Bible Chapter: Deuteronomy 11 & 12

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    What is most important in raising children?  What is vital to life and critical to pass on to the next generation?  There are many topics that could be included in this answer.  But we read here of the most important truth to pass on. This truth is the teaching, the words of God.  Israel was challenged to fix the words that came from God on their hearts and post them many places so they are obvious and people are constantly reminded of them.  They were to teach them to their children so they would not only know them, but live and apply them in daily life.  If there is not a foundation of knowing and living according to God’s directives, then anything that is accomplished in life is second best.  We must live life for what is eternal.
    God told them that He set before them a blessing and a curse.  Obedience to His commands would bring the blessing.  The curse would come if they disobeyed the commands of the Lord.  They were warned several times to reject, to destroy any form of worship of other gods when they took the promised land.  If they didn’t destroy the places of worship, they would be drawn in to them.  This is good advice.  Stay far from and don’t even play around with sinful things. They are deceptive and easily will trap someone in sinful participation.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Chapter twelve, verse twenty eight beautifully sums up this question of what I can apply in my life.
28 Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God. NIV
    Make a special effort to obey God’s regulations.  There is no place in the Bible where God makes suggestions.  He gives commands because He knows what will work best.  We shouldn’t be like the person who refuses to learn from others and insists on only learning from their own mistakes.  We can save lots of heartache by listening and learning from God’s Word.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Each person must make a choice of either obedience or rejection of God’s ways.  God says there is a blessing or a curse, it is up to us.  We must take God’s warning seriously.  Adopting the ways of the world leads to problem after problem.  It leads to a loss of hope.  An important question: how close can I get to Jesus?