He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.

Chapter 8: Pages 108-119, and Exodus 19-20

He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God. Joshua 4:24

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) and started Part 2 "The Ultimate Goal of Providence", starting with Section 2 "The Ultimate Goal of Providence in the History of Israel" - moving to chapter eight "The Law, the Wilderness, and the Conquest of Canaan". Piper starts this chapter by looking at the giving of the law or Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, starting with the first commandment. He writes how the "aim of the first commandment was not only a call for God to be supremely exalted in Israel but for Israel to be supremely satisfied in God." Piper then looks at the tenth commandment and how it relates to the first two as he writes that "covetousness-or wrong [illegitimate] desire is desiring anything in such a way that you lose your contentment in God.  In essence, the first and last of the Ten Commandments demand the same thing" as covetousness becomes idolatry. 

Piper then moves to explain how "the goal of God's providence, now established at the center of his law, is that he be exalted as the greatest treasure in the glad affections of his people-that he be supremely glorified through our being supremely satisfied in him....[b]egrudging obedience does not make God look great."

Piper looks then to how Israel wandered in the wilderness as although they were disobedient, God did not destroy them.  He instead saved them "for the sake of [God's] name."  Piper uses three passages of scripture from Ezekiel as evidence: Ezekiel 20:8-10, 13-14, and 21-22. The use of Ezekiel is important because Piper wants us to see the "connection between God's grace...and his commitment to the glory of his name....God's self-exaltation was the ground of of Israel's undeserved exultation." Israel then conquers Canaan and Piper uses Joshua 4 to show how God once again - as He did with the parting of the Red Sea and - is powerful and mighty (Joshua 4:24).  Deuteronomy 9:4-7 is then used as another example of God's grace "for the sake of his name". Using additional examples from Joshua 22 and 23, as well as from Deuteronomy 33, Piper wraps the chapter by stating "[t]he purpose of God's providence in the conquest of Canaan was to put his power and his name on display in justice and mercy so that this people would be stunned at the freedom and glory of his grace"....and they would "cling to him as their life and serve him forever in a way that makes clear he is an all-satisfying treasure."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who is powerful, just, wise, and full of mercy - I have seen Your hand in my life and in the life of others - thank You Jesus for the many blessings You pour out.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I sin...daily...including worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. v14

As the Lord responds to Habakkuk's plea for justice - see post yesterday - God promises punishment for the wicked.  In v9-19, God promises woe for those who disobey God and seek gain and glory for themselves above God.  We are to love God first and foremost and then others as God loves us.

Ten Commandments
Greatest Commandment(s)
"Love one another" as Jesus loves you

One way or another every knee will bow and every tongue will acknowledge the Lord of Lords - Jesus Christ.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has helped me grow in my faith - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.

Proverbs 30

The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures. v17

Of course, such scripture applies to me and my mom and dad just as it applies to Zach and Dustin and how they treat myself and Lisa.

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12 (see also Deuteronomy 5:16)

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth".  Ephesians 6:1-3

I know I have not always honored my mother and father, including recently - I deserve death because that is the wage of sin (Romans 6:23).  Instead, I have a Heavenly Father who is rich in mercy and abounding in love, who chose me before I chose Him:


But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You are my Savior - rich in mercy and abounding in love.  You are so patient with me...thank You Jesus for Your mercies and patience.  I am not worth such efforts.  I know I deserve death but instead You took my place at the cross.  Please forgive me for not honoring my mother and father and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give myself and Lisa strength and wisdom.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. v10-11

In Exodus 20 (The Ten Commandments), we are commanded to "have no other gods before [God]".  In Matthew 22:34-40 it says:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:34-40

Our first and best efforts should be for God before anything and anyone else.  We are blessed by God's grace alone - not through our own effort.

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of love, blessing, compassion, mercy, etc.  I am nothing without You and I can do no good things apart from You.  Thank You for Your love and mercy. I am not worthy such love and mercy.  I continue to worry and stress and place my desires above Yours.  Please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

1 John 3

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. v15

Strong words from John here that hatred for believers is a sin and that it equates to murder which of course is one of the Ten Commandments.  I recommend not using the word hate in your daily speech because of its strong association with sin.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are - You are the definition of love, selflessly serving me and all of Your children!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love or such a God...but You poured out Your live for me...thank You Jesus!  Please forgive me for my laziness, lack of action, lack of boldness, etc.  You desire me to be bold.  Please forgive me.  You desire for me to glorify You and to bring others to You...I often do not.  Please forgive me!  Help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me only love - with no hate in my heart or mind.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.