14 Days of Love – Day 10 – It’s in the Book

“For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not difficult”  – 1 John 5:3

 

Seriously, are we to believe that we are expected to follow the commandments handed down to Moses on stone tablets.  This is the 21^st century.  We can’t be expected to follow the law written by God’s own hand, and delivered to the children of God in the shadows of Mt. Sinai.  How absurd it is to think that we are to abide by these principles from 3500 years ago.  Times have changed and society is much more mature and advanced today.  We know so much more about the world and the psychology of mankind and human relationships than they did in those days.  Just because these laws were acceptable through the times of King David, the Prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and His disciples, in no way implies that they are still valid today.  Right?

Ummm… no – this assumption could not be farther from the truth.  God did not reign down from heaven one day in the 3^rd or 4^th century AD and state, “Hey, all those rules and laws I gave to Moses.  Eh, just kidding.”  These are God’s laws and like everything else about God, they aren’t up for debate.  He’s not looking for our input on what the law should be, He’s already established it and made it broadly available to all mankind.  Consider that He carved them out of stone, so as to last for all time.  This leads me to believe that they were not temporary, but very important to all of us.  Just to review what is contained in Exodus:
   Have no other Gods before me
   Do not have idols
   Do not take the name of the Lord in vain
   Keep the Sabbath Holy
   Honor Your Father and Mother
   Do Not Commit Muder
   Do Not Commit Adultry
   You Shall not Steal
   You Shall not bear false witness
   Do not covet your neighbor’s things, wife or servants

It is so unbelievably easy to discount these as old school, just because the appeared in the Old Testament.  Upon the entry of Christ many will interpret the 10 Commandments as less important.  Christ did not come to abolish the laws (Matthew 5:17), but to provide a path of righteousness and salvation for all of mankind, not just the Jewish population of the time.  He broke down the barrier between Jew and Gentile, and opened up the opportunity for eternity to all.  Keeping in mind that at that time the Jew attempted to live strictly by the Mosaic law from the 10 Commandments and would require atonement for their sins when they would fall short in any area.  Jesus Christ was the final sacrifice, the final atonement for all sins; but in no way abolished the laws of God. 

Jesus Christ lived perfectly within the Father’s laws and set an example by His life of how we ought also to live.  These commandments did not dissolve or become obsolete upon Christ’s birth or death and resurrection, but rather are even more engrained as the proper way for us to live our life.  As we strive for these laws, we will stumble and fall short, and this is where Christ’s grace picks us up, washes us clean and strengthens us to continue.  We are redeemed in our unrighteousness and transgressions by the blood of Jesus Christ, just as the Jews are.

If you look closely at the 10 Commandments, they are structured in a perfect way to demonstrate God’s love.  #1 - #4 – provide a structure for loving God the Father; while #5 - #10 give us a glimpse of how we should love one another, based on how God loves us.  These need to be engrained in our memory and in our hearts.  We need to demonstrate them to one another in our daily walk and focus on them when we are tempted to step outside of the bounds.  God loves us so completely that He wants nothing more than for us to abide within these laws and bring Him honor in the process.  Even more so, He knows we cannot because of our humanity and our propensity to sin.  This is why He offers us His grace, even though we don’t deserve it.  That is true love.

Prayer:
Loving Father,
We lift up Your law and honor it before You.  We acknowledge that Your commandments are alive today as much so, if not more so than they were when Moses brought them to the people.  Help us Lord to live within Your law and convict us Holy Spirit when we are tempted.  Thank You for Your grace, to redeem us when we stumble.  We love You for what You have given for us.  In Your name we pray – Amen

37 Days – God Has Victory Ahead of You

January 4^th Prayer

“I’ll send my Terror on ahead of you and throw those peoples you’re approaching into a panic. All you’ll see of your enemies is the backs of their necks. And I’ll send Despair on ahead of you. It will push (your enemies) the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites out of your way. I won’t get rid of them all at once lest the land grow up in weeds and the wild animals take over. Little by little I’ll get them out of there while you have a chance to get your crops going and make the land your own.” Exodus 23:27-30.

Praise be to God, my Defender! Thank You Lord, that You have sent victory ahead of me. You have preceded me into the fights of this coming year. I present to You my enemies. I place a target on their backs for You to attack—drive out—defeat and destroy. My enemies are (name your enemies of fear, intimidation, financial struggle, marriage and family struggles, sin and temptation, etc.)__________________________________________

I declare by the Word of the Lord that my enemies will be defeated and God has gone before me to take the fight out of them before I approach. Thank You Lord! My enemies are under my feet! In Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:

On the horizon you see a challenge, a situation, a circumstance that seems hopeless, that seems beyond your capabilities.  This is common, do not be alarmed, fearful and distraught by this, but rather turn to your Father in heaven, who has provided the confidence and security that He will go before you and He will be your rear guard (Isaiah 52:12) as you go upon His path.  Call upon the Lord for His strength, His protection and His defence as you pursue His purpose in this world. 

This declaration of the Lord to the children of Israel, through Moses, was to stake a claim on the promised land, that had been promised to them.  The Lord committed to His children that He would be their guard, and that He would secure the land on their behalf.  Did they listen, did they trust the Lord’s words?  The answer is no, they did not.  In the wilderness, they built a golden calf, danced and worshipped before it (Exodus 32-33) and put their faith in their crafted idols.  For this, 3000 were killed that day by the sword.  Moses appealed to the Lord on the behalf of those who remained.  The Lord committed to them that He would still go before them and protect them, but that they would be punished for their sinful acts.

You see, we serve the same God as Moses, Joshua, Aaron and the children of Israel that were lost in the wilderness that day.  The commitment of the Lord was to remain true to His word, but to bring justice upon their sin.  In the new Covenant (under Jesus Christ) our sins are atoned for, redeemed and forgiven.  The Lord stands before us and assures us safe passage to His land of milk and honey.  As we struggle with problems in this life (financial, relationships, employment, sin and temptation) we are still covered by His power and grace.  In pursuit of His righteousness and purpose for our life, we are given the confidence that He will drive out those that stand in our way.  He does not guarantee it to happen in our timing, but He does provide His promise of protection before us and a guard in the rear.  We are covered by His holy sovereignty and blessing.  So call upon Him to knock down those obstacles and remove those who mean you harm.  You are a child of God and He will stand for you.

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

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Break the Chain

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“Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." – 1 Chronicles 28:20

What are you committed to? 
Where does the devotion of your heart lie?

Each morning you awake and are aware of the things that must be done throughout the day.  These items roll through your mind.  Your thoughts are overwhelmed with the day’s agenda and tasks that much be accomplished.  Referencing a day timer or Outlook calendar you see the meetings that will guide your footsteps from this moment on.  Coupled with the commute, dinner and a healthy 8 hours sleep each day, you suddenly realize that you truly only get 1 to 2 hours a day of  “free time”.  That window of time that is completely yours, to do with as you please.  Perhaps you find a nice warm blanket, a good book and curl up in your favorite chair with a cup of tea.  Perhaps you take the newspaper outside with a glass of wine and sit on the back deck and relax.  Some grab the remote and lose themselves in the emptiness of television to clear their mind of the days accumulation of priorities and projects.  How many reach for the Bible, God’s Holy word and dive into learning more about Him and His plan for your life? 

We often ask “What is my purpose?”  “What shall I do for God?”  “Why am I here?”  or some derivative of this age old question.  There is a part of each of us that realize that we are created for a purpose, that it is not randomness that we are who we are and that we are placed right where we are for some reason bigger.  The problem is that we aren’t taking the time to understand, study, learn and comprehend the answer to these questions in life.  We ask the question, but I challenge you to ask yourself – “Do you really want an answer?” 

God’s design, His Masterpiece and work is laid out for each of us to take on.  The challenge for us is to pursue it with every breath, every thought and every desire.  Remove the clutter, the distractions and the busyness from your life if you are truly seeking His purpose.  Shift your priorities from doing the work of mankind to doing the work of the Lord and let His plan start to reveal itself in your life.  We look at the ancient hero’s of the Bible (other the Jesus Christ, Himself) – Abraham, Moses, Noah, Joshua, Job, Daniel, David, Solomon, Paul, Peter, John, Ruth and Esther; just to name a few.  What did each of these have in common?  They pursued the Lord.  They chased after His purpose in life, rather than their own purpose.  Certainly, they all had their shortcomings, weaknesses and faults; just like you and I do.  But, they knew where to turn for the answers to their questions and they knew how to get back in line with God’s plan for their life. 

They were devoted to serving God first, and the world second.  They put everything at risk and pursued God’s plan with a vigor, with passion and relied heavily on His promises.  They trusted in the scriptures, the Commandments and held them in high esteem.  They received their confidence, strength and courage to take on the worldly view each and every day, because the scriptures promised He would be there with them.  When they rose each morning, there was no day timer or schedule to stick too.  They rose to meet God and serve Him with their day, and the people around them were going to hear their message from the Lord.

We look at today’s society and quickly become discouraged and saddened.  But, should we be surprised?  We have completely flipped our priorities upside down and pursue our own personal joy, desires and dreams first, and give God the leftovers.  I tell you this day, and let it be known, this world is going to continue on it’s downward spiral into the depths of unrighteousness and depravity as long as we are willing to keep God’s will and plan as an afterthought right behind our plan.  Your part is to change your behavior and seek Him with everything you have.  If all of us take on this attitude, you’d be amazed at how different this world will become.  It’s up to us and the message we pass on to our children to break the chain of self-righteousness and once again seek a life devoted to serving God.  Now, you’ll do one of two things: 1) Ignore this message and get back to your day timer or 2) Stop and pray for God’s wisdom in how to take on this day.  If you choose #2, then take the step to share this with a friend who might also benefit from the challenge.

             

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By His Blood, not Yours

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“The time is coming," declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers I took them by the hand lead them out of Egypt, they broke my covenant, I was a husband to them", declares the LORD.”           - Jeremiah 31:31-32

When I was a boy my neighbor and I made a blood bond together, as many 10 year old boys do.  We took a small pocket knife, made a cut across the palm of our hand and then clasped hands together.  Sure, I know it was foolish, and we could have gotten infections and passed disease between each other, but hey we were 10 and it was the 1970’s.  The covenant we made with each other was a “blood-brother” bond that we would always be there for each other.  At that age, we never considered that we might live very different lives far away from the beautiful state of Michigan.  As much as we fully intended on this bond being for life, it ended up being broken after 15 years or so. The phone calls and letters became fewer and fewer, until they became rare occurrences.  This reminds me, I should write him a letter tonight.

Similarly, covenants between God and man exist throughout the scriptures.  The most familiar is the Sinaitic covenant, which was brought down from Mt. Sinai by Moses and read to God’s people was also broken by mankind.  This covenant (Mosaic Law) was laid down and understood as rules from above and the covenant would remain in place as long as the Israelites would abide by these commandments , and many even to this day strive and labor to keep true these laws.  Following covenants with David, the Israelites and the nation of Judah would all attempt to piece back together the bond between God and His children.  This becomes the importance of the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah.

By establishing a New Covenant with His children, God sets His will, love and grace within each man’s heart, so that He will never be apart from them.  Jesus Christ’ birth, life, death and resurrection creates that blood covenant between God and man once and for all.  Not to overrule the Sinaitic covenant of Moses Law, or the David covenant, or the Israeli covenant but rather too compliment and fulfill them.  We see numerous examples of Christ quoting and abiding by the Mosiac Law, but we also see Him challenging the strict adherence to that law.  The New Covenant is built on the foundation that man cannot be perfect in following every portion of the law.  If heaven were only available to those that worked their entire life to live by these laws without error; it will be an empty parking lot.  The Israelites and the Jews all believe that Messiah will enter in this New Covenant of redemption and establish His Kingdom here on earth.  They just don’t believe that Jesus Christ is that man.  This is part of the reason you see so much controversy between the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees and Jesus.  Their belief is that they were the knowledge bearers and the studied; and Jesus did not at all fit the image of the Messiah they were waiting for.  After all, He was that young boy from Nazareth.

As Christ states in the Upper Room at the last supper, “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”  Luke 22:20.  The blood He shed on Calvary was the final atonement and entered into the New Covenant with the Lord.  This abolished the need for continuing with sacrifices for sin, and set in place the grace by which we all may enter into heaven even though we aren’t worthy and finally it created a personal relationship between man and God that will last for all time.  The Savior’s act of sacrifice was accentuated by the shedding of blood, but in this case it was God’s blood.  One drop is sufficient for the redemption of your sin, regardless of how dreadful you think it is.  

The New Covenant clearly made a way for all mankind to enter into heaven, by acknowledging Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Enter into the New Covenant with the Lord, and you don’t even have to cut your hand open to do it.  You see your blood won’t get you there, only His will, and He’s already shed it for you.

PRAYER:
Almighty Father,
You have given us Your grace, love and mercy.  You have formed a New Covenant with all mankind, that we might carry Your Holy Spirit in our heart and Christ’s teachings in our head.  Help us to make this a reality in our lives, such that others can see of Your love through us.  You have blessed us through Your word and covenant’s with our ancestors, but more so through the New Covenant with Your Son Jesus Christ.  Thank You for Your grace - Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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Walk with Confidence

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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."      - Joshua 1:9

The turning of the page so to speak in the Israelites flight to the promised land.   Moses had passed away without crossing over the river Jordan and experiencing the joys and abundance the Lord had promised.  Joshua was now to take the reins and lead the children of God into the land God had prepared for them.  Just as Joshua needed to hear from the Lord that day, as I’m sure the emotions were high and the task at hand seemed overwhelming, we need to hear it as we face the challenges in our lives. 

God’s promise was clearly articulated to Joshua on that day.
v 5a. “No one can stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, I will be with you.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  - I’m sure Joshua took that to heart.  I mean if the God of the Universe told me that no one could ever defeat me, I’d be walking pretty tall and confident.  Regardless of what challenge he came upon or who threatened his life or his purpose, he knew without a doubt that God was his protector.  But it required Joshua to be very strict in following the law handed down to Moses, and to meditate on it day and night. 

How much more so are you in need of God’s promise to walk with you daily and be your protector?  I surely have fallen at moments in my life when I was fearful and in need of a certain, strong provider.  Drawing on the faith that only through God can a situation be resolved, forces one to reflect on His promises to us, similar to His promise to Joshua.  Do you recall in Matthew 28:20, “…surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.”  These were the words from Jesus to His disciples to encourage them after His death and resurrection.  This same spirit that was given to the disciples is available to you and I, if we so chose to accept and grab a hold of it.  Also, I’m sure you’ve heard Paul’s words to the Hebrews, in the 13^th chapter the 5^th verse “… Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”  The same claim from Joshua 1:5 is recalled here by Paul in his epistle to the Hebrew nation, not by co-incidence, but carefully thought out and perfectly structured to encourage them and us 2000 years later.

We need to hold true to these promises of Jesus Christ and those of His disciples recorded in the New Testament.  God is our provider, our comforter, our strong tower and our protector.  He will stand before us against all enemies and protect our rear from evil that might approach unseen.  You can trust in God’s promises to His children just as Joshua did as he led them into the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey.  Pass them on to your children, and their children.  The God of the Universe is with you everywhere you go and will not forsake you.

Prayer:Heavenly Father,
We hold firm to the truth that you are in our presence and our stronghold in times of need.  You are our protector and our comforter.  We lean upon the promise that no one can stand against us; no evil, unrighteous and ungodliness act can succeed against Your power in our lives.  Even unto death we are victorious when we are walking in Your light.  Build within me the strength and confidence to draw upon Your promise as I face trials, tribulation and strife, for I have faith in Your Son Jesus Christ as the redeemer of my soul.  Amen.

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