Deuteronomy 9-11
Day 46 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses once again on Moses exhortations to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. As I have posted for the past two days, Moses and the Israelites know that Moses will not be entering the Land, but he loves the Israelites and seeks to impart both encouragements and warnings for those he loves.
Re-emphasizing the exhortations to avoid arrogance and to instead be humble, Moses sets the record straight with the Israelites that God's gift of the Promised Land to them was "not because of [their] righteousness" but instead due to the wickedness of the inhabitants of the Land and "to accomplish what [God] swore to Abraham, Issac, Jacob" and their descendants. Yesterday, my post was about how our skills and abilities do not produce wealth - instead it is God who produces such wealth, and that any skills and abilities that contribute to such wealth building all come from God. Today, the angle is that we don't deserve how God blesses us - we all have some degree of the Promised Land in our life - this is true for every single one of us because what we all deserve is death as we all sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8), not one of us is righteous (Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:3, Romans 3:10-11), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
God, please help me be humble.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who - out of great mercy and compassion - has humbled me and helped become less arrogant - thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of such mercy and compassion because I am STILL arrogant - 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.
After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Deuteronomy 9:4-6
Day 46 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses once again on Moses exhortations to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. As I have posted for the past two days, Moses and the Israelites know that Moses will not be entering the Land, but he loves the Israelites and seeks to impart both encouragements and warnings for those he loves.
Re-emphasizing the exhortations to avoid arrogance and to instead be humble, Moses sets the record straight with the Israelites that God's gift of the Promised Land to them was "not because of [their] righteousness" but instead due to the wickedness of the inhabitants of the Land and "to accomplish what [God] swore to Abraham, Issac, Jacob" and their descendants. Yesterday, my post was about how our skills and abilities do not produce wealth - instead it is God who produces such wealth, and that any skills and abilities that contribute to such wealth building all come from God. Today, the angle is that we don't deserve how God blesses us - we all have some degree of the Promised Land in our life - this is true for every single one of us because what we all deserve is death as we all sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8), not one of us is righteous (Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:3, Romans 3:10-11), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
God, please help me be humble.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who - out of great mercy and compassion - has humbled me and helped become less arrogant - thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of such mercy and compassion because I am STILL arrogant - 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.
