When Jesus freed the demon-possessed man living in the tombs of the Gedarenes, he begged to go with Jesus. But Jesus instructed him to go home and bear witness to “what great things God” had done for him. This was also the instruction Christ gave His disciples before He ascended when He told them to begin in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8). We are still called to begin our Christian witness at our “own house.”
Of the four soils that Jesus described in his parable about receptivity to God’s Word, the thorny soil probably best resembles American hearts. There has never been a generation so blessed with access to the Bible and the gospel message. Yet, American believers have a stunted spiritual maturity. They spend their days distracted by so many worldly things that they fail to focus on the eternal. Are you cultivating the seed of God’s Word or is your spiritual life getting lost in the weeds?
Believers who have gone through a season of poverty depending on the Lord, know His divine care. They have found the Lord’s Word is faithful and that He does not let His people go “begging bread” (Psa. 37:25). God disciplines us to teach us that He is the One to depend on, not our money and possessions. Deut. 8:3 was a favorite passage of Jesus. He quoted it to the devil in Matthew 4:4 when He was tempted to turn the stones to bread. He referred to it in John 4 when He told the disciples that His “food was to do the will of the Father.” Have you learned to trust the Lord’s provision? His Word is better than wealth.
In Deuteronomy, Moses restated the wilderness stories and God’s law to encourage the Israelites to remember and keep their covenant with the Lord. He encouraged them to make God’s Word a daily part of their lives, so that they knew it in their hearts. The above verse is known as the “Shema” (Pronounced “shee-mah,” it means “listen, hear”). It became the centerpiece of the the Jewish morning and evening prayers. Today, you can still hear it sung by the cantor in the synagogue every Sabbath and taught to every Jewish child as a bedtime prayer. “Shema, Yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai echad.” The cantor sings in a lilting baritone, sounding like a cross between singing and chanting. Of course, they substitute the word “Adonai” (Lord) for the actual name of God (“YHWH – Yahweh”) as found in Deuteronomy, because they consider the Name too holy to say. Singing, repeating daily, praying, and memorizing God’s Word can help us know it by heart. Yet, if we want the Word “written” on our hearts, only faith in Christ will move it from stone tablets to circumcised hearts.
My mother used to pray this Psalm of David, reminding God of our plight after my father died. She was a widow with four children to raise alone, yet not alone. For she called on God to keep His promise.
“Be a father to my children and a husband to me.” I would hear her praying in the early morning before the rest of us awoke.
My mother was a wonderful praying example to her children. She understood the power of praying the psalms, letting them give expression to her deepest longings. Have you tried making the book of Psalms your prayer book?
The psalmist prayed that God would show them mercy, blessing and favor, so that they might display the way of salvation to the nations. This prayer aligned with God’s promise to Abraham that through his “offspring all nations would be blessed” (Gen. 22:18). It also borrowed words from the benediction of Aaron, “The Lord bless and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you…” (Num. 6:22-27). Quoting God’s Word and purpose back to Him in prayer is a great basis for bringing your heart into alignment with His. Asking Him to supply your need and show you favor, so that you might fulfill His purpose to bring salvation to the nations, is gospel-centered praying. It is a Great Commission prayer. Do you pray that you and your church will be blessed, so that it may carry the gospel to the nations?
The book of Deuteronomy is a recap of the Israelites’ wilderness journey. It is the fifth and final book of the Torah (“Torah” – Hebrew for “law.” Also referred to as the Books of Moses or the Pentateuch). It’s title comes from the Greek translation, the Septuagint, and literally means “Second Law” (“deutero” – two or second; “nomos” – law). The Hebrews call the book “Devarim,” which means “words,” taken from the opening verse, “These are the words…” Deuteronomy is made up of three sermons that Moses gave to the Israelites to prepare them to finally enter the Promised Land. In these sermons, he reminded them of all that they had learned together in their wilderness wanderings, of God’s laws and God’s promises. For the modern reader, Deuteronomy is a helpful “Cliff’s Notes” version of the previous three books. It also gives insight into how Moses viewed the events recorded previously.
The more that crowds gathered around Jesus, the more often He “withdrew” to pray. Jesus modeled an important rhythm between doing ministry and personal devotion. We recognize the need for food and rest for our physical bodies after exerting work, but we often overlook the need for our souls to be replenished after doing ministry. Do you ever withdraw to pray?
Moses kept a journal of their journey and all that the Lord had done for them. In this, their story was preserved for the generations. Keeping a spiritual journal is faith-building because we can see what God has done in our lives over time. A simple prayer journal that records our requests and God’s responses is an encouragement too. I keep a journal of all of my OYB meditations. Keep a journal and a pen near your Bible. They go well together.
The devil departed from tempting Jesus after three failed attempts. These are the same three temptations to which Adam succumbed. Yet, Jesus overcame them all. The temptation of Adam and Eve began with Satan’s question, “Did God really say?” (Gen.3:1). And so, he introduced the doubt of God’s Word into their minds, making them susceptible to his wiles. So Eve was deceived, deciding that the forbidden fruit “was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise” (Gen.3:6). The apostle John described these three temptations as targeting “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Satan tempted Jesus and Adam with the same three tests: 1) The flesh (Adam: fruit; Jesus: bread), 2) the eyes (Adam: pleasant; Jesus: glory), 3) the pride (Adam: wisdom like God’s; Jesus: prove you’re the Son of God). While Adam doubted God’s Word, Jesus answered all three of Satan’s tests with quotations from God’s Word. Satan still uses the same bag of tricks today, but we can learn from Christ’s example and depend on His power to overcome temptation as He did. As the psalmist said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11). In Christ, we are overcomers.