GOD IS “COMMANDER”
Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 5-6
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
The High Priest in the Holy Place of the replica of the Tabernacle which was erected behind the Crossroads Centre for the Summer of 1997 and again in 2012. Many thousands have understood the powerful symbolism as a result.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Deuteronomy 6:24
And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.
Let us keep in mind the reason for God’s laws, “FOR OUR GOOD ALWAYS.” There are 15 repetitions of words that “COMMAND” us to obey. That’s not too popular in today’s “I-did-it-my-way” culture. The challenge for Moses, and for us, is in the first verse of today’s reading: “Learn them and be careful to observe them.” As I’ve mentioned before, when God desires to emphasize something, He inspires the writer to repetition. For example, in Deuteronomy the word “hear” is repeated 30 times, the word, “learn” 7 times, the word “keep” 30 times, and here’s one I like…”do” 100 times.
Chapters 5 & 6 summarize the Ten Commandments given first back in Exodus 20. Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus quoted Moses from Deuteronomy 6:5 as His answer, and then added an additional quote from God’s laws of social order, “And the second is like it; you shall love your neighbour as yourself” from Leviticus 19:18. Again, the reason for God’s laws? “FOR OUR GOOD ALWAYS.”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I thank You that You have written Your laws on my heart and not just on tablets of stone. I ask for insight into keeping Your commandments in the light of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. In the Name of the one “Who kept all the law,” the Name of Jesus, Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
In yesterday’s blog I placed a picture of my great-granddaughter in the arms of our Canadian Prime Minister. When her brother heard about her picture in my blog, his body language told me I had to pay the same attention to him. Myles turned 7 this month (see photo below). I’ve always done my best to not show favouritism. Therefore, I plan to put pictures of the other great-grandchildren in tomorrow’s blog.
Frankly, I feel that I don’t deserve the joy which fills my heart. I’ll watch again the movie “A Christmas Carol.” I identify with Scrooge who knows he is not deserving of such happiness. But Scrooge exclaims, “I can’t help it” as he dances for joy. I may do the same after this is posted on the world-wide web. Modern technology…to think God built all this into the building blocks of the universe, and just now mankind has discovered more of His physical laws. As are the moral and spiritual laws, God intends them all to be “FOR OUR GOOD ALWAYS!” God forgive us for twisting these natural laws for our own purposes that are not for “our good always.”
Yours for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven,
David
P.S. Below is a birthday photo of my great-grandson Myles, who turned 7 last Wednesday (his baby sister River is over his shoulder), and the second photo is of all four siblings…River is 6 months, Autumn is 4, and Noelle is 9.
Good Morning David!
I so enjoy this discipline of reading through the Bible so much! Every morning I look forward to what God has to say in His word and also enjoy your comments and insight. Thankyou for your obedience and passion !
I love seeing the pictures of these darling Great Grandchildren, and so look forward to having a Grandchild of my own. I will endeavour to do my best to set an example of “learning and obeying” to them. , Thankyou for your inspiration! Blessings to you and Norma Jean !
Amen!
Your great-grandchildren are beautiful, David and Norma-Jean! Thanks for including the photos. Hope you are both feeling better.
Thank you, God, for remaining faithful to your promises to our ancestors even though so many generations have failed you before us. Thank you God for giving us the Ten Commandments to set as the standard of right living, to obey, live by, and honour you! Amen! Thank you, God, for your love for us, and blessing us with the gift of your Son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ, so that we may be forgiven of our sins, have the love of the Spirit living and breathing through us, and know salvation through eternal life. How grateful are we! We live to glorify and honour You, oh Lord!!! Amen, amen, and amen!!!! Blessings dear saints!
And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. Deut 6:23
Thank you Jesus. Amen!
Amen!
Beautiful children! I enjoy the beautiful presentation of music, photography, and scripture, that comes on Day Star in the mid afternoon. Vision has an early morning similar idea but the captions are 90% human quotes so I enjoy the beautiful scenes. I do hope this blog will be available for the future as the world struggles more & more. Everyone needs this. Please pray for John who is taking on a street kids ministry-God’s Wisdom, safety, and favour for all involved. Thx
Lord walk with John. Guilde him and protect him as he does street ministry AMEN
Thank you Father God for all you have done.
Your pictures are wonderful David you have many good memories
I hope you both feel better soon
Lianne Hogg
I haven’t bound any of God’s laws on my forehead as Moses relayed to his people but I have The Ten Commandments on my ‘fridge door for all to see.
Thank God He will forgive us our sins because there are a ton of rules and regulations to keep. Not proud but resigned to say I’m a sinner.
What beautiful, happy children in the photo Rev. That’s what children’s faces look like when God’s laws are implemented in their precious lives.
Merry Christmas!
we are all sinners saved by grace!
G OD’S
R ICHES
A T
C HRIST’S
E XPENSE
Your grandchildren. Are beautiful you are very blessed ..what night and time does scrounge come on TV
Shd have read Scrooge
Beautiful children David. You are a blessed family.
You are sooooo blessed with your family-guard them in prayer as I know you do daily!!!!
WOW this is very hard to digest David Mainse wrote “I feel that I don’t deserve the joy which fills my heart” please be careful with words I am having a very difficult time talking myself into believing that I am worth something to God I suffer tremendous depression/seasonal affected sleep disorder and I try very hard not to take my life. I have to deal with poverty also! It’s very hard to do! I have to push myself every minute of every day! God gave me swimming etc etc I’ve written about this before please, remember words influence other people my situation will lessen somewhat as we draw closer to the sun, however, this is the “hell time in my life” so if you have joy be thankful……my town contains about 11,000 people and some 2,500 suffer with a chemical imbalance and sleep disorder..I see many young people suffering badly. also I know of many elderly who are suffering….I encourage people to talk and I’m happy to say that I do meet with a few at a coffee shop and we just talk and acknowledge each other and speak very honestly about how we are feeling…many self-medicae on pills, booze, drugs or take their life… again, if you have joy be very thankful…..I’m off to swimming….
The Lord has blessed you as you have blessed so many others . Your blog starts my devotions every morning.