Deuteronomy 21:22-23 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.”

CURSED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS

Right here in Deuteronomy we find a fulfillment of Christ. He became accursed for us.  He hung on a tree (the cross) to bear the sins of the entire world.  Isn’t it interesting also, that Jesus was taken off the cross and buried the same day, just as the verse says above?

Jesus came for one purpose – to pay the ransom for man.  He knew the price before He ever left Glory.  He knew the penalty for sin because He is the one who wrote the Law.  He knew when He hung on that cross His Father in Heaven would see Him as accursed.  But He came anyway.  Why?  Because He loves us and wanted us to have access to the kingdom of God.

TEACHING MOMENT

This is a truth that our children must learn.  We, as parents, need to show them the power of paying a debt for someone else.  I am sure you will have the opportunity to do that at some point, if you haven’t already.  Perhaps little Elrod has broken something of someone else and needs to replace it.  He doesn’t have the money, so you step in and pay the debt for him.  There you go – a simple picture of what Christ did for us.

While that example doesn’t capture the magnitude of what Christ did, most children can understand the “forgiveness” of a debt which they do not have the ability to pay.  We also need to show them the joy in which it must be done.  Jesus did not die on the cross begrudgingly.  He came willingly.  He wanted to die for us.

How about you?  For whom have you sacrificed?  I mean, really sacrificed?  Are you willing to let go of something you hold dear for the sake of someone else?  Are you willing to lay it down?

God loves a sacrificial heart.  He loves seeing us dying to ourselves and giving of ourselves to others.  Why don’t you try that today?  Please the Father.

Deuteronomy 20:1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.” 

LOOK WHO’S COUNTING

Moses is giving the people instructions for when they would enter the Promised Land and begin to possess the land.  He knew they would encounter armies much bigger than their own.  But Moses also knew that God counted differently than man.  After all the Trinity is proof – 1+1+1=1.

God wasn’t concerned about the size of any pagan army.  He could just speak and wipe them off the face of the earth.  He did create the world by just speaking, after all.  So, Moses is trying to ease any apprehensions that might have existed.  Trust God.  He’s got this.

TEACHING MOMENT

Your children are going to (if they haven’t already) face things that seem insurmountable.  They will make every excuse in the world why they can’t win or pass or survive.  Read them this verse.  Remind them that the Hebrew children faced a task that seemed impossible.  But God….

Little Johnny or Susie may doubt the power of God in their lives.  If they are believers, they possess the power of the Holy Spirit who can and will guard them and protect them.  He will guide them into making the right decisions – if they will just trust Him.

Are you trusting Him?  Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to dictate your marching orders?  He will not only give you the direction, but He will also personally escort you there.  That’s pretty cool.

So why aren’t we living in the power?  Why do we choose to limit what God can do?  He wants to work wonders in your life.  He doesn’t care about the number or size of your problems.  He’s got this!  Let Him have it!

I Corinthians 9:22b “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I may save some.”

NONOFFENSIVE

I love these verses in I Corinthians 9:19-23.  Paul had all the reasons to boast of his pedigree.  He could have proudly stated his qualifications as a Pharisee and his learning under Gamaliel.  He could have lorded over any new believer and demanded special treatment.  But a funny thing happened on that road to Damascus.  The Lord Jesus stripped him of all that pride.

Now, he just wanted to reach people with the Gospel, no matter what he had to do.  He would eat with the Jews or the Gentiles.  He would sacrifice doing things he knew was “legal” if he thought it might cause a brother to stumble.  We could learn a lot from this passage, if we would.  I have known Christians who were so proud they could strut sitting down.

TEACHING MOMENT

We can’t teach our children this.  It must be learned firsthand.  We can model it, though.  They can watch us give up things for others.  They can see us get down and dirty to pull someone else up.  They can stand next to us as we explain the total inclusiveness of the Gospel to a lost and dying world.

Are there restrictions on how far we can go?  Sure, there are.  There are some groups I can’t or shouldn’t try to reach.  But if the Lord directs me to share with someone, my job is figure out how best to do that.  That may mean getting to know them first and developing that relationship.  You have heard the expression, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

So, are you modeling the behavior for your children that they can emulate?  Are you coaching them in the skills they will need to reach that lost friend?  When is the last time you actually shared the Gospel with someone?  Weeks, months, years?

Come on, fellow believer.  Figure it out!  Allow the Holy Spirit to simply cut loose and speak through you. He will give you the words, just as He gives you the power.  Surrender!

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.”

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Have you ever wondered what it meant to be just?  Well, it simply means to show justice.  Do what is right, according to God, not man.  Man can pervert justice.  Man can change the rules to fit what they want it to say.  But man cannot change what God calls justice.  He is justice.  He demands justice.

And by living that way we are given a promise.  I believe this promise to the Hebrew children, as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land, applies to us well.  We may not be going in to possess a land, but we are promised to live and possess what the Lord is giving us (whatever that is) if we pursue justice.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children don’t learn justice naturally.  Their sinful flesh will always pursue what it wants.  It doesn’t care about others.  But as God comes to live in and through them in the Holy Spirit, justice will win out.  The Holy Spirit will demand it.

Sometimes showing justice (being just) is not comfortable.  Sometimes it will cost us something or even a lot.  But God has promised that if we do what is just He will bless us.

Justice is fair.  Justice is right.  Justice is good.  Whether we believe it or not, justice will make us stronger.  Justice will bring us to look more like Him.  So, why wouldn’t you want to be just and live justly?

How are you doing today with that?  Is there something you could do to correct that?  Of course there is.  Submit to the One who is just.  Let Him guide your every decision.  As a believer, He will guide you in living a just and holy life.  Let Him!

1 Corinthians 7:19 “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.”

IT’S INTERNAL

So many religions focus on the external, what you have to do to be holy.  You have to do this or do that.  You have to look this way and not eat this food.  Paul, who knew all about law keeping, makes it clear that it is NOT about what we can or can’t do.

Don’t forget the fact that this is Paul, the former Pharisee, speaking here.  He was a law abiding Jew before he came face to face with the Lord on the Damascus road.  Paul was confident in his abilities to keep the law and wanted to force everyone else to do the same.  Christ showed him different and then sent him to preach to the very people he had despised.

TEACHING MOMENT

I bet you have rules for your children to follow.  Am I right?  Most of us have house rules.  There is NOTHING wrong with rules.  However, don’t forget that rules are designed to teach, not control.  If your children grow up thinking that rules are their dictator, they will rebel.  If they understand that rules are meant to teach them to be obedient to authority (parents, teachers, bosses, etc), they will appreciate the boundaries they have.

Today, all over the world, we see the two extremes.  On the one hand, young people are rebelling against any kind of authority.  They do not want to be told how to do anything.  They think they should be able to do whatever whenever with whomever they wish.  On the other hand, we have a radical following of Islam that demands obedience or death.  Neither are the answer.

Mom and Dad, be firm with your children as you enforce the rules, but teach them WHY there are rules.  Your children need to know the why behind the what or it doesn’t matter how many rules you have.

Speaking of rules, how many did you break today?  Driving over the speed limit, taking that pen from work, or telling that little “white lie” are all examples of how we stretch things.  We MUST be the model for our children in keeping the rules that are set before us, not to be legalistic, but to be obedient.

The Law Giver demands obedience also.  But He wants us to obey out of love, not fear.  Obey Him today.  Allow Him to teach you through obeying Him.

Deuteronomy 12:32 “”Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.”

PRETTY SIMPLE

Why do we men always think we can assemble any toy or contraption BEFORE we read the instructions?  We have this macho, I-can-do-it mentality that makes us too proud to read the instructions.

I remember back in 1990 or 91 we bought our son, Christopher, one of those Powerwheels.  It was a red jeep with a black top.  It was cool.  It had those big plastic tires.  We just knew he was going to love it.  The problem was it came in a box to be “assembled.”  I was up half the night on Christmas Eve putting that thing together.  After wrestling with it for an hour or so, I finally pulled out the instructions.  There actually was a method to the madness.

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children have to be taught to follow the instructions.  It is still true that we need to be careful to do all the Lord commands.  That’s why we require them to follow our commands and instructions.  We are modeling for them what the Lord requires of them.  If we do not require them to follow our instructions why would we think they would follow God’s?

Too many parents today are so “child focused” that they do not require obedience.  God still does!  When we do not discipline our children and give clear guidelines, we are doing them a disservice.  Of course, our guide to guide them is God’s Word.  And we must also be obedient to Him as a model for our children.

What are you disobeying today?  What are you NOT doing that the Lord has asked you to do?  Are you being careful to follow His commands?  It’s hard sometimes, I know.  We all like to have our own way.  But obedience precedes the joy.

Be obedient today.  Be careful to keep His Word and, thereby, set an example for others.  They are watching!

I Corinthians 5:9-11 “9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not even to eat with such a one.”

HANGING OUT

You have probably heard the expression “If you lay with dogs you are going to get fleas.”  Well…that’s kind of what Paul is saying here.  He is warning us not to associate with “so-called” brothers or sisters.  We have to live in the world, thus we have to be around unbelievers.  But we do NOT have to hang out with those who pretend to be believers.  That is warned against.

Do you know those people?  I hope and pray you aren’t one of them yourselves.  That would not be good for you or the Body of Christ.  We should live in a way that we are above reproach and only bring honor to our Lord.  I, for one, have been that other brother in the past.  Thankfully, the Lord convicted me and has brought me to a place of repentance.

TEACHING MOMENT

This is one truth that our children need to learn.  They must be careful when choosing friends, especially those who say they are believers.  Today many say they believe, but in reality, they just have the appearance of being a believer.  It is easier in some places to say you are a believer just to get people off your back.  That is not what is expected by us.  We must be true to our Lord.

When your children come home and tell you that “so and so” is doing things that you know would bring dishonor to the Lord, counsel your children wisely.  They will learn the skill of friend making from you.

Are you “hanging out” with unbelieving believers?  You too need to be careful.  You don’t want fleas, do you?  Don’t let other “believers” bring you down.  Don’t let their impure thoughts and actions influence you. Don’t let their judgmental attitudes corrupt your walk.

God wants you “flea free.”  Allow Him to direct you to those believers who can walk with you in this life.  They are your true friends.

Deuteronomy 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

HIS OWN

Don’t you remember choosing sides in grade school?  At recess, everyone would gather, two captains were picked, and then they would take turns picking their team.  I always felt sorry for the last one who was picked.  You know how that was, right?  Usually, it was the same kid every time.

Maybe you were that kid.  Or maybe you were the one picking.  It doesn’t matter now, does it?  But back then it was so important.  Aren’t you glad God doesn’t do that.  He chooses ALL OF US!  He wants us ALL on His team.  But we have to be willing to join it.

TEACHING MOMENT

I promise you there is going to come a time when your child is NOT picked for a team.  It could happen early or when they are grown.  But it will happen eventually.  This is the verse to share at such a moment.  They need to know that God will ALWAYS choose them.  He is just waiting for them to say, “Yes Lord, I want to be on Your team.”

Our job as parents is to get them ready to respond to that “choosing.”  We need to help them learn to recognize the voice of God, so when He does “call them” to Himself, they will know it is the Lord.  That means they need to know as much about the Lord as we can tell them.  If we do our part in sharing what the Lord has done in our lives and how He speaks to us, then they will know Him when He speaks.

Are you listening today?  Are you attentive to the voice of the Master?  He has chosen you, or have you forgotten?  You are His special child whom He loves dearly.  He wants to pull you close today and love on you.

Maybe you are listening and are just chomping at the bit to get in the race.  You are saying, “Put me in!  I am ready!”  Don’t worry, when you are ready He will use you.  Just don’t forget that He chose you before the foundation of the earth.  If you have received His Son you are on God’s team which means you are ALWAYS a winner!

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel!  The LORD is our God.  The LORD is One!”

SHEMA YISRAEL

Every Jew knows this verse.  It’s part of their daily prayers.  Our God is One!  There is no other.  It’s kind of like us chanting at a ballgame, “We’re Number One!  We’re Number One!”  But this shout is directed at the world to acknowledge that Jehovah is the One and Only God.

Shouldn’t we be shouting the same thing?  Our God is Number One!  He is the Only One!  He is our Everything!  There is no other god!  Instead, we try to apologize for our God when the world “blames” Him for evil.  We try to make our God politically correct.  Pardon me, but God does not care about being politically correct.  He IS correct, all the time and in every situation.  He is THE Truth!

TEACHING MOMENT

We must teach our children this basic principle.  The following verses in Deuteronomy 6 say that.  Why not have verses written and hanging all over the house?  Put them on the frig.  Put them on the bathroom mirrors.  Challenge your child to memorize one verse a week.  Write it out for them or have them do it if they are able.  Then post it in their room, in their bathroom and even put it in their lunchbox.

The great thing about knowing and believing that God is One is there is no confusion about Who to worship.  Our children need to know that.  There are no worries about offending another “god.”  Unlike other people in the world, we focus all our adoration on our One God who exist in Three!  Our God died for us.  He doesn’t ask us to die for Him.  Our God lives in us.  He is not in some far off place that is unreachable or unachievable.

Are you living today as if you truly believe that God is ONE!  Do you want to have the ONE guiding you?  Why don’t you right now just stop whatever you are doing and thank Him for being ONE?  Thank Him for taking you into His family.  Thank Him for rescuing you from the domain of darkness.

The One thinks you are number one, too!  He gave His Son just for you!  Live like it!

Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

IT’S NOT A BAD THING

Did you know your God is jealous?  In fact, in Exodus 34:14 it reads, “for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”  His NAME IS JEALOUS!!!  Now that’s serious.

But what does that mean?  Does He stalk you like a jealous boyfriend?  Does He call you incessantly if you break up with Him?  Of course not.  He is jealous in that He demands full allegiance.  He wants your full attention.  He does not allow you to “say” you love Him and then flirt with other “gods.”

TEACHING MOMENT

Children need to learn that our Holy God will not allow them to make Him just another interest.  He is not interested in sharing their attention.  He is the ONLY God and requires us to recognize that.  Our children will be bombarded by other religions and their false beliefs.  They will hear from others that there are many gods and many ways to heaven.  There aren’t!

I am sure your children will sooner or later have a jealous moment over a friend.  That’s a perfect time to share this verse.  They will understand the emotions they feel in a jealous moment.  You, as Mom or Dad, need to talk to them about how that type of jealousy is not of God.  But also share with them how God is jealous for them.  He will defend them.  He will cherish them.  They are HIS.

And you?  Are you a jealous type?  Do you get jealous over little things?  Do you get jealous when you see your husband or your wife flirt with someone else?  You should.  You have sole rights to them as their spouse.  God has sole rights to you, too.  Don’t forget it. No other gods before Him.

Recommit yourself to God today.  Thank Him for His selfless love He showed by giving us His Son to die for us.  Let Him feel your love and devotion today.  Hey, why don’t you get jealous for God?