Sunday, March 16, 2008

Monday Morning Cover to Cover

It's Monday Morning and you are always welcome to join in with us as we read through the Bible chronologically together. Check out the sidebar for daily readings. This past week we closed Numbers and started the Book of Deuteronomy. Leave a comment about what God spoke to you and what lingers as you read the Word this week from any place at all.

It's Palm Sunday, as I write, where Jesus rode in on a donkey and they praised HIM. Reminds me of Revelation 7 where it says one day a great multitude will be standing before the throne holding palm branches in their hands crying out praise to our God. And the angels, facedown before the throne, will worship HIM saying: "Praise and Glory and Wisdom and Thanks and Honor and Power and Strength be to our God forever and ever." I'll be there, will you? It's the moment when He Who sits on the Throne will say: Never again will you hunger. Never again will you thirst. For the Lamb at the center of your throne will be your Shepherd. And He will wipe away every tear from your eyes. All those present tears for how we have been missed and hurt in this life.

Numbers closes with a word for us today---what to do with the enemy of our soul: the flesh. These verses so remind me of an article I just read, "Entering the Battle That Has Already Been Won" by Lawrence Crabb. "The more we are disturbed by the presence and power of our flesh, the more we become excited and empowered by the Deeper Presence and Greater Power of the Spirit. And that releases the Spirit's power to change the way we relate, the way we think, and the way we feel in the middle of any life circumstances." Am I asking God to eradicate my current circumstances or am I longing to experience that Deeper Presence of my Beautiful God right there in the midst of it all?

Drive, Destroy, Demolish
“When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you.” Numbers 33:51,52. It’s some of the last words in the book of Numbers and it applies to where I live today. Whether it’s Canaan or Benbrook, we are to deal with the enemies of our soul that creep in to move HIM from first place in our lives.
Drive out what you have let inhabit you
Destroy your idols
Demolish your high places
Take possession of your land.
Co-Authors with a Mighty God
He is a gentleman. He invites us, no force there. We are not hostages, not slaves. We are His servants, His friends, His lovers, His daughters and sons. Verse 55 says if you do not drive them out and allow them to remain, they will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble right where you live. What script am I writing today? I hope I am asking the right questions in dealing with all those d’s. As I think about Easter coming up, I keep on asking to know Him better” Eph. 1:17 and I keep on asking to find Eph 1:19 “His incomparably great power for us” to drive out, destroy, demolish. This isn’t about my determination. Not about my resolve. It’s all about His Power in me. I have asked the wrong questions for way too many years.

Deuteronomy opens with Moses reviewing the history of their happenings in the desert. Moses speaks in Deut 1:3 on November 1st of the fortieth year. So, two more months to go, and their forty years of wanderings will be over. What will Moses say as he hears God and wraps up the desert walk? Here are about 10 things that Moses said that lingers with me as I listen to my God's voice speaking to me today right where I live.

My Father Carries Me Like A Son
Deuteronomy 1:30-31 The Lord is the One who went before them and fought for them. Before their very eyes. In Egypt. In the desert. But they sometimes didn’t want any part of the plan God had for them. But He carried them through the desert as a father carries his son, all the way. And that so speaks to me. May God carry us all in our wanderings. There have been things in my life I have not wanted to be a part of, but my God has carried me all the way to this very day. And He carries you today.
I DO NOT LACK ANYTHING
Is this my mantra? Deut 2:7 The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything. Sometimes they haven’t wanted what they were given—like manna—but they have not lacked anything. That so speaks to me where I am today and my husband and I both long with all our hearts to trust Him for future direction for both of us with so little happening that we can see.

Moses Begged, Then Accepted God’s Will
Deut 3:23-26 At that time I pleaded with the LORD : "O Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan." "That is enough," the LORD said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 3:28 But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see." I am so touched by Moses' response to God Who did not give Moses what he longed for and asked Moses to honor a younger follower with his blessing. Oh my goodness. What humility in stepping down.

You Must Not Add or Subtract from God’s Word
Moses said: 4:2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you. 4:9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children.

Seek Him from the Place Where You Are. You Will Find Him
In 4:27, Moses said the Lord will scatter you. If from there you seek the Lord, you will find Him if you look with all your heart and all your soul. If you are in distress, return to the Lord and obey Him. For He is a merciful God and will not abandon you or forget you.
A Mighty Hand, an outstretched arm. You were shown these things so that you might know HIM. He makes you hear His Voice to discipline you. He has brought you to the place where you are by His Presence and His Power, driving out what is greater and stronger than you. Take it to heart. There is no Other for you.

Am I Inclined to Fear My God?
5:28-29. Moses gave the 10 Commandments and told them to go near and listen to what the Lord says. The LORD heard you when you spoke, and the LORD said back: Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

Love the LORD Your God with all Your heart
Deut 6:6. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord. Do not test the Lord. Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight.

I Am His Treasured Possession
Deut 6:20. In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of this?” Tell them how God brought you to this place with His mighty Hand. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

The LORD Loves You Because...
Deut 7:7 The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery.

Little By Little is How My God Moves
Deut 7:21-24. Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed.

Why Does God Test Me?
Do Not Forget the LORD
Deut 7:2-5 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

Are You Satisfied and Proud?
8: 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Has God Given You Wealth? "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

What is My Response to My Wandering Friends?
Then once again Moses fell prostrate before the LORD for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the LORD's sight and so provoking him to anger. Deut 9:18

Cling to Him
God defends the cause of the fatherless.
God defends the cause of the widow. God loves the alien.
Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him. He is your praise. He is your God. Duet 10:18-21.

Blessing or Curse
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse---the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods. Deut 11:27

It is our choice. Co-authors with a Sovereign God who rode in on Palm Sunday on a donkey. What script will we co-author this day?

17 comments:

Angela Baylis 3/17/2008  

Hey, girls! I really had some issues this weekend and had a great idea to stay off of my computer for awhile. It has been becoming a problem since I've just been spending more time on this, and not getting things done that I should be. This is such a busy time and I need to be more intentional about planning my time more wisely. BUT I couldn't stand the thought of missing out on our readings, so here I am! I had to write a little yesterday about what lingers for me. Without a doubt I want to always remember what He did for me and for all of my loved ones! He went through everything this week because of His love for us! It still amazes me!

Bev, I love all of your thoughts this week! I am always proud of my self (well, of God) when the same things stand out to me. All of your insights were the same as mine. I especially love how you reminded me about Him being a gentleman!

Happy Easter to everyone if I don't get a chance to tell you! You can stop over and see what I wrote if you want. I'm so grateful to be doing this with you!
Much love, Angie xoxo

Karen 3/17/2008  

I absolutely love the thought of being God's special, treasured possession. What a thought to carry with me this holy week.

May you have a blessed week, Bev. I appreciate so much the thoughts that you share.

Nise' 3/17/2008  

Loved how you expounded on Numbers 33: Drive, Destroy, Demolish and that it is His power that accomplishes this not our determination or resolve!

Deuteronomy 7:7-8, “The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because______……But it was because the LORD loved you ………” struck me this week. The rest of my post on this week's reading is here.

connie 3/17/2008  

I truely love the reading for this week... It means so much to me to have a place to talk about what I Have learned and to see what others have learned from the same readings...
Thank you

annette 3/17/2008  

Wow, such an amazing God we serve. His power is on each page. His love lingers. I love Deut 7 where He promises to drive out the enemy "little by little" It truly is a gift to me to know that He won't overwhelm us. He only gives us a battle at a time. I have a friend who had this word for her ovarian cancer upon getting the news that there were still some cells left they could not get. She was basically told she would die now 14 years or so ago. She is still with us and fights claiming this verse. He drives out the enemy little by little. I am blessed to walk with you ladies. Someone is making bacon this morning as I sit on my patio, and it sure smells good...just a little distracted. I wrote another book this week on where I saw Him in these Scriptures here
Love to each of you, Annette

Anonymous 3/17/2008  

Bev,

As always you did such a great piece of writing about this past week...I really loved the first section about driving out what we have let inhabit us...that really speaks to me...the small compromises, the company we keep, the besetting sins that we don't choose to drive out, destroy and demolish...that was a very apt word...thank you.

If you want to seee what lingered with me this week...I wrote about Moses and God's assignment that he record the stages of their journey...blessings to all of you and may your Easter be filled with joy as we celebrate our risen Savior...
Click here A Work of Heart!
I look forward to reading all of your thoughts this week...I have to plan ahead on Mondays because it is easy to spend the whole day reading cover to cover posts...but I love it...thanks for blessing me so richly.

Helen

Mary Lou 3/17/2008  

Bev, what spoke to me relates to what is going on in my life right now. The people wandered in the wilderness and they kept going around in circles, they kept going round the same mountain. I believe this happened because they would not learn the lessons that God was trying to teach them. I don't want to be that stubborn/rebellious to where I don't learn when He is trying to teach me a life lesson. Trust is one of the biggest issues all of us have. He is trustworthy, He proved Himself over and over to the Israelites and yet they would complain and grumble. I want to learn from them and from my own life and trust Him every day all the way. He has gone before us and prepared the way just as He did them, may we learn to not be shortsighted and trust Him completely. I want to enter His rest....they didn't get to because they kept on complaining and they refused to learn thier lessons. May we all focus on Him this week and what it stands for...it is much bigger than Christmas. The Cross looms in front of us, Praise His name...He's not there...He's alive...He has risen...He has risen indeed...Bev, I sent you an email on Friday. Hope you received it...Blessings on your week. As usual, your insight spoke to my heart.

TeriAnnElizabeth 3/17/2008  

Hi Bev,
Thank you so much for allowing me to join in the Bible reading and study.

As I read the Bible, The Holy Spirit reminded me that I have audio CD's of Beth Moore's Living Proof event in Colorado that she spoke about this.

I went back to listen to it and the whole thing was unbelievable.

She pointed out what could symbolize our Egypt, Wilderness or Canaan. I want to expound more, but I have homework :-) I will hopefully get to on Wednesday and I will be brief and just link you to my website. It was so profound as to why we stay in our Egypt's, or wildernesses...not the same way we always think of "Egypt or wilderness".

Praying for you and everyone,
Teri

Holly 3/17/2008  

I wrote about it today here: http://crownlaiddown.blogspot.com/2008/03/holding-your-arms-still.html

Bev, this has been so wonderful to come here and interact about what we are reading together!

I am praying for you, my sister and friend! And I'll be calling you back soon :) He is mighty to save! Oh yes! He's going to bring you out into His spacious place.
Much love,
holly

Shonda 3/18/2008  

Bev,
I enjoy how you get so much from HIS word. Each of those points you mentioned could be books. God's word is so rich, so alive that it refreshes the souls, brings healing, brings correction and guidance, protection, grace and so much more.

This chronological reading is blessing me in so many ways. The Lord speaks to me through HIS word. There is so much I could say, but dont have too much as I need to ponder on it for a while. I'm a day late, but if you or any others have time, please feel free to stop by my blog.

I continue to pray for you and your husband. Things seem hectic in my life at this time. I need to keep my words few.

Love and blessings in Christ-

Anonymous 3/18/2008  

Great words, Stay dry out there. It's really coming down!

Laura 3/19/2008  

Wow, Bev, this is powerful stuff! I love to read your inner most thoughts, it sounds like poetry to me! You bring the Word to me in such a beautiful way. Thank you, Bev. It fills me with wonder!

Lindsee Lou 3/20/2008  

Just dropped by to say hello and that I'm thinking about you! Much love your way!

Linds

connorcolesmom 3/20/2008  

Bev,
Wow this was a great read!
I love that God loves me and I am His treasured possession. It almost seems surreal to read and know that!
I am really looking forward to this Good Friday and Easter with my boys!
I love hearing them understand what Jesus did for us on the Cross!
Love you
Kim

Anonymous 3/21/2008  

Hey, yeah kids are so cute with the things they say. I have so many with all the young ones in my family.

I'm a fan of any DFW team doing well. I just only have time to really keep up with the Cowboys, since football has always been a huge passion of mine.

Have a good weekend!

Laura 3/21/2008  

Bev,
You are on my mind today, as we welcome the Friday of Lamentation. I've been praying for you and your family. May your Easter be joyous, Dearest! You are one of my Easter blessings!
Laura

Toknowhim 3/22/2008  

Sweet Bev,

I am taking a bloggy break for about 6 weeks (you can read about it on my post). I will so miss visiting your blog as I always come away refreshed after reading about how God is working in your life. I know things have not been so easy for you as of late, but I pray that I will remember to lift you up in the next 6 weeks. I think I will have to call you again :) Blessings my sweet Friend, I look forward to catching up with you (one of my favorite Siestas) Kim

Praying for Our Friend Joanne Psalm 131:3 Waiting on God. Hope Now. Hope Always.

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"Whoever welcomes a little child in My Name, welcomes Me." Matthew 18:5 We have posted pictures of the orphans receiving their gifts from you. Scroll down to the post entitled "Today Was the Big Day." Many orphans didn't own anything of their own, but now do, because of you.

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I've met some amazing women through blogging. I would love to hear from you. My personal e-mail is:
sixbrandons@gmail.com
I have another blog where I blog daily as a small group of us read through the New Testament this year. It's called A String of Pearls. We carry each other on mats (when we just can't walk anymore) to Jesus and sweet things like that.

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