Tag Archives: Deuteronomy 7-8:20

March 27, 2015 Bible Study — How Much Have We Been Forgiven?

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 12:1

    This proverb is so true. Only the truly stupid hate to be corrected and the only person who is truly stupid is unwilling to accept discipline when they are wrong.

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Psalm 69:1-18

    This psalm expresses the faith of one suffering deep depression. Everything, and everyone, seems to be conspiring against him (and perhaps it is). Yet, no matter how bad he thinks things are, no matter how bad things actually are, he continues to have faith in God. He continues to cry out to God for rescue, believing that God will rescue him. The psalmist does this even though he is ridiculed for his faith. He acknowledges that he has foolishly sinned and prays that God does not allow his foolishness to cause others who trust in God to be shamed.
    All in all, this psalm is a great expression of faith. I pray that my faith will be as strong should I ever find myself in similar circumstances.

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Luke 7:36-8:3

    Wow, I actually have three points to make on this passage. First, the more we perceive ourselves to have been a sinner, the more thankful we are to God for His forgiveness. Second, we should all strive to show our thankfulness as enthusiastically as this woman. Third, none of us should have the attitude of the Pharisee in this story. None of us should think of someone else as a greater sinner than ourselves, that we are somehow better than that other person.
    I was going to go into more detail on this, but I think that pretty much covers it. I will finish with this question: Do we realize how much we have been forgiven? Do we express to God the love He deserves for the forgiveness we have received?

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Deuteronomy 7-8:20

    Moses tells the Israelites that when they enter into the Promised Land they must not make any treaties with the people living there. He tells them to completely consecrate those people to God. The word used here is typically translated as “destroy”, and typically the term means destroying something in order to give it to God. As I read this, I am reminded that when the Israelites left Egypt they were accompanied by a large number of non-Israelites. Those non-Israelites became part of the people of God. The Israelites were not to adopt any of the customs of the people whose land they were entering. But if those people were to dedicate themselves wholly to the service of God, well that was different. Understand, I do not think that was how those who heard Moses speak understood him. I do however think that was how God intended them to hear it.
    The second part of the passage contains both a promise and a warning. The promise is that if the Israelites live in fear of the Lord and follow His commands they will prosper. This promise was not just for the Israelites. It was for all people. So was His warning. The passage warned the Israelites to remember that their wealth came from worshiping and serving God. If they were to begin to think that the wealth they acquired was a result of their merit and specialness they might stop being faithful to God and start worshiping other gods. Just as the nations which the Israelites were displacing were being destroyed because they refused to obey God, so too would the Israelites be destroyed if they refused to worship God…so, too will we be destroyed.

March 27, 2014 Bible Study — How Much Forgiveness Do I Need?

    I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I write this daily blog because it helps me pay closer attention to the Scripture as I read it. Before I started writing this blog I had trouble disciplining myself to read the Bible regularly, let alone every day. I hope that by posting my thoughts I can encourage others to regularly read the Bible (and perhaps my thoughts will give someone encouragement in their walk with Christ). In order to make it possible for others to use my blog as part of their daily Bible Study (the hubris of that idea never ceases to amaze me), I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Proverbs 12:1

    In order to learn, you must embrace being corrected and disciplined when you are wrong. Anyone who despises being corrected is both ignorant and stupid.

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Psalm 69:1-18

    This psalm reflects how I feel right now. I am overwhelmed by my troubles and I beg of God that He rescue me. I have been foolish and made many mistakes. I acknowledge my sins before God. I have no choice because He knows them all. I ask that God not allow those who trust in Him be ashamed because of me. Oh God, do not allow those who honor you to be humiliated by anything I say or do!

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Luke 7:36-8:3

    There are a lot of different takes on this story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and with perfume. There is a lot to be learned from it. However, the question that struck me is that in reality there is no practical difference in the amount of forgiveness the Pharisee and the woman in this story needed from God. The difference was in their perception of their need. Or to put it another way, if I am drowning in the ocean, it doesn’t matter if I am 1 mile from shore or 100 miles from shore. In either case, if someone does not come along and pull me out of the water, I will die.
    Simon the Pharisee perceived himself as needing just a little bit of help in order to be righteous. The woman who anointed Jesus perceived herself as being completely unable to be righteous. So, the question is how do I perceive myself? Do I understand that without Jesus, righteousness is completely out of my reach? The answer is, “Not always”. Yet, I know that it is.

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Deuteronomy 7-8:20

    God did not choose us as His servants because we are stronger, or smarter, or faster, or in any other way better than anybody else. He chose us because He loves us. We were chosen by God to serve Him and if we do that He will bless us. However, we cannot compromise on God’s principles. We cannot meet those who do not believe in God halfway. We must not worship their gods or serve their goals.

March 27, 2013 Bible Study — Do I Feel Like I Have Been Forgiven a Lot, Or Just a Little?

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

Snow across the road
Snow across the road

Deuteronomy 7-8:20

     Moses instructed the Israelites to make no treaties with the people living in the land God was bringing them into. They were to completely destroy the peoples already living there. They were not to intermarry with them, neither give their sons and daughters in marriage to them, nor take their sons and daughters in marriage. Moses warns the Israelites that if they do intermarry, they will be led away from God into idolatry. Moses told them that if they allowed that to happen, God would destroy them. Rather than allow themselves to be led aside into idolatry, the Israelites were to destroy the altars and idols of the people of the land. Moses continued by telling the Israelites that if they kept God’s commands and were faithful. God would bless them in the land. They did not need to fear the people of the land because God was with them. God was going to drive the people out of the land little by little.
     Moses reminded the children of Israel to remember what God had done for them in the wilderness, where their clothing did not wear out and He provided them with manna from heaven. God taught them that people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Moses tells them that they learned to trust God through their time of privation in the wilderness, now they will need to continue to serve and trust God as they come into a land of plenty. Do I remember God when times are good? Do I remain faithful?

Snow on the azaleas
Snow on the azaleas

Luke 7:36-8:3

     A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner at his house. While Jesus was there, a woman known for her sinful lifestyle learned that He was there. She brought a jar of perfume and came to where Jesus was eating. She cried over His feet, poured some of the perfume on them and wiped them with her hair, kissing His feet all the while. When the Pharisee saw what she was doing, he thought to himself that Jesus must not be much of a prophet if He was allowing this type of woman to touch Him.
     Jesus noticed the thoughts that were going on in the Pharisee’s head and asked him a question. Jesus asked him who would be more grateful someone who was forgiven a small debt or someone who was forgiven a very large debt. Simon, the Pharisee, answered that he supposed that the one who had the bigger debt cancelled would be more grateful. Jesus then points out that Simon had failed to live up to the basic criteria of hospitality, but that this woman more than made up for it. Jesus goes on to say that those who are forgiven much have great love, while those who are forgiven little love little. Do I feel like I have been forgiven a lot, or just a little? I believe that part of Jesus’ message in this is that we have all been forgiven a lot by God, but some of us think that we have only sinned a little.

Unloading firewood in the snow
Unloading firewood in the snow

Psalm 69:1-18

     All too many of us know what the psalmist is experiencing in today’s psalm. He tells us that the waters have come up to his neck and that he can get no foothold. He is exhausted and his throat is sore from crying for help. He openly admits that he is in this trouble because of his own foolishness. He acknowledges before God his sins, knowing that they cannot be hid from God. He asks God to keep those who seek God from being put to shame because of his failures.
     Even in the midst of his troubles that are of his own doing, the psalmist cries out to God because he knows of God’s great love. I, also, throw myself on God’s mercy in my time of trouble, knowing full well that the troubles I experience are my own doing. I have faith that God will deliver me and I pray that this time when I get out of the pit I put myself into I will continue to honor and follow God.

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Snowing on the garage

Proverbs 12:1

     If we wish to learn what God has to teach us, we must accept and embrace His discipline. Those who refuse to accept correction will never learn.