the gate for the shepherd.  Secondly, there is the shepherd. The shepherd goes to the doorkeeper and the door is opened. The shepherd calls his sheep and they follow him, knowing His voice. Thirdly, there is the stranger. the thief, the robber.. the one who comes to "steal and kill, and destroy." 

Jesus calls Himself the "good shepherd".  He also calls Himself "the door".   He came to give life to His sheep. He came to lay down His own life for His sheep.  Jesus tells us that He knows His sheep.. and that they know Him.  It is a relationship founded in the Father, Who loves the Son.. who gave the Son authority to lay His life down and to take it up again.. on behalf of the sheep. Jesus.. promises to bring "other sheep" to join His flock.. His flock will be all those who hear His voice and follow Him.  He knows His sheep, He tells us.. for the Father has given them to Him and "no one shall snatch them out of My hand."  -  the thief and robber cannot snatch those who belong to the Father for the Father is" greater than all".

To belong to the Father and to the Son is to have abundant life.. eternal life.. to be His sheep.. is the gift to all who will believe.  The Jews would not believe and Jesus told them that because they would not believe the witness of the works that He did in the Father's name.. they were not His sheep.  Those who don't hear His voice and follow Him.. those are the ones He does not know. They are the ones who will perish.. who will be snatched out of His hands... out of the Father's hand.. stolen by the great thief. 

Father, we pray to You.. to bring more sheep into the flock of Jesus Christ. More to hear His voice and follow Him.. more to believe so that they might not perish but have eternal life in Jesus.  Our hearts break to see so many who refuse to believe..who refuse the Truth. Oh Father of mercy and grace.. let Your Light shine through us, Your children, so that others might turn from unbelief and find life in Christ our Good Shepherd.. the only One to lead us to salvation .. Thank You for patiently waiting , for hearing our prayers. and for bringing others into the flock.. into the family of Heaven.  Amen. 

 John 9  It is interesting that John gives us a whole chapter about this amazing miracle.. and none of the other gospels cover it at all.   "And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth." 

We learn from this passage that this was not an ordinary blind beggar.  He was able to converse with the Pharisees clearly and boldly as they questioned him. He was kicked out of the synagogue without concern and worshipped Jesus joyfully.  The Words of Jesus had changed everything in his life. 

It was the disciples that thought the blind man was being punished for either his own sin or his parent's sins and that was why he was blind.  Jesus said, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him." 

Imagine being that young man. Perhaps all of his life he had felt the shame of his blindness. Perhaps he had known anger that this was his lot in life.. maybe even blaming his parents or himself.  The lies of Satan often cause us to blame sickness and disability on God.. it is not so!  No matter what situation we find ourselves in.. Jesus is ready to display the "works of God" in us.  It does not always mean we will be completely healed.. but it does mean that God can be glorified in every one of us when we open ourselves to His work. Father, do Your work in us today!

 Jesus took some dust from the ground, spit on it, and made it into clay.  Just as Adam was formed by the Lord's Hand in Eden, Jesus formed this clay and applied it to the eyes that had never seen. "Go wash in the pool of Siloam." He told the man.  He went, washed, and "came back seeing." !   Ever wonder how he knew where to go and how to get back?  This was an unusual man in many ways. 

We are never told his name, but his testimony is so powerful.. 

"The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed by eyes.. so I went away and washed, and I received sight." (v11)  he tells his neighbors. 

".. one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see." (v25)  he tells the Pharisees. 

" Lord, I believe." (v38)  he tells Jesus. 

He understood the Truth.  He believed the Truth. He chose to abide in that Truth.. a life changed by the Light of the world. 

The Pharisees wondered.. for a minute.. if they were blind. "We are not blind too, are we?" they asked Jesus.  If only they could have confessed the truth.  If only they would have received Him.  They would be able to see.. they would have no longer remained in their sin. 

Jesus said, " We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming when no man can work. While I am in the world I am the light of the world. " (v5)  His work is to open blind eyes. To bring light.. to give life.  His Words are life changing, light bringing, earth shaking.  We have those words to share with others.. Lord, help us to be faithful to share this with those still lost in the darkness. 

Father, we willing choose to abide in the Word.. in Jesus Christ.. Whom You sent to bring us Life.  Be glorified in us.. we are the work of Your hands. Amen. 

 John 8:31-59 "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." 

The key to everything.. to all Truth.. to all Life.. to all that is of God.. is the Word.  The Logos - the living voice.. the essential Word.. The Word who" became flesh and dwelt among us"  Jesus instructs us to "abide" in His Word.. abide in Him.. remain in Him, continually,  for in Him is true freedom. 

The Jews didn't even want to admit that they were not free!  They were living under the authority of the Romans.. they had been slaves for 400 years in Egypt..  They had been taken captive by Babylon.. and worst of all they were slaves to sin.  They lied straight into the face of Truth.. and lied to their own selves. Satan, the father of lies had them so blinded that they could not see the Truth, nor could they hear the Words of Jesus. Our world is much the same today.. who today would confess that they are slaves and not free?  America the land of the free and the home of the brave?  huh.  See the faces of those addicted to drugs..immorality.. money.. fame.. Will they admit that they are slaves and not free?  O Lord, help us! Open the blind eyes and the deaf ears!

Jesus said that they were not of God. That is why they could not hear or understand Him. There was only one hope for them.. they must come to know the One who alone knows the Father.  Not Abraham, not Moses, not the prophets.. only Jesus! 

"If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me."  Jesus was sent by the Father.. to honor the Father.. to speak the Words of the Father.. to do the work of the Father.. to be glorified by the Father.  He came to bring Truth, to set us free from sin and death, to fulfill the Father's will. 

This is the Word we abide in.. the word that makes us true disciples. The Word that is Life.. 

Father in heaven, once again I'm brought before this amazing Truth.. that You sent Your only Begotten Son so that we can believe on Him and be saved.. eternally alive with You.. I am  overwhelmed by the height and depth and width and breadth of Your great love for even me.  I will. I want to.. . I determine to .. abide in Your Word.. in Jesus Christ.. the Truth.. the One who has set me free from sin and death.. All glory and honor to Jesus Christ and to our Mighty God and Father forever and ever. Amen 

 John 8:12-30  Jesus tells them.. and us.. Who He really is. He speaks only what the Father has told Him to speak.. He acts according to what the Father has done.  The statements He makes in this passage are truth.. a foundation for our faith in Him.

 "I am the light of the world, he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (v12) 

 Light and darkness.. from the beginning this has been the work of God. Light is not produced by man's efforts.. it is from above.. from the Word of God.. spoken into being.  Jesus came from God and went back to God.. He was not on His own.. but sent from the Father.  The Father testified.. bore witness of Jesus.. by His Spirit upon Him.. by His Word spoken to them.  Jesus said that if they knew the Father they would also know Him.  But.. if they refused to listen to Him they were refusing the testimony of God the Father too. 

This is Truth that we need to hear.. really hear!  The unbeliever will "die in [his] sin".  There is not a clearer statement. An unbeliever cannot go where Jesus has gone. An unbeliever does not know God... and he does not know Jesus. This is darkness. 

Jesus spoke the Truth. He spoke what the Father wanted Him to say.  The Father sent Him to say these things so that people would believe and be saved.  "Abide in MY word.. "  He tells them.  Abide in Truth spoken by Jesus Christ and find life. Find freedom. Find the Father. 

This is my prayer, Father in heaven,  to know You, to abide in Jesus, and to follow Him always. Let the Light of Jesus Christ be my abiding place I pray.. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

John 8:1-11   Jesus spent the night on the Mount of Olives and went back to the temple early the next morning.  People began gathering to hear Him and He sat down to teach.  It is at that time that the scribes and Pharisees brought the "woman taken in adultery".  They claimed to catch her "in the very act"!  Amazingly they did not catch the man involved "in the very act"!

Their plan was to test Jesus. To "catch"  Jesus in the act of breaking the commandment of Moses.  Isn't it interesting that they credited Moses with making that Law and forgot that it was actually God Who gave the commandments.  They wanted the woman to be stoned.  Perhaps they wanted Jesus to throw the first one.  Instead, He stooped down and wrote something in the dirt on the ground.  When they continued to ask Him what He had to say.. He spoke, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 

Only Jesus was "without sin".. only He had the authority to judge her.  These self-righteous men recognized their own guilt in that moment. The power of Jesus' words pierced their hearts.  Everyone left.. one by one.. until only Jesus and the woman were left.  Jesus remained stooped over and writing on the ground until they had all departed from His Presence.  

When Jesus straightened up again He saw the woman still standing there.. all alone.  His words were for her.. "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"   She answered, "No one, Lord."  KJV says  "No man."  Not even one. none. nobody.. nothing.  She calls Him "Lord".. recognizing His authority, submitting to His supremacy.. she recognized that, even though no man condemned her, Jesus still could.  But.. He did not.. "Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on, sin no more." 

This is one of the most powerful, personal, and precious displays of God's mercy found in the Word.  Remember John's premise in writing this account is to reveal that Jesus spoke only what His Father told Him to say and to do only what the Father does..  Jesus perfectly displayed the mercy and grace of our Father in heaven.. He reveals our sins. He chooses not to condemn us, but to forgive us, cleanse us, and lead us out of sin and into His righteousness.   His lovingkindness never fails.  Psalm 136 reminds us 26 times.. in every verse.. this truth.."For His lovingkindness is everlasting"! 

"Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His lovingkindness is everlasting." (v26) Amen!

 John 7  There was so much controversy and confusion over Jesus during this time.  It was the Feast of Booths.  It was a time to celebrate the harvest.. a time of rejoicing and feasting.. a time of worshiping the King.  Jesus' brothers challenged Him to go to Jerusalem and let everyone see Him.  They  did not believe in Him.  Jesus sent them away on their own.  He went up later in private but eventually ended up teaching in the temple. 

Some people questioned Jesus. Some accused Him of having a demon.  Some argued with Him and some called Him good. 

Meanwhile,  Jesus just kept on proclaiming the Words of His Father. 

He testified of the evil deeds of the world. 

He sought to give glory to the Father. 

He exhorted them to judge with "righteous judgement" not "according to appearance.

He testified that He was sent by the Father. 

He told them that He was going to leave and wouldn't be seen by them because they could not go where He was going. 

He offered them, once again, living water. 

He left them in their division and confusion. Each to make the choice for themselves.. to believe or to reject His Words. 

We live in a world that is in the same state of confusion, division and controversy.  We have been offered  the Word of Life.. and the Living Water.. and we have to make the same choice that those before us had to make... will we believe in Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit.. or will we turn away.. never able to go where Jesus has gone?  

Jesus says that if we seek Him we will find Him. If we believe we will have Life.  If we trust in Him we will be held in His Hands and He will never cast us away.  The Father has set this course for mankind.  He sent Jesus for this purpose and given us the opportunity to find salvation through Christ.  If.. we will believe. 

But, if we refuse. If we let our hearts stay hard and broken. If we stay in our sin and confusion.. we will never see Him for we cannot go where He is. Not everyone will go to heaven.  Death will come to everyone.  The choice has to be made now. Tomorrow may be too late. 

Father in heaven, You are Holy and good. You offered up Your Son so that we might believe on Him and receive eternal life.  Thank You. Give us faith that is living and growing by Your grace and power. Help us to love as You have loved us.  Help us to walk in the Truth.  Help us to worship and celebrate every day the blessings that You have provided. Remove any confusion and cleanse us from all evil we pray. In Jesus'  name we come. amen

 John 6:41-71  Jesus has two answers for those who were grumbling because He said He had come from heaven.. 

First, " No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day." (v44)  and again in v65 "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father." 

Everything begins and ends with God.  He created everything and He is control of everything.  It is by His grace that Jesus was sent into the world to be the "bread of life."  It is the Father who opens our eyes to see and our ears to hear.. that we might come to Jesus and believe and receive Life. It is the Father that offers this precious Sacrifice.. flesh and blood.. given so that we might have eternal life.  If we don't believe the Father.. we cannot know the Son. 

Secondly, Jesus continues to use this illustration of eating bread and drinking blood to reveal the most vital truth.. His Life is the only food that feeds the spirit.  He invites us to consume Him.  He is the source of life and unless we partake of His sacrifice.. His body.. His blood.. we "have no life" in us. 

Jesus says that His words are "spirit and are life".  When others moved away from Jesus because these words "hard".. the disciples chosen by Jesus chose to stay. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life." (v68)   They believed.  All except Judas.. for even though he stayed.. he was not granted life from the Father. 

These are hard words. They challenge our understanding.  We want faith to be as simple as just saying, "Jesus come into my heart.".  And, in some ways it is.. but, here we are faced with knowing that the Father doesn't always grant that "drawing" of people to Jesus.  Some people, like Judas, have the same opportunity to believe, but don't.  Some people, whom we pray for.. don't come to faith... ever.  It breaks our hearts. I have asked that question, "Why, Lord?"  But, even when we don't understand we still believe.. for there is no other way.. and we can trust Him still. 

It is hard to understand how.. how do we eat His flesh and drink His blood?  How do we go that far?  What does that mean, really?  We need the Spirit of God to give us the life of Jesus. We need the Father to draw us to Jesus.  We need the body and blood of Jesus to abide in Him and He in us.  

Father in heaven, holy and mighty God, grant us wisdom to comprehend Your Word and to go deeper with Jesus by the work of Your holy Spirit in us. You have given us Words of Eternal Life.  Fill us now with Your Presence.  We need You, Lord. Thank You for hearing our prayers.  May Your will be done in us this day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

 John 6:30-40   Jesus told the people to stop working just for food for their bodies but to do the work of God -  get  food for their souls.. spiritual food.. "believe in Him whom He has sent." 

The same people who ate the multiplied loaves and fishes.. now wanted a "sign"?  Another "work"? Did they want manna?   Though their ancestors ate it and still failed to obey God's Word..did they think they needed to see it for themselves.?

Jesus told them that there was something better than manna.. it was "true bread out of heaven".. Himself. 

"I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."   He is the One who came down out of heaven to give life to the world. He is the One they must believe in so that they could have eternal life.  This "is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." 

 Jesus said,  "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who come to Me I will certainly not cast out..  ( v37)"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day."  (39)    What wonderful promises.. the Father gives us to Jesus and Jesus receives us who believe in Him.  He is the One who will raise us up.. from death to life.. from darkness to light.. from destruction to salvation!   He will not let us go.. He is able to do all that the Father wills.. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Thank You Father for bringing us into Your Kingdom through Your grace as we come to Jesus and find true Life.  Help us to believe and obey Your Word, wholly and completely surrendered to You.  May we continually find life in the Bread of Heaven.. who promised that He would never cast us out.  We hold on to these promises as we pray that our faith will grow stronger, deeper, and never falter.. for Christ is our Lord forever by Your great mercy and love. Thank You. amen. 

 John 6:15-29   Jesus sent the multitude away and then He sent His disciples away, while He went up to the mountain by Himself.  He knew that the people wanted to force Him to become the king.. and that they wanted Him to keep on doing miraculous things to satisfy their stomachs.  His purpose was altogether different than what the people thought. 

The disciples went into their boat and began to cross the sea. They had waited for Jesus but it was getting dark .  Matthew tells us that Jesus had told them to go ahead of Him.   "And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew."   This storm came out of nowhere and was slowing them down.  Then... they saw Jesus.  They were frightened by this sight until Jesus spoke, "It is I, do not be afraid." 

John omits the story of Peter walking on the water with Jesus.  He tells only that Jesus got in the boat and they "immediately" arrived on the shore where they were headed. 

The people who had been left on the other side of the sea realized that Jesus was gone and they found some boats to take them across to Capernaum.  They found Jesus already there and couldn't figure out how He got there without them seeing.  They were confused. All they wanted was more bread and more signs.  Instead Jesus gave them spiritual instructions.. 

"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal."   What work? they asked.  "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." 

To work means to be occupied - to do-- to be engaged in..  The "work of God"  Jesus said, is believing - trusting - having faith in God and the One who He sent.  Don't be occupied with the physical things.. be occupied with the spiritual things.. this is what God requires. This is why He sent Jesus.  There is a spiritual food that is so much more vital than bread that is here today and gone tomorrow.  Jesus goes on to tell them that He is that Bread.

Father in heaven, we tend to be just as confused and mistaken as the people who were following Jesus.. who had eaten the bread until they were satisfied and wanted more of the same.  We need Jesus.. we need to eat of the spiritual Bread.  Fill us today Lord that we might walk in this Truth and live for You in all we do.. Let us do our work.. having faith in Jesus.. with all of our being. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 John 6:1-14  Keeping in mind that everything that Jesus did was according to the Father's will.. revealing the Father to His people.. this miracle gives us a greater glimpse into the greatness of God. 

Jesus takes His followers across the Sea of Galilee and into a deserted area.  He then tests Phillip by asking him where he could buy some bread.  Impossible place and an impossible amount of hungry people! Phillip recognizes the futility of the situation.  But, Andrew brings a boy with a small lunch.. 5 loaves of barley bread and 2 small fish.  This is just what Jesus would use to feed over 5000 men, plus women and children..

He took the loaves and gave thanks. He distributed the loaves to His disciples and then the fish.  Everyone ate. Everyone was satisfied. The leftovers were more than the original amount they started with... 12 baskets full. 

We depend on God's provision for our daily bread.. there is no bread without grain.. there is no grain without soil and water and sunshine.  There are no fish except that God has provided.  We are as helpless to provide food for ourselves and our families as Phillip was for the multitude.  But.. God sees our need and has provided for us.. to satisfy us.. and to even provide more than we need so that we can help others. This is the greatness of our God. 

Psalm 145: 15-16 says, " The eyes of all look to Thee, and Thou dost give them their food in due time. Thou dost open Thy hand and dost satisfy the desire of every living thing,"   Jesus did what the Father does.  It was as plain as day that He was God.. the Son who came in the flesh to show us the Father.  Yet.. they still did not understand or believe. 

Father help us to see clearly.. that we might know Your greatness and the greatness of Jesus Christ who came in the flesh that we might know You and believe. Thank You for all that You have provided, we exalt and worship You.. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!

 Amen

 John 5 : 25-32  Jesus is the Word and He speaks what His Father tells Him to speak. His work was to reveal the Father.. reveal the Truth about God's Kingdom.  In this passage Jesus reveals the Truth about life and death.  His statement in verse 25 is powerful.. "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live." 

Life.. is in the Father and in the Son.  Jesus received from the Father two things.. the authority to give life and the authority to pass judgement.  There will be a time, Jesus tells us, that "all who are in the tomb shall hear His voice." (v28)  Those who believed the Word would be resurrected into Life.  Those who refused to believe and remained in their sinful state.. would be resurrected to "judgement"....  A just verdict of condemnation and punishment will be rendered. 

Once again Jesus declared, "I can do nothing on My own initiative.  As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." 

God created everything and set up His plan for all the world according to His will.  He writes the story of history.. and he determines the rules.  Life and judgment are His to give as He chooses.  He decided to give Life to those who would listen to His Word and abide in it.  He sent Jesus to reveal this absolute Truth.. From the beginning of creation to the end.. this is His will.  It is a merciful and gracious gift. It is a priceless promise from His grace and love to His creation.. mankind.   He gave Jesus to fulfill all that was needed to complete the transaction according to His own will. 

Those who refuse to hear.. refuse to believe... and refuse to surrender and obey.. will be held accountable for that decision. They will be judged by Jesus and He will render a just judgement. 

Father in heaven, You are holy, righteous, and perfect.  You are gracious and merciful, full of lovingkindness and love.  You have revealed to us the Truth. You have offered us Life.  You have told us the penalty of rejecting the Truth and the Life.  Father, there are so many who have deaf ears and blind eyes. We plead for You to send forth Your Spirit into the world, once again anointing Your church with the power and love of Jesus Christ so that more will hear and  turn from unbelief and find salvation through the Son who died for them. Let the Name of Jesus be exalted and lifted up today so that the harvest will be great to the glory and honor of Your Name. Amen 

 John 5 : 25-32  Jesus is the Word and He speaks what His Father tells Him to speak. His work was to reveal the Father.. reveal the Truth about God's Kingdom.  In this passage Jesus reveals the Truth about life and death.  His statement in verse 25 is powerful.. "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live." 

Life.. is in the Father and in the Son.  Jesus received from the Father two things.. the authority to give life and the authority to pass judgement.  There will be a time, Jesus tells us, that "all who are in the tomb shall hear His voice." (v28)  Those who believed the Word would be resurrected into Life.  Those who refused to believe and remained in their sinful state.. would be resurrected to "judgement"....  A just verdict of condemnation and punishment will be rendered. 

Once again Jesus declared, "I can do nothing on My own initiative.  As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." 

God created everything and set up His plan for all the world according to His will.  He writes the story of history.. and he determines the rules.  Life and judgment are His to give as He chooses.  He decided to give Life to those who would listen to His Word and abide in it.  He sent Jesus to reveal this absolute Truth.. From the beginning of creation to the end.. this is His will.  It is a merciful and gracious gift. It is a priceless promise from His grace and love to His creation.. mankind.   He gave Jesus to fulfill all that was needed to complete the transaction according to His own will. 

Those who refuse to hear.. refuse to believe... and refuse to surrender and obey.. will be held accountable for that decision. They will be judged by Jesus and He will render a just judgement. 

Father in heaven, You are holy, righteous, and perfect.  You are gracious and merciful, full of lovingkindness and love.  You have revealed to us the Truth. You have offered us Life.  You have told us the penalty of rejecting the Truth and the Life.  Father, there are so many who have deaf ears and blind eyes. We plead for You to send forth Your Spirit into the world, once again anointing Your church with the power and love of Jesus Christ so that more will hear and  turn from unbelief and find salvation through the Son who died for them. Let the Name of Jesus be exalted and lifted up today so that the harvest will be great to the glory and honor of Your Name. Amen 

 John 5:18-24   John wrote in Chapter 1 verse 18 "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."  Jesus came to "explain" or "declare" .. to unfold, recount...the Father, the Holy One, the God Who sent Him. 

In these verses from chapter 5 John records the Words of Jesus that explain and declare Truths regarding His Father.   Jesus said that the "Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and greater works that these will He show Him, that you may marvel." ( v19-20)   Things like raising the dead.. like judging.. separating those condemned to those given true life. 

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His Hands.. He expects His Son to be honored because He is His Son.. To honor the Son is to honor the Father, Jesus says.  To hear and believe the Words of Jesus .. to believe the Words of the Father Who sent His Son.. is the means of eternal life.  There is no other way but God's way. 

The Jews sought to kill Jesus because He called God His Father  "making Himself equal with God."  (v18)   They didn't know the Father or honor Him and would stand in condemnation from God Himself unless they repented and believed.  Jesus explained this relationship between Himself.. the Sent One. the Son.. and the Father, revealing and declaring that this was what the Father was doing.. The Father was working and the Son was that Work.. the Word.. the Life.  The oneness of the Father and the Son is revealed here and we are given the privilege to witness the Work of the Father in the life of the Son. 

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it." (1:4-5)

Father in heaven, we give You all praise and thanksgiving for the Life we have been given through the Beloved, Only Begotten Son.  Jesus Christ is our Lord and King, sent to speak Your Words, to do Your Works, and to deliver us from death into Life eternal.  We honor the Son and we honor You, our Father and God to whom all glory and power belongs. Amen. 

 John 5:9-17   The man who was healed by the pool carried his pallet..  and headed to the temple. It was the Sabbath.. and for the first time in 38 years he was able to walk!  He had much to be thankful for and he was ready to worship and praise God for this wonderful miracle.  But.. the first thing he runs into is judgement.. "therefore the Jews were saying to him who was cured, 'It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.' "  An incredible work of God had just been done and the Jews missed it because of a pallet... because of their hard hearts. 

The man had heard Jesus and obeyed Jesus.  He was headed to the Temple to thank and praise God, not even knowing who Jesus was until He found the man in the temple and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you." 

This man went to the Jews and told them that it was Jesus who healed him.  They, in return,  turned on Jesus because He did this on the Sabbath. Jesus had one answer for His actions.. " My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.." 

The work of God .. His business... is not bound by the Law that He gave to men. He is always working and is not limited by earthly expectations and rules.  The Jews continually missed the Truth.. they missed Who was the Sovereign God.. the One who made the rules.  They missed God..completely. 

Psalm 86:5  "For Thou, O Lord, art good and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Thee."  Verse 8 " There is no one like Thee among the gods, O Lord. Nor are there any works like Thine."  Verse 10 "For Thou art great and doest wondrous deeds, Thou alone are God." 

If only the Jews would remember the Words of God and given Him glory..  Let us not miss Him either..

Father in heaven, You are still at work.. in us, in our world, in the church.  You are working to bring us to know Your greatness and Your wondrous deeds.. to honor Your Holy Name.. to celebrate Your forgiveness and Your love that You have granted to us who will believe.  May our hearts be ever yielded and still before You that all You desire to do in us will bring glory to the Name of our great  Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 John 5:1-8  Jesus went back to Jerusalem.. back to celebrate one of the feasts, perhaps Passover.   Jesus went first to Bethesda where there was a pool of water surrounded by "a multitude of of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered.. "   A hospital without any doctors or nurses.. a place where the only hope was that the water would be stirred by an angel and one person might be healed.  A place where most of the residents stayed in hopelessness. 

Jesus approached one man.  He had suffered for 38 years.  He could not even hope to reach the healing waters.. he had tried and failed too many times to try again.  Jesus asked him, "Do you wish to get well?" He didn't know who Jesus was.. he didn't have much hope.. but when Jesus spoke the Words, "Arise, take up your pallet and walk."  this man did not hesitate!  It was immediate.  He felt it. He believed.. He obeyed. 

Two quotes from the Bible Knowledge Commentary:

"His Word has power to work; people are simply to believe His Word." 

"Jesus' word accomplished His will... When people obey His command to believe, God works in and through His Word." 

" In the beginning was the Word... And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.. " John's gospel shares with us the power of the Word and leads us to "simply believe".  

What words do we need to hear today? What is the Word of God, Jesus Christ, speaking to us.. personally?  Let us have ears to hear.. to believe and to obey. 

Father in heaven, let me hear the voice of Jesus Christ, the living Word today..in Jesus' name Amen. 

 John 4:46-54  Jesus and His disciples left Samaria and returned to Galilee, first going to Cana.  There, a  "certain royal official"  came to  Jesus to request Him to come to Capernaum and heal his son.  This man knew that his son was at the point of death and he knew that Jesus was his only hope.  He had already taken a step of faith, leaving the bedside of his dying son to travel to Cana seeking Jesus.  Yet, Jesus, knowing this said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders you simply will not believe." 

But, this did not phase the royal official.. he just continued to plead with Jesus, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 

Jesus did not go down.. but he said, "Go your way; your son lives."  The man could have given up hope.. but, he chose to believe "the word that Jesus spoke to him and he started off.."  The story continues.. the man meets his slaves on the way home.. they have good news.. his son is healed.. and it happened at the same hour that Jesus had spoken those words. "So the father knew that it was the same hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives'; and he himself believed and his whole household." 

I see a progression of faith in this event.  The man came to Jesus.. so perhaps there was a measure of faith present in his heart.. or was it just desperation? But.. it seems that the words Jesus spoke hit the mark.. "Unless you people see signs and wonders you simply will not believe.."   Jesus says "will not".. not "cannot".. The man tries again.. he wants to believe.. he wants Jesus to do that sign.. that wonder.. to heal his son.  And when Jesus tells him to go and that his son lives.. he chooses to believe.  Perhaps it was a tentative belief .. a hopeful belief.. a step of faith.  But... when he receives the good news and he checks the timing of the healing.. he knows it was Jesus who healed the boy.. Jesus who spoke the Word.. Jesus who did what He said and was Who He said He was.  And then.. He BELIEVED!  And his whole household did too. 

Perhaps we can relate to this man.. this "certain royal official"..  We come to Jesus with our desperate needs.. we hope.. we have only the smallest grain of faith.  We do want to see the signs and wonders.. but what we need most.. and He knows we need it more than anything.. is the will... to make that choice.. to believe. He speaks to us even now.. we have the ability to believe in Him.  It is not that we cannot.. it is that we will not believe.  It is a choice that we must make our own selves. 

Father, help us to move from unbelief to absolute, confident faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in all things... and in every circumstance.  Open our ears to hear His voice.. the Word, Who became flesh.. Who speaks Your Words.. that we might know Him more and know You, our God and Creator.. in greater fullness than ever before. We know that faith is a gift that You provide, so we ask that You help us to make that choice.. to believe..  We ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ the Beloved Son and King of our hearts. Amen.

 John 4:35-45 Jesus told His disciples to "lift up" their eyes.. to see a harvest that was not 4 months away.. but one that was right before them.  It is not a physical harvest for the food they thought He needed.. but spiritual fields ready for harvest.. people who were waiting for "life eternal".   Truth had been sowed.. the Word of life spoke the words of life and the disciples were sent to "reap" a great harvest.. in a little town.. in Samaria. 

The whole town came out to hear Jesus for themselves and "many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the women who testified.. and many more believed because of His word." ( v39-41)  She spoke.. they heard for themselves.. and they knew that "this One is indeed the Savior of the world." 

Lord, give us eyes to see the harvest before us.. who is waiting to hear our testimony?  Who is waiting to know You as the Savior of the world?  Send more workers into the harvest field Lord God.  Enable those  called to  the far off towns and villages.. of Africa and Asia or South America to go and tell what Jesus has done. Strengthen those who are going to busy, crowded cities around the world, so that the people may hear the Word and know the Truth.  Open hearts, Lord Jesus, that they may see You and hear Your Words of Life. We ask this, Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. 

 John   4:1-34  Jesus returned to Galilee from Judea and "had" to pass through Samaria.  Most Jews would not go that way, but Jesus went where His Father led Him.  He stopped at the well of Jacob and sent all of His disciples to go get some food.  Surely it didn't take all of them.. but they all went.  It was no accident that Jesus was there alone when this unnamed Samaritan woman came to draw water.. by herself... in the middle of the day.  It was a divine appointment.. 

Jesus began a conversation with this woman.. unique in that He was a Jew and she was a Samaritan and in that culture this was not done.  He was a man and she was a woman.. again in that culture.. this would be frowned upon.  None of that mattered to Jesus.  He knew this woman.. knew her pain and sadness.. knew her sin and her loss.  But.. He offered her a gift that greater than anything she could ever have imagined. 

Jesus asked for a cup of water.. but wanted to give her "living water". He offered her  life -giving spiritual sustenance .. the True and Eternal God who saw her, loved her, forgave her, and redeemed her. Jesus revealed His True identity to this unnamed woman beside a well in a land despised by the Jews.   If that isn't wonderful.. what is?

He sees us in our mess. He sees us in our loneliness and shame.  He sees us in the every day chores and the dreariness of life.  He sees us in our sin and in our hopelessness... .  and.. He comes to us with Living water.. Life through the Spirit of God that frees us from all of that keeps us in the darkness.  He is the Messiah and He knows all about us.... and He cares for us.  

Jesus told His disciples that His "food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work."  This was what He did at the well of Jacob with an unnamed Samaritan woman.. and what He does with each of us who will look to Him for this Living Water.  Hallelujah ! What a Savior!

Father in heaven, You are so kind and merciful, sending Your Beloved Son to give us Life.. to give us Living Water.. so that we will no longer thirst for what will never satisfy.  Thank You for seeing me.. for knowing me.. for waiting for me.. and for finding me.  Thank You for the Word that came to speak Your words of life so that we might be made whole and complete in Your Sight. We praise Your Name and give You all our worship.. in spirit and in truth. Amen. 

 John 3: 22-36   John records the last testimony of John the Baptist before he was taken to prison.  When they were in Judah baptizing John was questioned about Jesus who was also baptizing those who came to Him.  John's answer revealed that he clearly understood Who Jesus was and his own role as the one sent before Him.  He was satisfied and filled with joy at the coming of Jesus.  "He must increase, but I must decrease", John declared.  

John's testimony showed that he had been given a greater insight into Who  Jesus was:

 " He who comes from above is above all.... He who comes from heaven is above all. What He has seen and heard, of that He bears witness; and no man receives His witness."  ( v31-32)

" For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.  The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand." 

Jesus is the Word who became flesh.. He was with God and was God and He came from heaven to speak the Words of God.  The Father gave His beloved Son to bear witness.. to reveal the heavenly Truths that God sent Him to speak.  If we receive His witness.. the Word tells us then we will have eternal life (v36). If we deny Jesus, we "shall not see life, but the wrath of God.. " 

Do we believe that Jesus spoke the Truth? WE Do! Do we believe Who Jesus really is?  We Do! Do we believe that the Father sent His Son to speak the Words that we need to hear and obey?  Yes, we do!

Like John the Baptist we have a fulness of joy that Jesus came and that He is coming back again.  We rejoice that He is above all things and that all things have been given into His hand.  We rejoice that He has allowed us to know Him.. that He has revealed Himself to us.. that He has saved us who have believe in Him!  Hallelujah! What a Savior! Amen. 

John 3:1-21  John recorded the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.  John wrote to testify of the  things he witnessed.  We are not told that he was there during this night time meeting, but it seems he might have been as this conversation is very detailed. 

Nicodemus admits to Jesus that he has seen enough to believe that God had sent Him and was with Him.  Jesus takes this open door and speaks to Nicodemus saying, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again.. he cannot see the kingdom of God."  As Nicodemus stands confused before Him, Jesus explains the fact that it is being born of the Spirit that brings true life to a person. 

Jesus reveals that He knows and speaks of what He has "seen" .. that He had come down from heaven to speak of heavenly things.  He even tells Nicodemus that He would be lifted up on a cross in order that all who would believe in Him would be saved.  Jesus testifies that this is God's plan, coming from His great love for the world.  He also tells Nicodemus that those who would believe would be given eternal life and would not be condemned or judged.. but those who would not believe are already judged and condemned. 

 V 19 The [basis of the ] judgement (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light , for their works are evil."  We are all given this same opportunity .. to come out into the Light.. to practice truth and be seen for who we are.. formed in God... or we hide from the Light holding onto our secrets and sins so that we won't be "exposed or reproved."

Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, came to reveal the Kingdom of God. His Life is that Light. It is a spiritual life, a new birth that only the Spirit of God can produce as we believe Jesus and cling to Him, finding salvation through His life, death, and resurrection.  We can either come into this Light or remain in the darkness.  Let us choose Light!

Father in heaven, thank You for sending Jesus into the world to expose the darkness and to overcome it with Light from above.  May we have this new life.. born by Your Spirit.. and washed by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God.  Help us to walk in the Light and keep trusting and clinging to Jesus... resting in His Name, practicing the Truth that He has revealed, in utter dependance upon You. Amen. 

 John 2:12-25  This is still the beginning of our Lord's ministry.. Jesus was revealing Himself to the nation that belonged to Him.  A nation set apart for God, birthed by God,.. chosen for His purposes.  Jerusalem was God's city, the place where He chose to place His Name.. and the temple was the very heart of that city.. the heart of Israel.. the Father's House. 

Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.  He had been there before.. through all the years that He had grown up.. but this time was different.  He went to the temple and saw "those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there.. "   They were in the place reserved for the priestly work of offering sacrifices.. the place of prayer.. the place that should have been kept sacred and cleansed from all iniquity.  Yet, the Jewish leaders had allowed this corruption right into the heart of God's House. 

Jesus took a whip.. "and drove them all out of the temple".  His "zeal" for His Father's house consumed Him.  "Make not my Father's house a house of merchandise"!   

The Jews questioned His authority to do this work of cleansing the temple.  The thing that they should have done! It should have been clear to them that this was what God commanded.  They were so far from God's heart that they didn't even honor the sanctity of the Temple. They didn't recognize their sinfulness and unfaithfulness to the God they claimed to serve.  Jesus was revealing their sins but they were blind and rebellious... even in the Temple that was supposed to be God's  Presence among them. 

We call our churches "God's house".   They are not like the Temple in Jerusalem.  There is not altar for burnt offerings.  There is not an Ark of the covenant.  But still, we believe it is a sacred place.. a place for prayer.. a place for the Word of God to be preached.  A place for worship.  Do we have a zeal for the Lord's house?  Have we allowed things in that should not be distracting from the true purpose of the church?  I'm afraid so... 

Holy Father.. You are the Righteous God that we worship and serve.. yet we are  often in need of correction and cleansing.  Show us.. reveal to us.. the heart of worship.. Your heart for Your church. Fill our hearts with what You will and work in us what pleases You we pray.. in Jesus' name. amen. 

 John 2:1-12   What was significant about the wedding in Cana?  Why was Mary there and why was she so concerned about the lack of wine?  Who was the bride?  What happened?   It is the "first of His signs.." John writes.. " Jesus manifested His glory [by it He displayed His greatness and His power openly] and His disciples believed in Him [adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him]. (v 11) 

To take water.. in the pots used for "purification".. and turn the water into good wine.. without a word or a touch.. Jesus revealed "His glory".   Who could do such a thing!  Only the One who holds all things in His power.. all of creation is His and He can do anything.. used this simple action for His purposes.. using it to reveal Himself to His disciples. 

Verse 12 tells us that Jesus went "down to Capernaum" after this "with His mother and brothers and disciples..."  We know that Mary trusted Jesus in this situation.. but we know His brothers took much longer to believe.  Yet they were there from the first. They tasted this new wine and knew the truth.. they just didn't want to surrender their hearts to the Lord. 

How does Jesus reveal Himself today?  Andrew Murray wrote this, "If only preachers of the Word and church members would pray together that when Christ is preached, they will see the glory of the Lord as though looking in a mirror and be changed into the same image by the Spirit of the Lord!"  We can "mirror the glory of the Lord" as we are changed more and more into His image. As we reflect His glory others can come to see the greatness and power of Jesus.. not by water or wine.. but by the amazing transformation of our lives. 

Father, let Jesus be manifested in our lives so that His glory is revealed to those who need to see. Amen.

 John 1:35-51  It is the testimony of John the baptist that brought Andrew and another disciple ( perhaps John?)  to follow Jesus.  It is Andrew who found his brother Peter and called Jesus "the Messiah".  Jesus also called Philip and Nathanael to "Come and see!".. revealing to them that He is the Son of God. 

This account by John gives us the personal interactions between Jesus and His disciples at the very beginning of His ministry.  It starts with John the Baptist's testimony.  Then.. Jesus asks a question to the first two followers.. "What are you looking for?" 

What a good question!  The disciples wanted to know where He was staying and He invited them to "Come and see!".  They went and they stayed.  This question makes me stop and reflect on my own walk with the Lord... What was I looking for?  What am I looking for now in following Jesus?  Do I want to know where He is going and am I willing to follow Him wherever He leads?

 If I ask the question to you.. "What are you looking for?"... what will you say? 

When Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus ..the Word says, "Jesus looked at him and said 'You are Simon son of John. You shall be called Cephas - which translated is Peter.' "   With just a look Jesus saw who Peter was and who he would become.  He does the same for each of us.. He sees us as we are when we come to Him and who we will become as we follow Him.  What good news!  He cares for each of us and sees past our doubts and failures to a future where we will be made complete in Him. 

In verse 43 we are told that Jesus "found Philip" and called him to follow.  Then Philip "found Nathanael" and led him to Jesus too.   Jesus reveals to Nathanael that He knew him from before he came to see Him. "I saw you", He said.  And just the same.. Jesus sees us and knows us. He knows our past and He knows our future.  He invites us to come and see all that He has planned for us.. and the future is full of His glory and grace!

Father in heaven,  I am looking.. fixing my eyes on Jesus Christ the Messiah and King.  I desire to follow Him all the days of my life and one day stand before You, made complete by His Life, given for my salvation. Thank You for the Word.. the testimony of those who walked with Jesus and saw His glory. Thank You that You see each of us and know us.. our past and our future, and You call us by name. Jesus, You know me and found me. Thank You.  Have You way in me today I pray. amen. 

 John 1:11-34

John the Baptist was "a man sent from God..that he might testify of the Light, that all men might believe in it through him.. He was not the Light himself, but came that he might bear witness regarding the Light." 

John had a mission from God. He was the first to officially recognize the Messiah and to give his testimony.. "This was He of Whom I said, He Who comes after me has priority over me, for He was before me [He ranks over above me, for He existed before me, because He is my Christ]." ( v15 AMP)

John testified clearly saying, "Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of Whom I said, After me comes a Man Who has priority over me.. because He was before me and existed before I did. And I did not know Him and did not recognize Him [myself]; but it is in order that He should be made manifest and be revealed to Israel.. that I came baptizing in water. "   John told of how he was able to recognize Him.. " I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and it dwelt on Him.  And I did not know Him nor recognize Him, but He Who sent me to baptize in water said to me, Upon Him Whom you shall see the Spirit descend and remain, that One is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen[that happen - I actually did see it] and my testimony is that this is the Son of God."  ( verses29-34)

John never claimed anything except that he was sent from God to prepare the way for the Lord.  He preached repentance. He baptized in water. He testified about Jesus.  This was his mission and he did it well. 

We are on the same mission aren't we?  To testify the the One  we have been able to recognize as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is Jesus Christ!  Jesus is  the Light -  Son of God.. the Word made flesh.  May our testimony be clear.. "Look!"  Jesus came as the Lamb of God so that we who receive Him and welcome Him.. all who believe in Him may be given the right to "become the children of God." . 

Father in heaven, thank You for revealing to us the Son of God, the Lamb Who was slain, the Messiah and King forever. May our testimony be clear -  that others may also come to believe in Him and be saved. Shine through us today in our words and in our deeds.. to the glory of His Name. Amen.

  John 1: 1-10

John 1 "In the beginning..."  John begins his story.. his testimony of the time he spent walking with Jesus. The Amplified Bible adds this..  "before all time".   It takes us back to the words in Genesis 1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."   Jesus was there when time was created.  We are so dependent on the concept of "time" that we cannot fathom a time when there was no time... 

 John calls Jesus "the Word"... the logos.. a word uttered by a living voice..  "the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. " 

John tells us that Jesus was there.. at the beginning.. and that all creation "was made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being." (v3) Jesus was the channel of the act of creation.  Hebrews 1:2 says it this way.. "But in the last days He has spoken to us in the Son.. Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds..." All things were not only created by Him and through Him, Hebrews tells us but they were created "for Him." ( Hebrews 2:10).

V 4 "In Him was Life and the Life was the Light of men."  Life - was and is created by the Breath of God. Without Him there would be no life at all.  And without His Life.. there would be no Light  at all.  Genesis 1:3 "And God said, Let there be light; and there was light."  Light is important to God.. He took pleasure in the light He created. He called it "good".   John 1:5 says, "And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it ( put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it." 

Light takes hold of darkness, but darkness cannot overtake light.  Light reveals.. it shines.. it exposes.  

John talks about a man who "came to witness, that he might testify of the Light, that all men might believe in it.. through him." (v7) He testified that Jesus is the true Light.. the perfect Light.. and He came into the world to display that Light for all mankind. 

But.. "He came into the world, and though the world was made through Him , the world did not recognize Him." (v10) 

Father in heaven, Giver of life and of light.. You have revealed the greatness of Your glory in the Light of the world.. Jesus Christ. We want to walk in that Light.. We want to recognize Your Light. We want to rejoice in the fact that You have taken us out of the darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of Light through Jesus. Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus!  All praise to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Deuteronomy 31-34  The ministry of Moses was finished.. He commissioned Joshua to lead Israel into the  Promised land.  He spoke blessings over the tribes. And he taught them a new song.  A sad song.. for the Lord revealed to Moses that the people of Israel would turn away from serving Him and would receive the curses that He had warned them of ...instead of the blessings they could have had. 

Moses' song proclaimed the greatness of God.. " Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect.  For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He." (3-4)  He wanted them to learn this song and teach it to every generation so that they would remember Who God is. "Is not He your Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you."(v6) .  The Lord considered Israel His "portion" .. His possession.. His inheritance.  God Himself took a portion of the whole earth and of all the people and proclaimed them as His own. " He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye." ( v10) He carried them out of Egypt.. He fed them and gave them water to drink. They had every reason to trust Him and to obey His word.  

. But.. He also knew what would happen when they became prideful, they would forsake Him. Knowing that .. Moses went up to Mount Nebo, at the Lord's command.. He looked over the land that God was giving the people of Israel. And there, he died. "So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, and He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Bethpeor; but no man knows his burial place to this day." 

"There is none like the God of Jeshurun, 

Who rides the heavens to your help, 

And through the skies in His majesty.

The eternal God is a dwelling place,

And underneath are the everlasting arms; " (33:26-27a) 

These final words of Moses are words we can cling to.. God is our eternal dwelling place. He is our help and our salvation. With the song of Moses we also sing praises to the Father that bought us.. for we are not our own, but purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ our Savior. 

You are great O Lord our God. You are perfect and just.  You are faithful and righteous. You are our God and we proclaim Your greatness to all the earth.  May the Name of the Lord be exalted we pray,Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 29-30  This new covenant, made with the people of Israel as they prepared to enter the promised land, spelled out all the blessings of being God's people.. loving Him and obeying His commands with all their hearts and souls.  It also spells out what happens when they turn away to false gods.  Even then.. the Lord offered a second chance.. restoration.. redemption.. and a great promise.. "Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live." (30:6)

The Lord wanted His people to  "choose life".. "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgements, that you may live and multiply and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it." ( v15-16)  And verse 19b-20a  "So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days... " 

This is the message of the gospel, "choose life"!  Choose to follow Jesus, to live according to His Word and to trust in Him to "circumcise" our own hearts that we might love Him with all our hearts and souls. What good news!  Jesus came to restore us, to redeem us, and to bring us back to the Father. 

It's not too hard.. "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, not is it out of reach." (v11)  It is not too far away.. " But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart that you may observe it." (v14)  

Jesus calls us to follow Him.. to choose Life, abundant life, the life He came to give to us.. He gives us ears to hear and hearts to receive His Words.  May we choose life in Him today and every day without end. 

Father in heaven, thank You for the Word of Life. We choose to live according to Your Word.. by the power of Your Spirit.. in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord and King who has brought us near. Accomplish Your work in our hearts, fill us with love and faith and obedience.  Your will be done! Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 27-28  These two chapters lay out the greatness of God's blessings for His people when they walk in obedience and worship.  These blessings are all inclusive.. families, possessions, crops, etc.  Everything that they do would be blessed.. if they did not turn aside from the Lord and His commandments. 

But.. it also lays out the magnitude of the curse that would overtake them, personally or as a nation, if they failed to obey God's word.  And.. these curses were also all inclusive.. the things that would happen would be out of their control.  "And you shall be driven mad by the sight of what you see." ( v34) 

We know that Israel failed.. over and over.. to obey and worship God. They went into exile.. they became slaves.. they lost their homeland and their treasured temple.  But.. when I read the consequences of disobedience listed in chapter 28- another picture comes to my mind.. a more recent time that we call the Holocaust.. "The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke you in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly... " (v20)  Verse 33 "A people whom you do not know shall eat up the produce of your ground and all your labors, and you shall never be anything but oppressed and crushed continually."  And verse 37 "and you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a taunt among all the people where the Lord will drive you. " 

Once again the choice is presented.. "joy and a glad heart"  when serving the Lord  or "trembling of heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul" as a result of disobedience and sin. 

Father in heaven, how great are Your blessings for those who surrender to You and live in the Truth of Your Word, filled by Your Spirit and washed by the blood of the Lamb.  How terrible are the consequences of turning away from You and following after false gods and false religions.  Thank You for making clear that we do have a choice.. for we have a Savior who has made a way!  He is the Redeemer who came to rescue us from the curses of sin and to bring us into Your glorious Kingdom.  Open the eyes of those who are blind.. perishing in the darkness of this world. Let the Light of the gospel of Jesus Christ shine brightly today we pray, in His glorious Name. amen. 

 Deuteronomy 25-26  Chapter 25 is an interesting mix of situations and the judgements that should be made for each one.. the point is that every problem, every disagreement, argument, or injustice would be decided by the judges to "justify the righteous and condemn the wicked".  Oh that our justice system would be able to do the same! 

Chapter 26 takes on a different topic... the bringing of the offering of first fruits.. a declaration of allegiance to the Lord .. "to be [their]  God, and that [they] would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice." (v17)

In return the Lord makes them a promise, "And the Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; and that He shall set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken." ( v18-19) 

On the edge of the Promised Land...God offers something no other nation would have.. a place of honor .. to be a "treasured possession" of the God Who created heaven and earth. They were chosen because He chose Abraham and made him a promise.  Abraham's faith in God was the foundation of this promise and this nation.  If only Israel had kept that kind of faith!  They would still be rejoicing at the goodness of God and shining as a Light to the nations.  But... even in this the Lord has worked for the good of all those who put their trust in Him. Hallelujah! 

Father in heaven, let Your Name be honored and lifted up in every nation and especially in the Land of Israel.  May they turn back to You and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ the Messiah and King.  Father help us to live in righteousness, walking in Your ways.. by the power of Your Spirit.. in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 24  The Lord provided laws and decrees for the people of Israel that reflect His character and virtue.  They seem on the surface to be just a lot of do's and don'ts but there is a consistent thread of compassion and truth in every one. 

In this chapter He addresses divorce and remarriage; taking a pledge; caring for the poor, especially widows, orphans, and aliens.   Everything they do should reflect the same attitude that God had toward them.. "But you  shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing." ( v18)

Remember God's actions.. how He redeemed you.. from slavery to sin, to self, to the world.  Remember the love that He showed by sending His one and only Son.. to save you. It is in the remembering that we draw near to His heart.. go deeper into His love.. and find compassion and mercy to others in the same way. 

Father in heaven, we bow before You in thanksgiving, remembering that we were once lost.. once enslaved by sin.. and now You have redeemed us by the shed blood of Jesus , Your Beloved Son.  We now live for Christ, filled with the Spirit, and set apart to live a life of compassion and righteousness .  Help us to see those around us with Your eyes.. to show the love of Christ to everyone we meet.. and to keep remembering all that You have done so that You are glorified in us and in all we do and say.  May Your will be done and Your Name lifted up in us today we pray. Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 21-23  There are many laws and judgements given in the book of Deuteronomy...so that it is hard to keep them all straight.  The purpose of all of them is made clear in this simple statement.. " ... so you do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance." 

Keep from evil. Purge the evil. Be redeemed from all blood guiltiness.  "Since the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you lest He turn away from you." (23:14) 

Every action and every word spoken was seen and heard by the Lord their God.  Every relationship. Every sin. Everything. God desires that His people are holy and helped them to know what that means in practical ways. 

It is here.. .in the middle of all these laws and statutes that we first hear these words.. " And if a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (.. for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance." (21:22-23)

Philippians 2:8 " And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.."  Jesus, the Lamb of God, emptied Himself and took upon Himself the curse of the cross.. for we have defiled the world with our sin and there is no other way to find the cleansing that we need. 

Father in heaven, may we be holy unto You the Holy One of heaven. May the sacrifice of Jesus cover us and remove all our guilt and sin. O thank You Jesus!  May our lives be made pure before You and may we keep from all evil.. O Lord forgive us our trespasses and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  This is Your will for us and we surrender all to You so that through Your Spirit we will live in holiness and joy.  We ask that once again you will renew our minds and transform us that we might be like You..  for you have given us new life that "has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." (Eph 4:23-24)  In the name of Jesus our Lord we pray, Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 20  What do I know about war?  It is not something I have dealt with directly or have any real knowledge of.. except that it is a horrible thing in so many ways.. 

The Lord gave Moses words to instruct and encourage the people of Israel as they were about to enter the land of promise. They were definitely going to battle.  

The Lord instructed that the priest would come before the army before they engaged in battle, "And he shall say to them,  'Hear O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.' "

Then the Lord gave some unexpected instructions.. He excused from battle those who had just built a house, planted a vineyard, was about to get married, and even those who were afraid. He wanted the willing and able to fight in His army. 

  He allowed the people to make peace agreements with those nations that were far from the new land.. but they had to destroy all the people that He was removing from His chosen land. 

Then one other interesting command.. don't destroy the fruit trees.  Use the other trees as needed for seigeworks.. but keep the trees that they could eat from. A word of hope for a future in the land. God had already provided what they would need. 

This war was going to be extensive.. but it was the Lord's battle and He would bring victory. The Israelites just needed to trust and obey.  

We know that we have an enemy.  This war has been waged since the beginning of time, starting in the Garden and continuing until the Day when Christ returns and the enemy is defeated for eternity.  We are part of God's army and we are given the same instructions that Israel received.. Don't be afraid, don't panic, don't tremble.. remember that the Lord fights for us.. to save us!  We have been given armor for this battle that is "not against flesh and blood.. but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Let us trust in the Lord, putting on truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. Let us stand firm and not be fainthearted.  Our God is on our side and He is fighting for us. Praise You Father, Son and Holy Spirit!  Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 19  This chapter deals with justice.  The Lord commanded Israel to set us cities of refuge so that someone who accidentally kills his neighbor would be able to go there and be safe from anyone wishing to avenge that death.  This also addresses the intentional murder of an innocent person and the killer in this case would be removed from the city of refuge and brought to justice. 

The Lord desires that innocent blood would not be shed in the land that He was giving to Israel. He also addresses other actions that are evil in His sight: 

To move a boundary mark.. taking someone's inheritance. 

Being a "malicious" witness against someone.  Every accusation should have two or three witnesses to be confirmed. 

Or not taking appropriate action against those who do evil because of pity. 

The Lord wanted the land to remain pure and for evil to be "purged" .

So, how do we think about these commands in the light of our day?  We know the Word tells us to "Do justice.. to love kindness.. and to walk humbly with [our] God."  (Micah 6:8)  This is God's way for His people to live righteously. 

 Can we agree with the Lord's commands that the innocent are kept from false accusations and the guilty are judged rightly?  

Can we agree that those who would defraud or cheat a neighbor in any way should be found guilty? 

Can we agree that a false witness should be put to shame and that the guilty should receive judgement that is deserved? 

We want our own land to be freed from evil.. Our problem is that we don't always agree on the definition of what is evil and what is not. How we need to look to the Word of God and pray that the Spirit of God would lead us into all Truth.  How we need to pray for our leaders, our judges, and our nation as a whole!

Father in heaven, may our nation turn to You and join herself with You to be Your people... that Your will be done and Your Name honored. " Let the evil of the wicked come to an end but establish the righteous" (Psalm 7:9)...   we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

 Deuteronomy 18  There are three sections in this chapter: 

Verses 1-8 emphasize the place of the Levites in the nation.  They did not receive a portion of land like the other tribes, but they had a promise much greater.. "the Lord is their inheritance".  They were given portions of the sacrifices brought to the Lord and they were able to "stand and serve in the name of the Lord forever." 

Verses 9-14 firmly condemn the detestable practices of the nations that God was removing from the land - divination; sorcery; witchcraft; mediums and spiritists; etc.  Israel was forbidden to take up any of these practices.  God called them to be "blameless" before Him. 

Verses 15-22 give the promise from the Lord for another prophet that would come.. " I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him." the Lord told Moses.   Jesus told His listeners time after time that He spoke only what the Father told Him.. John 12:49-50 is one example, "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say and what to speak. And I know His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father told Me."  Jesus, Himself ultimately fulfilled this promise to Israel. 

Yet there were other prophets of God throughout the history of Israel. Some were true prophets who spoke the words that God gave them.  But, there were also men who were false prophets, who spoke "presumptuously" - arrogantly, rebelliously, insolently.  These men should have been put to death for they turned the people from the Truth.  God told the people to watch for the fulfilling of the prophecies given. This was the test of a true prophet. 

What can we learn here?

No matter who we are.. according to the ways of the world.. we who have come to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, Lord, and King have been given and inheritance like the Levites.. for the Lord Himself is our inheritance.  He has given to us the privilege of standing before Him and serving Him.  He has also called us, like He did Israel, to be blameless before Him.. not imitating the detestable things of this world. And, He has exhorted us to speak Truth.. to humbly speak the words of God.. and to be careful to refuse those who speak falsehoods and heresy. We must know His Word and be alert and diligent in obeying His word.  

Father, fill us again with Your Spirit that we might always walk in faith, in truth, and in the power of Your might as we follow Jesus Christ our King. We desire to be blameless before You and we know that You, the God of peace will sanctify us entirely that we may be without blame at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, for You are faithful and You will do it.  ( I Thes. 5)  We look to You for help.. for perfect hearts and willing minds.. that we might seek You and find You.. every day and every hour.  Bring glory and honor to the Lord Jesus as He lives in us and accomplishes Your will in us. We ask this in His Name. Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 17  "You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep which has a blemish or any defect, for that is a detestable thing to the Lord your God."   The KJV calls it an abomination.. disgusting.. an abhorrence... evil.   The Lord will judge that kind of disrespect and "evilfavoredness" . 

Malachi spoke against this very sin:  "A son honors his father and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name... You are presenting defiled food upon My altar.. when you present the blind for sacrifice is it not evil? and when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil?" ( Malachi 1:6-8)

Moses was speaking about justice in 16:20.. stopped to speak about detestable sacrifices.. and then went back to the subject of justice. .. speaking of another "detestable" sin... idol worship..  "If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns, which the Lord your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, by transgressing His covenant and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host... if it is true and the thing is certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel.. " then the sentence is death.. but. there must be at least 2-3 witnesses, who must be the first to cast their stones. 

If "any case is too difficult for you to decide.." the matter would be taken to a higher authority... Jerusalem. The decision would then be made by the Levitical priest or the judge "who is in office in those days."  Or.. the king that they would eventually demand.  What was and is most important is that every decision would be based on the "words of this law and these statutes.." 

The Lord is clear in His word about what is acceptable and good in His sight.. mercy, justice, and the fear of the Lord... He is also clear about what is detestable - anything that is not according to His Word, anything that does not bring glory to His Name.. anything that is false or evil.  ".. you shall not turn aside from the word.. to the right or the left.."  And do not act "presumptuously by not listening.. to the priest who stand there to serve the Lord your God."  This is also evil in His sight.. arrogance and pride.. rebellion against the Lord or His representative.

Father in heaven, we honor Your Holy Name, bringing our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.. o may we not bring anything detestable.. anything false or arrogant or prideful.. but only sincere worship in the name of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect Lamb.  Remove every unclean thing from us.. any thoughts or motives, any selfish or self-centeredness.. any pride or arrogance.  May our lives be washed clean and kept pure by the blood of the Savior who covers us and fills us with Himself.  Help us to be people who do justice, show mercy and love others in sincerity and truth. We come to You in the name of Jesus Christ our King.. desiring to do Your will in all things. amen. 

 Deuteronomy 14-16  These chapters are reminders about what it meant for Israel to be "sons of the Lord your God.."  He calls them "a holy people." ... a chosen people.. "a people for His own possession.. "  Therefore their lives would be set apart from the nations by what they ate; what they tithed; what they did;  and what they celebrated. 

Chapter 14 gives the details about what was clean or unclean in God's sight regarding meat. God's commands were meant for Israel's good.  We may not understand them or practice them.. but they were vital to God's people for His purposes.  This chapter also touches on tithing from the grain, wine, and oil, the first-born cattle and sheep.. "in order that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always."  Obeying God's commands would bring rejoicing to His people.. all the people, rich and poor alike ... for this would provide for "the Levite.. the alien, the orphan, and the widow" so that all would be "satisfied".  

Chapter 15 reminded the people of keeping the sabbath year.. when debts were to be forgiven  and kinsman would release their brothers from service. It was a time to be generous and not prideful or greedy. 

Chapter 16 restated the laws for the feasts of Passover, Weeks, and Booths.  They were to "remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.."  The Lord didn't want Israel to forget that they had been slaves and that He had brought them out to this Promised Land and blessed them with all that He provided.  The harvest was because of His grace. The work of their hands that brought about produce..was because of God's blessing.  God wanted and still wants His people to remember Him.. He holds everything in His hands and without Him.. we can do nothing.  Come and rejoice in the goodness of God!

The Words that Jesus spoke echo these words from the ancient message to Israel.. "Remember! " All that we have is from the hand of our Father in heaven,  He has brought us out of slavery to sin.. out of darkness.. out of hopelessness.. and blessed us with all that we need.  We are reminded that we are also a chosen people.. holy to the Lord, His own possession, because of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins.  He reminds us that we need to distinguish between what is clean and what is unclean.. not so much in what we eat.. but in all that we take into our minds and hearts and lives.  He reminds us to practice forgiveness and generosity towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.  He reminds us to rejoice in the Lord for His many blessings - with sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. He also reminds us to practice justice and righteous judgement (16:19-20)  These things were commandments for Israel in their new land and they are important for our walk with Jesus in the land where we dwell.

 May we keep our eyes on Jesus and walk in His ways by the power of His Sprit who lives in us. Help us Father we pray.. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 13  This message talks about idolatry.. following or going after any "other god".. any god "whom you  have not known" as Moses repeats here several times.  The problem introduced here is those who are "false" prophets.  Prophets who dream dreams and even do signs and wonders... but entice them to turn to other gods.   The Lord warns His people to "not listen" to any such prophet. 

Listen to the methods used by these people:  They counsel rebellion. (v5);  they "seduce you from the way" (v5); they "entice you secretly" (v6);  they seek "to seduce you from the Lord your God.." (v10); they can even "seduce" a whole city with their words and deeds. (v13)

Don't listen!  the Lord warns us. ".. if you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, keeping all of His commandments.. and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord your God.."  then you will receive mercy and compassion and blessing.  But, failing the test and turning away from the Lord for false gods.. false promises.. seductive and rebellious promises.. will result in destruction . 

Satan still uses the same tactics in our day that he used since the garden .. seductive lies; false promises; counseling rebellion.. trying to seduce God's people to forget the voice of the Lord and listen to his own words that lead to destruction.  How many in our world, even now are dreamers of dreams.. trying to seduce men and women.. cities and countries.. away from the ways of the Lord.. to follow false gods.. false religions.. false ways.  We see whole cities.. even many states in our own country.. and whole nations.. who have been seduced by the lies of satan.. enticed to believe the lies that lead only to destruction and not to blessing and mercy and compassion which are found only in the Lord our God. 

Father in heaven, hear our prayers as we call upon You ... send forth Your Spirit of Truth to move in Your people.  May we speak up and proclaim Your Holy Name.. to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ who came to shine Your Light into this dark world. Deliver us from the evil one who seeks to blind the eyes of mankind. Let the glory of Your grace and goodness fill the earth we pray, in the name of Jesus the King of heaven and earth. Amen! 

 Deuteronomy 12 The Israelites were about to enter the promised land.  Moses gives them some new instructions for sacrifices.. a transition that will take place when the tabernacle is moved into a central location and the people are scattered into their various tribes.  At that point they would "seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God shall choose from all your tribes to establish His name there for His dwelling and there you shall come." (v5) 

Every offering, tithe, and contribution would be brought to this place and offered no where else. "And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you."

The Lord gives them permission to slaughter and eat meat when they desired to.. as long as it was not the meat set apart for a holy offering before the Lord.  That could only be done at the place God chose... this would eventually be the city of Jerusalem. 

"Be careful to listen to all theses words which I command you, in order that it may be well with you.. " 

Every place where the nations before them had offered evil sacrifices was supposed to be destroyed and every practice of idolatry was meant to be forever extinguished.  How sad that Israel failed to listen and obey these commands from the Lord.  

Verses 8-9 are especially relevant for us today, "You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you."  What is right is that we turn away from every false way that the world promotes.  We worship our God only in the place He chooses.. which according to Jesus is not on a mountain or in Jerusalem..  "true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth"  ( John 4:23) Jesus is the place.. the person that God has chosen.  He is our resting place and our inheritance. He is where we rejoice before the Lord our God.  It is in Jesus that we are well and where we find all that is good and right in the sight of the God of gods and Lord of lords, the Great and Mighty, Awesome God that we serve. 

Father in heaven, we come to You for grace and mercy.. to find the fulness of Your love and salvation through our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Help us to do Your will and to rejoice in Your Word. May we worship You in spirit and in truth all the days of our lives.  May we live in the Light and Love that You have poured out on us through Your Spirit in the name of Jesus. We give You our thanks and our praise. Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 11 The Lord makes it clear.. once again.. that obedience to His commands will result in blessings.. and disobedience will result in judgement. 

Israel was given a clear direction ..  a path to prosperity and blessing from the hand of God. He had spoken to them from the mountain; He had done great and mighty works among them;  He had shown them His judgements upon those who refused to obey or listen to Him.  Everything He did and said had prepared them for this moment.. at the edge of the Land He would give them. 

The land that Israel would receive was the Lord's own land.  He cares for that land, the Word tells us.  "the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year." (v12).  The Lord would provide rain in season. He would bless the land with grain and wine and oil.  He would provide grass for the cattle.. "and you shall eat and be satisfied."   

All they needed to do was to keep His commandments.  "For if you are careful  to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you, to do it, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him;  then the Lord will drive out all these nations from before you.. " 

Listening and doing God's word results in blessings.. beyond anything imagined. - the Lord tells His people.. but to not listen.. to turn aside.. to follow other gods.. would result in the curse...  (v27-28) .. "be careful" (v32). 

God's directions have not changed because He never changes.  He still gives us the same choices.. to love Him and obey His Word.. or to turn aside and not listen.  One brings life.. the other choice brings judgement.. ultimate destruction.  Every one of us must make that decision. Failure to follow Him and obey His Word will result in death.. eternal destruction.  But, if we will look to Jesus, surrender to Him and receive Him as the Lord and Savior that He is.. we will receive every blessing that He has promised for eternity. 

Father in heaven, open the eyes of the blind.. all who are still walking in darkness..  bring them back to the Truth of Who You are.. the Great, the Mighty, the Awesome God... Creator of heaven and earth.. Who has offered Life and Blessing to all who would call upon Your Name.  We get so wrapped up in all of the things of this earth that we fail to see the reality of what is "unseen" - eternity.. a future far greater and of more importance than the petty things of this mortal life.   Do we choose.. Eternity.. in heaven.. in Your glorious Presence with greater blessings than we can ever imagine.. or eternal suffering in the fires of hell?  We are foolish to allow this decision to wait.. "Choose Life!" Your word tells us... and we do!  We choose to come before You in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ who has become the Way, the Truth and the Life.  We pray for those we love.. that they would also make this decision.. today!   Help them Father!  Thank You for such grace and mercy, Father. Amen. 

 Deuteronomy 9-10  Moses reminded the Israelites that they were going into a land to "dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.. "  It would be a victory that the Lord their God would bring.. not because they deserved it or earned it by being righteous.. for they were far from it.  God would remove the other nations because of their own wickedness.. not because of Israel's righteousness.  For they were NOT righteous at all... 

Moses reminds them of the days when the nation was at Mt Horeb.  They had all made the covenant with the Lord their God.. but within 40 days, as Moses was on the mountain meeting with God and the fire was right in front of their eyes.. they begged for an idol.. a golden calf.. and worshipped it. 

God saw the wickedness of Israel.  He was ready to blot them out and make a nation from Moses.. but Moses interceded for the people.  Aaron, the appointed High Priest, had made the idol..and would have been destroyed, but Moses prayed for him too. This was not the only time that Israel rebelled and sinned against God.. over and over they complained and sinned. God called them "stubborn" and "wicked".  Yet, He relented and forgave them when Moses prayed and they repented. 

God had given them the  10 commandments.  Now, He gives them this command, "And, now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and love Him, and to serve the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?" 

Then, Moses reminds the people Who their God really is:

"Behold, to the Lord your God belong the heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it." (v14)  

"For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality, nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. (17-18)

"He is your praise and He is your God, who had done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen." (v21) 

This God.. chose to "set His affection" on the fathers of this nation.. He chose to love Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and to make them a nation "above all peoples".  Therefore, He tells them..  "Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen your neck no more." (v16)   Instead, "fear the Lord your God;" .. "serve Him and cling to Him.. " 

Father in heaven, God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty and the awesome God.. You are our praise.. You are our God through the Lord Jesus Christ who has mediated for us a better covenant. You choose to love us and call us Your own when we come to faith in Jesus.. a faith not or ourselves, but a gift from Your loving hand. We come to praise and worship You, the God of heaven and earth, for there is no other.  You alone have purchased our redemption by the sacrifice of the Beloved Son.  How can we thank You enough?  We desire only to love You and serve You with all our hearts and souls. We cling to You and surrender our whole selves to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.