#biay

I have continued to read. I think that this way to keep myself accountable made it more like a chore and I’d rather not sit here retelling you the story of the Bible. What I would like to do is tell you some thing’s I’ve learned. I didn’t seem to be very intentional when I read, but I feel like I’m getting better at that. So. There won’t be a me catching you up on everything I haven't posted about. I think I’ll post when I want to post, hopefully that being everyday. For now, this is what I learned today.

DAY79: 

1Samuel 1-3. 

DEUTERONOMY 28-34, PSALMS 61-64

These are the last chapters of Deuteronomy. Honestly, I’ve been doing pretty horrible with keeping up with my reading. School has started and it is the first Saturday after the first full week (including 20 hours of practice a week) and boy am I tired. It’s felt like a chore I don’t have time for- I start homework or something and then just don’t want to do it later. It’s sad. To fight against that bad habit, I will designate time at night to reading. 10 pm every night, (or earlier if I find the time) will be Jesus hour. That’s it. 10 pm. Now let’s get back on track.

The end of the book, sums everything up well- I’ll go through my notes.

O: Blessed are the obedient, cursed are the rebellious. Those who rebel will suffer in agony, being so close to what they want and having it just slip through their fingers. They’ll even offer themselves as slaves, but none will buy them. God reminds the people that their clothes were never torn and shoes never failed after 40 YEARS. Beware of those who worship other Gods. Repent and obey. We have a choice: life and goodness or evil and death. Joshua gets put in charge and God tells him that the people WILL turn away. He says to teach the people a song, and every 7 years read them the Law as to remind them. The song describes God’s greatness and some history to tell the people and make them believe. Moses is told to go die on Mount Nebo, overlooking the land of Canaan. He will see the promised land but never enter into it. Finally, Moses blesses the people and then goes to the mountain and dies. And since, there hasn’t been a prophet to know God face to face like Moses did. 

So what does all this mean? What are we supposed to learn from this part of the story? And how can we maybe APPLY this to our lives?

A: Fear the Lord --> HE is truly awesome and He explains the rules clearly. God deserves ALL. He has more than proved His “worthiness” the question is now are we worthy to be in His presence, to have His love. That would be a no. We naturally turn from God and we will. Choose right. It’s simple. Follow HIM and you will be blessed forever. Spread the word and do what God says. but this is hard. Moses even messed up. MOSES. Do the best you can. We can’t be perfect as simple as it seems, but we can try. This last part is the best part. Why mention there hasn’t been another prophet like Moses? JESUS. The Bible is already pointing to Jesus and we definitely are not done with the old testament. Remember Him.

Psalms 61-64:

Asks for refuge and to hear his prayer.

God is our refuge and the source of salvation. “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

Someone seeks the Lord. He will bless Him and praise Him and be filled with the Lord.

Deuteronomy 15-20

Moses continues to speak to the people of Israel and he tends to follow the 10 Commandments in doing this. He explains there is a sabbatical year every seven years, they shall keep Passover, feasts, do what the priests say, keep King’s native Israelites, and still do not follow any abominable practices of other countries. He says the people who follow the commandments will be blessed. And continues to convey that the Lord has said there will be another prophet like Moses out of their people. Who might that be? JESUS get excited y'all. Lastly in this section, Moses speaks about when they go to war. When they get near to the country to stay strong and trust in the Lord because he WILL protect you. There should be no fear against their foes. Take that and run with it. Use that in life. Wickedness surrounds us but through HIM we can rise above.

Psalm 58,59

God will destroy the wicked and come to judge Earth. This Psalm is sung when communities face injustice.

Deuteronomy is here! I’m finally back at school and all moved in and have gotten back to my reading and I wanted to share His glory again with all.

Deuteronomy 1-14

If you remember, Moses cannot cross the Jordan into the promised land, so he gives the people of Israel a speech- that speech is the book of Deuteronomy. He recounts the journey and many times again warns the people to make sure they follow the commandments. If we keep His commandments, we may not see results right away and it is not to say that we will not struggle, but He WILL come through eventually. In fact we are meant to struggle- ever find that we pray more and turn to Him more when we are struggling? If we keep them, we will be wise and have a protection unlike any other nation. And when we finally become successful after putting so much trust in Him, do not forget who made you successful- continue in your faith with a new fire. It is not because of your righteousness, but rather because of the wickedness of others that the people of Israel were given the land. Stop being so stubborn and give your heart away to Him. Fear and Serve Him and love Him forever. If not, he will destroy us.

This book so far and I predict will be a great reminder to us.

We have a choice. We can choose to love God and love others and obey his commandments, or we can do the opposite and be separated from Him and His love forever. The choice is yours and He knows we are stubborn. The work put forth in a relationship with God is returned to you more than you could ever know. Go with confidence in His love and protection and be as good to Him and other as He is to you.

Psalms 53-57

Mankind doesn’t really seek out God.

Ask for help from God and give thanks.

Cast your whole burden on Him, He’ll take care of it.

I put my trust in You, and what can man do to me? HE is THAT powerful.

Wow. I went to New York and took a huge hiatus from this. I’m not completely sure why, but now I go back to school and away from the boy for a long time in 4 days. 4. days. So I think now more than ever I need to dig deep and stay in the word. After so many days off, I just decided to get completely caught up on Numbers. and here it is:

Numbers 1-36, Psalm 40-52

Numbers is about the journey from Egypt to the promised land. Israel goes to Mt. Sinai, then Paran, then Moab and they wonder through this wilderness. (get ready for a long post). At the beginning, the people take census of all of the people and the Lord describes to Moses how camp will be set up and what order the people will walk in when they’re on the move. Through these two ways, God shows that He will be at the center of their lives and that He will lead them through the wilderness. Lots of rituals are described to live the correct way and then the people start to make their way to Kadesh. 

On the way, the people complain of hunger, making the Lord angry. A plague is upon them and they get on. One man from every tribe goes to spy on the land of Canaan, the people again complain and rebel an the Lord plagues them again. Those who attempt to take the land fail. *The Lord is angry at their lack of trust. He will guide them and keep them as He has said so, but they turn their backs to Him.* Next the people begin to wonder why Moses is holy, even Aaron and Miriam. Again the Lord is upset. God has appointed Moses this position and the people shall follow. In the Lord’s anger, He splits the earth and it swallows the unfaithful, then Aaron atones for them and stops the plague. The short story of the budding cane comes into play- Aaron’s staff is that which buds in the tent and thus the people believe his authority. (Sidetone: concerning the tent, the priests guard the inside and the Levites guard the outside) 

Once more the people will cause problems. First God describes a way to clean those who have touched a dead body. Now they are complaining of thirst. The Lord tells Moses that He can hit a rock with his staff and water will flow, but rather than using the staff, Moses punches it with his fist and is denied entrance into the promised land. Moses in his anger actually made it seem that he himself could perform miracles, but God needs the people to trust in HIM. Israel needs to pass the land of Edom but Edom will not let them go and Aaron then dies. Because they must go around, the people become angry and speak out again. God brings on a plague of serpents, but if they look at this bronze serpent that has been created, they will live. On to Moab

The king of Moab hears of Israel and is scared so he sends for Balaam, a sorcerer, to curse them. Thrice he tries and thrice he can only bless them, the last time saying that Israel will survive and all other nations will be destroyed and a king will come from that nation. The Israelites whore those from Moab and praise their gods, so once again they are plagued, but Phinehas (son of Eleazar son of Aaron) atones for them and stops it- thus a new census is taken. It is also prophesied that Joshua will succeed Moses, and God speaks about more offerings.

Lastly, the Israelites war against Midian- they kill the men, take the women and children, and plunder the towns and everything is split according what God has said. Reuben and Gad have livestock, so they want to stay on this side of the Jordan rather than go to the promised land. This angers God once more and he says that everyone above the age of 20 will not be allowed to enter and will wander the wilderness for 40 years. After, God explains the boundaries of the land of Canaan and says Joshua and Eleazar will divide the land and appoint chiefs. And and once, the Levites will be given some inheritance and the daughters of Zelophehad that inherited money will marry within the tribe to keep it in the family.

TRUST IN THE LORD. Time and time again these people don’t and God plagues them. Not just once or twice- a lot of times. How many times does He have to remind you to trust in Him for you to get it?