DEUTERONOMY

Deuteronomy means "second law", but it also goes into details concerning the laws of the Lord.  Today I read chapters 11 through 32, and here are a few thoughts:  1) The Choice Is Ours!-  This is what I wrote in the margin of my Bible, because chapter 11,verse 26 says:  "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse." A blessing if we OBEY the commandments of the LORD, and a curse if we DISOBEY the commandments of the LORD.  It is like God is saying to His children, the choice is yours.  We decide by our obedience or disobedience if we want a blessed life or a cursed life.  I want a blessed life!!  Now we still will fail at times, but God wants His children to seek to follow the path of obedience and He desires to rewards us for doing so.  Chapters 27 and 28 tell us what God will curse and what God will bless, and the people's job was to say "Amen" to what God is saying.  Thus, we get the word "Amen!".  It is adding an affirmation to what God's Word says, or what the preachers says about God's Word.  Amen! 2) Money Matters-Chapter 14 says:  "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, tht the field bringeth forth year by year."  God once again preaches tithing because it is the means to fund His work on earth.  Here the Levites are taken care of by the tithes and offerings of God's people.  Chapter 15 tells us to open our hearts and hands to the poor.  It tells us that we should try to meet the needs of the poor around us and that if we do, "for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto."  We will always have the poor with us for many reasons, but our hearts should never be hardened to them and we should help whenever we can.  The last teaching of money is to not have usury to your brethren.  This means to have excessive interest on loans and perhaps to have any interest on loans to Christian brethren.  I've found that the surest way to loose a brother in Christ is to loan them money!  You will lose them and not see them again!  The best plan is to give what you can afford and don't loan out any money because in all likely hood, you will loose your brother and your money.  (I could tell you).  This is found in chapter 24.  3) The Lord Fights Our Battles- In Chapter 20 verse 4, "For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."  This promise is shattered all over the Bible.  The Lord fights our battles, the battle is the LORD's, and so many other phrases.  The truth is there for us to rejoice in that we don't go through life's conflicts alone... God is with us and will fight our battles.  No need for us to fight for ourselves.  God will vindicate His children IF we just do right!! 4)  TAKE HEED- I noticed that in Deuteronomy chapter 12, the phrase "Take heed to thyself" occurs three times, and each time it mentions three different subjects.  The phrase "take heed to thyself" is a strong phrase and calls for the listener to sit up and pay attention.  This is not a request... it is an order!  In English we might say: "Be sure that you..."  .  It reminds us to do a necessary thing.  Like before a long trip.... be sure you water the plants.  Saying to your son: be sure you take out the garbage.  These are necessary things!  Now, in Deuteronomy, here are the three things that are necessary: a. (vs. 13) "Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:"  The next verse tells us that the offerings could only be offered in the place of God's choosing.  Today, people say: "I'll have church at home."  But that is not the place of God's choosing.  Our church and home should be intertwined, but they are not the same.  We are to meet with other believers under the authority of a church with a God called pastor recognized by the congregation.  Take heed.... be sure! b. (vs. 19) "Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth."  Here we are told to take care of God's man!  The pastor of your church is God's man.  He isn't the smartest, the strongest, the most talented; but, he is a God called man for the task of being the pastor of your church.  Take heed that thou "forsake not" that man.  Follow him. (whose faith follow)  Submit yourself to his spiritual leadership. (Obey those that have the rule over you and submit yourselves...)  Take care of his needs.  (Paul said: 1Cor. 9:11-  "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?")  We are commanded to take care of the needs of God's man and his family.  Take heed... be sure! c. (vs. 30) "Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise."  God is saying here... don't follow the wrong crowd!  You will end up just like them and also be destroyed as they were.  We must be careful to follow the right examples and not people that are not following the Lord in the right way!  Take heed.... be sure! Well, hope you have a great day!  God bless!   Pastor Mike Mutchler