Proverbs, chapter 4, deals a lot with wisdom. Wisdom that our Heavenly Father bestows upon us.
It is written with a father speaking to his son in mind, but it can easily be translated into a father speaking to his daughter too.
"Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do" it says in verse 7, emphasizing the importance of listening to what your Father tells you and growing wise.
One of the benefits of wisdom is to know what wicked people look like and to avoid them at all costs. If you follow His path, it will be bright. Following in evil's ways will bring you nothing but darkness.
An interesting passage is in verse 23: "your life is shaped by your thoughts." Which means, you are literally what you think about, you become what you constantly put in your head.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Psalms 14 - God's plan for the wicked
In Psalms 14, it goes on to describe fools as being those who say, "There is no God!" Hence they reason they are called fool, for they only have foolish thinking.
But it seems that no one is doing what is right, that everyone is full of sin. All of God's people are subjected to the wickedness of mankind.
However, what the wicked ones do not know is that God is on their side. He protects them.
In the end, God makes His people prosperous again.
But it seems that no one is doing what is right, that everyone is full of sin. All of God's people are subjected to the wickedness of mankind.
However, what the wicked ones do not know is that God is on their side. He protects them.
In the end, God makes His people prosperous again.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Disobeying God
Chapters 9-10 of Deuteronomy can be summed up in one word: disobedience.
Moses lays out where, time and time again, in their forty year journey, where the people of Israel disobeyed God. And, time and time again, God told Moses that he was going to destroy the Israelites but Moses fell to the ground and prayed for Him to remember his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: that He was going to lead His people back the the land He promised them.
Each time, God forgave them--but never forgot--for their wicked deeds.
In chapter 10, verse 19, is an interesting passage, for it reads: "Show love for foreigners, because you were once foreigners in Egypt." This goes to show that no matter where you are, where you came from, and where you ancestors came from, always show love for others from far-off lands. This one passage is worth much debate in our own United States when it comes to immigration laws and processes for citizenship.
In the final passage of chapter 10, Moses tells the Israelites that when they were first enslaved there were 70 of them. When they left, they were as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Moses lays out where, time and time again, in their forty year journey, where the people of Israel disobeyed God. And, time and time again, God told Moses that he was going to destroy the Israelites but Moses fell to the ground and prayed for Him to remember his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: that He was going to lead His people back the the land He promised them.
Each time, God forgave them--but never forgot--for their wicked deeds.
In chapter 10, verse 19, is an interesting passage, for it reads: "Show love for foreigners, because you were once foreigners in Egypt." This goes to show that no matter where you are, where you came from, and where you ancestors came from, always show love for others from far-off lands. This one passage is worth much debate in our own United States when it comes to immigration laws and processes for citizenship.
In the final passage of chapter 10, Moses tells the Israelites that when they were first enslaved there were 70 of them. When they left, they were as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The Ultimate Underdog Story
In the beginning of Deuteronomy, chapter 7, Moses recapped how the Israelites occupied the land promised to them by the Lord. It's the ultimate underdog story. The nation of Israel is quite small--smaller than all of the lands surrounding it. Yet, with the power of God as their strength, they were able to overcome all.
Even in the face of massive pressure, they were able to win and destroy their enemies.
Because God wanted them destroyed. Killed. Why? Because if they didn't, some of the prisoners would convert the Israelites to turn against God--and that would be bad.
Throughout chapter 7 and chapter 8, Moses summed up their punishment if they did not obey God: their complete demise. Death, in other words.
Even in the face of massive pressure, they were able to win and destroy their enemies.
Because God wanted them destroyed. Killed. Why? Because if they didn't, some of the prisoners would convert the Israelites to turn against God--and that would be bad.
Throughout chapter 7 and chapter 8, Moses summed up their punishment if they did not obey God: their complete demise. Death, in other words.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Ten Commandments
Starting in chapter five of Deuteronomy, Moses told the Israelites about the Ten Commandments that God has given them:
1) You shall have no other gods but the Lord God.
2) Thou shall not make any images or likenesses of idols for worship
3) Shall not take the Lord's name in vain
4) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5) Honor thy father and mother
6) Do not kill
7) Do not commit adultry
8) Do not steal.
9) Do not bear false witness against another
10) Do not covet
In chapter 6, Moses said to the Israelites that the greatest commandment is that the Lord God is our God. He warns against disobeying God, which during their journey had already had poor consequences. Moses said that God will punish those in the third and fourth generations if they disobey, while those who obey will be blessed for hundreds of generations to come.
1) You shall have no other gods but the Lord God.
2) Thou shall not make any images or likenesses of idols for worship
3) Shall not take the Lord's name in vain
4) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5) Honor thy father and mother
6) Do not kill
7) Do not commit adultry
8) Do not steal.
9) Do not bear false witness against another
10) Do not covet
In chapter 6, Moses said to the Israelites that the greatest commandment is that the Lord God is our God. He warns against disobeying God, which during their journey had already had poor consequences. Moses said that God will punish those in the third and fourth generations if they disobey, while those who obey will be blessed for hundreds of generations to come.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Recapping the 40-year journey
In the first four chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses tells explicitly the detailed journey of the last forty years, starting when they left Egypt and ending with their arrival in the lands God had promised His people.
Moses pulled no punches. He told them of every nation they defeated, every King they conquered. He even reminded them of what happened when they crossed God.
He even told the Israelites that because of their deeds, Moses was not allowed into the Promised Land, across the Jordan River, into the land of Canaan.
Moses pulled no punches. He told them of every nation they defeated, every King they conquered. He even reminded them of what happened when they crossed God.
He even told the Israelites that because of their deeds, Moses was not allowed into the Promised Land, across the Jordan River, into the land of Canaan.
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