YOUR ARE TREASURED! And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. —Deuteronomy 26:18             God’s treasured possession! Fellow follower of Jesus that is what we are. We are the “apple of His eye” (Psalm 17:8; Zechariah 2:8). We are “a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9). “Both the one who makes people…

THE GREAT I AM Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”   “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”   They all condemned him…

FEAR’S PERMEATION Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.” —Deuteronomy 20:8             Isn’t it interesting that when going to battle those who were afraid or fainthearted were allowed to go home.   This was because they could be a negative influence and so “the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”   It is interesting how the fearful and fainthearted can be a negative, permeating influence on others.             The same is true today. Just as “a little leaven works through…

BEWARE OF MISUNDERSTANDING SOMEONE’S SERVICE While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them…

BE JUST & NOT BRIBED Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. —Deuteronomy 16:19 Let’s take a look at some things that are mentioned in this above verse. Do not deny justice. We are to be honest and fair. Judges, government officials, business leaders, education officials, church leaders, parents and people in general are all called to be just in their dealing with others.   Do not show partiality. We are not to be biased in our decisions. That is, we are not to have preconceived ideas about a…

THE COMING WRATH OF THE LAMB For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. —Mark 13:19-20 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in…

THE WORD OF LIFE And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. —Deuteronomy 8:3 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” —Matthew 4:4  Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? —Mark 12:24             Life comes not…

GIVE CAESAR CAESAR’S, GIVE GOD GOD’S And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose…

KEEP HIS WORD! You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you. —Deuteronomy 4:2 See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. —Deuteronomy 12:32 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. —Proverbs 30:6 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from…

PRAY! Then He began to teach them and declare, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’ ? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”             Jesus was upset because they had turned the temple into a place of commerce and He drove “out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts” (Mark 11:15-16). The temple was to “be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”   But they had “made it ‘a…