TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER ABBI

Abbi, you are not yet born, though the due date is very soon.  We anticipate your arrival with anticipation and joy.

How incredibly loved already you are, even though we've not seen you with our eyes or held you with our arms.  How incredibly loved!

You will be born into a family who loves you and cherishes you--a family who loves God and will do all they can to make your welcome warm and compassionate.  A family who will make you know you are cherished and important.  A family who will try to show you the love of God that is in our hearts.

Your dad and mom want you to learn to be the person God means you to be.  They want to help you grow up to be a productive person in this life--a person who cares for God and others.  A person who will be just what God means for her to be.  I pray for your parents as they do what is best in life for you, and may they continue to be guided by God's purposes in all of that.

You are a fruit of you dad and mom's love for one another--a loving, caring marriage relationship where they seek to help one another grow and want to be godly, loving parents for you. 

You are so fortunate!  Extended family also wants the best for you in all things.  We want to give you a model and picture of what this life is intended to be--a rich, abundant life of joy and peace and faith and service to others.  So many children are not born into families such as you are blessed to be.  Do not take for granted this beginning, and these loving parents and family, as I expect you will when you come to teen years and a time of asserting your independance more.

Know that before you were ever conceived, God knew you and planned you, and loves you.  He gave you a gift of the family you will be born into because He knew what He wanted for you.  He sees you, not just as the little baby about to be born, but He already sees you completed--as a teen, an adult, as a person of value and worth all through life.  You are so fortunate, as is everyone in this world, to have a God who loves you more than any of us can, though we will try to do our best.

Abigale Madlyn--you are named after family members who are cherished by your parents also, so you received their names.  Remember that love and why you are named what you are, and remember who you are and who you came from.  And in all of this, remember whose you are--a child born from the love and purpose of God.  At the right time, our prayer is that you will love Him back with a little of the love He has for you, and a little of the love your family has for you and for Him as well.

You will have storms in life--every person does.  But you will have loving family that will help guide you through it all--will try to point you to the One who has all the answers to life's problems and questions.  We have made mistakes in this respect, and you will too.  But my prayer is that you will stay on track, not forgetting a love that will never let you go.

Today, I am overwhelmed with a love for a little one I have not yet met.  But I am even more overcome with love for One whom I have also never yet met in Person, yet love and believe to be My Guide.  He gave you to us, for however much time as He feels is within His plan.  Thanks be to the Lord who gives us people to love and people who love us.  And thanks be to God who loves us with an everlasting love--one that will go on even when no one seems to love us or at least we think that.

What a wise One He is, Abbi.  Listen for Him in all the experiences of life, and you will be a wise person, a person finding His incredibly loving purpose for your life. 

Thanks Lord for your ways of giving earthly family to us--for love and its fruits--for little ones whom we can cherish, nurture, and help through this life.  May I be the kind of loving grandfather that Abbi needs.

I love you Abbi!  G'pa White.

BIG PICTURE

Deuteronomy 17-24

Little picture—big picture—landscape—detail of flower.  Which is best?  Neither—depends on what you want—your perspective. 

General Law—10 Commands

Case Law—specific ways of living out the general law—10 commands 

Deut 12-26  Specific laws to live out 10 Commands 

Specific—“If … then …” 

General things we see in the bird’s eye view of Deut 17-24: 

1. God loves everyone

     2. God wants love and worship from everyone

 

3. God expects those who love/worship Him to love everyone

 

Apostle John—writer of Gospel, Revelation and Letters of John says this: 

¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  (1 John 4:11, NIV) 

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.  (1 John 4:19-21) 

That is general law—love God, love others.  How do you do it? 

1. If someone does something to you, you confront them and seek to forgive them. 

2. If you do something to someone else, you are to go and ask forgiveness. 

3. So, “if they … then you.”  You are not let it go—not to hate and move to bitterness—not to ignore it—not to break relations over it.  Talk it out—confront the situation—deal with it—forgive and move on. 

4. That’s how marriages work.  That’s how relationships among family members continue.  That’s how friendships continue. 

5. If you truly belong to God, then you will do these things, because belonging to God, and loving God changes us.  It causes us to become more like Him! 

God loves you. 

God wants you to love and worship Him back. 

God wants you to love others, since you belong to Him.

 

Are there any of your relationships today that need mending—either with God or with other people? 

Time of silent prayer

LOVE/OBEY YAHWEH

What does God expect of His people?  As Micah said, “What does the LORD require?” (Mic. 6) 

Deuteronomy 10:12-22 

Remember, Deut is given to the 2^nd generation out of Egypt and slavery.  They are preparing to enter the Promised Land.  How would one keep from making the same mistakes their parents had made?  How would they receive the promises of God? 

In chapter 5, we found the Ten Commandments given to this generation—a reminder of what God required.  From chapter 12 on, we find many laws of obedience to God that are specific ways of applying the 10 Commands—ways of living them out. 

Here in chapter 10, what does God require:  (12-13) 

1. Fear the LORD your God—awe of Him, respect of Him

     2. Walk in all His ways—obedience 

3. Love Him—comes from the heart, not just the head 

     4. Serve Him—give of your time and talents for Him

 

5. Observe the Lord’s commands—obedience again 

Why should this be done?  (vv. 14-22) 

1. Your God owns everything—He is entitled to it (v. 14) 

2. God loves you and chose you above all others (v. 15) 

3. Because God is an almighty God who is not partial to some and prejudiced against others—He is just; He is fair  (v. 17) 

4. He chooses to help the oppressed—the weak and lowly—fatherless, widow, alien 

1. God provides for those who cannot provide for themselves (v. 18) 

5. He did amazing things on your behalf (vv. 21-22) 

1. Brought you out of slavery in Egypt 

2. Made a small group of people into a numerous people 

3. Followed through on His promise to your forefather, Abraham 

So out of gratitude to God: 

• Obey God from the heart—quit being disagreeable and complainers—complaining is showing your dissatisfaction with what God provides (v. 16)

 

• Love others who are left out—weak and lowly—for that’s what you were before God rescued you (v. 19) 

• Notice the word, “love” the alien—not just do it grudgingly—have the attitude of God toward them because this is His attitude toward you 

• Live your life for Him—“hold fast”—“fear Him and serve Him”—but do it out of genuine gratitude (v. 20) 

• Praise Him/worship Him alone (v. 21) 

Why should you do it?  What has God done for you?  Are you grateful? 

 

A good summary of this passage would be the ten commandments summarized in the two great commandments: 

• Love the LORD your God with all you are and have
• Love others as you love yourself 

How grateful are you?

SACRED READING--THE WORD

"They are your life.  So said Moses in Deuteronomy 32:47, referring to God's message to His people.

So many people, even believers and followers, do not really believe this or live as if they believe this.  We read some devotional book with a one page devotion, or maybe several different devotional books each day.  So do you want leftovers or fresh food?

As I teach Christian History right now, I make a distinction for my students between primary and secondary sources.  Primary sources are from "the horses' mouth" rather than someone's rehashing about the primary source, or a sermon, devotion--this blog for instance.

With the Bible, we need to get into the PRIMARY SOURCE, the Word itself, because "it is your life."  Yes, it is that important!

I am reading a book I would suggest written by Michael Casey, titled, Sacred Reading.  He discusses lectio divina--divine or sacred reading.  Yes, he is a monk, (though not a chipmunk--[oh, bad joke]), and he has great insight into reading the Bible and other sacred literature devotionally.

So often you and I read with the heart but not with the heart.  We read to "git 'er done" rather than "to hear from God," or we read for the next sermon or Bible study we will lead.  In school, we learn to read that way--get the assignment done--so I can move on to other/better things.  But in reading with the head, not the heart, we miss so very much!  Especially when it comes to reading the Bible.

We read fast, to finish, rather than to take our time and think and savor what we are reading.  We read not asking, "What do you want me to learn and apply from this passage today," but we read so as to check off that we have spent time reading God's Word, our devotion, our quiet time today.  Then we can get on with life, without God interfering too much in the way we want to live life.

But slowing down, reading devotionally, reading with the heart not the head implies that life will be different.  Casey says, "Where there is life, there is growth.  And with growth, change is inevitable."  (Casey, Sacred Reading, p. 100)

Instead we often focus on facts from the Bible--that is reading with the head.  "How many books are in the Bible?"  "Who wrote the book of Colossians?"  "Who led the Israelites through the wilderness and what were the names of the 12 apostles."  These may be good things, but maybe more important is "What did God say to you today--personally, individually--through His Word or your devotional reading.  When you read devotionally, do you just seek a "warm, fuzzy, good feeling" or do you seek to truly hear the voice of God, speaking to YOU?

When God speaks to us, these words, "they are your life."  They help us deal with situations of life we face or will face.  They grow us and mature us.  They convict us and work to restore us to His way when we have left His path and are wandering in our wilderness.

Reading with the head is good; better than nothing.  But reading with the heart is better; listening for the "still small voice" to gain food for living life.

Don't miss the best for the good.  Read it, the Primary Source, for yourself, daily, consistently, devotionally, slowly, savoring what is there.

Pick up a copy of Casey's book for more insight into how to read devotionally.  Maybe he isn't from your church or tradition, but could you learn something from him that might change your life.  Could it be that God could speak through someone, in a secondary source, different from your own tradition?  Well, can't God do anything?

Sacred Reading--"these words are not just idle words; they are your LIFE."

LOVE THE ONE GOD

Deuteronomy 6:1-12 

1)     What commands does Moses refer to in v. 1?

 

2)     What were the purposes of the commands (v. 2)? 

a.      

b.     

 

3)     Is obedience optional?  (v. 3)

 

4)     Shema is listed in vv. 4-9—Jewish confession of faith—to be recited daily.

 

a.     Yahweh is our God—Yahweh is only One—One God—monotheism

 

b.    Great commandment—“Love Yahweh”

                                                              i.      Why “love” instead of “obey”?

                                                            ii.      How is one to “love” God?  (heart, soul, strength)

                                                          iii.      What is the point?

 

c.     Commands on the heart (v. 6)  What is the point?

 

d.    V. 7  What is Moses saying here?

 

e.     Vv. 8-9  What was the purpose of this—sounds strange?

 

5)     vv. 10-11  What is Moses emphasizing in these verses?

a.     Who provided it all?

b.    Why a good reminder for Christians even today?

 

6)     What is the tendency, even today, mentioned here?

a.     Why important for them?

b.    Why important reminder for us?

 

7)     So how would you summarize this passage?

DANGER IN FORGETTING

Deuteronomy—the fifth book of what is called the Pentateuch—five books written or compiled by Moses. 

Deuteronomy means “second law”—because the 10 commandments appear here in the Bible/Pentateuch for the second time.  We find them originally in Exodus 20 and here in Deut. 5. 

What is going on at this time in the Bible?  God brought His people out of slavery in Egypt.  They rebelled against Him.  When He told them to enter the Promised Land, they saw the giants and would not go.  So God told them, “This generation will not enter the promised land.”  After almost 40 years of wandering around in the wilderness, now that generation had died out. 

So it was time for the next generation to take up the covenant promise—obey the Lord, and capture the land. 

First Moses recites the history of their parents, so they would understand what they were part of, including reminding them of what God had done—miraculous things for His people. 

Then He repeats for this generation the 10 commandments, so they will hear them, accept them for themselves, and obey them—live them out. 

And then He challenges this generation to capture the land under the new leadership of Joshua because Moses would not be allowed to enter, due to His disobedience—but also having to do with the people’s disobedience. 

The Israelites forgot.  And sometimes Christians forget.  Other times they remember, but remember the wrong things.  There is great danger in forgetting the right things. 

1. Deuteronomy 4:9

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. ( NIV, www. biblegateway.com)

2. Deuteronomy 4:23

Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden.

3. Deuteronomy 4:31

For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

4. Deuteronomy 6:12

Be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

An important word throughout Deuteronomy is the word, “forget.”  At least 8 times in the first 8 chapters, the word is used, and all but one refers to the Israelites forgetting the Lord and what He had done for them.

1. We cannot forget what God has done on our behalf in the past.  Notice—“what God has done.”
 
1. Sometimes we remember what we have done or take credit for what God has done—dangerous—an idol
2. Sometimes we remember a way we did it—and think that is the only way to do it—the truth of the gospel does not change—but the ways we may express it changes and adapts according to the changing situations around us and people around us.
3. To keep from forgetting what God has done, you have to keep seeking God.  Deut 4:29 says, “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (NIV)
4. Forget what God has done—forget the LORD—and you fail to obey—and you miss the blessing.

2. The next generation had to take up the same covenant—the 10 commandments—the promise of God.

1. One generation passes from the scene—death brings about changes—leaders die too.
2. Sometimes disobedience brings change—not listening to God—not cooperating with one another—fighting/bickering—and change occurs.
3. When change occurs—when leaders are no longer present—the next generation must accept the challenges of God—the opportunities to lead, teach, listen to God and obey.
4. My kids don’t live by my faith—they have to accept it for themselves or deny it for themselves.  Each generation has to make it “theirs” and often they do some with some changes—at times in churches, that means style of music or different translations of Scripture or other ways of expressing their faith. 

3. When God says, “move” you move.  Otherwise that is disobedience to God.  There is a time to wait, and there is a time to take up your place in the battle and serve.

Movie—“Failure to Launch”—son still single and living with parents though is quite old.  Parents are trying to decide how they are going to get him to marry, move out, move on in life.  Comedy—but so often, this is a church. 

When God says “enter the land” it is time to move—not time to stay or remember what it used to be like and how good it used to be. 

• That takes everyone seeking the Lord to determine the will and path of God—and His timing.

 

• That takes everyone willing to step out in faith when God says to move out.

 

• That takes everyone finding their task within the body of Christ—their gift—their way of serving God and the church. 

• Are you ready to move? 

1. This church will not capture the land the Lord laid before you,
• until we seek the Lord,
• accept the promises and tasks for ourselves,
• and then launch out. 

Do not forget—what God has done in the past—for the Israelites—or for His church. 

Remember it was Him working—but remember also—we have an important part to play in its success.  Otherwise, we keep wandering in the desert until all this generation has died out. 

Time of silent prayer—what do you need to say to God—what are you hearing from God—what are you willing to do to make this church capture this land?

PRAYER FOR A NEW YEAR

Psalm 19 

God’s revelation of Himself to people 

1. vv. 1-6             General revelation to all—creation, beauty 

2. vv. 7-11            Specific revelation through His Word—more info than just creation 

3. Note verse 11—“servant warned—in keeping, great reward”

 

1. Knowledge of God is not enough
2. Needs to connect to obedient living 

4. vv. 12-14—How to live

1. How can one discern his errors?  (Word reveals) 

b.      Forgive my hidden faults—things we aren’t aware of—often sins of omission or things done unintentionally—not aware of 

3. Keep servant from willful sins—sins of commission—committing—aware, but don’t care or do anyway 

                                                               i.      Willful sins often lead to captivity—bondage—slavery to sin

                                                             ii.      Let me confess these before they enslave me

                                                            iii.      We are blameless/innocent only through the mercy and forgiveness of God—through Jesus 

5. Good prayer—“Let the words/meditation be acceptable

1. What comes out of my mouth
2. What I think about—ponder
3. Where do these all come from?  (heart—what is within)
4. How does one let only good come from mouth—good in what we think about/ponder?

                                                               i.      Remembering God when we see creation

                                                             ii.      Staying in His Word

                                                            iii.      Will lead to confession of sin and attempting to stay away from sin

 

What pleases God will be what is best for us—“May the words/meditation be acceptable in Your sight.”