Devotional Thoughts

Deuteronomy 19:2-3    "Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. (3) Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither." God's mercy is incredible and His forethought into situations and circumstances is complete.  When the people inherited the land promised to them, they were to separate three cities for a specific purpose. These cities would be known as "cities of refuge".  Does that sound familiar?  We hear that term spoken quite often in our time. There were specific situations in which a person was to be able to take refuge.  If a man accidentally killed another, he could flee into the city in order to escape the wrath of someone trying to obtain vengeance.  But these cities were not to be used to escape an intentional murder. If someone had fled to the city after int

  I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. – Psalm 16:8-10 The life of Jesus Christ from birth onward was destined for His eventual crucifixion and resurrection. It cannot be avoided that our Salvation led Him to the cross, however, nothing could defeat the Lord of Hosts Incarnate. His body suffered death, but His eternal Spirit brought Him back to life. Certainly nothing is more amazing than the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Even in the Bible, no one in history was resurrected without another person’s involvement. Innocent of sin, Christ “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). When next you look upon a manger scene, remember that Jesus was born to save His people from their sins. Your sins and

Deuteronomy 18:18    "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." "He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him."  Three verses previous to this one, God had spoken these same words, "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." (Deuteronomy 18:15)  The life of Jesus Christ is so amazing!  There are many things about His teaching, His healing, His loving care for others that draw attention to His presence.  But let's be reminded of the words of some of the people who heard Him speak. At the conclusion of the Sermon on the mount, we read these words:  "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:  (29)  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Deuteronomy 18:17-18    "And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.  (18)  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." Moses is here recounting the time when he came back from the mountain. His face glowed so brightly from being in the presence of the Lord that he had to place a veil over his face. They were frightened and said to Moses, "Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not." (Deuteronomy 18:16)  God, in mercy, told them He would raise up a Prophet from among them.  It is thought by some that this is when they began to anticipate the Messiah being sent to redeem and deliver them. From certain passages, we can see they realized Joshua (Moses' successor) was not the Prophet of whom the Lord spoke to Moses.  We know they were loo

Deuteronomy 18:13-14    "Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.  (14)  For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do." Much of the book of Deuteronomy is spent in warning the people about the actons of the people in Canaan that were about to be driven out of the land. God is telling His people not to take up their actions nor their way of worshiping idols. One of the things done by the Canaanites was to look to witchcraft, diviners (magicians), observers of times (astrology) or any such thing that is man made, in order to make their determination of action.   How then were the people to find instruction and direction in their lives, if they were not to look to these things?  "Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God."  Let's have just a quick reminder concerning the word, "perfect".  What does it mean to be "perfect wi

Deuteronomy 17:14-15    "When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;  (15)  Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother." This portion of the law was written hundreds of years before Saul was set to be king over Israel. Notice the wording of this passage, "When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me."  As you read this, notice whose idea it would be that Israel take on the image of "all the nations that are about me."  This was not God commanding them to appoint a king; rather, He was m

Deuteronomy 17:5-6    "Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.  (6)  At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death." "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death."  This aspect of the law was very important to the people of Israel. That which followed this was also very important, especially to the accused.  "At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death."  God's law was/is  just and righteous. Paul stated that if there had been a law which could have made man righteous, it would have been the law of God.  But because we are in this carnal flesh and have to contend with the carnal mind, we must come to the  realization that the

Deuteronomy 16:16-17    "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: (17) Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee." These instructions were given for the times of assembling the men together each year for worship.  They were to go to the place which God would choose. God placed His name in Jerusalem and the temple was built there. In time, this was the place they were to go three times a year to observe sacrificial worship. They would take their animals that had been specified as acceptable sacrifices unto the Lord. They were to go for "the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles."  The feast of unleavened bread was the feast of Passover. They woul

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 While the Israelites dwelled in the wilderness after fleeing Egypt, they waxed and often waned in faith. Discouraged by their surroundings and the challenges before them, the people complained that God had led them out into the desert to die. Despite the many miracles that led to their deliverance from slavery or the water, manna and quail He provided to sustain them or their victories over their enemies, they railed against God. In punishment, God sent “fiery serpents” to plague them and many died. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived” (Numbers 21:8-9). Jes

Deuteronomy 15:15    "And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day." In the past few chapters and in this 15th chapter, God has been speaking through Moses concerning their dealings with one another. He had spoken concerning their diet, their dealings with the poor, and their dealings with the indebted servants. He had told them that all debts were to be forgiven in every seventh year. He even warned them concerning the manner in which they were to deal with someone who needed help in the sixth year. They were not to withhold their blessings from another when they knew it was to be frankly forgiven in the next year. God knows us pretty well, doesn't He? What did God intend to be their motivation for dealing with others?   "Remember thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt". Don't forget where  you came from. This is not the first time we have encounte

Deuteronomy 14:1-2    "Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.  (2)  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." What a statement to consider today!  "YE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE LORD."  Can you imagine how life would be if we all could hold this statement before our eyes each and every day?  If we truly understood the impact of that statement, our lives would be filled with praise, honor, and glory being given to our Heavenly Father.  God is very bold in making that statement. But, how bold are we in living that statement? All of the directions that are given in the book of Deuteronomy are words of instruction that direct us in the paths that allow us to shine as children of God. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen up

Deuteronomy 13:4  "Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him." We see God, through Moses, telling the people repeatedly to be careful that they are not influenced by false prophets and dreamers of dreams.  Why would there be such a need for repeated warnings? In Chapter 12:30, the Lord warned the people not to even ask, "How did these nations serve their gods?" Why is God so strict concerning His order of worship and service?  Is it not enough that a person is sincere, but in error, concerning his manner of worship? Is it possible for a person to be sincerely wrong in his attempt to approach God? The answer is a definite yes! There was an order to be followed under the law when God's people came to worship? There was a specific place where God placed His name for the people to worship. At certain times of the year, they were to go to Jerusalem to offer thei

Deuteronomy 12:5    "But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come." Do you believe God is specific in His ways? Do you believe God is the God of order?  Is there a proper manner in which we are to worship the Lord? Is there a proper place where we are to worship? I hope to share my thoughts with you concerning these questions. First, I do believe God is very specific in His ways.  I do believe He is the God of order. You do not have to look farther than the first chapter of Genesis to see He is orderly in all His ways. Let me sidetrack for just a moment in order to express what I see in these questions. The very first verse of the Bible tells us very specifically, "In the beginning, God..."  For there to be order in the activities we call nature, for there to be order in our individual lives (and all that encompasses), for there to be order

Deuteronomy 12:1    "These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth."  (Read verses 1-4) Rules!  Why do we have to have rules?!?  As children, we could not wait to get out from under the "rule" of our parents. We couldn't wait until we were "grown up" and did not have to live by "rules". Who needs rules anyway, right?  Well, we all learn as we "grow up" that rules are absolutely necessary. There was a time when there was no rule in the nation of Israel. We read in Judges 21:25, "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."  That sounds so nice, but there is a problem with that logic. The wise man Solomon was inspired of God to tell us, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."  Whe

  For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. – Hebrews 7:1-3 Abraham met Melchisidec (or Melchizedek) after successfully waging war upon those who had taken Abraham’s nephew Lot as well as others and their goods. This king of Salem is only briefly described but his signicance is hard to overstate. Described both as king of Salem (peace) and priest of the Most High God, Melchisidec is at minimum a predecessor of Jesus Christ. He could also be a prefigure of the Incarnate Christ demonstrating the eternity of Christ. Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec and acknowledged him

Deuteronomy 11:22-23    "For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;  (23)  Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves." Billions of dollars are paid each year to people who claim to be able to teach you how to be successful. Some are legitimate. Some probably are not so legitimate.  What if I told you that I know the absolute and sure way to success?  What if I told you it would not cost you anything other than your time and your attention to applying these principles? Would you be interested? Let me share a bit of it this morning. Notice our two verses today begin with the "If and then" conditional statements. The Lord said to Israel, "If you will, then I will."  It still applies to us today. If you do what I say, then the results will be successfu

Deuteronomy 11:19-21    "And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  (20)  And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:  (21)  That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth." The eleventh chapter of Deuteronomy is a history lesson. As Moses has the people gathered together, he reminds them of where they have been and where they are going.  Sometimes it is difficult to take the next step forward without remembering where you have been. Motivation comes in wanting something better. The question that must be answered is this, "What is better?" What are the values to which we are pressing toward? History is very important. The Lord begins this particular chapter by talking directly to

Deuteronomy 10:20    "Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name." In this passage, Moses was instructing the people concerning their daily walk with the Lord. In order to enjoy a proper walk (relationship) with God, we must exalt Him in our hearts and minds. "Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God."  Yes, there is somewhat of a fear concerning the Lord. The writer of Hebrews reminds us it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But our walk with Him must be based upon a reverential honor and love for Who He is.  He is God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is all glorious and majestic. We are to walk with Him according to His terms, not ours. We are to serve Him as worshippers. That is to say, we should take every opportunity to publicly express that exaltation we hold in our hearts. We honor Him. We love Him. We think of Him. We pray to Him. But we also should speak of Hi

Deuteronomy 10:19    "Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." I received a brand new pair of house shoes recently. This morning, I almost put my feet into the old pair of house shoes. They have been good friends to me for about ten years. They are so comfortable and I have worn them every morning for all that time.  But I put on my new house shoes and realized they are just as comfortable and warm as my old ones. I really like my new house shoes and I know they will fit me and mold to my feet the more I wear them. Now, what does that have to do with today's text?  I'm not certain, but I just wanted you to know I have a new pair of house shoes. No, as I read the verse of scripture for today, the thought hit me of how we are often creatures of habit. We get comfortable in our routine and become so familiar with everyday things that we might even take things, and even people, for granted. In the two verses previous to this passag

Deuteronomy 10:14-16    "Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.  (15)  Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day."    It continues to amaze me as to how the Lord speaks so loudly at times through His Holy Word.  It happens so often during my studies and it seems especially to happen as I study for these morning devotions. My chief concern is that I will not be able to communicate to you what I see in various passages of Scripture. Today is one of those times when the Lord did not speak loudly, but in a still, small voice He declared the greatness of His love for you and me. Have you ever been struck with awe when you see a beautiful sunset or sunrise? I still am amazed when I come to a place where I can look out over hills and valleys. The mountains have a beauty that is all their own. What about the star

  Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. – John 1:45 When you came to faith in Christ, did you think you were responsible? Many do. Even the Apostles, who were specifically approached by Jesus, said they had found Him. The Bible also says that Noah found grace in the eyes of God (Genesis 6:8). In order for something to be found or discovered, it must already be present. Later the Apostle Paul explained that in this life, the Christian goal is to apprehend that for which we are already apprehended in Christ Jesus. Christ lived and died to capture us and deliver us from sin and death. God has made Him Lord and Christ. Trust dear friend, if you find Jesus, it was only because He has already found you. Let us rejoice in love of the one who loved us first.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13    "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,  (13)  To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" What does the Lord require of you? Let's make the question a bit more personal:  What does the Lord require of me?  This question was also asked centuries later in the book of Micah. The questions are asked concerning what is to be brought before the Lord when we worship Him.  Shall I bring my burnt offerings before Him?  Shall I bring my animal sacrifices - calves, rams, lambs?   In Micah, the thoughts go to the very extreme:  "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression?"  The answer is then given in Micah, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love

Deuteronomy 10:1-2    "At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.  (2)  And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark." There is something significant about the first and the second.  The first set of tables was given to Moses to keep and carry back down the mountain. We remember Moses broke them by casting them to the ground. In our study of Hebrews, we were reminded often about the first and second covenants. I pray I can express what I see in these two accounts of receiving the tables of stone.  Moses could not keep the first set of commandments that were given.  You and I are not able to perfectly keep those commands that were written in stone. Yes, we are to strive toward that end, but sin in us hinders us from being able to keep the commands to holiness. The writer of Hebrews tells u

Deuteronomy 9:27-29    "Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin:  (28)  Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.  (29)  Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm." As I read through Deuteronomy again, I realize just how depressing these verses can be. Please don't jump down my throat just now for admitting these feelings. Let me explain what I mean.  In these first 9 chapters (and probably more chapters to follow), we see Moses listing one by one all the times of rebellion and transgressions that the children of Israel had committed in the forty years since being brought out of Egypt.  I used to work for a man who would brin

Deuteronomy 9:12    "And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image." Why is it important for God's people to remain diligent in worship?  Why are we to be steadfast in our dedication and commitment unto the Lord? Notice the wording, "they are quickly turned aside out of the way."  God has given us the way, the path, to experiencing righteousness, and peace, and joy in our lives.  When we walk in His way, we walk in peace, joy, and love.  The wise man, Solomon, wrote, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16:25)  It is for our well being that we seek to walk in the directives of the Lord.   The children of Israel had, in forty days, gone from placing confidence in the pillar of clo

  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. – Genesis 37:20 A Christ-like character has always been the best character.   When literature critics read a story, when a morally upright person in the story suffers and dies for others, they are called a Christ-like figure.  In a historical sense, Joseph, the son of Jacob, was such a person.  After telling them his dreams and finding them neglecting their duties, he was betrayed by his brothers.  While he was eventually sold into slavery in Egypt, many of his brothers originally wanted to kill him. When Jesus Christ came and shared the Truth and the dream of a better way of life for His people, they betrayed him.  “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). Those moved to believe and receive Jesus in all ways were exceptional. Even the Apostles ran away when Christ was taken to be tried and cr