Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 8

 Chapter 8

Remember the Lord Your God

1 “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Sin in Time

 What is sin? 

I walked more than 3637 feet on the Sabbath. Did I Sin? I ate meat on Friday. Did I Sin? I drank an adult beverage this past Weekend. Did I Sin? The world says this or that is ok; however, I hear from my religious friend that this or that is a sin. How do I know? Who is telling me the truth, and who is lying to me?

My friend even scared me by reading this passage to me.

“How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? We know it is He who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. “ Hebrews 10:29-31

I have accepted Christ and have been "born again." According to the Word, I am a new creation. However, I am not perfect, and I will still sin. How can I discern what constitutes true sin? Let's explore this topic together today. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before You today with all our praise, glory, and thanksgiving. We thank You for sending Your Son to die for our sins so that we may be forgiven. We are grateful for the opportunity to approach You, delve into Your Word, and grow in wisdom and understanding of what You desire for us. We ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to comprehend Your Word and Your intentions for our lives. We ask this in Yeshua’s name. Amen!

Of course, you are going to sin. Turn to Romans 3. Start at verse 21

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at present, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26

Read that one part again. Christ came, why? “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Does this mean that since He came and since He died for us, we no longer sin? Of course not.

“If we... Who are we? Us. Saved people. “Say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

This is why it is crucial to comprehend this passage. Turn to Romans 5:6

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

Again, highlight it, underline it, know it. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” So, all sin, whether saved or unsaved, should beg six main questions.

What is sin?
What is the difference between saved and unsaved, if all sin?
What is the evolution of morals?
Does God change with the times?
How can you remain steadfast?

These are what we will be talking about in this series entitled “Sin in Time.” Let's start with “What is sin?”

Of course, we know the “big ten.” Is that all though? Look how Yeshua answered this question from the young rich man. Matthew 19:16-22

“And behold, a man came up to him, saying, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?"

Now read this next part carefully with me. Look how He phrases this.

“Jesus said to him, 'If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

He was asked what the young man had to do. He answered and said, in essence, sin not. He told the truth. He had not sinned against these. If he had, I’m sure that Jesus would have pointed it out. 

However, He said, “If you were perfect.” In other words, you are okay; however, if you want to be perfect, you want more blessings and freedom, and you want to grow closer to me, then give up the world and follow me.

The man was attempting to live sin-free; he was doing ok for the most part, but he still lived in and loved the world. He was still sinning even though he was trying to be perfect. Say it with me: without God, it is impossible.

Remember, money and riches are very powerful idols in many people’s lives.

“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Luke 16:13

What is sin?

Have no other God; love nothing in your life more than God. Put God first- pretty self-explanatory. If you do not love God, you will not accept Him and His Will and Way. You can not be His child if you hate Him. Nothing else will matter after this: idolatry, taking His name in vain, forgetting the Sabbath. You will commit all these sins if you do not love Him. Not honoring your father and mother is a sin. Murdering an innocent life is a sin. Having an affair is a sin. Stealing? Of course. Lying and bearing false witness against someone? Sin.

Is seeking what the neighbor has, and desiring to have the same? Keeping up with the Joneses? Is this a sin unto death? Yes. If you covet, or greatly desire, what your neighbor has, it can lead to stealing, adultery, and even murder.

Then you have this category, if you will. Sin that does not lead to death.

“All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.” 1 John 17

Also, here in the Word, we read this.

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17

To put it extremely plainly, whatever is not of God is sin. Believe it or not, you cannot walk the fence. You really cannot. Turn to one of my favorite chapters in the Word of God, Romans 8. Starting at verse 5

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

When you set your mind on the flesh, you accept, expect, desire, and produce the works of the flesh. Worse than that, you see nothing wrong with them. Turn with me if you would like to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

When you are in the flesh, you will produce these things and you will do these things. In Galatians 5:19-21, it spells out what the works of the flesh truly are.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

When you seek after these things long enough, God will give you up to them. Romans 1:24-32 Some will, and He will allow you, to find a false church that teaches the things you want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:2-5. This, however, does not mean it is true or good. Just because someone wears a collar or calls themselves a teacher, pastor, or priest, does not mean that they are. If what they teach is not in here, or is contrary to this (Holding up the Bible,) then they are a false teacher.

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Sin is anything that is not of God. If I am an Alcoholic, it is a sin for me to drink. Not a sin for you, but for me. Why? My love of drink is greater than my love of God. An Alcoholic can not drink just one; they get drunk. The Word does not say thou shalt not drink. It says, You shall not be drunk. When you get drunk, you lose your senses and control. You give yourself over to the feelings, and it takes away reasoning. It can lead to other sins, which can lead to the death of yourself and others. If I am not an Alcoholic, is it a sin for me to drink an adult beverage at a social gathering, or have a beer after a long day at work? No.

What about this eating of meat on Fridays? Sin? No. What about eating Pork? No. God says anything received with thanksgiving is made clean. Should you eat Pork 24/7? Of course not. It is not good for you. In time, it can even make you sick. But sin? No.

Is it a sin for me to pass by someone in need, who can help, and choose to do nothing? Yes. Why? Because Jesus said so. But for someone who has never heard the Truth, is it a sin for them to do nothing? No. Why? Because they don’t know any better. In my case, choosing to do nothing becomes a sin.

Simply put, when one is attempting to decipher what sin is, sin is to know the right thing to do and fail to do it. That is a sin. Do not be misled, as a child of God, you are not without sin. However, you have the authority and the ability to overcome all sin..

Now that you are a child of God, you can ask forgiveness for any sin you commit today. If you do, "He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Do not be misled, though. Just because you have been saved, it does not give you the right to sin willingly, knowing that you will be forgiven. He will not be used as a ticket to Sin. 

God knows your heart. He knows your mind. He can not be tricked or fooled. His grace abounds much more than our sin. You WILL sin. It's Human Nature. But be of good cheer. Your Father loves you, is with you, and will never forsake you, as long as you do not forsake Him.

Have you been adopted? If not, say this prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!

"That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. Now you should find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, ask questions, or just say hi, the email is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

The Book of Deuteronomy chapter 7

 Chapter 7

A Chosen People

1 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, 2 and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. 3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire.

6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 10 and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. 11 You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today.

12 “And because you listen to these rules and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love that he swore to your fathers. 13 He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you. 14 You shall be blessed above all peoples. There shall not be male or female barrenness among you or among your livestock. 15 And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you. 16 And you shall consume all the peoples that the Lord your God will give over to you. Your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.

17 “If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?’ 18 you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, 19 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. 20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send hornets among them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you are destroyed. 21 You shall not be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. 22 The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. 23 But the Lord your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed. 24 And he will give their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name perish from under heaven. No one shall be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them. 25 The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God. 26 And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.

Permission Over Forgiveness

 Ask God first. 

As a child of God, you are now in a unique position. You see, we read things like this.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

We read and understand that this is also true.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

So I guess, we should just go on and live our lives, knowing we will mess up, and He is “faithful and just” and will forgive us daily. Right? I do not believe that this is the case. This is what we will discuss today. First, let us pray. 

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we give you praise and glory for you are the Alpha and the Omega, the Creator of all there is, was, or ever will be. We thank you for life to life everlasting and all stops in between. We come before you today to enter your Word, your Holy Bible, and we pray that we do not only read it, but that it feeds our spirit. We pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to understand your truth and revelations. We ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

If this is your first time hearing the name Yeshua, it is the name of The Christ. Jesus is a translation from the original language, and some argue that it is a poor one at that. Yet I’m sure He knows you are talking to Him or about Him if you call Him Jesus. After all, that is the name the Bible calls Him. 

There is a very strong distinction between seeking permission and begging forgiveness, especially as a child of God. We should not be following the world. The world says this. "It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission." Yet we read this in our Father’s Word

“The integrity of the upright guides them,
But the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” Proverbs 11:3

Also this.

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

 but a wise man listens to advice.” Proverbs 12:15

“Yes, my brother, but you know we're gonna sin. It is better to just ask forgiveness and move on. Praise the Lord.”

Over and over again, we see that God encourages us to prioritize seeking wisdom and doing what is right from the outset, rather than relying on forgiveness as a post-action remedy. While forgiveness is a core tenet of the Christian faith, it should not be used as a premeditated excuse for poor choices. As Peter teaches us in 1 Peter 2:16

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.”

You should never look at your salvation or the Grace of God as a license to sin. Ever. Seeking counsel and wisdom before making decisions aligns with God's desire for us to live righteously. Remember, God chooses obedience over sacrifice.

“And Samuel said,
"Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to listen than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

God's preference for His children is obedience and adherence to His commands, rather than simply seeking forgiveness after wrongdoing. We read this in 1 John 1:6-7

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Living in the light means whatever you do will be seen by all. Not just God, but all. What do you think Yeshua said this?

“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." John 3:20-21

Also, consider this: seeking permission demonstrates respect for the relationship between you and God, your heavenly Father. Just as you used to ask for permission from your earthly father or mother, God desires you to approach Him in the same way. He has already provided you with most of the answers you will ever need right here. {Holding up the Bible} If what you see, hear, or wonder about, whatever someone tells you, is not found here, or if it contradicts this, then it is a lie. In most, if not all, cases, it is a sin.

If you do not have this {Holding up the Bible} as a foundation, if you do not know the Truth, you may and most likely will believe the lies. This is why we are told this.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

 The world will lie to you. They will tell you sin is good and good is sin.

 “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

The wisdom of this world is foolishness. Nonsensical confusion at best. God warned us of this in His Word as well.

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20

The world will tell you to follow your heart. God tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things. The world will tell you that it is always all about you. God tells you it is seldom about you. The world will tell you to be a leader and to rule your world. God says, to be great is to be a servant.

You are a child of God. If a child, then you are a co-heir with Christ Himself. Your Daddy is the great “I Am.” Your Father, if you do not like the word Daddy, is the Creator of all that is, was, or will ever be. He will end all you see and bring a new everything. Guess what, you will be right there with Him.

Now, am I saying that we, as children of God, do not sin? No, of course not.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

It is important to distinguish that when we fall short, true repentance is necessary. True repentance involves more than merely saying sorry; it represents a change of heart that results in a change in action.

You shouldn't sin first and then think you can ask for forgiveness; instead, you should first consider whether you have permission to act in the first place. If you know something is not right in God's eyes, why would you do it? Rather than flirting with sin, learn to fall in love with God. You should desire to grow closer to Him each moment, rather than seeking more ways to draw near to evil.

God desires the same relationship with you that you have or had with your earthly family. Not just an hour a week, whenever you feel like it, or only if nothing else is happening. He wants you to engage with Him 24/7. Love Him. Trust Him. Follow His plans. He longs for you to be His child and for Him to be your Father.

There is only one way to do this. Yeshua. Is He your Father? Are you His child? Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 6

 Chapter 6 

The Greatest Commandment

1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in 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 and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

10 “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— 15 for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers 19 by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has promised.

20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’

Stewardship - Money

 Stewardship - Money, Time, Ability

We will conclude our series with Part C of our sub-series, Stewardship - Money and Time. I know, I know, I can see some of you cringe. I said the “M” word. Whenever some people see a Pastor, Minister, Reverend, Evangelist, or whatever, with a mic in one hand and a hand stretched out, they get downright angry, turn off, or may even walk out or shut off the TV. Why?

Now, is there abuse in the church? Of course. Are there pastors and church officials who will take your money and use it for their own gain? Yup. Just like bad doctors, police officers, drug company CEOs, whatever, there are bad pastors and administrators in the family of God. A lot of them can be seen on TV. 

Does that change any of the reasons we need to tithe and give offerings? Nope. You are obligated to tithe. If that pastor is misusing the tithes, that is between him and God. Nothing you could ever do could compare to what God can and will do to a deceitful person using Him and His church for selfish gain.

Is tithing and giving offerings biblical and still applicable? Yes. This is what we will be discussing today. Don’t shut down on me. Don’t get mad. Let us pray.

“Father, we come before you today, and we give you praise and thanksgiving for our lives to life everlasting, and all stops in between. We will be entering your Word today, and we pray that you will help us to understand the truth of your Word. We pray that we understand this concept that you have laid before us. This command that you have given us. If there is anything in our being that hinders us from receiving this message, we pray that you remove it far from us and give us a cheerful heart. We thank you and ask you this in Yeshau’s name. Amen.”

God did not create our monetary system; we did. If we were discussing the days of Malachi, we would mainly be talking about the harvest: fruits, grains, animals, etc. However, fast forward to today, and the power company does not want your pig. No, today we deal with money. Nonetheless, we have been handling money for a long time. God does not need our money, so why are we told we need to give to the local church?

First, it is not yours to begin with. God gives it all to you. What you do with it matters. If you have your Bible, turn with me to Matthew 25:14-30

"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”

God supplies you with what you need and what you need to serve Him. He is perfect in every way and all ways. He gives you the perfect ability to complete His purpose and plans for your life.

“He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.”

Sadly, the last describes a lot of Christians. I got mine. I'm saved. Seriously. If you say you are "a child of God" and yet you do nothing but show up and listen to the pastor and go home, what do you accomplish for God?

“Now, after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.'”

Stop here for a second. Notice how the faithful servant “came forward.” I bet he could not wait. Why? As Yeshua tells us

“But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." John 3:21

Back to Matthew 25, verse 21

“His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours. “

If we were to put it into today's language, “Who am I to share the Bible? I'm not a minister. What do I know?” Read your Bible. “I have no time to do what God is asking me to do.” What are you placing in a more important place in your life than God? Make the time. “I do not have enough money. I can barely pay the bills.” Tithe anyway. Give offerings anyway. Stop making excuses and do what God is asking you to do.

“But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:14-30

Do not be a disobedient servant. James 2:15-17 says this.

"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."

God loved you so much that He created you in His image and set up a plan for you to be reconciled to Him through the coming, suffering, death, and resurrection of Him in the flesh. He wants you to have a life of abundance, and He wants to be your Father.

However, He cannot, nor will He tolerate a sinful, dishonest, and selfish servant. One who is disobedient to Him and His Word. So why is this tithe thing a thing?

“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10

We read this in Malachi 3

“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” Malachi 3:8-10

Instead of bringing in grains, cows, chickens, milk, honey, fruits, and veggies, today's modern church needs money to

1- Pay Bills. Lights, heat, AC. ETC.

2- To buy grains, cows, chickens, milk, honey, fruits, and veggies, AKA food, and meet the needs of those less fortunate.

3- To meet the needs of the pastor. The pastor should not be part-time. He should not be in need and worrying about where his next meal will come from. He should be spending his time in the Word, in prayer, and in caring for others.

Remember the Word declares, “The laborer deserves his wages.” And, “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” Electricity is not free. Heat is not free. Food is not free. The pastor's needs are not free. Again, not in God's system, but rather in ours.

God promises us that if we do tithe, we will never have to worry about that 90 percent. That it will go farther than that, 100 percent ever will. That if we bless others, by blessing the church, God will bless us in all things. God does not promise that we will hit the lottery tomorrow, but in life itself, we will live abundantly. As children of God, we must do this.

Just to be clear, a tithe is ten percent. An offering is anything more than ten percent. For example, if you make $1000.00 a paycheck, your tithe is $100.00. Not $90.00. Not $20.00. Not $120.00. Your tithe IS $100.00. If you choose to, or God puts it on your heart, to give $120.00, then $100.00 is your tithe, and $20.00 is your offering.

Tithes and offerings ensure that the needs of all of God's children are met: food, clothing, shoes, and shelter. This also includes meeting the needs of the church, the pastor, and the congregation. So, the next time you give, do not give out of obligation. Is it? Yes. Do not give with expectation. Does God lie? No. Will He bless you? Of course. However, God is not a get-rich-quick scheme. When you give, do not do so out of obligation or expectation; rather, give out of love.

Remember, we should not be working solely for ourselves. This is one that many have a hard time with. I worked hard for that money. It's my money. Well?

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." Ephesians 4:28

Read that again. "Let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." Say "so that." To give. We should be working for the betterment of others. We should be striving to be blessed, so that we may bless others.

It is not about us. God blessed us with a job. We need to tithe the money that God gave us. God gave us life. To life everlasting. Why not tithe the time God gave us? Remember this?

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24

Be a good and faithful servant. You are responsible for yourself. You are responsible for being the child of God that God is calling you to be. Yes. You are responsible for yourself, for others, and you are called to be a good steward in all things God has entrusted to you.

Do you know Yeshua, or Jesus, as your Savior? If you are not a child of God. There is no better time. Today is the day, now is the time. 

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 5

 Chapter 5

The Ten Commandments

1 And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. 4 The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, 5 while I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:

6 “‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

7 “‘You shall have no other gods before me.

8 “‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 9 You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

11 “‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

12 “‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16 “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “‘You shall not murder.

18 “‘And you shall not commit adultery.

19 “‘And you shall not steal.

20 “‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

21 “‘And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.’

22 “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 And as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. 24 And you said, ‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live. 25 Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? 27 Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’

28 “And the Lord heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever! 30 Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you the whole commandment and the statutes and the rules that you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.’ 32 You shall be careful therefore to do as the Lord your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.

Stewardship, Sowing the Seed

Sowing the Seed 

Hello. Welcome. We will continue our sub-series on good stewardship with Part B: Responsibility in Sowing the Seed. Did you know that as a child of God, you ARE a sower of the Seed? You should be a teller of truth and a shower of the way. Do you understand that you may be the only “Jesus” some people will ever see? What are you doing with this vastly important task of stewardship? Let us pray.

"Heavenly Father, Lord God, we come before You today to give You all the praise and glory we can. We desire to learn and grow in Your Word and as Your children. As we delve into Your Word, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand Your Word and Your ways. We ask this in Yeshua’s mighty name. Amen!"

Do you fully understand what this means?

“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” Romans 8:8-9

This?

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:15-17

This also?

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Colossians 3:9-10

As a child of God, you should be obedient in all things this {Holding up the Bible} tells us, as children of God, what God, our Father, expects of us. Of course, to do this, we must read this.

We are going to get to the “Great Commission” in just a moment. However, I want you to consider two things. First, you exist. God "hast possessed your reins: God hast covered you in your Mother's womb." "Your substance was not hidden from God when you were made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. God's eyes did see your substance, yet being unperfect; and in God's book all your members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."

You are you. Why? Because God made you, you. You are as tall as you are. You are male or female. Yes, you are male or female. God does not make mistakes. You are black or white. You have blonde hair, or brown, or red. God made you who you are. You were "fashioned" as God saw fit. He even took the time to number the hairs on your head. There is only one of you, and God knows everything about you. He loves you.

Second, think about this. Who were you before? Before the Spirit of Adoption. Before Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated, called you and saved you? Where were you in life? Where were you heading? I seriously want you to think about this. You WERE on your way to Hell.

Hell?

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:46

“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.” 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Hell is a very real place, folks. Do not be deceived.

“And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Revelation 14:11

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

Hell is a real place—a very real place. You deserve to be there. You were on your way there. Reflect on that. Forget everything else. Nothing else can compare to what was waiting for you. Given these two facts, you should be willing to do whatever God asks. What could be more important than that? As Jesus told us in Mark 8:36-38

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Then he gave us what has come to be called “The Great Commission.” Turn to the last chapter of Matthew. Matthew 28.

“And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Do you remember Christmas morning? When you were a kid, you asked for {Incert whatever here}. Then you impatiently waited until Christmas morning when you woke up and found it under the tree? What did you do? You could not wait to show it off to everyone and anyone who would look or listen.

God gave you two of the greatest gifts you have ever received. Life and forgiveness of sin, which will lead to life everlasting. Why would you NOT want to tell everyone and anyone who will look and listen? 

You are a sower of the Seed? What is the Seed?

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11

We have that obligation. If we do not, then we should not expect any more blessings from God. "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." God blesses us to be a blessing to others.

God gives us the gift of salvation. He gives us His Word. He blesses us richly in all ways. He says to us, "Occupy till I come." We should go out and share the Gospel. We share our testimonies. We teach others the Truth according to God, and not of Man. Show them that not only is there a better way, but there is only one way, and His name is Yeshua.

God fills you to be ready to share with others. The more you do, the more God needs to fill you. You share the Wisdom of His Word, and God gives you more wisdom to share. You bless others, you, in turn, become blessed. What good does it do to receive if you do nothing with it?

But who am I? I can't do this. I'm no Preacher. I do not know diddly. Why would God want me? To tell people they are Sinners and need Repentance and Salvation? Who am I?"

God knows who you are because He created you. He is aware of everything you have done. However, when you accepted His gift of salvation and embraced the Spirit of adoption, all your past mistakes were wiped clean. Consider Saul, who is now known as Paul. What have you done in your life that God cannot forgive? The answer is nothing.

As a Child of God, you have an obligation to share the Truth. Not everyone will accept it; some may even resent you for it. However, this does not change your responsibility. You should fulfill your duty, and God will handle the rest. The people with whom you share the Truth may choose to listen or not, may accept it or not, and ultimately, their salvation is between them and God, just as your salvation is between you and God. You are obligated to sow the seed; God is responsible for the harvest.

Do not think that “I got mine, I’m good.” Do not think, I said a prayer, and now I can live however I want. Do not sit and remain silent. Think about what God did for you. Tell others what He can, and will do it for them as well.

Join us next time for Part C- Responsibility for money. I can see some of you cringe already. I guess I will see you in two weeks. Everyone else, come and learn how God tells us to be good stewards with our finances.

If you have not already done so, and you are ready to be forgiven and adopted into His family, say this prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. Let us pray.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

The Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 4

 Chapter 4

Moses Commands Obedience

1 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal-peor, for the Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor. 4 But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today. 5 See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

9 “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children— 10 how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ 11 And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. 12 Then the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. 13 And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14 And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules, that you might do them in the land that you are going over to possess.

Idolatry Forbidden

15 “Therefore, watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, 16 beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. 19 And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. 20 But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day. 21 Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. 22 For I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you shall go over and take possession of that good land. 23 Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

25 “When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed. 27 And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. 28 And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.

The Lord Alone Is God

32 “For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. 33 Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? 34 Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35 To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. 36 Out of heaven, he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth, he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. 37 And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, 38 driving out before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day, 39 know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 40 Therefore, you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

Cities of Refuge

41 Then Moses set apart three cities in the east beyond the Jordan, 42 that the manslayer might flee there, anyone who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without being at enmity with him in time past; he may flee to one of these cities and save his life: 43 Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

Introduction to the Law

44 This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel. 45 These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the rules, which Moses spoke to the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt, 46 beyond the Jordan in the valley opposite Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the people of Israel defeated when they came out of Egypt. 47 And they took possession of his land and the land of Og, the king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who lived to the east beyond the Jordan; 48 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, as far as Mount Sirion (that is, Hermon), 49 together with all the Arabah on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.