[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]
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"Yet
you were not willing to go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD
your God; and you grumbled in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hates us,
He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the
Amorites to destroy us.’"
I
see the expression of this serious sin in self-pity. It is also not lacking in
the one who lacks courage, confidence, and conviction. Complaint and Grumbling
are the deeds of the flesh! Trusting, Watchful, and Diligence are the
companions of a spiritual man.
To
accuse the most loving person in the universe that He hates them is a
blasphemy! Not Loving? If people can accuse God of not loving enough, don't
worry, they will hurl at you [that you’re not loving]. But unfortunately, it
could be true when it's against us!
I
was reading Malachi 1 in another group [WhatsApp Bible group]. And there [in
the times of Malachi], the people dared to question the love of God!
And
again, how often have we? And how dare we commit such treason, insult,
blasphemy, sin against God? π€¦♂️
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"This
day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere
under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, will tremble and be
in anguish because of you."
God
really does this even today. He puts the fear of man in the instincts of
animals and reptiles. And He puts fear in some people in a unique way. Some
people fear to harm godly people.
While
I was in Shillong, I had a friend who was a drug addict. He would steal our
(hostellers’) phones to fund his drugs. One night, he broke into a phone booth
two times and stole many phones. But somehow, he restrained himself from
stealing my phone because he recognized my phone, but he stole some of our
mutual friends' phones anyway! While I don't mean to say I was godly, but he
knew I was one of the young student Christian leaders.
{BTW,
a story is told about Billy Graham's stolen Bible. He couldn't understand why
people would steal Bible [God’s book], and that also with his name written on
it. And as he was narrating his perplexity, his patient listeners laughed out
loud saying, "that's the reason why it was stolen" In fact, even I
myself might get tempted to steal Billy Graham's Bible, especially if his name
and signature and notes are in there! π¬π}
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"But
the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me; and the
LORD said to me, ‘Enough! Speak to Me no more of this matter.’"
While
the Scriptures exhort us to be importunate in prayer, there are some instances
where God forbids the saints to stop asking for certain things!
Sometimes,
it's difficult to discern when to continue or stop praying for certain things.
In my life, I normally got the impression that I should stop, but I think, actually,
I should continue. Because to stop is much easier than to continue. In the case
of Moses, he would continue and God had to tell him to stop.
Would
we continue until we make sure beyond doubt not to continue!
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"But
from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search
for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all
these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD
your God and listen to His voice. For the LORD your God is a compassionate God;
He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers
which He swore to them."
Moses
knew the psyche of man. He predicted their idolatry. Moses also knew the
faithful of God. He promised them salvation if they repent!
The
Faithfulness of God is one of the dominant themes of the Bible!
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"Then
Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: ‘Hear, O Israel, the statutes and
the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn
them and observe them carefully.’"
Moses
reminding them who God is and what He has done for them. Sometimes, reminders
are boring, yet how necessary they are. We are a forgetful people!
Casual
Reading of Deuteronomy could be boring, but if we seek to understand it is not
boring.
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"Hear,
O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!"
This
is one of the most famous and well-memorized verses of all the households of
Israel, known as Shema.
In
a Hebrew Class, we, seminarians were encouraged to memorize in Hebrew, and I
still remember: "πππππ πππππππ ππππ ππ π΄πππππππ ππππ ππ π΄ππππ! " The Israelites are said to recite this
section twice a day, morning and evening!
It
teaches that there's no other god for Israel, but Yahweh alone; and there's no
other god that can be called Yahweh than their God. Yahweh is totally different
and far above any gods. He alone is to be worshipped and loved as their God,
Yahweh, the God of the Bible!
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"The
LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number
than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because
the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD
brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery,
from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt."
Deut.
7:7 is a great verse to commit to memory. This is true in our personal life
too. God does not choose us to be Christians because of who we are or what we
can become. It doesn't and never depends on us. We are just pathetic,
worthless, filthy people. God chose us in His love. God preserves us by His
faithfulness. And God will perfect us by His glory!
Have
a high view of God, and a low view of man! Big God, puny man!