THINGS TO REMEMBER AS GOD'S CHILDREN

T:  Things to remember as God’s People

T: Deuteronomy  7^th  Chapter

By

Pastor. Francis

When we think of our lives we have many responsibilities to fulfill in the family and at our work places. 

In my childhood days I went to learn swimming, during that time my instructor instructed me to remember some things as an instruction before I get into the water.  This applies to us wherever we work and receive the training. Particularly in the Defense forces they remember very well what things to do and not to do in their job.

Let’s look into the God’s word what it says about the things that we need to remember.

1.    No compromising with the enemy V 2-3

2.    No connivance at False worship V 5

3.    No swerving from Divine command V 11-12

4.    No fearing face of Man  V  18

5.    No coveting the riches of the world V 25-26

                                                No compromising with the enemy V 2-3

As the difficulties raises in a personal, family life and Job, our natural human tendency is to compromise with the world.  As a God’s children when we go through difficult times and temptations there are chances to compromise in our lives with the enemy.

God’s word clearly commands us to remember that not to compromise with the enemy.  Why not to compromise with the enemy.

There are several reasons I would like to highlight as it is in Romans 1: 19-23

19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

They do not know the value of God

They do not know to whom worship                     Romans 1:19-23                      

They do not know the Law of God

They walk in darkness

Here God gives clear instructions to God’s children in which are they shouldn’t compromise.

1.       You shall not make Covenant: for a word “Covenant” in oxford it gives perfect meaning “basic relationship of commitment with God”. It talks that our basic commitment must start with God till we die. In Joshua 9:6 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a Covenant with us.” God’s children are supposed to maintain their relationship only with Him and in the following verses we find the adversaries what God’s children they faced. Many of the times we tend to believe blindly the words of enemy and fall into the snare.

Our Covenant with God and His people will benefit us and our families.

No connivance at False worship V 5

These are the main things that we need to remember in our life, that we need to stay away from our lives. From the altars, idols and wooden images.

God commands three things to stay away from the worldly worship

Altar

If we look into the God’s word there is some specialty about the Altar

i.                    These Altars are built in the most high places

ii.                  These have special consideration

iii.                These are built with a purpose

iv.                 These are built when God revealed Himself to God’s people

v.                   It’s a place where God cleanses peoples sin

vi.                 These are the places where God satisfies, but there is a reason when God commanded to destroy and not to gather near the gentile’s altar.

Gentiles they don’t know God, they built their altars for their purpose, for their enjoyment and has corrupted.

I would like to request you to ponder on this thing

Do you have such altars in your heart that which don’t glorify and please God?  If so come to the Christ he is willing to take away all the worldly things from your heart and gives you the peace and eternal life.

Not only the altars we built in our hearts but also we give room for idols in our heart. 

Idols

 Idols are made by man and it is made according to human mind.

In Ex 20: 1-3

“You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

Wooden images 

 This could be the goddess of Canaanites or Feninians, its worship has been taking in the high places. As these places are built by man, in God’s word high places belongs to God. 

The Christian faith is Iconoclastic.

No swerving from Divine command V 11-12

If you want to receive the eternal blessings in your life, we need to follow God’s commandments.  In John Chapter 14:21, 24, 31

21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.

31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Are you following God?

No fearing face of Man V 18

We as God’s children should never fear with the face of man, at the same time Bible commands us to obey our masters.

There are some incidents in the Bible where God strengthens His children by giving boldness.

In the Old Testament we find the boldness of Daniel

Dan 3:16-17 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

In the New Testament we find the boldness of John and Peter.

Acts 4:19-20

19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

No coveting the riches of the world V 25-26

God wants us to be content with what we have, don’t greed for the things that which you don’t have.  Thank God for what you have wherein God will bless you.

In I Timothy 6:9-10

6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

 Apostle Paul in his ministry life he says in Acts 20: 33

33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes.

My dear reader where is your heart and where is your goal.  Are you content with what the Lord has given you.  Are you thanking Him in your day to day life for what you receive.

May God bless you.