Deuteronomy 5  Moses repeats the 10 commandments - the foundational Law that makes up the covenant between the Lord and Israel.  These commandments are timeless and flawless.  They are as true for us as they were for the people who had wandered in a wilderness for 40 years.

"You shall have no other gods before Me."  and " You shall not make for yourself an idol.."
- God is God alone.  To give worship or service to any other person or thing is to diminish the Sovereignty and Holiness of the Lord God, Who is Almighty, Infinite, Transcendent and Eternal.   He is a "jealous" God and a consuming fire.  He will not share His glory with any false idol.   He will punish those who disobey and show lovingkindness to those who love Him and obey Him.

"You shall not take the name of the Lord Your God in vain."   To lift up, raise, or even magnify His Holy Name in any way that is vain- evil, destructive, useless, deceptive or idolatrous - is to ask for punishment.   God desires us to honor His Name.  Jesus taught us to pray, "... Hallowed be Thy Name".  This is more than just using His Name as a swear word... it is any misuse of His Name, anything that does not show honor to Him.

"Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy."   A day of rest.  A day to cease working and to allow others to cease working.  A day to remember the deliverance that God provided.  We need to set aside a day to rest and remember the Lord's provisions for us too.

" Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord you God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the Lord your God gives you. "
Family is so important to God.  He has created it as a foundation for society.  Respect for the authority of your parents will lead to prosperity and wholeness.  Where there is no honor for parents, we see chaos and catastrophic failure.

" You shall not murder."
"You shall not commit adultery "
"You shall not steal"
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." 
" You shall not covet your neighbor's wife..."  or anything that belongs to him. 

Foundational truths to establish a nation.  Truths that will serve to make any nation wise and understanding, prosperous and righteous.

Father, You Word is perfect.  Thank You for giving us these Laws.  They show us what is right and good in Your eyes.  They lead us in paths of righteousness.  They help us to know Your heart.  We know that no one is able to keep the Law perfectly, but we thank You that Jesus did and that we are in Him. Give us pure hearts and clean hands, to walk in Your ways and bring glory and honor to Your Name. Amen.

Deuteronomy 3-4     Moses reminds Israel that God has given them land to possess and that He will continue to deliver the whole kingdom into their hands.  They need to remember that it is God Who is fighting for them.  They have seen His Works.  3:24 " O Lord God, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness and Thy strong Hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Thine?" 

The Law has been given to Israel in order that they may " live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. " 

The Law is to be kept.
It is not to be added to or taken away from.
It is to give wisdom and understanding in the sight of all the peoples.
It is a law of righteousness given to no other nation.
It is not to be neglected but taught carefully from one generation to the next.

Israel is to "hold fast" to the Lord, the One they heard from the midst of fire, but saw no form...
They must not "act corruptly" by making a graven image of any kind to represent Him.

The Lord our God is not like any graven image.
He can see and hear and smell.  He can speak and be heard.  He can be found when we seek Him with all of our heart and soul.
He is the only God Who has taken a nation and made it His own.
He is the only God Who had done signs and wonders like these.
He is the only God Who loves...
"Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. " (4:39)

Father in heaven,  You are the only True God.  You are the Lord Who rules in heaven and on earth.  You do not change.  You see each of us.  You hear our thoughts and prayers.  You know us inside and out.  You alone give the Words of Life.  We worship You.   May we live this day in obedience and love, filled by Your Spirit and the Life of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Deuteronomy 1-2 It is the 40th year and 11th month.  Moses begins to speak to all of Israel, a recounting of all that has happened, a summary of their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.  It is a reminder of God's promises and of their failures.  A recounting of God's Laws and His Providence. And a call to obedience and trust in He Who is able.
"Begin to occupy..."  The Lord directs His people.   They had stayed on the mountain " long enough". (1:6)  It was time to go in and do what they should have done 40 years before.  Like Caleb, they needed to " follow the Lord fully" ( 1:36)

Moses reminds the people that God keeps His promises.  They could not touch the land that God gave to Esau, or to Lot's descendants.  They could only take what God would deliver to them.  But they did have to take it.  They had to "occupy"  or possess it in order to possess it.  ( 2:31)

We, also, have been given a promise - an abundant, eternal life.  A oneness with Jesus.  A fullness of joy.   Perhaps God is calling us to "occupy" or "possess" this LIFE.  We've been circling the mountain long enough ! We need to be like Calab and follow the Lord fully.... occupying the promised Land of God's power and grace.  Living the Life of Christ with full and complete surrender to His Spirit.


Father in Heaven,  to this call we respond, bowing in worship of our King.  You are worthy of all our praise and honor and obedience.  Fill us again! That we might truly live the life of Christ, here and now.  We are Your possessions.  Amen

John 19-21    Jesus, the Son of God, the King of the Jews,  is presented to His people.. and is utterly rejected.  Placed into the hands of Roman soldiers, He is crucified.   His body is laid in a tomb by Joseph and Nicodemus, two secret disciples from among the Jewish leaders.

But then the morning of the 3rd day comes.... and Mary arrives at the tomb and finds it empty!  The words of Jesus are true... their joy is greater than ever as the disciples see their Lord face to face once again!  Thomas needed to see in order to believe and Jesus allowed him to do so.  But He says to us who have not yet seen Him, " Blessed are they who did  not see and yet believed."

Jesus calls us, along with Peter and the disciples, to follow Him.  To love Him.  To feed and tend His sheep... those who belong to Him.   Like John, we are to bear witness of those things we see and know are true about Jesus.  To bear witness of the fact that we are also, individually, " the disciple whom Jesus loved"...

John tells us that he wrote these words, " that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." ( v31)

Father in heaven,  great and mighty and holy are You!  Thank You for sending Jesus to lay down His life in order to give us true life.  May we follow Him every day, every moment, in all ways. That You will be glorified and honored by our lives as well.   Help us Lord, for we are in need of You.  Heal our bodies and give us strength for today.  In His Name we ask this. Amen

John 18   Jesus has said all He needed to say to His disciples.  He is ready for what is coming..  They enter the garden,  He is betrayed by Judas,  He is denied by Peter, and He is questioned by Pilate.

Two things strike me in this chapter -

Verse11 " ... the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

Verse 36  "  My kingdom is not of this world... My kingdom is not of this realm."

Jesus says, ".... For this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (verse37)

Jesus came to do the Father's will, which included drinking "the cup".   And He came to establish His kingdom,  a kingdom unlike any known on earth.  Here are 2 of the truths that He came to bear witness of...   This kingdom is established in a way that is opposite of any on earth.  A kingdom that comes through such great love.. to drink the cup of the Father's wrath against sin.  No other king would give his life for his citizens.  Only Jesus could begin a Kingdom through  His death and resurrection.  What amazing grace!   He had all power and authority.. more than any earthly ruler; but He did not choose to take His kingdom by force - instead He chose to offer His Kingdom in love.

Father,  May Your Kingdom come !
Amen

John 17  The prayer of Jesus is a model and a gift to us.  Jesus sits at the right Hand of God and makes intercession for us... Perhaps this prayer reveals what He asks the Father for on our behalf?

He asks that He may continue to be glorified on earth.. by giving eternal life to those who are God's chosen ones.  
He asks that we may be kept in His name, becoming one with the Father and the Son.
He asks that we might be made full with His joy.
He asks that we be kept from the evil one.
He asks that we be sanctified in the truth... His Word.
He asks that through our unity with God the world will believe.
He asks that we might be with Him and behold His glory.
He asks that we might know His love.

These requests that Jesus prayed on the night that He was betrayed, are the requests that we can also present to the Father in the Name of Jesus.  The prayers that God will answer.

Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name!  Father, keep us in Jesus.  Unite us together with You.  Fill  us with the joy of Jesus.  Keep us from the evil one.  Sanctify us by Your Word. Renew our minds and transform our lives by Your Truth.  As we abide in You and You abide in us, be glorified!  May the world witness the love and glory of Christ in us and come to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, sent from God the Father.  May they know Your great love.  May Your kingdom come and Your will be done, in the Name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

John 17  Jesus prays for His disciples.  Since we are included in this prayer ( v20) it is so important that we know this prayer intimately and personally.  What exactly did He pray for?   Notice that all the way through this prayer, Jesus follows His request or statement with a "that" statement....

Father,  "glorify Thy Son.... that the Son may glorify Thee." v1
"Thou gavest Him authority.... that ... He may give eternal life."  v2
"And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." v3
" I glorified Thee.." - accomplishing the work, manifesting Thy Name, giving them Thy Word...v4-6 -  so that they would understand - " that I came forth from Thee, and they didst believe that Thou didst send Me. " v8

"Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as we are." v11

"Sanctify them in the truth, Thy word is truth."v 17 .... "that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth." v19

" I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, are in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me." ( v20-21) 

The glory given from the Father to the Son, " I have given to them; that they may be one just as We are." v22

That -:
      " they may be perfected in unity." 
       - " the world may know "
      - " Thou didst send Me"
     - and " Thou didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me."  ( v23)

"Father, I desire that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory... "    

" And I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them." 

 What a precious prayer.... Meditate on these words.
More tomorrow.