Quote for the Day
“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
Today's Prayer
This week pray that God will allow you to see His power and His grace in a new and dynamic way that will allow you to worship Him alone.
Deuteronomy 4:15-31
Deuteronomy 4:15-31 (NIV)15 You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. 19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. 20 But as for you, the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of , to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.21 The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the and enter the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance. 22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the ; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. 23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. 24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and provoking him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. 27 The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. 28 There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. 29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. 31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Message
As Moses continues to prepare the hearts of the Israelites for the direct commands of God, he reminds them of God’s true personality. This can be hard for some of us. With life so divided and busy it is hard to believe that we can have just one focus: HIM! Moses makes it very clear that God expects us to worship Him alone. Not anything He has created is worthy of our worship. He has given us much to enjoy, but only Him to worship. This is true balance in life.We also are reminded in this passage that God does indeed punish for disobedience. Moses reminds the Israelites that he (Moses) will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land as they are about to. His past anger has cost him the ability to see his life’s work come to its conclusion. He is forced to see the reward from afar. Decisions we make have consequences, and God is preparing our hearts to follow His commands by reminding us that FIRST we need to obey Him solely and worship Him alone.This week seek God in His word so that you might draw closer to Him in worship.