Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

May 12
Monday


WORDS to
LIVE BY

READ:
Deuteronomy 4:1-9
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Surely I have taught
you statutes and
judgments...that you
should act according
to them.
__Deuteronomy 4:5
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For many years I've maintained a file folder labeled "Speaking." It has become thick with articles, quotations, and illustrations that might be useful. Recently I went through it to discard things that are out of date. I found it difficult to throw away many of the items, not because I haven't used them in a talk but because I haven't put them into practice. I closed the folder thinking, "These aren't words to talk about; these are words to live by."

After 40 yeas in the desert, Moses addressed the people poised to enter the Promised Land: "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you" (Deut. 4:1). Moses' repeated theme (vv.1,2,5,6,9) is that God's commandments are to be kept. He said it well, "Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments...that you should act according to them" (v.5).

It is so easy to talk about doing more than we actually do and to speak about truth we're not living by. We can become bloated with words, yet starved for reality, forgetting that all of God's commands flow from His heart of love for us.
__David McCasland

````````````````Help us, Lord, not to be just hearers of the Word;```````````````````
````````````````help us to be doers as well. Teach us to be honest```````````````````
`````````````````with ourselves about who we really are. We want```````````````````
``````````````````to walk in Your ways and to guide others to You.```````````````````
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The strength of our actions
should match the strength of our words.

************************Today's Bible Reading __ Deuteronomy 4:19******************************

1 Now, O Israel, listen to
the statutes and the
judgments which I teach
you to observe, that you
may live, and go in and
possess the land which the
LORD God of your fathers is
giving you. 2 you shall not
add to the word which I
command you, nor take
from it, that you may keep
the commandments of the
LORD your God which I
command you....

5 Surely I have taught you
statutes and judgments, just
as the LORD my God
commanded me, that you
should act according to
them in the land which you
go to possess. 6 therefore
be careful to observe them;
for this is your wisdom and
your understanding in the
sight of the peoples who
will hear all these statutes,
and say, "Surely this great
nation is a wise and
understanding people."

7 For what great nation is
there that has God so near
to it, as the LORD our God
is to us, for whatever reason
we may call upon Him?

8 And what great nation is
there that has such statutes
and righteous judgments as
are in all this law which I
set before you this day?

9 Only take heed to
yourself, and diligently
keep yourself, lest you
forget the things your eyes
have seen, and lest they
depart from your heart all
the days of your life. And
teach them to your children
and your grandchildren.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Far from being a burden, the commands God gave to the Israelites were
life-giving. They outlined a life lived in response to His love. In today's
text, Moses reminded the Israelites that the commands were for their
wisdom and understanding (v.6). The result of living by the words of the
Lord would be that nations around them would recognize the one
true God (vv.7-8).