Today in the Word for November 11-15
Today in The Word
Monday Nov 11, 2019
Can success pose its own kind of risks to us? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. When the Israelites are poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses warns them about the risk of success in Deuteronomy 8:12-14, 17-18:
“…when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt…You may say to yourself,
“My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…”
When we begin to reap the rewards of success, we can get to thinking that we arrived at our state solely by our own actions. But success is not a solo act. Not only does it take the support of other humans, it was God-given talent and his sustaining power that made it possible to succeed. He is the one that rescued you from slavery in the first place.
So, when succeeding, don’t forget God.
And that’s the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday Nov 12, 2019
Can success pose its own kind of risks to us? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. When the Israelites are told they will be able to defeat stronger nations in order to enter the Promised Land, Moses warns them about the risk of success in Deuteronomy 9:4-5:
“After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness”…It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity…but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out…”
When we win at life, we can mistakenly think it is because of our high moral standing. We can believe that success proves we are living right. But God can use us to correct others even when we are far from perfect. If he uses people to bring correction to people, all he has to work with is the imperfect. Any quick reading of scripture illustrates that.
So, don’t let success inflate your opinion of your own goodness. God works through the imperfect to accomplish his good purposes. That should bring modesty to our opinion of our own moral fiber.
And that’s the Word from David Baker of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Can success pose its own kind of risks to us? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. When the Israelites are told they will be able to defeat stronger nations in order to enter the Promised Land, Moses warns them about the risk of success in Deuteronomy 9:4-5:
“After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness”…It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity…but…to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
When success in life finds us, we can get focused on ourselves. Yet in this scripture, God was telling his people to focus on the promise made to the patriarchs hundreds of years prior. We have a weakness as humans to inflate our own importance. God wanted the Israelites to know that he will rescue them so they can be a blessing to the world. He can use us to accomplish purposes we know little to nothing about.
So, we are to focus on the One who makes plans that span the centuries. Our current success might not be that much about us anyway. We may want to celebrate the One who has our best material in hand.
And that’s the Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly. Join our Wednesday adult Bible Study at 6:30 for more of the Word.
Today in the Word
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
Which way do you run when the heat is on? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Judean King Ahaz was a terrible leader. He was deep into idolatry when the Lord sent him a crushing defeat by the Aramean military. God wanted him to turn towards the Lord. What will he do? II Chronicles 28:22-23:
“In his time of trouble, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought,
“Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.”
But they were his downfall…”
Instead of running toward God, he ran even harder into the arms of paganism. He was a pragmatist. ‘If it works for them it should work for me.’
And we can make the same mistake. We are in trouble and all we care is whether someone thinks a religious practice will work. We will try anything. In the end, it destroyed Ahaz. We must heed God’s call to change, or we could suffer his same fate.
And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Friday Nov 15, 2019
Which way do you run when the heat is on? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Judean King Manasseh was a terrible leader. He was deep into idolatry, and had reversed the good work of his father, Hezekiah, when the Lord sent him a crushing defeat by the Aramean military. God wanted him to turn towards the Lord. Yesterday, we learned that King Ahaz had failed this test. What will Manasseh do? II Chronicles 33:12,13,15 reports:
“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly…And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty…so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom… He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple…as well as all the altars he had built…”
Both kings had been living far from the commands of God. Both men had been overrun by the same foreign military power. But Ahaz ran toward the pagan religion that seemed to work for his enemies, while Manasseh ran toward the God of the scripture. One was destroyed and the other was restored to his throne.
When you and I are in trouble, the key question is: which way will we run? Our decision will make all the difference.
And that’s the Word. You can enjoy more of the Word this Sunday at 10:45 at Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.