Podcast Introduction

Today is Monday so we’ll read from the Law. Deuteronomy 10-12  I have a special, by request On This Date In Church History for you, and an audio comment from a friend, in response to a prayer request. I’m calling today’s episode “What’s It Take?”  

Comments on Deuteronomy 10

12“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 ESV

These are the actions that God requires of His people.

1. To fear the Lord your God

2. To walk in all His ways

3. To love Him

4. To serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul

5. To keep the commandments and statues of the Lord

BONUS: These are all given FOR OUR GOOD.

1. To fear the Lord your God

This is not the kind of fear that makes us tremble with fright. This is an awe inspired respect that causes us to want to please Him. As He invites us into His presence, we are aware of His infinite power, holiness and righteousness. But the fact remains that He has, indeed, invited us. So we realize that He wants us to be with Him. And then we realize the price He paid so that we could be in His presence…Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, died for our sins and was resurrected, defeating death. And the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, came to live inside of us when we accepted Jesus, an unimaginable privilege. All of this helps us to realize how very much God loves us. 1 John 4:18 tells us that “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” We need not fear God if we have placed our faith in Jesus, not the type of fear that means “afraid”.

2. To walk in all His ways

In His Word, God has given instructions for how we should live. He expects and requires us to follow these instructions. Much of the time, our inclination is to follow our own desires, which are diametrically opposed to God’s ways. In spite of our desires, He requires that we choose His way. If we insist on walking in our own ways, how can we say that we are His? When I married the Lovely Lady LeeAnn, I made a vow to be faithful to her, and walk in the ways of matrimony. If I insist on continuing to live as if I were a single man, how could I say that I was truly her husband? I may have said the words, but my heart and my mind was not changed. In a similar way, when I accepted Christ, I began a new relationship with Him and asked Him to be the Lord of my life. My life must reflect that relationship, just as my life must reflect the marriage relationship I have with LeeAnn.

3. To love Him

God requires that we make a conscious decision to love Him. This kind of love is not based on an emotional or romantic whim, but a reasoned response to the love and mercy He has shown toward us. Love is more than a feeling. Love is a decision. I decided to love the Lovely Lady LeeAnn, forsaking all others. Through good times and hard times, in sickness and in health, I promised to love her. That’s a picture of how we are to love God. Sometimes life is sweet, sometimes life is hard. But I choose to love God in all circumstances.

4. To serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul

Because we love Him, because of the fact that all that we are and all that we have is because of God’s goodness and love, He requires us to serve Him with our whole being. All that we do should be done as if it were a service to Him. Without Him, I am nothing. My very breath is a gift from God. I owe literally everything to Him. It is my honor to serve Him. It is an obligation, but one that I take on willingly and without reservation. How could I not?

5. To keep the commandments and statues of the Lord

We cannot keep His commandments and statutes unless we know them. Therefore, He requires that we truly study His Word. We must become students of the Word. We must keep it in our hearts and minds. His Word is really a love letter to us. In it, He reveals His heart to us. He shows us what His initial plan for mankind was before the fall, and then how He set about redeeming us so that all could be set right. The more I study and read, the more I want to know Him and do what He wants.

BONUS: These are all given for your good

The Lord our God is not a Cosmic Killjoy. He is not the Sovereign Stick In the Mud or the  Big Buzzkill. His commandments and statutes are given so that we can live the very best life possible; the life that He knows is best for us, even if we can’t understand it. 

God knew from the foundation of the world that we would fail miserably in keeping His commandments. It did not surprise Him when Adam and Eve sinned. God already had the plan of salvation in mind. He gave us free will, knowing that we would make wrong choices. But the alternative, that of having no free will, would mean that we would not love Him out of choice but out of programming. But then, it would not be love. Remember…love is a decision. Forced love is not love…it is something else entirely. So in His perfect love, righteousness and holiness, from the foundation of the world, Jesus knew what He would do for you and for me. I cannot but offer my life as a living sacrifice because of Jesus’ sacrifice. 

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 10 ESV; Ch. 11 HCSB; Ch. 12 NCV

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The Team

Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise
Podcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael Haner
Show Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason Paschall
Newsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney