Biblical Shakers

  Click on Title for Video Intro Monday, Deuteronomy Chapter 15 Deuteronomy 15 Verses 7-8 Matt Strayer Verses 7-8:  If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the lord our God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. THOUGHT In the second address to the Israelites, Moses has recounted the Ten Commandments and the other laws given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. He urges them to obey the laws and reminds them of the consequences of disobeying God’s laws. I wanted to stress here that God commanded us to look out for the poor. Moses did not read the Ten Suggestions and other ideas. These were commands and laws. I sometimes need to remind myself of the seriousness of these laws given in Deuteronomy. I find myself thinking I can give to the poor if the perfect situation comes along. When we decide to help in any given situation our hearts need...

Click on Title for Video Introduction Monday, Deuteronomy Chapter 10 Deuteronomy 10 Verse 19 Bart Strayer  Verse 19:  So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. THOUGHT This verse got me thinking about my life and people that I surround myself with. It is easy for us Christians to surround ourselves with other Christians and grow away from the lost because we can’t relate with them. It is true. Salvation changes every perspective on your life. However, let’s not lose our ‘relate’ ability for the common unsaved person. Yes, they may have different priorities than we do, but there are ways to be their good friend and to love them without compromising our beliefs. Jesus did it all in His life.  The fundamental operation of missions is to go into unchurched regions of the world and establish relationships with nonbelievers for the opportunity to share the gospel some point down the road. Salt Shakers, let’s not shrink back into our ‘Christian c...

  Click on Title for Video Intro Monday, Deuteronomy Chapter 5 Deuteronomy 5 Verse 7 Jane Jones   Verse 7:   “You shall have no other gods before me.” THOUGHT A God is whatever people put first in their lives. Some people literally worship other gods by joining cults or stranger religions. In a more subtle way, many of us worship other gods by building our lives around something other than the one true God. If your greatest desire is for popularity, power, or money, you are devoting yourself to something other than God. To put God first, (1) recognize what is taking his place in your life, (2) renounce this substitute god as unworthy of your devotion; (3) ask God for forgiveness; (4) restructure your priorities so that love for God is the motive for everything you do; (5) examine yourself daily to be sure you are  giving God first place. With each New Year we make New Year’s resolutions. We stop to think and reflect back on our lives and reevaluate what...

  Click on title for Video Introduction Monday, Deuteronomy Introduction Deuteronomy Intro Delores Little THOUGHT The book of Deuteronomy was written to remind the Israelites of all the things in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers before they go into the Promise Land.  Moses wrote it all except the preamble and the report of Moses’s death, which was written by someone else. The setting is in the Moab area where the Jordan flows into the Dead Sea.  Moses was transferring leadership and delivered his farewell addresses to prepare the people for their entrance into Canaan. These addresses were actually a covenant renewal. You see all the people 20 years and older that left Egypt were all dead by now.  The ones who were under 20 when they left Egypt are now the ones who will go into the Promise Land. Joshua and Caleb will be the only two that came out of Egypt over 20 to go into the Promise Land. Moses emphasized the laws that were especially needed at such a time, and he pr...