God Speaks
God’s Instructions as to How to Handle Various Situations
Verse of the Day: [May all of God’s adopted children do as He instructed the king.] “. . . he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, [likely the book of Deuteronomy] taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere [fear] the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20 NIV 2011)
Read or listen on BibleGateway.com
Watch TBR Day 076
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Deuteronomy 17-20:
1. What do these verses tell me about God?
2. What do these verses tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Deuteronomy 17 to
1. God calls for our best in our offerings, in worshiping Him alone, in our court system, or among our top government officials.
2. People are often tempted to slight God in their offerings, worship other gods, not exercise wisdom or justice in court, and not lead nations righteously.
Deuteronomy 18
1. God makes provision for His special servants and warns about those who would corrupt His message.
2. People are expected to contribute to the support of those who are serving the LORD.
Deuteronomy 19
1. God is the one who gave the Israelites the Promised Land and the laws they were to follow and obey.
2. People, left to their own inclinations and propensity to sin, will often seek revenge, plot to murder an enemy, lie in court, or steal another’s property.
Deuteronomy 20
1. God expects there will be wars and directs His people as to how to conduct themselves in such cases.
2. People have situations and obligations which could interfere with their serving whole-heartedly as soldiers.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Deuteronomy 17-20?
Dear God who is justice and righteousness, I thank You for giving me the ability to earn money and have possessions that I can return to You in thanksgiving. I determine to serve only You, the true and living God, and to stand strongly against those who serve other gods or pervert Your truth. Help me to support (in any way You direct) those who are striving to purge evil from our land. Thank You for giving us godly leaders in the Christian community as well as in various levels of government. As we pray for and You enable these men and women, we will live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. I pray that the people in positions of power (in all of the areas of influence) will be those You choose. Help them to avoid or turn from amassing for themselves weapons, women (or men), and wealth. Instead, may they (do as You instruct the king in Deuteronomy 17) personally write a copy of the book of Deuteronomy, read it daily, and follow its instructions or principles. This kind of leadership will truly make our nation great and bring You glory.
Dear Father God, You are the only one who truly knows the future. Please show me specifically how I am to support various Christian ministries. I want to live my life with You as my inheritance and most precious treasure. Alert me to the workings of all the different cults and “isms” that would try to draw me away from closely following You. Help me and others to stand up against them. Please expose the “false prophets.” Help me (and my family, friends and nation) to not be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good. May You be glorified in all I do.
Dear awesome LORD, my judge, thank You for making provision for a person who accidentally kills someone else to be protected from the victim’s family taking revenge on them and their loved ones. Thank You that every human life is precious to You; You hold even animals accountable if they kill a human being. Help me to do my part in purging evil from my society as You direct me. Thank You that Jesus paid the penalty for all sin by His suffering and death on the cross. Anyone who truly repents and turns to You in faith will receive Your forgiveness, complete cleansing, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and life with You for eternity even if they die physically for their crime. May each of us who have repented and turned to You in faith bring glory to Your name.
Dear Sovereign LORD, thank You that You know all our circumstances and inclinations. You know all my fears and motivations. Thank You that You are always with me, and You will always give me victory, if I trust You and do as You direct. Help me to listen to and obey the spiritual and physical leaders You put over me (as long as they are following You). May these leaders confront and remove those who are disheartened and/or would discourage others. May I first seek peace with people I meet: help me to strive for common ground and their wellbeing, but if they are belligerent, contentious, or display evil intentions, give me the courage and strength to stand up against and totally defeat them. Show me the fruitful “trees” that I need to preserve and protect for future use. Alert me to the resources You provide for the battles I face. I desire to do everything for Your glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Deuteronomy 17-20?
- I will give a percentage of my earnings to God and His work before anything else.
- I will strongly resist anyone who tries to get me to follow any god except the God of the Bible.
- I will do what Deuteronomy 17:18-20 tells Israel’s king to do: personally write a copy of the book of Deuteronomy, read it daily, and follow its instructions.
- I will inform myself and others of the dangers in the practices listed in Deuteronomy 18:9-14.
- I will seek at least two or three viewpoints on an issue before forming an opinion or making a judgment.
- I will ask someone who truly knows them about the “rules of engagement” followed by my nation’s military.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.