Luke 3:8

"Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance..."  If we have turned to God, then our lives should be set apart and look different.

Luke 2:19

"But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart."  We would do well to treasure the good news and ponder it in our heart.

Luke 1:68

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people."  I love the sound of "accomplished redemption."  Jesus paid it all...all to Him I owe.

Deuteronomy 34:9

"Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses."  The way Joshua was "filled with the spirit" and the way that Moses "laid his hands on him" jumped out at me.

Hear God's Word and Act On It

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  ‘But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  These are the words of Christ recorded in Luke 6:46-49.

            We are much better off if we hear God’s Word and act on it.  If we don’t act on the Word of God, it is a disaster!  WARNING, IF YOU READ THROUGH JESUS’ WORDS HURRIEDLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE READ THAT BEFORE, THEN YOU MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR JESUS TO SPEAK TO YOU IN A FRESH WAY.  I am mentally convinced and spiritually convicted that I am guilty of rushing through Scripture much of the time.  We all may be guilty of rushing through life without meditating on Scripture as we should according to Jesus.  God’s Word is the seed of life as evidenced in creation and salvation.

            Our “default settings” are not as wise as “God’s Standard” that we find in His Word.  I praise the Lord that we have seen people grow in their desire to study and obey the Word of God.  May that trend continue exponentially?

Deuteronomy 33:29

"Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty!  So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places."  This sounds reassuring to me.  It is great to be the church (the people of God).

Deuteronomy 32:39

"See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life.  I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand."  Don't let me confuse gods with God or idols with God.  He alone is God.

Deuteronomy 31:6

"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you."  With God's presence, we are strong and can be courageous.

Deuteronomy 30:19

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.  So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants."  Life and death are before us.  I pray we choose life in Christ.

Deuteronomy 29:29

"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law."  Praise the Lord for have the revelation of the Word of God.  O that we may observe His Word.

Deuteronomy 28:58

"If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the LORD your God..."  I want to observe God's Word.  He is awesome and worthy of my worship.

Deuteronomy 27:18

"Cursed is he who misleads a blind person on the road.  And all the people shall say, Amen."  It is easy to see the meanness when someone misleads a blind person.  Are we mean in ways that we overlook?

Deuteronomy 26:10

"Now behold, I have brought you the first of the produce of the ground which you, O LORD have given me.  And you shall set it down before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God." I am reminded that we should give our first and our best to the Lord.  Often times, the Lord doesn't get much of our time, money or energy because we tend to give Him our leftovers.

Deuteronomy 25:15

"You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you." I'm reminded of what we hear growing up that 'honesty is the best policy.'

Deuteronomy 24:17

"You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow's garment in pledge."  The Lord obviously wants His people to do justice and look out for the down and out.

Deuteronomy 23:14

"Since the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you."  The Lord's presence is powerful, and we must protect the glory of the Lord among us.

Deuteronomy 22:21, 22, 24

...purge the evil... (three times)  The repetition of these words is a reminder that the Lord does not like sin and evil.  Oh that we might not let sin reign in our lives.

Deuteronomy 21:8

"Forgive your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O LORD, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.  And the blood-guiltiness shall be forgiven them."  Our God is the Redeemer who shed His blood so we can be forgiven.

Deuteronomy 20:4

"For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."  Our greatest enemy is our own sin.  We can see His fight for us on the cross.  I'm grateful for the Savior's love.

Deuteronomy 19:9

"If you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always..."  Only when we love the LORD do we delight in walking in His ways and observing His commands.  When we love Him, we see that our obedience is in our best interest, not to earn anything but to protect ourselves from ourselves.

Deuteronomy 18:2

"They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them."  Can their be anything better to inherit than the LORD?  Let my greatest joy be in my relationship with Him.

Deuteronomy 17:19

"It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes."  Affirmation that modeling consistent Bible intake is a primary call on my life.  Oh that I may hear God's voice and act on God's direction.

Deuteronomy 16:20

"Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you."  Social justice is more than a buzzword.  It is a key teaching throughout Scripture.

Deuteronomy 15:14

"You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you."  Serving the Lord is a blessing.  I am grateful for how the people of Marion Baptist Church take care of me and my family.