Wednesday, May 20, 2020
In Genesis, we see the promise of the land. In Exodus, Moses takes the people of God out of Egypt to go to the land of promise. In Leviticus, you have the laws of God that Moses was to teach Israel before they got to the promise land. In Numbers, we see the wandering of the children of Israel in the wilderness. In this time, God purged them of four things. Rebellion, stubbornness, carnality, murmuring. Then in Deuteronomy, we see the preparation of the younger generation to enter into the land. In Joshua, we see them actually entering the land. So when we look at the book of Deuteronomy we have to see the necessity of obedience, and this is why: We see what they were taught and we see their failures. We can learn from their disobedience. Their disobedience and unbelief kept them out of the land. Deuteronomy means, “to tell the record again, or say it again” God reiterated over and over that if the children of Israel would learn this one thing, all would be well for them.
Deuteronomy 6:1-5 “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess,
For the most part, when fear is mentioned in the Old Testament, it means to revere. Reverence. It is spoken in the connotation of worship. This is very important.
2 that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly (increase mightily) as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
In other words, this should be the one thing you want. To love the Lord. All through the book of Deuteronomy, this is the theme. God used this whole book to get that point across.
Deuteronomy 30:10; 15-20 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Here’s the bottom line: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.
The Israelites fell to idolatry over and over again. God was trying to purge them of their ways so that when they got to Canaan, they wouldn’t turn it into Egypt. He wanted to establish the fact that He is the source of all goodness in their lives. There is only one God! Don’t submit to other idols. If you can get this one thing right, He will increase you mightily. The Israelites had a selfish nature. Worship that has to be commanded is not worship. Giving has to be something that comes from a willing heart. Under the New Covenant, we have the nature of God. God has a giving nature.
Why are people suffering? Depressed? Anxious? Poor? Because, God is on the outside looking in. You can be a born-again Christian living in a mess, because God is on the outside looking in. Your life changes when you get born again. But if you really want to flip your life around, you have to choose to worship God, and love Him with all of your heart, soul, and might. You have to serve him and chose him every day. The reason God is on the outside looking in, is because you are not worshipping Him. Bow down and worship Him! Worship is something that has to come out of the sanctuary of your own heart. It’s all a choice. Worship is not something that you do between 10-12 on Sunday and no other time. Worship is a way of life. God gave us prayer, His word, fasting, and worship. These things will change your life.
Prayer (praying in the spirit) is a revelation gift. It deals with your spirit. An uncovering of mysteries. Things you don’t know or understand. You have to have revelation. Logic is not enough. Just because you know something don’t mean you possess something. There is a difference between human knowledge and revelation knowledge. Praying in the spirit works from the inside out, not the outside in.
Worship is a presence gift. It deals with the soul.
Fasting is abstinence of food. It deals with the flesh.
Meditation of the word deals with the mind. It keeps you thinking straight and thinking like God thinks.
God wants you to have His presence on Monday just like He does on Sunday from 10-12. You can have the presence of God with you every day. It’s possible! God don’t want you to live without his presence.
Exodus 33:2 “… for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Stiff- necked means, “stubborn,” or “self-willed” or “selfish”
This is the nature of the devil. It’s a miserable way to live. As a Christian, you have to drive this out of your life. If you want God’s presence, you have to get rid of being “stiff-necked.” God took them into the land because He promised it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God keeps his promises, but He would not go in with them, because they were stubborn and selfish. The reason He didn’t go with them, was because the people didn’t want Him. The reason you don’t worship God? Because you don’t want Him. The reason you don’t pray until you are in trouble? Because you don’t want God. We’ve all been there, but you have to get that junk out of you! The way you do this, is fall on your face before God daily, and chose to worship, and serve Him. For you can do nothing without Him! Say it over and over! Tell God how much you love him with all your heart and soul! If you do this regularly, His presence will begin to come to you. He will begin to purge things out of your life like fear, torment, anxiety, and worry. He wants you to live a life of total peace! God’s presence is a result of choosing to worship Him. His presence will start coming to you and you will notice a change in yourself. You will see it most in the realm of your emotions. Emotions aren’t a bad thing, but you can’t allow them to control you. His presence will begin to purge inner turmoil, malice, anger, unforgiveness, and fear. If you begin to worship God, He will get rid of all of that. You start doing this every day, God will go with you. You will have His presence, peace and love, along for the ride with you every day. No one can do it for you. In the beginning, you will have to make yourself because your mind, and flesh will not want to. But you’re the boss not your mind and emotions. You must get in the habit and when the stability comes, you will be able to live above. Whatever is in you that don’t want God, you better get it out! It’s dangerous. How do you get it out? You bow before God and say, “I want you; I love you; I worship you!” Do it day after day and your life will change. Problems will leave your life as God enters your life. To have more of God, you have to give him more of you! The way God fills your cup to overflowing, is through worship! You can have this every day, if you will choose Him. Decide to be a worshiper!
Exodus 33:12-15. Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
Every morning wake up and say, “God, I can’t do anything without you. I don’t want to do anything without Your presence. I don’t want to go through this day without Your presence. I want You. “No other person on the planet wants you for you. God wants you just for you. If the whole world don’t care about you, want you, or love you, God does. You are loved! God loves you! When you start to feel that love you start to want Him like He wants you! You will enter into a whole new place in God! Worship is a choice!