THE ROYAL - Part 2 Foundations: 05.09.10

Hermeneutic: The art of interpretation – The process of discovering what it meant then and what it means now.

Exegesis – Take truth/meaning out of scripture 
Eisegesis – Put meaning into scripture

1. The Bible is the most important book ever written.
God reveals Himself to us. God reveals how we can know and love Him and love each other.
Claimed to be the Word of God 2000 times.

2. The Bible is the most reliable book ever written.
The Bible is 66 books written over 1,500 years (1405 BC - AD 90) by 40 authors living on three continents (Africa, Asia, Middle East).

Old Testament: 39 books in Hebrew; completed 400 years before Jesus was born.

Old Testament Evidence: In 1947 and 1956 the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. There were 825 to 870 separate scrolls, fragments of every book of the Old Testament except for the book of Esther. They were 1,000 years older than any other Old Testament documents known to man.

New Testament: 27 books in Greek; written between AD 40-90 by eye witnesses.

New Testament Evidence: The New Testament has been verified by more than 31,000 manuscripts. That’s more manuscripts, with greater accuracy and earlier dating than any other secular classic. Even if we did not have a single copy of the Bible, scholars could still reconstruct all but 11 verses of the entire New Testament from material written within 150 to 200 years from the time of Christ.

The Bible has many genres, or literary styles, each with a different truth claim.

3. The Bible is the most practical book ever written.
Wisdom, literature, songs, history, science, parenting, finances (how to make and enjoy money), relationships and love.

The story of a loving Father who gave His only son in order to have a relationship with sinners like you and me.

4 . The Bible is the most life- transforming book ever written.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21 The Bible is a spiritual book.

Inspiration. “A supernatural influence exerted on the sacred writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which their writings are given Divine trustworthiness.”

5. The goal of scripture is to make us holy like Christ so we can rule with Christ in the Father’s Kingdom.

14 GREAT REASONS TO READ THE BIBLE!

1. The world's best selling book

The Guinness Book of Records acknowledges the Bible as the world's best selling book.

"It has been estimated that between 1815 and 1975 some 2.5 billion copies of the Bible were printed ... Since 1976 combined global sales of Today's English Version ... have exceeded 118 million copies." 

These sales are for only one of the many versions of the Bible available.

If you are a person who thinks the Bible is an outdated book just sitting unread on bookshelves, think again! 

2. Biblical faith is based on a historical event

The faith described in the Bible involves believing the truth about an event that has already taken place. Because the New Testament is the most reliable ancient historical manuscript (see reason 14) we can trust what it says. Jesus did in fact rise from the dead.

"The Son of Man must suffer many things ... be rejected ... he must be killed and after three days rise again" (Mark 8:31).

Josh McDowell was a man who was sure Christianity was worthless and who focused his energies on discrediting the resurrection of Jesus. In the process of trying to destroy the faith of Christians, he came to see the New Testament was an accurate history book.

3. Jesus was a real person

"The persons commonly called Christians ... Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea for the reign of Tiberius..." ⁶ (Cornelius Tacitus, Roman historian, 112 A.D.)

Our time scale is based on BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) that means "in the year of our Lord". The birth of Jesus is a very solid historical fact.

   

4. Believing in the Bible message changes lives

People have been rescued from the darkest, most hopeless situations when they have put their trust in Jesus. Some people try to downplay the power Jesus has to change lives by saying; "It seems that only people in desperate situations turn to God." It is true that many times God has to do something to get our attention but this does not prove that God is not real but simply that people are generally very stubborn when it comes to change! It is also true that many people who have never been confronted with a major crisis have a strong faith in God. God has already sent Jesus to die for our sins and He is waiting for our response. 

  5. Filled with real people and real places

"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar - when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea ..." (Bible, Luke 3:1).
"While Paul was ... in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols" (Bible, Acts 17:16).

William Ramsay is regarded by some as one of the greatest archaeologists of all time. He was once skeptical that the Bible was a reliable historical book but after he carefully researched the Book of 'Acts' he changed his mind and concluded: "Luke (writer of the Bible book called 'Acts') is a historian of first rank ..."

6. Jesus has dramatically affected history

"This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than ... Napoleon; without science and learning, He shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined ... He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since ... Without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion ... than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times." (Historian Philip Schaff)

"I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of people would die for Him." (What Napoleon Bonaparte himself said about Jesus)

"Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and His will confounds me ... I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything that can approach the gospel." (More of what Napoleon Bonaparte said about Jesus)

"All the kings that ever reigned put together; have not affected the life of mankind on earth as powerfully as that one solitary life." ⁵

One of the reasons the Bible is the world's best selling book is because it gives people real hope and truth.

7. Brilliant people believe it to be true

 
Composers
"To God's will I submit myself." (George Frederic Handel)
"To God alone, the glory." (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Bach would frequently initial his blank manuscript pages with the marking, 'J.J.' ('Help me, Jesus') or 'I.N.J.' (In the name of Jesus)."

"I offer all my praises to Almighty God ... Each day I prayed to God to give me strength." (Franz Haydn)
"God, be my Rock, my light, forever my trust." (Ludwig Van Beethoven)
"May God be with you." (Felix Mendelssohn)

"Through Christ alone ... salvation comes to us." (Franz Liszt)

Famous Scientists

"Overwhelming strong proofs of intelligent and benevolent design lie around us ... the atheistic idea is so non-sensical that I cannot put it into words."  (Lord Kelvin)

"I am a Christian ... I believe only and alone ... in the service of Jesus Christ ... In Him is all refuge, all solace."  (Johannes Kepler)

"Order is manifestly maintained in the universe … the whole being governed by the sovereign will of God." (James Prescott Joule)

"There are those who argue that the universe evolved out a random process, but what random process could produce the brain of man or the system of the human eye?" (Werhner Von Braun)

"Almighty Creator and Preserver of all things, praised be all Thou has created.^"(Carl Linnaeus)

"I am a believer in the fundamental doctrines of Christianity." (Sir Joseph Lister)

"The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator. Science brings men nearer to God." (Louis Pasteur). Pasteur strongly opposed Darwin's theory of evolution because he felt it did not conform to the scientific evidence.

Robert Boyle believed in Jesus Christ's "Passion, His death, His resurrection and ascension, and all of those wonderful works which He did during His stay upon earth, in order to confirm the belief of His being God as well as man."

Sir Isaac Newton said, "Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance." and also "The true God is a living, intelligent and powerful being."

Michael Faraday was careful to "Thank God, first, for all His gifts." 


Present day PhD. scientists speak out

"The evidence points to an intelligent designer of the vast array of life, both living and extinct, rather than to unguided mindless evolution." (Nancy M Darrall, Speech Therapist at the Bolton Community Health Care Trust in the UK. She holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Wales.)

"Evolutionary theories of the universe cannot counteract the above arguments for the existence of God." (John M Cimbala, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University. John holds a PhD in Aeronautics.)

"The correspondence between the global catastrophe in the geological record and the Flood described in Genesis is much too obvious for me to conclude that these events must be one and the same." (John R Baumgardner, Technical Staff Member in the Theoretical Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory. John holds a PhD in Geophysics and Space Physics from UCLU.)

"We have already seen that no such system could possibly appear by chance. Life in its totality must have been created in the beginning, just as God told us." (John P Marcus, Research Officer at the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Plant Pathology, University of Queensland, Australia. John holds a PhD in Biological Chemistry from the University of Michigan.)

"The fossil record is considered to be the primary evidence for evolution, yet it does not demonstrate a complete chain of life from simple forms to complex." (Larry Vardiman, Professor from the Department of Astro-Geophysics for Creation Research, USA. Larry holds a PhD in Atmosperic Science from Colorado State University.)

"I … have no hesitation in rejecting the evolutionary hypothesis of origins and affirming the biblical alternative that 'in six days the Lord God created the heavens and earth and all that in them is'. (Dr Taylor is senior lecturer in Electrical Engineering at the University of Liverpool. Dr Taylor has a PhD in Electrical Engineering and has authored over 80 scientific articles.)

"I believe God provides evidence of His creative power for all to experience personally in our lives. To know the Creator does not require an advanced degree in science or theology." (Timothy G Standish is an Associate Professor of Biology at Andrews University in the USA. Dr Standish holds a PhD in Biology and Public Policy from George Mason University, USA.)

"At the same time I found I could reject evolution and not commit intellectual suicide, I began to realise I could also accept a literal creation and still not commit intellectual suicide." (AJ Monty White, Student Advisor, Dean of Students Office, at the University of Cardiff, UK. Dr White holds a PhD in the field of Gas Kinetics.)

"So life did not arise by natural processes, nor could the grand diversity of life have arisen through no-intelligent natural processes (evolution). Living things were created by God, as the Bible says." (Don Batten, a research scientist for Answer in Genesis in Australia. Dr Batten holds a PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Sydney and worked for 18 years as a research scientist with the New South Wales Department of Agriculture.) 

 

"In the words of the well-known scientist, Robert Jastrow, 'for the scientist who has lived by faith in the power of reason, the story [of the quest for the answers about the origin of life and the universe] ends like a bad dream. he has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries." (Jerry R Bergman, Instructor of Science at Northwest State College, Archbold, Ohio. He holds a PhD in Evaluation and Research from Wayne State University and a PhD in Human Biology from Columbia Pacific University.) 

8. Fulfills our deepest needs

When you think about it, there are not many places that even claim to have answers to our questions about life. The Bible supplies the answers to our deepest needs.

OUR NEED	THE BIBLE HAS THE ANSWER
To find love	"We love because God first loved us" a
To know truth	"In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth ..." b
To know God	"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" c
To overcome the fear of death	"Jesus ... by his death ... came to free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death" d
To find forgiveness	"To Jesus who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ... to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen" e
To find peace	(Jesus says) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace" k
To find freedom	"So if the Son (Jesus) sets you free, you will be free indeed" l
To find joy in life	"... and you are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" m
To find security	"I believe that neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, neither height nor depth. nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" n

9. The world's most widely distributed book  

"The whole Bible has been translated into 405 different languages and the New Testament into 1034 languages." 

This indicates that many people think the Bible is a very important book worthy of our most serious consideration.

10. Packed with the most exciting events  

These include human emotion (love, joy, peace, exhilaration, pain and disappointment), miracles like people rising from the dead, people receiving their sight and walking on water, suspense, battles and the supernatural (God and demons). 

11. What the Bible says makes sense

THE TOPIC	WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
There must be a Creator	"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" f
There is good and evil	"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" g
We have trouble doing what is right	"'For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out'" h
There will be a judgment for what we have done	"When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regards to sin and unrighteousness and judgment" i
We need forgiveness	"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all righteousness" j

"I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by men who were inspired. I study the Bible daily."  

12. Many people have died for their faith  

Countless numbers of people over the centuries have been prepared to die for their belief that the Bible is accurate. This included the disciples (Peter, John etc.) who were with Jesus when he lived and died. They were so convinced that Jesus rose from the dead that they were prepared to die for their faith.

The disciples would only have only been prepared to die for their faith if they were totally convinced that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead on the third day.

Many of these people (like Paul the apostle) were sworn enemies of the Christians and Christianity, until God changed their lives. Then the arguments they held dearly to didn't seem so convincing!

 

  13. Has survived the most sustained attack  

When a French monarch proposed the persecution of Christians, an old statesman said to him, "Sire, the Church of God is an anvil that has worn out many hammers."

14. The Bible is historically reliable
If you think that "the Bible is inaccurate and not reliable" we encourage you to read the book:

"More Than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell ,  

Tyndale House Publishers, Great Britain, 1977. 

Test 1: The Bibliographical Test - Number of copies & closeness to the original  

Compared to its closest 'rival' the "Iliad", written by Homer, the New Testament has far more existing copies. It also has a much shorter time interval between when it was written and the earliest existing copy we now possess.

Test 2: The External Test - Agreement with other historical manuscripts

What the Bible says:

"When Pilate heard this, he bought out Jesus ... 'Here is your king', Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, 'Take him away! ... Crucify him!' 'Shall I crucify your king?' Pilate asked. 'We have no king but Caesar' ... Finally Pilate handed him over to be crucified (Bible, John 19:13-16).

"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar - when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother..." (Bible, Luke 3:1).

"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Bible, Acts 11:26).

What other historical documents say:

"The persons commonly called Christians ... Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea for the reign of Tiberius..." (Cornelius Tacitus, Roman historian, 112 A.D.)

"They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as a god and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word..." (Pliny the Younger, Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor in A.D.112 writing to emperor Trajan seeking counsel as how to treat the Christians.)

Even people who were enemies of Christianity confirm many of the basic historical details of the New Testament!

Test 3: The Internal Test - Closeness of writers to the action

The writers of the gospels were either eyewitnesses (Matthew and John) or people like Luke who received the story from eyewitnesses. These writers were very close to the action!

 

SOUL FOOD: Proverbs 1 - 05.08.10

Poetic language empowers us to express our heart toward God about our joys, pains, thanksgiving and complaints. This genre also teaches us to live by the wisdom of God.

READ: Proverbs 1 List 3 challenges in this chapter that were important to Solomon as a father.

WISDOM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Proverbs begins with a clear statement of its purpose -- to impact wisdom for godly living. The first few chapters are Solomon's fatherly advice to young people. Although most of the material in this section is directed toward young people, all who seek wisdom will greatly benefit from these wise words. This is where one can discover the source of wisdom, the value of wisdom and the benefits of wisdom.

1.1
What the book of Psalms is to prayer and devotional life, the book of Proverbs is to everyday life. Proverbs gives practical suggestions for effective living. This book is not just a collection of interesting tidbits; it contains deep spiritual insights drawn from experience. A proverb is a short, wise, easy-to-remember saying that calls a person to action. It doesn't argue about basic spiritual and moral beliefs; it assumes we already hold them. The book of Proverbs focuses on God -- his character, works and blessings --  and it tells how we can live in close relationship. 
Solomon, the third king of Israel, son of the great king David, reigned during Israel's golden age. When God said he would give him whatever he wanted, he asked for an understanding mind (1 Kings 3:5-14). God was pleased with this request. He not only made Solomon wise but also gave him great riches and power and an era of peace. Solomon built the glorious Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6) and wrote most of the book of Proverbs. 

1:7
One of the most annoying types of people is a know-it-all, a person who has a dogmatic opinion about everything, is closed to anything new, resents discipline and refuses to learn. Solomon calls this kind of a person a fool. Don't be a know-it-all. Instead, be open to the advice of others, especially those who know you well and can give you valuable insight and counsel. Learn how to learn from others. Remember, only God knows it all. 

1:7-9
In this age of information, knowledge is plentiful but wisdom is scarce. Wisdom means far more than simply knowing a lot. It is basic attitude that affects every aspect of life. The foundation of knowledge is to fear the Lord -- to honor and respect God, to live in awe of his power, and to obey his Word. Faith in God should be the controlling principle for your understanding of the world, your attributes and your actions. Trust in God -- he will make you truly wise.

1:8
Our actions speak louder than our words. This is especially true in the home. Children learn values, morals, and priorities by observing how their parents act and react every day. if parents exhibit a deep reverence for and dependence on God, the children will catch these attitudes. Let them see your reverence for God. Teach them right living by giving worship an important place in your family life and by reading the Bible together.

1:10-19
Sin is enticing because it offers a quick route to prosperity or pleasure and makes us feel like one of the crowd. But when we go along with others and refuse to listen to the truth, our own appetites become our masters, and we'll do anything to satisfy them. Sin, even when attractive, is deadly. We must learn to make choices, not on the basis of flashy appeal or short-range pleasure, but in view of the long-range effects. Sometimes this means steering clear of people who want to entice us into activities that we know are wrong. We can't be friendly with sin and expect our lives to remain unaffected.

1:19
Being "greedy for money" is one of Satan's surest traps. It begins when he plants the suggestion that we can't live without some possession or more money. Then that desire fans its own fire until it becomes an all-consuming obsession. Ask God for wisdom to recognize any greedy desire before it destroys you. God will help you overcome it.

1:20
The picture of Wisdom shouting in the streets is a personification -- a literary device to make wisdom come alive for us. Wisdom is not a living being; it is the mind of God revealed. By reading Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, we can see Wisdom in action. In order to understand how to become wise, we need to heed Wisdom calling and instructing us in the book of Proverbs. For a New Testament call to wisdom, see James 1:5. Make sure you don't reject God's offer of wisdom to you.

1:22-28
God is more than willing to pour out his heart and make shown his thoughts to us. To receive his advice, we must be willing to listen, refusing to let pride stand in out way. Pride is thinking more highly of our own wisdom and desires than of God's. If we think we know better than God or feel we have no need of God's direction, we have fallen into foolish and disastrous pride.

1:31,32
Many proverbs point out that the "bitter fruit of living their own way" will be the consequence people will experience in this life. Faced with either choosing God's wisdom or persisting in rebellious independence, many decide to go it alone. The problems such people create for themselves will destroy them. Don't ignore God's advice even if it is painful for the present. It will keep you from greater pain in the future.

REFLECT: What are 3 verses in this chapter that most nourish your soul in your present situation?

1:8,9 "My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don't neglect your mother's instruction.
What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around you neck."
The personification of wisdom as a female in Proverbs 1, 8 and 9 is, perhaps, the most extraordinary hypostasis in the entire Hebrew Bible. This very positive image of femaleness as a source of truth, peace, and the Lord’s favor is a breathtaking counterpoint to the usual highly censorious depiction of women encountered in the Old Testament. God is telling us our role and it is to be that of honor and grace!

1:19 "Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money it robs them of life.

RESPOND: Write out one of the verses that speaks strongly to you and commit it to memory today.

"My child, listen when your father corrects you.

Don't neglect your mother's instruction.

What you learn from them will crown you with grace

 and be a chain of honor around you neck"

SOUL FOOD: Psalm 37 - 05.07.10

Poetic language empowers us to express our heart toward God about our joy's, pains, thanksgiving and complaints. This genre also teaches us to live by the wisdom of God. 

READ: Psalm 37 What are some of the repeated themes that David expresses in this Psalm?

Psa. 37:5 Commit everything to the Lord; Trust Him and discover what's best happens. 
Psa. 37:5 (KJV) Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 
Psa. 37:5 (TEV) Give yourself to the LORD; trust in him, and he will help you; 
Psa. 37:5 (NLT) Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. 

THE JOYS OF TRUST (PS. 37)

No psalm has more comforting verses, more verses inviting lengthy meditation. 

No psalm has more verses that speak so directly to the human heart. Because 

of this, it's almost sacrilege to analyze this psalm: to break its thoughts apart,

to look for similarities and themes. And yet, how much this psalm tells us 

about the nature, and about the benefits, of trust. If we seek to probe the 

nature of trust, we find in this psalm that trust is:Looking to God and doing 

good (v. 3). 

Delighting in the LORD (v. 4).
Committing our way to the LORD (v. 5).
Not fretting when the wicked succeed (v. 7).
Refraining from anger and wrath (v. 8).
Being satisfied with little (v. 16).
Giving generously to others (v. 21).
Turning from evil to do good (v. 27).
Planting God's Law in our hearts (v. 31).
Waiting for the LORD (v. 34).
Keeping His way (v. 34).
Taking refuge in the LORD (v. 40).
Trust is in fact a way of life, the way of life we choose when we commit 

ourselves to the LORD. This same psalm reveals the outcome of trust. One 

who actively commits himself to the LORD can expect these benefits: 
To enjoy safe pastures (v. 3).
To receive the desires of his heart (v. 4).
To be vindicated (vv. 5-6).
To inherit the land (vv. 9, 22, 34).
To enjoy great peace (v. 11).
To be upheld by God (v. 17).
To gain an enduring inheritance (v. 18).
To enjoy plenty in days of famine (v. 19).
To be upheld by the LORD (v. 24).
To always live securely (v. 27).
To never be forsaken by God (v. 28).
To not slip (v. 31).
To see the wicked cut off (v. 34).
To have a future (v. 37).
To be helped and delivered by the LORD (v. 40).
The beauty of this psalm aside, its teaching is vital to our well-being. Only by 

an active trust in God, expressed in the choices made each day of our lives, 

can we experience the many benefits of a personal relationship with the LORD.

37:1

We should never envy evil people, even though some may be extremely popular

or excessively rich. No matter how much they have, it will fade and vanish like

grass that withers and dies. Those who follow God live differently from the 

wicked and, in the end, will have treasures in heaven. What an unbeliever gets

on earth may last a lifetime, but what you get from following God lasts forever. 

37:4,5

David calls us to take delight in the Lord and to commit everything we have and

do to him. But how do we do this? To delight in someone means to experience

great pleasures and joy in his or her presence. This happens only when we 

know that person well. Thus, to delight in the Lord, we must know him better. 

Knowledge of God's great live for us will indeed give us delight. 

To commit ourselves to the Lord means entrusting everything--our lives, 

families, jobs, possessions -- to his control and guidance. To commit ourselves 

to the Lord means to trust in Him (37:5), believing that he can care for us 

better than we can ourselves. We should be willing to wait patiently (37:7) 

for him to work out what is best for us. 

37:8,9

Anger, rage and losing our temper are very destructive emotions. They reveal 

a lack of faith that God loves us and is in control. We should not worry; 

instead, we should trust in God, giving ourselves to him for his use and 

safekeeping. When you dwell on your problems, you will become anxious and 

angry. But if you concentrate on God and his goodness, you will find peace.  

Where do you focus your attention?  

37:11

Being lowly hardly seems the proper demeanor to deal with enemies. God's 

warfare, however, must be carried out with calm faith, humility before God, 

and hope in his deliverance. Jesus also promises a sure reward for those with

humble attitudes (Matthew 5:5)

37:21

You can tell a lot about a person's character by the way she handles money. 

The wicked person steals under the guise of borrowing. The righteous person 

gives generously to the needy. Wicked people, therefore, focus on themselves,

while righteous people look to the welfare of others. 

37:23, 24

The person in whom God delights is one who follows God, trusts him, and tries

to do his will. God watches over and makes firm every step that a person takes.

If you would like to have God direct your way, then seek his advice before you 

step out.

37:25

Because children starve today, as they did in David's time, what did David 

mean by these words? The children of the righteous need not go hungry 

because other believers should help them in their time of need. In David's day,

Israel obeyed God's laws, which endured that the poor were treated fairly and 

mercifully. As long as Israel was obedient, food would be available for 

everyone. When Israel forgot God, the rich took care of themselves only, and

the poor suffered. (Amos 2:6,7) When we see a Christian brother or sister 

suffering today we can respond in one of three ways:

(1) We can say, as Job's friends did, that the afflicted person brought this on himself.

(2) We can say that this is a test to help the person develop more patience and trust in God. 

(3) We can help the person in need.

David would approve of only the last option. Although many governments today

have their own programs for helping those in need, this is no excuse for 

ignoring the poor and needy within our reach. 

REFLECT: What are some of the themes in Psalm 37 that resonate with your current 

situation?

The literal meaning of this verse is: "Roll your way onto God and trust upon Him, and He works." 

This brings to our attention the immediacy of God's action once we commit, or "roll," burdens of 

any kind from our hands into His. Whether our burden is a sorrow, difficulty, physical need, or 

concern over the salvation of a loved one, "He works." When does He work? "He works" now. We 

act as if God does not immediately accept our trust in Him and thereby delays accomplishing what

we ask Him to do. We fail to understand that "He works" as we commit. "He works" now! Praise 

Him for the fact that this is true. Our expectation that He will work is the very thing enabling the 

Holy Spirit to accomplish what we have "rolled" onto Him.... "He works!" Take comfort from  

this and do not try to pick it up again. What a relief there is in knowing He really is at work on our

difficulty! And when someone says, "But I don't see any results," pay him no attention. "He works"

if you have "rolled" your burdens onto Him and are "looking unto Jesus" (Heb. 12:2 KJV) to do it. 

Your faith may be tested, but "He works."  His Word is true! 

RESPOND: Copy a portion of this Psalm that you find most enriching and send it out to as many people 

as you can as encouragement to their souls (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Blog, etc) 

"The Lord directs the steps of godly. 

He delights in every detail of their lives. 

Through they stumble, they will never fall,

for the Lord holds them by the hand." Psalm 37:23,24

CHARACTER: Deuteronomy 6 - 05.06.10

Character: The Old Testament Law was Israel's first glimpse of God's character and how to live as His people. The Law provides guidelines for discipline and personal holiness. 

READ: Deuteronomy 6 What can you learn about God's will for His people in this chapter?

Do we want good children or godly children? This question lies at the heart of our true desire for our children.

In the midst of a secular society, it is easy to leave God out of the training of our children. For any child to be a "good" child he must be raised by God's truth, even if the parents do not acknowledge they are doing so. They enjoy His world, His gifts such as life and bodies but do not give any thanks to Him. This is the mark of the secular state that asserts it can run on its own.

We want godly children who know the principles of good living but also who know God Himself. We desire for our children to have a love and passion for God that overflows in a love for mankind. Without Jesus Christ our ability to forgive, have compassion and to love is greatly limited. In Christ we have the ability to have Christ live His life in us.

Our goals for our children must go far beyond what we can do in our own strength, which only feeds our pride. We must train our children to trust God and live a supernatural life in which they walk in His Spirit. There are many voices telling us how to parent, but the majority of them reject God's purpose for our children. Because many Christian families have bought into secular thinking, their children are living as immorally as the society around them.

Now is the time to change the course of history through our own families. God can do great and mighty things through a small number of families that live by His great and glorious promises and purposes. In this session, we will first focus on God's principles for raising our children from Deuteronomy 6 and later conclude by mentioning some practical points on how we can implement these life-changing principles.

Principle #1: Establish and live by God's standards (Deuteronomy 6:1)

Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it. (Deuteronomy 6:1)

In the chapter before this, the Ten Commandments were clearly given to the people again. God is holy; therefore we must do things His way in order to please Him. Therefore, we must know what the Lord says and then actually obey Him by doing just what He says. Moses taught the Israelites God's commands in order help them live out godly lives among the heathen nations. Our standards must come from God's standards. As these commands have been taught to us, we need to teach them to others.

Principle #2: Pass it on to next generations (Deuteronomy 6:2)

So that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. (Deuteronomy 6:2)

God wants us to think in terms of generations. We are not only to think of our children but our children' s children. The 'you,' 'your sons,' and 'your grandson' reflect three generations. What we do with our lives greatly impacts the lives of the next generations. The 'fear of the LORD' is the conscious presence of God, which influences our lives. Many people live their daily life as if God has nothing to say about how they should live.

When God's Word has minimum impact on what a person does, we can say he is secularized even though he might be religious. The ' fear of God' is no longer in his life. Our purpose is not just to pass down the LORD's commands but that our children might fear the LORD and keep His commands. Knowledge of His commands is insufficient. Knowledge must be translated into life change.

If a generation only has knowledge of His commands and no love for His ways (this is where Christianity has degenerated into a mere religion), then the next generation will depart from those commands.

How do we avoid this generational departure? Parents must pass on the fear of the LORD to their children and children's children. The Christian parent must do everything to pass on the heart and passion for the Lord as well as knowledge of the Lord's commands.

On the positive side, if we live out godly lives before our children, they will most likely pick up that passion. We must be careful to instruct them about who the Lord is and all about His ways. Neglect of this will lead to a next generation that has respect for our ways but no power.

If we live compromising lives, then we live as if we are already in the second generational stage. Our children will, for the most part, leave the Lord. They do not believe because we do not really believe. Genuine faith always touches our life's priorities. Only a false religious faith permits a division between 'belief' and life. Our children look at the goodness of our lives rather than what we say. They are right. If we do not live by what we say, then they see only our hypocrisy. This produces sad and bitter lives.

Pause for Reflection: Are you excited about what God is doing in your life?

6.3

For a nation that had wandered 40 years in a parched wilderness, a land flowing with milk and honey sounded like paradise. It brought to mind rich crops, rushing streams, gentle rains and lush fields filled with livestock. The Israelites could have had all that 40 years earlier. Numbers 13 and 14 explain how the people missed their chance. Now Moses was determined to help the people avoid the same mistake by whetting their appetite for the beautiful land and then clearly explaining the conditions for entering the land. 

Principle #3: Convinced of the need for God' s blessing (Deuteronomy 6:3)

O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. (Deuteronomy 6:3)

God's ways always bring the greatest blessing. To the degree our lives are shaped by His teaching, we are able to live by His high standards. When we carefully apply these teachings to our lives, then we see how God's promises fill our lives. Part of this blessing is material blessing. Part of it is multiplication. God wants to increase what is good. Having many children is a blessing of our LORD, which should not be hindered.

And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb (Deuteronomy 7:13).

We will either believe our welfare is dependent upon keeping God' s Word or we will not. To the degree we obey, we will be blessed. Our goal should be to 'run' after His commands. Only in this way do we have a passionate love for God that would be worthy to transfer to the next generation.

6.4
Monotheism -- belief in only one God -- was a distinctive feature of Hebrew religion. Many ancient religions believed in many gods. But the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the God of the whole earth, the only true God. This was important insight for the nation of Israel because they were about to enter a land filled with people who believed in many gods. Both then and today, there are people who prefer to place their trust in many different values, belief systems and "gods." But the day is coming when God will be recognized as the only one. He will be the king over the whole earth (Zechariah 14:9).

Principle #4: Undivided loyalty to Yahweh (LORD) (Deuteronomy. 6:4-5)

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Since the Lord is one, we must not divide our affections between Him and something else. If there were several gods, then our loyalty would be divided. Since He is one, all of our devotion, inspiration and strength must be used to do all that He says. His words take a priority in our lives. God is asking, even demanding, that we take all of our work, family, and personal plans and re-work them so that He becomes the center of our lives. A doctor, for example, should give up his occupation if he is required to do abortions. He should not murder. The commitment to life requires him to help not hurt people.

Jesus told us that we could only love Him or wealth (mammon) (Matthew 6:24). If a family worships money, then their decisions will be made with those prior commitments in mind. In the end, we will only prioritize one God. We need to commit to serving the LORD Yahweh as a family. This decision sets our family apart from others. This is important to communicate to our children.

Pause for Reflection: Is God your life priority? If things got real bad like Job, would you give up God?

6:5

Jesus said that loving God with all ourselves is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-39). This command, combined to love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18), encompasses all the other Old Testament laws.  

Principle #5: Devoted to His Word (Deuteronomy 6:6)

And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. Deuteronomy (6:6)

We fool ourselves if we think that we can raise our children to become godly men and women without having a passion for God and His Word ourselves. His words must be on our heart. We can judge our commitment by discerning how much time we spend keeping God' s Word fresh on our hearts and minds. When we do spend time in His Word, is it because we desire His Word or because we are obligated to. We do go through ups and downs in our spiritual life, but the real test is how much we really love God through all those times.

Pause for Reflection: How many times do you as the father meditate on God's Word through the week?

6:7

The Hebrews were extremely successful at making religion an internal part of life. The reason for their success was that religious education was life-oriented, no information-oriented. They used the context of daily life to teach about God. The key to teaching your children to love God is stated simply and clearly in these verses. If you want your children to follow God, you must make God a part of your everyday experiences. You must teach your children diligently to see God in all aspects of life, not just those that are church related. 

Principle #6: Display God' s Word (Deuteronomy 6:8-9)

And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:8-9)

We surround ourselves with what we love. If we love God's Word then it will be all around us. We can put scripture on our computer screens, walls, plaques, etc. We should throw away some of those old items that show our old treasures and replace them with our growing love of God's Word. Throw away those Buddha statues and anything else associated with different religions. Take down those pictures of movie and sports idols. If pictures are depressing, replace them with one from Psalm 23. More than this memorize these verses with your children and learn to treasure them.

The best place to store God's Word is in our heart. What is on our walls should only reflect what is in our hearts. We put scripture about our home not because it is mandatory but because that is what we like.

Pause for Reflection: What do you decorate your walls with? Would anyone know that you have a great love for God from walking in or around your home?

6:4-9

This passage provides the central theme of Deuteronomy. It sets a pattern that helps us relate the Word of God to our daily lives. We are to love God, think constantly about his commandments to our children, and live each day by guidelines in his Word. God emphasized the importance of parents teaching the Bible to their children. The church and Christian schools cannot be used to escape from this responsibility. The Bible provides so many opportunities for object lessons and practical teaching that it would a shame to study is it only one day a week. Eternal truths are most effectively learned in the loving environment of a God-fearing home.  

6:10-13

Moses warned the people not to forget God when they entered the Promised Land and became prosperous. Prosperity, more than poverty, can dull our spiritual vision because it tends to make us self-sufficient and eager to acquire still more of everything -- except God. The same thing can happen in our church. Once we become successful in terms of numbers, programs, and buildings, we can easily become self-sufficient and less sensitive to our need for God. This leads us to concentrate on self-preservation rather than thankfulness and service to God. 

6:24

Does the phrase "so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives" mean that we can expect only good things and no suffering when we obey God? What is promised here is a right relationship with God for all those who love him with all their heart. It speaks of a good relationship with God and ultimate benefit of knowing him. It is not blanket protection against poverty, adversity or suffering. We can have this right relationship with God by obeying his command to love him with all that we are. 

REFLECT: How do you live out verse 5 on a daily basis?

I try and offer thanks for everything good or bad that happens on a daily basis. When I need to pray for someone; I do so right there and then. I make sacrifices for God to show him my love by not doing worldly things! And I just love people the way God loves me!

RESPOND: What is something in this chapter that you can take on as a personal challenge to do?

"You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God--all the laws and decrees he has given you." Deuteronomy 6:17 As a human... I sin everyday and therefore should fully repent these sins everyday. Which means getting my mind and heart right before starting everyday so that I can be aware that I am indeed sinning!