BGEA

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Lesson 4 Deuteronomy 6-7

GRATITUDE JOURNAL
More than 10 years ago I was visiting with a friend. As I entered her craft room and I saw these amazing cards and gifts. Wow, how did you do that? From that day my favorite craft became stamping. My first project was a “Gratitude Journal.” We were encouraged to enter our “Blessings,” making it a praise journal for the LORD. Even now I grab my journal to take prayer requests. Later I made journals for the each lady in my Sunday bible class. Now as we page through the journals we can note answered prayers. It is good to thank the LORD for all that He has done and give Him praise and adoration
 Shema “to hear” in Hebrew Deut. 6:4-9 said twice daily by devote Jews. 4“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. PRAY
The Difficult Commandment Why should the Children of Israel be Obedient?” Why should we be obedient?
  • Gratitude
  • Blessing
  • Protections

 Gratitude
7: “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you
What an amazing distinction, to be chosen, called out and cared for by the God of the Universe, Jehovah!
Israel took their blessings for granted. God had provide food and water even meat during their forty years in the desert. He provided direction and protection with the cloud to cool by day the fire to warm them at night. He was ever present. God Knew once they arrive in Canaan and enjoyed all the blessing of the established land, they would forget about Him. They should look up with gratitude to the Jehovah Jirah their provider. They would not have to toil to dig the wells, plant crops, wait for the seeds to germinate and grow into plants to produce grapes and grains.
Isaiah 2:17 And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
Most people handle adversity easier than prosperity.  Have you read about people that win the lottery and it ruins their life. Too much too soon drives people to waste resources and make bad decisions. Family and friends may approach to borrow or assist in dispensing your money. In prosperity we may feel no need to call upon the LORD. We are self-sufficient and even prideful. “Look when I did all by myself!” Remember “pride goes before a fall.” People are more likely to call out to God when we are in trouble not when we are on the hilltop.
We need to be grateful for all our blessing and praise His name as we Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and might.
 Israel was a young nation. This generation had been nomads all their lives now they were to be farmers. Finally they would possess the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Although it was already occupied by pagan nations, God would deliver it into their hands. This was God’s judgment on Canaan.  Little by little God would turn over the land to the twelve tribes as they were able to care for it.
Moses repeatedly told Israel to be thankful for their deliverance from Egypt. Jewish fathers were commanded to teach their children the Passover story lest they forget. Passover is still observed today. My friend and I had the honor to be present during a Seder meal. Each type of food told a story of the deliverance. The youngest son asks the most important question at the Seder- "Why is this night different from all other nights?" After a period of asking questions, which is the main part of the Seder, the answers are given in the form of a historical review. A chair is left vacant for Elijah. As I discussed this event with a teacher friend who happened to be Jewish, she remarked that she did not know if Elijah was a man or a woman. I explained Elijah was a real man a prophet of God. She answered, ”Well you would know more about that than me!” It was so sad that she did not have the joy and peace of knowing her Messiah.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and might.
Parents are commanded to impress them on their children. Notice the verbs in verse 7 of Chapter 6.

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

The next four slides will show you the dedication and determination that CBS National Headquarters foundation would be God’s.
This our National Headquarters in Colorado Springs debt free by God’s Provision. The next three are scriptures written on the framing, the floor, and the walls by members of  CBS before completion  of the new building.
2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
Colossians 1:28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
Ephesians 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Some people take this command quite literally.
4“Hear, O Ladies of CBS: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
A scroll of selections from God’s Word is often placed over the doors in a decorative container called the “mezuzah.” As each member of the family passes through the door they touch it reverently. It was a sign that this house was a sanctuary for the LORD and a place where the Word was loved, obeyed and taught. WW p. 42
When our children are ignorant of the past they will have no hope for the future and "attitude of gratitude is a powerful weapon against unbelief, disobedience, a hard heart, and a bitter spirit."
1Thessalonians 5:16–18 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
We can trust the Lord to give us the best if we leave the choice of to Him.

Blessings
Obedience leads to blessings. The renewal of the Covenant with this generation was still conditional on their obedience. You will be blessed in numbers and crops and livestock. What a blessing to walk into a house already built and furnished and crops all ready for harvest. God wanted to be sure the children of Israel did not forget Him their Redeemer from slavery once they were comfortable in the Promised Land. He did not want them to be prideful in their possessions.

His eye is on the sparrow. How many times were down to the bottom of your money and suddenly a windfall occurs: a refund, an overpayment, an insurance check just when you needed it? A coincidence? I think not. Our ability to see God in our blessings strengthens our faith. He is interested in the everyday problems of life and He will provide. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:19-20
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and might.

Protection
God had promised prosperity, but he also promised protection. If they were obedient to His commands there would be no barrenness among their women or their animals. He would protect them from the diseases that plagued Egypt. Separation would also protect them from diseases of pagan nations. Israel kosher diet also benefited their overall health.
 Israel was to be separate unto the Lord. A separated people not because they were better because they were different. Pagan nations worshiped many gods and practiced child sacrifice and temple prostitution. To be separate was a protection from temptation to do ungodly things. The best protection from temptation is a grateful heart.  They were to have a separated position by obeying God's laws seeking to please him.
Israel must remember to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and might.”
I wondered why they could not take the silver and gold to the temple. Your commentary explains the scripture is referring to the precious metals that covered many of Canaanites idols. These idols were associated with demonic spirits. God was protecting his people from the effects of these spirits.

As Christians we are in the world but not of the world. Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners. But He was not contaminated from the contact. As we live among non- Christians we should not be contaminated by taking on their habits or priorities.  Warren Wiersbe “We are to be different but not odd. If you're different you will attract people, but if you're odd you repel people.  Out of their faces and into their shoes is a good way to witness.
 The radio broadcast I listened to was talking about apostasy-renouncing or abandonment your beliefs in God. He said all Christian receive a “sin alarm system” when you receive the Holy Spirit. Whenever you say something displeasing to God or are disobedient to His commands an alarm should go off in your head warning you, “This is wrong.” Confess it to the LORD and be forgiven.
Psalm 100:3b We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. The difference between a sheep and a hog is when the sheep falls in the mud he struggles and is uncomfortable and he tries to get out. But when a hog falls in the mud he does not struggle to get out. He enjoys the mud and stays there.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and might.
Are you living like a treasure?
Will you choose to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength?
Prayer

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