Deuteronomy 10:6-22; Luke 8:16-21; Psalms 70:1-5; Proverbs 17:24-25

OT: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all his ways, to love him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good. The heavens, indeed the highest heavens, belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it… Therefore, circumcise your hearts and don’t be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing.” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭10:12-14, 16-18‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Moses, who received the Law from God and transferred it to the people… Moses, who probably understood the Law and its intent more fully than any other man, sums up everything in this one sentence: fear the Lord your God, walk in His ways, love Him, and worship Him with all your heart and soul. His charge to the people and to us is, “don’t be stiff-necked any longer.” The holy and awesome God of the universe is merciful to us and especially gracious to the vulnerable… so don’t play with fire and don’t tease a ferocious lion. Listen to and obey God’s words and carefully live according to His ways… and love, honor, and respect the Lord completely.

NT: “No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light. For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and brought to light. Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:16-18‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Jesus spoke this warning after He told and explained the parable of the sower – that the few people who produce good fruit with their lives are those who not only hear the words of the Lord, but listen, embrace, obey, and apply the words of the Lord. When Jesus said “take care how you listen,” He was saying to consider, contemplate, weigh carefully, examine, and experientially come to understand. We shouldn’t treat the words of the Lord carelessly or with contempt. We need to give them weight. We need to allow them to influence our lives and put them into practice. While we hide God’s word in our hearts, we don’t hide the impact and influence His words have on our lives. The whole purpose for bearing fruit is to feed others and multiply. The whole purpose for radiating light is to help others to see. If we are faithful to apply and use the words spoken to us to transform us and impact others, then we will be given more and more. If we fail to apply what we have heard and fail to multiply what we have received, then the little that we have received will dissipate and will not be renewed.

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:5; Luke 8:4-15; Psalms 69:32-36; Proverbs 17:23

NT: “As a large crowd was gathering, and people were coming to Jesus from every town, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky devoured it. Other seed fell on the rock; when it grew up, it withered away, since it lacked moisture. Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground; when it grew up, it produced fruit: a hundred times what was sown.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen… This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing. As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. But the seed in the good ground — these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:4-8, 11-15‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Producing good fruit is a constant theme in the New Testament. That is something that we cannot do on our own. Just as a briar bush can’t produce produce grapes, a sinful life can’t produce good fruit. Jesus taught in John 15 that the way that we produce good fruit is to abide in Him (the vine) and allowing His words to abide in us. As Jesus looked over the large crowd that was gathering around Him, He told this parable. There are many who may come to Him out of curiosity. They may hear of His works and want to see if the claims are true… to see if His teachings are palatable to them… or to perhaps experience a miracle in their own lives. Though many may come to Him and hear His words, few actually listen to His words and fully receive them into their lives. Only those who not only receive His words, but endure in holding on to them through the trials of life, and don’t get distracted from them by the cares of the world will produce good and bountiful fruit. How do we treat the Lord’s words? Do we reject His words straight away? Do we only accept the words that align with our way of thinking and reject the rest? Do we let go of His words when times get tough and rely on our own understanding instead? Do we allow our lives to become full of mixture where His words can’t get firmly rooted? Or do we fully embrace His words and trust them completely – believing that His words are truly the words of life? Lord, search me – know me – show me… and when You show me, give me the grace to respond in loving obedience to You.

Deuteronomy 8:1-20; Luke 8:1-3; Psalms 69:19-31; Proverbs 17:22

OT: “Be careful that you don’t forget the Lord your God by failing to keep his commands, ordinances, and statutes that I am giving you today. When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in, and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, be careful that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flint rock for you. He fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your ancestors had not known, in order to humble and test you, so that in the end he might cause you to prosper. You may say to yourself, ‘My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,’ but remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm his covenant he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods to serve them and bow in worship to them, I testify against you today that you will certainly perish.” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭8:11-19‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Time and time again throughout history, men and women who start out with very little and rise through the ranks to become successful, end up becoming corrupted by their success and succumb to a proud heart. The pride of life is so deadly. We so much want to take credit for our accomplishments – to say that we did it. It is even more toxic in Western culture where the individual is hallowed higher than a fellowship. That’s probably one of the main reasons why the works and witness of the gospel grows cold in the prosperous first world. Early in the foundations of our nation, our founders trusted in and depended on God for everything. There are countless stories of how the Lord miraculously intervened as early leaders humbled themselves and sought the Lord for guidance. Not to mention the waves of revival that spread through the land in key moments of history to shift our collective focus back to the Lord. Yet, how quick we are to turn away from the Lord once we have everything we need – when our prosperity and possessions blind us to our inability to create and sustain the life that produced our blessedness. That is why the Apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (‭‭I John‬ ‭2:15-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) Lord, help me, by your Holy Spirit, to not forget that all good things come from You… that it was and is You who causes me to truly prosper in eternal things… that apart from You, I can do nothing of lasting and eternal value. Help me to not succumb to the pride of life, but to always foster a humble heart completely yielded and dependent on You.

Deuteronomy 7:1-26; Luke 7:36-50; Psalms 69:14-18; Proverbs 17:19-21

NT: “Then one of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him — she’s a sinner!” Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He said, “Say it, teacher.” …Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” …And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:36-40, 44-48, 50‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Simon the Pharisee was curious about Jesus and wanted to take a closer look, so he invited Jesus to his home to share a meal. The woman, on the other hand, believed that Jesus was her only hope. Both had seen Jesus around town. Simon heard of His miracles and his reputation for fraternizing with the undesirable crowds. The woman knew Him as a man who not only walked in great power and authority, but also great compassion and mercy. While externally, it appeared that it was Simon who had welcomed Jesus into his life, it was actually the sinful woman. Simon, though he brought Jesus a little closer out of curiosity  held Him at a safe distance. The woman, on the other hand, completely embraced Jesus and poured her life out to Him as an expression of gratitude and adoration. The sinful woman, because of her faith, was a sinful woman no longer. She left that house saved, forgiven, and free. How do we treat Jesus? Do we invite Him in for a visit… maybe try Him out for a little while to see if He works? And then when He doesn’t cater to our wishes, reject Him and cast Him out? Or do we come to Him in complete faith and lay our lives and reputations before Him, knowing that He is our only hope? It is whole hearted faith, not half-hearted curiosity that leads to salvation and transformation.

Psalms: “Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink. Let me be rescued from those who hate me and from the deep water. Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me or the deep swallow me up; don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, Lord, for your faithful love is good. In keeping with your abundant compassion, turn to me. Don’t hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly! Come near to me and redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭69:14-18‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

David was a man who placed his faith completely on the Lord. He wasn’t half-hearted in his devotion to the Lord. He didn’t keep some idols to the side just in case the Lord didn’t come through for him. He also didn’t keep the Lord in a compartmentalized area of His life for use only in times of emergency. No, he was completely devoted to the Lord and relied completely on Him. He knew and trusted in God’s faithful love and abundant compassion. When troubles surrounded him… when he was waist deep in muck and couldn’t get unstuck, he didn’t keep his options open and pray to the Lord plus others. He cried out to the Lord and trusted that the Lord would deliver him and save him. Because of his faith and devotion, David was saved – time and time again.

Deuteronomy 5:32-6:25; Luke 7:24-35; Psalms 69:1-13; Proverbs 17:17-18

OT: “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates… Be careful not to forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Fear the Lord your God, worship him, and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you… The Lord commanded us to follow all these statutes and to fear the Lord our God for our prosperity always and for our preservation, as it is today. Righteousness will be ours if we are careful to follow every one of these commands before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:4-9, 12-14, 24-25‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He referenced this passage in Deuteronomy. Jesus replied that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. John the Apostle went on later to say that they way that we show our love to God is by obeying His commandments. Those that love and honor the Lord will obey the things that He has said… and for us to be able to obey what He has said, we must first listen. And after listening, we must not forget. Moses made sure he had the peoples attention and he said ”Listen!” We can’t just let the words we hear go in one ear and out the other. We need to meditate on them and get them into our hearts as convictions instead of rolling around in our minds as ideas. They should be present in everything that we think (foreheads) and motivating everything that we do (hands). The words, will, and ways of God should stand as sentries, guarding what we allow into our homes, and frame all of the governmental and business dealings of our cities. It is not enough to just honor God’s words, will, and ways ourselves. If we truly love and care for our offspring, we will teach them to our children and our posterity – making sure that they listen and don’t forget as well. If we endeavor to listen to the words of God, discipline ourselves to not forget, teach them to our kids, and actually apply the words of God to our lives through action; we will be preserved, we will prosper, and righteousness will be ours.

NT: “I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he… To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other: We played the flute for you, but you didn’t dance; we sang a lament, but you didn’t weep! For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:28, 31-35‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Of all the prophets that had come and gone since man had walked the earth, John the Baptist was the greatest of all – for he was the prophet that prepared the way for the first coming of the King. Yet, even the least of those who are blood-bought citizens of the Kingdom are greater than John the Baptist, for we are able to, through the Holy Spirit, walk in the full power and authority of the Kingdom and prepare the way for the King’s second coming. As great as John the Baptist’s words were, people still refused to listen. The same was true of Jesus’ good news of the arrival of the kingdom – people refused to hear. John brought words of repentance and a coming judgement. Jesus brought words of repentance unto salvation and a transformed life. Both messages required the hearers to face the truth about themselves. People who don’t want to “face the music” will reject the message and criticize the messenger. For us to be friends of God – for us to be citizens of the Kingdom – for us to be transformed from darkness to light, transferred from death to life – for us to truly love God with all of our heart, soul, and strength; we must listen to the Lord’s words, allow them to expose the truth about ourselves, and trust them to remake us into true Kingdom people as we faithfully obey His commands.

Deuteronomy 5:1-31; Luke 7:11-23; Psalms 68:32-35; Proverbs 17:16

OT: “The Lord spoke these commands in a loud voice to your entire assembly from the fire, cloud, and total darkness on the mountain; he added nothing more. He wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me. All of you approached me with your tribal leaders and elders when you heard the voice from the darkness and while the mountain was blazing with fire. You said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that God speaks with a person, yet he still lives… Go near and listen to everything the Lord our God says. Then you can tell us everything the Lord our God tells you; we will listen and obey.’ “The Lord heard your words when you spoke to me. He said to me, ‘I have heard the words that these people have spoken to you. Everything they have said is right. If only they had such a heart to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that they and their children would prosper forever. Go and tell them: Return to your tents. But you stand here with me, and I will tell you every command — the statutes and ordinances — you are to teach them, so that they may follow them in the land I am giving them to possess.’” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭5:22-24, 27-31‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines awe as an emotion variously combining dread, veneration (respect), and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime. After Moses re-told the Ten Commandments to this new generation of Israelites, He reminded them of how their parents before them had stood in complete awe of the Lord at the first giving of the commandments. They were in such awe, that they even feared for their lives, begging Moses to be their mediator and relay the words of God to them for fear that they would be incinerated in His glory. Yet, how quickly their awe grew into indifference and disrespect. God’s words to Moses were, “If only they could maintain that awe of Me forever – then they would obey my commandments.” Emotions are so very fickle – and awe is an emotion. Yet God’s awesomeness doesn’t wane. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. How many times to we as believers have a “mountain top experience” in a Sunday morning worship service, only to completely forget everything and revert back to normal as soon as we sit down in our cars and head out to lunch. That is one of the reasons why praise and thanksgiving is so powerful – the discipline of offering praise and being thankful reminds us of Who our God is and what He has done. That is also why it is so important to be continually filled with The Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit reminds us as well. How do we maintain a healthy and proper awe of Our God? We maintain by remaining in Him and allowing His words to remain in us, by keeping our eyes ever on our Lord and King, and having truthful words of praise in our hearts and on our lips.

NT: “Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” …At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:18-19, 21-23‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Right before this interaction with John the Baptist and his disciples, Jesus had brought a dead man back to life, which caused all the people in the town of Nain to be in awe of Jesus. That is what John’s disciples were reporting back to him. But for some reason, John wasn’t fully convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus wasn’t doing all the things He expected Jesus to do. He expected Jesus to bring the justice and vengeance of God… to defeat Israel’s oppressors once and for all and make all things right. Obviously, Jesus had the power and authority – for an entire town was in awe of him… But Jesus wasn’t bringing the hammer down. Jesus’ response to John harkened back to the passage from Isaiah that He read in the synagogue in Nazareth. He was the anointed one, anointed to bring sight to the blind, to heal, to restore, to bring liberty to the captives and to proclaim the year of the Lord. The day of vengeance would come one day – but now was the time for liberty – and Jesus was doing exactly what He was anointed to do – and what He was anointed to do was truly awesome.

Psalms: “Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; sing praise to the Lord, Selah to him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens. Look, he thunders with his powerful voice! Ascribe power to God. His majesty is over Israel; his power is among the clouds. God, you are awe-inspiring in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68:32-35‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

This is a good example of praise that develops a healthy and proper sense of awe. It ascribes to God the power and glory that he deserves – and in properly ascribing the level of power, authority, glory, faithfulness, etc. that God has… at least in our limited understanding… it creates in us a sense of awe. It generates healthy dread, respect, and wonder that helps us walk in faith and obedience.

Deuteronomy 4:21-49; Luke 7:1-10; Psalms 68:19-31; Proverbs 17:14-15

NT: “A centurion’s servant, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, requesting him to come and save the life of his servant. When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to grant this, because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.” Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, since I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.” When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:2-10‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Biblical faith is often misunderstood. Biblical faith is not thinking positively. It is not refusing to acknowledge negative or bad things. Refusing to say you are sick when you actually are sick is not Biblical faith. “Naming it and claiming it” is not Biblical faith either. Biblical faith is not a soulish bravado that you stoke up. Biblical faith is centered around and founded on the Triune Godhead’s faithfulness. It is completely reliant on God’s word, and His willingness and ability to always honor His word. It is complete trust in God’s absolute power and authority. The centurion in this story was not a Jew. He was a gentile and a ranking representative of an oppressive and pagan empire. Yet this Roman centurion had a love for the Jewish people and a respect for the Jewish God – so much so, that the Jewish elders spoke well of him and vouched for his character. Apparently, the centurion had heard the accounts of Jesus’ power and authority – His power and authority over the powers of evil and His power and authority over sickness. The centurion understood power and authority really well, and he knew that Jesus had it. He placed faith in the power and authority that Jesus had demonstrated time and time again and trusted that all Jesus had to do was speak the command and his servant would be healed. It appears that Jesus was perfectly willing to go to the centurion’s house. He didn’t refuse to serve the centurion because of who the centurion was affiliated with – but the centurion respected Jesus’ culture and placed faith in Jesus’ authority, and didn’t require Jesus to make a physical presence. The level of the centurion’s faith was so high that it even astonished Jesus. What is our faith built on? Do we have to hype ourselves up before we have faith? Do we only have faith after 3 or 4 songs in a thumping worship set? Is our faith strong enough to acknowledge reality and not be discouraged? Is our faith steadfastly set on God’s faithfulness or is it dependent on our cultural crutches? Do we have the quality of faith that would amaze Jesus? We can, if our faith is properly placed.

Deuteronomy 4:1-20; Luke 6:39-49; Psalms 68:7-18; Proverbs 17:12-13

OT: “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you… Look, I have taught you statutes and ordinances as the Lord my God has commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to possess. Carefully follow them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, ‘This great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today? Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you don’t forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they don’t slip from your mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and your grandchildren.” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭4:1-2, 5-9‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Deuteronomy means “second law.” It is a retelling of the Law to the new generation of Israelites that are about to enter the land that God promised to them. 40 years had past since the Israelites had left Egypt. The generation of Israelites that had rebelled against God had all passed away in the wilderness (all except Joshua and Caleb). Moses was 120 years old and was nearing the end of his days. Deuteronomy was Moses final opportunity to communicate God’s commands to his people before he died, Joshua took over, and the nation began to take the promise that was given to them. What is Moses’ main concern? He wanted to make sure this nation listened to God’s commandments, followed them, and taught them to the generations to come. The key to taking possession of the land and fully enjoying the abundance of the land was to carefully follow the statutes and ordinances that we given by God so that God would remain near. The key to continuously remaining in the blessing and favor of the Lord was to diligently keep watch over and guard their hearts and minds from the intrusion of other gods and cultures, and to teach the generations to come.

NT: “Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam of wood in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the splinter in your brother’s eye. A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit… A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:41-43, 45-49‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Right after Jesus taught His disciples to not judge (condemn) but instead be merciful and forgiving, He went on to say that we are to judge between right and wrong – and we are to help our brothers become free from their sin, not condemn them for it. In order for us to be able to accurately help others get free, we must first make sure we are free. We need to honestly take a look at the fruit our lives are producing to make sure we are producing good fruit. For how can we graciously help someone get free from their entanglements, if we are producing bad fruit? Not judging doesn’t mean that we stop identifying good and evil, righteous and sinful. We are to do that, but we are to do so in a loving and gracious way… and definitely not in a hypocritical way. How are we able to do that? We must make sure that we aren’t just hearing God’s words and intending to follow them, instead of actually following them. Intention is not the same thing as action. If we aren’t applying the Lord’s words to our lives and actually following the things He says, then He really isn’t our lord and we really aren’t His followers. Having a rock-solid, unshakeable, uncompromised life requires applying and doing the words of the Lord first to our lives. Then we will have a solid foundation to stand on and can accurately and graciously help others to find the same freedom and stability that we have found.

Deuteronomy 3:1-29; Luke 6:20-38; Psalms 68:1-6; Proverbs 17:9-11

NT: “Then looking up at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man… But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort. Woe to you who are now full, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets. “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you… Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them… But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over — will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:20-22, 24-28, 31, 35-38‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

This teaching from Jesus is known as His Sermon on the Plane. It is similar to His Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew, but was given from a level or flat area (plane) instead of from a mountain side. In this message, Jesus gave His disciples a paradigm shift as He exposed their faulty way of thinking and introduced them to the ways of the Kingdom. In the minds of those who were following Jesus, wealthy people were blessed… well-fed people were blessed… funny, light-hearted people with a quick wit were blessed… popular people were blessed. Jesus said that those people actually needed to be wary because they were seeking the rewards and approval of the world and the culture of the day. If they continued down that path, they would lose all that they had gained in the life to come. Jesus said that those who were truly blessed were those who sacrificed immediate wealth, recognition, satisfaction, and happiness for the sake of following the Lord and trusting in His blessing. He also explained that to be truly bless-able, you need to walk in the ways and character of God Himself: loving your enemies and being kind to those who treat you wrongly, not harshly condemning people but showing them mercy and forgiveness, being generous to people even when they don’t deserve it. If we model our lives after God our Father, He will bless us beyond our way of measuring with His blessing and favor in overflowing good measure.

Psalms: “God arises. His enemies scatter, and those who hate him flee from his presence. As smoke is blown away, so you blow them away. As wax melts before the fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God. But the righteous are glad; they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy. Sing to God! Sing praises to his name. Exalt him who rides on the clouds — his name is the Lord — and celebrate before him. God in his holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows. God provides homes for those who are deserted. He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a scorched land.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68:1-6‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

This psalm begins with a reference to a saying of Moses. As the nation of Israel was wandering in the desert, they followed God’s presence in the form of a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night. Each time the pillar of smoke would rise off the tabernacle and begin to move, Moses would say, “Let God arise, and may His enemies be scattered…” The protection of the Lord comes as we follow Him. His Kingdom power and authority is present in the lives of those who follow Him and seek first the things of His Kingdom instead of the rewards of this world. God’s identity as a Father to the fatherless and a defender of widows is true of those who, in the midst of their loss, place their trust in their Heavenly Father and the Bridegroom of the Church. God’s blessing of pure joy, provision, protection, peace, and prosperity is given to those who set their eyes on the Lord, wait on Him, and follow His word, will, and ways. Those who reject God’s leading (the rebellious) are not afforded God’s life and blessing and must wring out whatever rewards and resources they can from the sin-scorched wilderness of the world.

Deuteronomy 2:1-37; Luke 6:12-19; Psalms 67:4-7; Proverbs 17:7-8

NT: “During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles… After coming down with them, he stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:12-13, 17-19‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

I have heard the gospel of Luke described as Jesus’ times of prayer with miracles in between. Jesus had a big and very strategic milestone in front of Him and He had to get it right. The success of His church and the global proliferation of His gospel depended on it, so He spent the entire night before His Father in prayer. The next morning, with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, He chose His main 12 disciples who would also be sent out as apostles. Also following His night of prayer was a day filled with healing and ministry. Luke noted that people from Judea and Jerusalem, as well as Tyre and Sidon came to be healed and delivered from demonic possession and oppression. Judea was Jewish, while Tyre and Sidon were gentile regions. Jesus ministered to Jew and gentile alike. While He was sent to Israel first, He also came for and ministered to gentiles. All people were blessed by His touch.

Psalms: “Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, God, let all the peoples praise you. The earth has produced its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭67:4-7‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

God is not just the God of the Jews. He is the Creator and God of the whole earth – and in His perfect righteousness and justice, He oversees the affairs of all people fairly. He doesn’t show partiality nor treat one group of people better than the other. All are equally able to come to Him and receive His favor and blessing. All who trust in Him are able to richly participate in His faithful provision and protection.