DEUTERONOMY

It is Friday in Oregon!  Yesterday got near 100 degrees and today is supposed to be hotter.  I still saw seven children trust Christ as their Savior and others saw many saved as well.  It is a joy to see people come to Christ.  Here are a few thoughts from Deuteronomy: 1)TEACH THE CHILDREN- In Deut. 11:18-20, God gives instruction about His commandments and is saying that they are to be taught to our children.  We are to teach when we speak in our homes, when we go to bed, when we rise up, and we are to have them written in our home.  In other words, our homes are to be a sanctuary of God's Word.  We are to magnify God's Word in our homes!  Oh Lord, help me today to exalt thy Word, and to take heed to the least of thy commandments!  Thank you Lord for your Word,  Amen. 2) 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: 1Corinthians 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! 3) THE TITHE- Deut. 26:12, 13  Verse twelve talks about the tithes.  It says "tithing all the tithes of thine increase..."  and in verse 13 it calls these tithes "the hallowed things".  Something is hallowed when it is dedicated to God.  Our tithes become dedicated to God when they come into our possession.  In other words, one tenth of all that comes through our hands belongs to God and God considers them to be "hallowed things".  So we must give that back to God with an offering as well.  We do not want to be guilt of having God's "hallowed things" in our possession, it belongs to His work!! 4) DON'T MUZZLE YOUR OX!- Deut. 25:4 says: "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn."  God wants the worker to be taken care of.  Paul uses this verse to say "does God care for oxen?".  Well, yes, but not as much as He cares for His servants, and then he said that they "that preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel."  I don't know what Church you are in, but I do know that God demands that Churches take good care of their pastor's financial needs so that they can take good care of your spiritual needs and the needs of many others.  This is a biblical precept. Well, here are a few thoughts anyway.  Hope you have a blessed day and try to keep cool.  May God bless you and yours!   Pastor Mike Mutchler