King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025
Chapters: Deuteronomy 11-13
Message: Deuteronomy: Love The LORD
Hello My Friend,
As we continue in the reading of Deuteronomy we learn that if we love the LORD our God with all of our heart then we will willingly seek what is right in His eyes and do what He commands. We also learn what will happen to those who follow false gods and religion as well as those who teach it. This is why we need to be diligent in our walk with Christ, the reading of His Word, and to try the spirits.
[1 John 4:1-4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.]
This is not new news, the people of old may not have known of the LORD as Christ but they still knew that He existed, false prophets existed and that God protects His people. Yesterday we learned that no one is saved based on their own righteousness but by their faith in God and that their obedience to Him is what is counted for righteousness. Today Moses stresses the importance of their remembering and teaching to their children what they witnessed over the forty years.
[Deuteronomy 11:1-2,6-7 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. 2 And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, 6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel: 7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.]
Each and every saved born again Christian is a testimony of what they had gone though before Christ and what what He has gotten them through after receiving Him as their Saviour. Is everything always sunshine and rainbows after we get saved? Absolutely not. However we do learn that the sunshine and rainbows come as we endure the storms with Him, [1 Peter 3:14-15 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:]
Since we are sinners by nature God expects that we are going to trip up a time or two or several times in fact but He is faithful and just to forgive us and teach us to get back up His way. He promises that as long as we are diligent in our walk with Him that He will be there for us through thick and thin. Moses goes on to inform Israel that once they cross over into the promise land they will climb some hills and valley but as long as they are diligent in their walk with God He will take care of them and the land.
[Deuteronomy 11:11-14 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. 13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.]
The second that we receive Christ as our Saviour we are on a journey headed for the ultimate land of promise, and we are going to cross over hills and dip into the valley’s of life along the way. We may struggle from time to time but as long as we are faithful to God He will take care of us. Jesus said it this way.
[Matthew 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.]
If all this is true than why do so many Christians suffer and lack? There are two reasons; one; They have other gods they are following, whether it be a person, job, hobby, or habit. And two; They are living in sin. There may also be another reason, they are unlearned about the Word of God and suffer because of it. Moses cautions Israel to keep God’s Word with them and what will happen if they turn to other gods.
[Deuteronomy 11:16-19 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17 And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you. 18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.]
While no saved, born again Christian can lose their salvation those who live in sin suffer greatly because they belong to God and He will have no other gods before Him. Our salvation actually brings a blessing and a curse, which Moses goes on to say, [Deuteronomy 11:24-26 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be your’s: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. 25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;]
Those who are saved have the power of the Almighty God upon their soul, while their salvation will never be taken away, the earthly things like good health, prosperity, and the protection of God can, which Moses explains, [Deuteronomy 11:27-29 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. 29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.]
What they are going to do once they cross over is take one group to Mount Gerizim and another to Mount Ebal and each group will shout out the blessings or curses that would come if they turned on God. By pronouncing God blessing and curse on these two mountains, they would charge the very land with carrying out the blessing or the curses of the LORD. What this all boils down to is that no one can get saved and live like heathens, it will come back to haunt them, [Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.]
Keep in mind that God is not talking about your average sin nature sins of one individual here, He is referring to an entire congregation who turns their back on Him completely yet still expects His blessing. Before we get saved we have already been thinking about God and may have learned some things from others but we are not fully knowledgeable about Him so we tend to seek Him our own way. Once we learn the truth that we can only come to Him through His Son and accept Him as our Saviour that is when it is time to start learning His way. Moses stresses the importance of Israel leaving what they know behind them and moving forward as God instructs them.
[Deuteronomy 12:8-11 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. 9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you. 10 But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; 11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:]
Once we get saved we are new creatures, therefore we are to not only get in the Word of God we are to find a place of worship to help us. This is where the local church comes in but not just any church will do. God is the one who chooses the place of worship and through Moses goes on to explain why.
[Deuteronomy 12:13-16,19 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: 14 But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee. 15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. 16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water. 19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.]
Notice that they are no longer restricted to eating specific animals in regards to their normal diets as long as they were honoring God. However, when it came to the sacrificial offerings for redemption, atonement, and peace they were to be specific and in a specific place, with one exception.
[Deuteronomy 12:21-22,26,28 If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. 22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike. 26 Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose: 28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.]
There are times when we cannot get to church or the place He chooses for us to worship Him as it may be too far or one is housebound but we do need a church home because there are things that we can get from like minded Christians that we cannot get from a television or computer screen. Also, God does not live in a building, He lives within every saved, born again Christian and we can take Him anywhere but we need to be mindful of where we take Him because there are some things that we need to stay away from.
[2 Corinthians 6:14-17 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,]
The people of God have been dealing with unbelievers since creation and have gotten caught up with them just as long, just ask Eve. I am not going to lie, I have gotten myself caught up with those who I thought were Christians. Moses goes on to warn them to stay away from what are actually false prophets.
[Deuteronomy 13:1-3 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.]
False prophets are very good at convincing people that they are true but do give hints to prove that they are not. And while it may seem cruel that God would allow false prophets to come in and test our faith in Him it really is not, if anything it is eye opening to us to discover who is true and who is not, and perhaps even our own faith needs some work, [2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?]
God gives a stern warning against those who trust the false prophet as well as the false prophet who teaches the lies, [Deuteronomy 13:4-5 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. 5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.]
The point of all this is to put the evil away! I will forever say this as long as I am on this earth, America is a mirror of Israel, which is why it became such a powerful nation in such a small amount of time. God’s eyes are upon this nation, but evil is overtaking it something fierce. The devil knows this and is basking in all his glory right now, but there is time for God to turn things around, all we need to do is get back in the grace of Christ, [2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.]
Now, we can sort of understand God’s command to put the evil away that in in the Church but when it hits home that is not so easy to do. As Moses continues he even addresses family and friends, [Deuteronomy 13:6,8-9,11 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. 11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.]
Again, the point of all this is to put the evil away but it is also to keep them from being exposed to it. Jesus said this to His Father in regards to His people being in the world, [John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.] We are sent out in the world in order to be lights that lead others to Christ but in no way are we to be of the world because we no longer one of them. Now Moses addresses those in the world.
[Deuteronomy 13:12-15 If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, 13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; 14 Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; 15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.]
Does God expect us to literally kill family and friends or anyone else who entice us away from God? No. But this phrase comes to mind, “Kill them with kindness.” The best thing we can do with family and friends is to distance ourselves from them but continue to pray for and love them. I have a lot of family members, many who are saved, that God keeps me distanced from solely for the fact that God has sent judgment on them and does not want me to suffer as He does all of His faithful. They are considered the enemy and we need to treat them as such, [James 5:15-16 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.]
One more time, they were commanded to put the evil away, and that also meant to get rid of everything and anything that would entice them. Moses goes on to stress the importance of once they get the land given to them that they were to destroy everything.
[Deuteronomy 13:16-18 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again. 17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; 18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.]
Those who just want to do things their own way will be in the shock of their souls when they discover that they are in hell and not in heaven because they trusted these fools. And we cannot blame God because they are in hell, they trusted the lies over the truth, [Hebrews 4:1-3 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Deuteronomy 11:12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for Your endless mercies and grace to save a sinner like me when I accepted Your Son as my Saviour. I will never forget the day that I dedicated my life to You, I too was doing what was right in my own eyes until I got in Your Word and discovered Your truths. Thank You for loving me so much that You wanted me to learn and teach the truth to the world and the false religions too, and thank You for using me. I know I fail You, and yet, You love me, and continue to teach and bless me for my faithfulness. Lord, Lead me and guide me, keep my heart tender, always giving glory to You, and let me not forget that anything I do for and through will never turn void. When my body is weary and my soul tired, let me run to You for rest and find the peace that only You can give. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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