131st Week, Deuteronomy Chapters 30-34 (Click on Title for Video Intro)

 Click on Title for Video Introduction

Monday, Deuteronomy Chapter 1

Deuteronomy 30

Verses 19-20

Tanya Ruden

Verses 19-20:   Now choose life so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life.

THOUGHT

“AMEN” enough said.

God gives us the free will to choose to follow Him. This is basically a life or death decision we face. By choosing to love God, we have chosen life, and through that decision and our life example, we teach our children to also choose life.  Choosing to follow God is a daily choice and not one we just make and never have to think about again. Each day we are given situations where we can choose to do what Jesus would do or do what we want to do. Because of the gift of grace, we are given forgiveness for the times when we choose unwisely.  Because we love God with all our heart we still have life through our mistakes.  It is something we need to not just choose and forget, but choose and LIVE out. Our children and grandchildren depend on it.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, may we wake up each day choosing You and choosing to follow You and live up to Your expectations and character.  Each night when we go to bed, may we be humbled and ask forgiveness for the times we failed, asking You for guidance to try again tomorrow. May we think of You and Your example with each word we speak or each decision we make. Prepare our children and grandchildren’s hearts to accept You and love You. AMEN

Tuesday, Deuteronomy Chapter 31

Deuteronomy 31

Verse 23

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 23: The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”

THOUGHT

Joshua had been appointed to take over the leadership of Israel and guide the people into the Promised Land. (Moses could not enter the land due to this disobedience.) One of his key qualifications was his faith. As one of the 12 spies to first enter Canaan, only he and Caleb believed that God could help Israel conquer the land. Moses told Joshua to be strong and courageous twice in this chapter (Verse 7 and 23). Indeed, this was a frightening task with three million people to care for, settle disputes for, and lead into battle. Finding courage would be Joshua’s greatest test. He was strong and courageous because he knew God was with him and because he had faith that God would do all He had promised Israel.

I don’t know about you but if I would have been Joshua, I would have felt very overwhelmed.  How many times do we feel this way? Why do we feel this way? When family problems arise, when work hands us complications, when our spirit is hurt by a family member or friend or when we feel taken for granted, we need to focus on the eyes of Jesus. The first thing that should come to our minds is that we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior and God has our Father and the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Why fear? “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.

PRAYER

Father God, give us courage each day to face the unknown. Keep us ever mindful that we have a God as a support who knows it all. Grow us in our faith. Help us remember that greater is He in us than he who is in the world. May we have the faith of our fathers like Joshua. Make us strong and courageous every day. AMEN

Wednesday, Deuteronomy Chapter 32

Deuteronomy 32

Verse 39

Tanya Ruden

Verse 39:  There is no god beside me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.

THOUGHT

First of all I want to point out what a long song Moses had to teach.  It was not a simple ‘Jesus Loves Me’ or ‘Everybody Ought To Know’. I do hope that parts of it were a song that the people could carry with them. I like the verse above because it is such a reminder of God’s power. I think sometimes we think we have the power to conceive children or make decisions on life and death or that we can heal people. God has blessed us with doctors to assist us in doing some of these things, but in the end, it is all in God’s hands. I know that any of us who have had a child or know someone having trouble having children realize what a miracle conceiving a child is. How can one billion sperm in a little area not fertilize an egg?  It is all in God’s power. He is the only one. May we always remember this as we attempt to do powerful things in our lives.  He is God, and we must ask Him for blessings and accept any answer He gives us.

PRAYER

Dear God, Your power is beyond understanding. It is amazing. You create life and bless us with people in our lives. In the same breath You decide how long people will be a blessing in our lives.  May we always treasure every moment of our lives and every moment with family and friends. May we always respect Your power and help us to never act like we can possess it.  AMEN

Thursday, Deuteronomy Chapter 33

Deuteronomy 33

Verse 1

Tanya Ruden

Verse 1:  This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.

THOUGHT

I have to admit I got my idea for my thought from my footnotes.  This chapter is full of God giving out His blessings to all of the tribes.  Each one received something important and unique. No one gift was more important or valuable than another. How many times do we see a talent someone possesses, and we say, “Man, I wish I could do that.”?  Let’s stop saying that and instead take the talents we have and make them flourish. Pray that God would draw out your talents and use them for His Glory.  

God needs each of us and our special talent to work in His kingdom.  Without one of us, the plan will not work. What if we were all great accountants?  Who would sing or play music?  Or what if all of us were great bow hunters?  Who would nurse us back to health?  May we all recognize our talents and praise God for them. I often pray God would make my kid’s talents known to them so that they are able to spend time doing them, improving them and enjoying them. I pray that I would not push things I want them to do or things they don’t enjoy. I believe it was an answer to this prayer that Sierra has said. “I want to play soccer or I don’t like dance” (much to my dismay). The Holy Spirit talks to us through the mouths of babes. 

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, thank You for my talent (insert your talent). May I always use this talent to Your glory and praise You when the talent does something wonderful in Your kingdom - never taking credit myself. Help me never envy other's talents or attempt to make someone fail at their talent out of spite. Help us as Christians to also encourage and develop the talents of our brothers and sisters in Christ - knowing that Your kingdom here on earth depends on all of us working hard for it to succeed. AMEN

Friday, Deuteronomy Chapter 34

Deuteronomy 34

Verse 12

Jane Jones

Verse 12:  For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

THOUGHT

Moses, the man who did not want to be sent to Egypt because he was “slow to speech”, was given the power to develop from a stuttering shepherd into a national leader and powerful orator. His courage, humility, and wisdom molded the Hebrew slaves into a nation. In the end, God was STILL Moses’ best friend.  His love, respect, and awe for God had grown daily throughout his life.  There were many great and powerful prophets during the time of the kings. But it would be more than a thousand years before one greater than Moses would appear---Jesus.

Have you ever thought about the fact that the story of Moses might have been God’s one attempt at having a prophet lead the world so that He wouldn’t have to send His son to earth to die for our sins? God appeared to Moses, Moses stood on Holy ground, and Moses was in the presence of the Lord. One would truly have to say that Moses was indeed a man whom God revealed Himself to.

I thought it so awesome of God to let Moses see and view the Promise Land before he died. Can you imagine working on a project for 40 years and never being able to see the finished project?  Behold Moses and behold the Promise Land.

PRAYER

Dear God, we thank You today for the life and stories of Moses. These stories are told over and over again and again, and from these stories we are given the laws of Your kingdom. We thank You for what Moses’ life brought and continues to bring to the life and breath of Christianity.  Thank You for being his best friend. I’m so glad he had You. AMEN