King James Daily Bible Study: For His Mercy
Date: Thursday March 03, 2011
Chapters: Deuteronomy 5-7
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-march-3
Details of Today's Reading: A reminder of the covenant God in Horeb, the ten commandments repeated, obedience to God, marriage with the Canaanites forbidden, and the promises God gives to those who are obedient.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
The word bondage is defined as slavery or involuntary servitude, the state of being bound by or subjected to some external power or control. No matter where you go or what you do it seems we are subject to some kind of power that tells us how to dress, act, talk, and even think. People are no longer allowed to express their opinion out of fear that they might offend someone, get sued or worse, go to jail or get killed, and this is the bondage that those who live in the world are subject to. Imagine what Christians are going through, we can not even mention the name Jesus without offending someone? However, Jesus says, “Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.” - Luke 21:14-18.

The Israelites were about to enter the beautiful land promised to them by God Almighty, there was only one problem, it was already in possession by others, amongst them were the Canaanites. Moses reminds them of the ten commandments that God had written with His own finger and that God had made them in order to keep them from falling into the corruption of the Canaanites and every one else dwelling there. “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.” - Deuteronomy 5:6-10.

Unlike the bondage we are subject to in the world, God's laws are not given to censure and bound His people, but to protect them from all the corruption and suffering they would go through. I have had a taste of the world and all it did was take me to a place that was dark, manipulative, and deceiving. Thank God for His mercy! “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” - Hebrews 8:12.

Moses reminds the Israelites of God's promise, should they follow His commandments and encourages them to teach them to their children. “Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.” - Deuteronomy 6:1-3.

While God does give us the things He promises us, He also promises that it is going to take some work to get them, but also promises that if we stay faithful and let Him lead us then we have nothing to worry about, He is going to be there with us, encouraging us along the way and we will receive them. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” - James 1:12.

We need to think of God's commandments as guides, not something that we are bound to, laws are set for law breakers not those who try to live right. And truthfully, only those who become offended by them are the ones breaking them. God's people are to separate themselves from among the world, that does not mean we are to sit in a corner and never go out of the house. That means we are to be cautious and not become friends with or marry them. God warns the Israelites before they even enter not to dwell with the people already there.

“When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.” - Deuteronomy 7:1-4.

Living in sin, an immoral and corruptible life, literally destroys a person, God is not actually the one that destroys us, we are, all by ourselves, and it happens quick. One can blame the person who caused them to sin, but they still allowed it to happen. I fell into sin because I allowed myself to dwell with those living in sin, but I was just as accountable for my own actions as they were for subjecting me to them. However, praise God for His mercy! God knows that some of His people are going to fall into sin because they get around the wrong people, but He never breaks His covenant with His people, even when they fall into corruption He is faithful and will get them to return. “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;” - Deuteronomy 7:7-9.

God's covenant remains with all who believe in and accept His Son, Jesus Christ as their Savior. He knows who His people are and knows they are going to mess up sometimes, but He never forgets nor forsakes who are His. Jesus, redeems us and gets us right with God. Praise God For His Mercy! Jesus says, “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me...I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him...And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:15,16,26,32.

There is one thing we do not have to work to keep and that is our salvation. Jesus redeems us and sets us free from the bondage of sin. Praise God! Now, that does not mean that we will never sin or be tried again, but it does mean that He will never leave us for His mercy endures forever. The closer we get to Jesus the easier it will be to free ourselves from all the things of the world that have kept us bondage. “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you...And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - I Thessalonians 5:14-18,23. Praise God!

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the land flowing with milk and honey, which is a picture of the Kingdom of God for without Him we would never get to see. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” - John 3:3.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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