March 1
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 4-6
(Deu 4:2 KJV) Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
In today’s reading we come across this verse which is one of three verses in Scripture which carry a warning for treating the Word of God as some type of common book where a person may edit its contents or avoid some of the pages which make us uncomfortable. In the above verse God was making a strict declaration to the people of Israel as they were ready to go into the promised land. He warned them that they were not to take away from anything He was saying to them. He was giving instructions to them and if they added to it or diminished it, there could and would be grave circumstances. Today we have the Word of God in 66 books. We are living in a time when there has been well over 300 translations of the Bible. The extreme majority of them are really trashlations. Try to find Acts 8;37 in the NIV. It seems that many theologians today and in the past felt that they could improve on the wording of the Bible by basing it on adulterated manuscripts and then adding and taking away what they didn’t like. Mark 16:9-20 is a case in point. This set of verses are missing in the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts but are present in 618 extant manuscripts. The evidence is 618 to 2, yet the higher critics claim because they are not found in the oldest and best manuscripts (their assessment), then they should be considered as additions by a scribe and not the Word of God. In the arena of Bible translations, there is a violation of the above verse. The other two verses which deal with this subject are Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18-19. Notice that God enforces this principle by inserting these verses in the beginning, middle, and end of His completed word. Another area where people add to God’s Word is in the area of tongues. If tongues and prophecies are supposed to be from the Lord, then they must be added to the Bible. However, God has stated in Revelation 22 that there will be no more additions to the Scriptures. Those who are adding to the Scriptures with “prophecies and tongues,” and those who are taking away from the Scriptures by intentional omission are in serious trouble with God. These warnings must be heeded. Did you ever wonder why we have so many translations of the Bible today and yet the church is at its weakest? This is because tampering with the word of God is accepted in the seminaries and the results are distributed in the churches with wide approval.
March 2
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 7-9
(Deu 7:26 KJV) Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.
In today’s reading we come across this passage of Scripture which gives us a little insight into the sanctity of the home. In this passage God was warning the Israelites not to bring in any type of abomination into the house because it had the power to cause those in the house to become like it. In this setting, God was speaking about bringing an idol into the house. In the beginning of this chapter God was telling the Israelites when they get into the land, they should break down the altars and high places and have nothing to do with any pagan shrines. If anyone partakes of the religion associated with these shrines, they are, in essence, becoming as one of the pagans. God detested these religions because they went as far as sacrificing humans. They were servants of false gods kept alive by false teachings. This is why God did not want any of the Israelites to even bring a small image into their houses because it would have polluted those in the house and would have caused many questions about that religion and eventually pagan practices would have begun in that house.
This is what God wanted to prevent in Israel. Corporately, they were redeemed physically from Egypt but not spiritually. There was only a remnant of true Israelites among Israel, such as Joshua, Moses, Caleb, et al. (Rom 9:6 KJV) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Yet God referred to them as His people. It is like the local church today. Corporately they are not redeemed, yet the unbelievers in the local church partake of the spiritual blessings found in the local church. (Heb 6:4 KJV) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, The true believers in the local church are the ones who will not turn away from the true gospel. The Israelites faced many false religions and God was trying to prevent them from becoming a totally pagan nation. As time went on they began to adapt the ways of the pagan nations around them. Finally, God sent them into captivity for their sins. Let’s bring this up to today. What abomination could we bring into the house which could cause a Christian family to begin to drift? First, of all there is Cable and Satellite TV. Let us not just look at pornography as something which could destroy a Christian family. What about all these evolution shows which chip away at Creationism? Hollywood’s portrayal of Christians as a bunch of demented morons is well entrenched in the normal writings of some TV shows. Aren’t we the ones always shown as murdering fanatics? “We’re doing this for God” says the actor while he throws a bomb at an abortion clinic, shoots an abortion doctor, or kills a prostitute.
Now what else could be an abomination that we bring into our houses? What about all the Antichrist rock and rap you can buy on CD’s with personal players? Radio talk shows with questionable subjects? TV Talk shows like Oprah or Jenny Jones? Some years ago these talk show hosts were dubbed “The New Evangelists.” What about the Computer with all its capability of time wasting? How about literature from false religions or liberal theological writers?
Drifting is a slow process and these things chip away at the verity of Scripture, little by little. The best way to gauge if you have brought an abomination into your house is to ask what the long term effects of the object, show, or program will be on you and the members of your family. God did not want even the slightest connection to anything of pagan nature and that is the criteria we need to use also. While TV, Radio, The Computer, The Internet, are not necessarily evil, what is portrayed on them is and we need to be very selective about how we use these items. Spiritual warfare has never been more rampant than it is today. (2 Cor 10:4-5 KJV) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) {5} Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
March 3
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 10-12
(Deu 11:8 KJV) Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;
In today’s reading we come across this verse which gives us an insight into how the Christian can remain spiritually strong in an amoral society which views Christianity as outdated and outmoded. Yet, we as Christians know there is a great freedom in the Christian life. No longer do we have to obey the dictates of the flesh and sin in an uncontrolled manner. In our verse today we see God giving the Israelites a command to keep all His commandments. The reason that God gives them to keep His commandments was so they could remain a strong nation. If they would have believed God at Kadeshbarnea, then they would have dispossessed the pagan nations which were dwelling in the land and their strength would have been spoken of in fear by the other nations. God knew exactly what He wanted to do with Israel and this is why He commanded them to follow His every commandment. He was not giving them instructions just to be mean but to see them become a mighty nation. (1 John 5:3 KJV) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. The word “grievous” carries with it the meaning of “heavy, oppressive, or hard to be borne.” Simple obedience to the Lord in even the smallest of incidences can yield the fruit of spiritual strength in a believer’s life. Whenever we choose to neglect the commandments of God and compromise them, we weaken ourselves and we set ourselves up for future failures.
Many Christians wonder why they see so much defeat in their lives. It can be traced back to something as simple as disobedience. Right now you and I are attempting to go through the entire Bible this year, which means we are going to read every law and commandment that God gave to Israel and to us. We will see verses which we thought we never saw before and those with which we will see in a different light. We will discover areas in which we have been disobedient, simply because we didn’t think that passages of Scripture existed which dealt with our situation. The entire Bible was given to us as the law of God. We don’t try to keep the laws for salvation but we live according to them after salvation to be obedient to the Lord. “Thou shalt not steal” or “Thou shalt not kill” has not been done away with. Of course, we do not offer animal sacrifices anymore nor attend feasts as these were all foreshadows of the future atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever we obey the Lord according to the Scriptures, we will see a rise in our spiritual strength. During the Middle Ages when the Roman Catholic Institution was torturing, murdering, and burning our brothers and sisters, so many had such testimonies of strength. This was because they trusted God, even on the faggots, plus were indwelled with the unadulterated Word of God. When Bishop Hugh Latimer was being burned as a heretic by the Roman Catholic Institution on October 16, 1555, before the flames consumed him and Bishop Nicholas Ridley, he turned to Ridley and said, “Be of good cheer, Master Ridley, and play the man, for we shall this day light such a candle in England as I trust by God' grace shall never be put out." These were his last words this side of Glory. Do you think this type of testimony comes from a person who has compromised and neglected the Word of God? Let us learn from those who have gone before us and keep the commandments of God that we may be strong.
March 4
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 13-16
(Deu 13:1-2 KJV) If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, {2} And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
In today’s reading we start off with this warning God was giving to Israel. God’s prophet Moses was bringing the Word of God to the people of Israel. The area in which God was going to bring the people into was steeped in occultism for many years already, even back in 1407 BC. Mesopotamia and Babylon were entrenched in the occult arts, especially in divining to tell the future. Today we would call them horoscopes and psychics. In fact, Abraham was rescued out of Ur of the Chaldees which was a place of occultism. God did not want His people paying any attention to this form of occultism. Someone would have a dream or a vision and would believe that God sent it to them and if they published it, would lead the people astray. Egypt was also a hotbed of occultism as the black arts were rampant, as we saw when Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. God did not want any confusion being spread among the Israelites as He was guiding them along the way and when He needed to convey something, He summoned Moses to bring it to the people. God was so strong against this occultism of false prophecies, dreams, and visions, that if anyone was caught dabbling in the arts, they were to be stoned to death. Satansim has no place among God’s people. These deceivers that went among the people were also considered a testing program from God to see if they would follow Him or stray from the truth. Today we do not put such people to death but they are in danger of the second death as they are playing with the occult. In the early 1980’s when Constance Cumbey wrote her book on the New Age called “Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow,” it awakened many in Christianity to the reality of how subtle the New Age movement really was and how entrenched they were in society. In 1982, in nine major newspapers across the USA, someone placed a full page ad stating that “The Christ is Now Here,” and he would reveal himself to the world. Since then there have been numerous reports of people who claimed to be channeling the wisdom of ancient teachers. We have all heard about Shirley MacLaine who claimed to be “God.” This is the mass deception of occultism. When people penetrate the nether world, they are playing with forces they are not able to cope with in all its ferocity. Today the unholy world has penetrated many churches in the forms of signs, wonders, visions, and dreams. Did you know there have been documented reports by missionaries of chanting and unintelligible speech which are akin to the sound of tongues in countries where there is heavy involvement with occultism like voodoo. Cults such as Roman Catholicism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons are also speaking in tongues. Christians must be on the alert for satanic deception and to realize that God is now speaking to us through His Word alone and there is no more verbal revelation being given. We live in a day when these phenomenons are multiplying and causing much confusion both inside and outside the body of Christ. If you stay in the Bible alone. You will not risk being deceived in your walk. We must heed the words of Deuteronomy very carefully because they are written to us today as well as the Israelites.
March 5
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 17-19
(Deu 18:22 KJV) When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
In today’s reading we come across this verse which is a continuation of yesterday’s theme. Yesterday, we saw that God condemned anyone who would speak in the name of a false god that would try to cause His people to stray. God would not tolerate anyone who would bring the occult into an assembly or a group of people to try and get them to leave the Lord and follow another god. In today’s verse we see a similar principle but a different method. Our verse tells us that someone will attempt to deceive by means of saying they are speaking in the name of the Lord. Today, we have those who use the Bible and claim to speak in the name of the Lord. Many false teachers can get away with this because they are Scripture twisting and manipulating them to make it say what they want. Unfortunately, this type of deception is hard to identify especially because it is normally practiced by those who are trusted teachers. Many solid Bible teachers have made a good start and then finished badly. Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral began as a solid Reformed Minister. His Doctoral Thesis was on the 5 points of Calvinism and from what I gather, it was very good. Unfortunately, he heard some messages by Norman Vincent Peale on Positive Thinking and then Schuller adopted it and his theology has been awry ever since. There are people setting dates today based on dreams and also time paths they think they have discovered in Scripture. These teachers who always think they must come up with something new will always find a partner in Satan who will help them misinterpret the Scriptures to their own destruction. (2 Pet 3:16 KJV) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. The word “wrest” carries with it the meaning of “distort.” Our responsibility is to train the next generation of Christians so they may teach the truth to the next generation until we reach the terminal generation. If teachers consistently keep going off track and teaching all kinds of bizarre teachings, then the purity of the gospel, although still found in Scripture, will become cloaked. The next generation will continue the error because of the blind discipleship of this generation. When anyone thinks they are speaking in the name of the Lord and you have to really stretch your imagination to try to understand what they are saying, then you must walk away from them as they are no doubt teaching heresy. The verse even tells us that we are not to fear them and if anyone has been blindly following these false teachers, we can just walk away from them and not look back. False teachers are in opposition to God and His Word and are not to be given any credence.
March 6
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 20-22
(Deu 22:5 KJV) The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
In today’s reading we come across this verse which teaches that there must be a distinction between the two created sexes. The problem is not a man putting on a woman’s clothes or vice versa but the reason behind it. Today we have millions of Sodomites who cross dress. There are those who are transvestites. The question arises as to whether it is permissible for a woman to wear pants and the answer is yes, especially if they are specifically made for women. There are some old timers who would disagree with that but oh well. In ancient times, men wore robes which was the fashion of the day. The situation that God was bringing to the surface was not only the cross-dressing but the fact that it was done at pagan feasts in worship of the false gods. This was another aspect of paganism which God wanted to stem. It is not a far distance from cross-dressing to debauchery. Not only are sodomites at fault but we see in these last days the massive amount of men who are wearing earrings and other jewelry which were only peculiar to women. With the advent of sex change operations, anyone who “thinks” they were created wrong can now get that operation. However, when they stand before the Lord on Judgment day, they will stand there as the sex they were created and give an account for wrecking their bodies according to their depraved beliefs. God wants to keep the sexes different as he created them. The differences are not only physical but emotional and psychological. God has created both sexes with each having their own distinctive qualities. The ideas of cross-dressing just shows the different ways the total depravity of man rears its ugly head.
March 7
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 23-25
(Deu 24:16 KJV) The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
In today’s reading we come across this verse which teaches us the principle of accountability. Every human being on earth that is not saved will be standing at the Great White Throne Judgment and will be giving an account of their life to God. Those who are saved have already stood before the Bema seat of Christ and have been justified and never have to worry about coming into condemnation or any type of judgment. (Rom 3:26 KJV) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. The Christian was found not guilty because of the substitutionary atonement of Christ. However, the unbeliever will be culpable for all their sins, since they did not have a savior to remove their sins. As we look at today’s verse we see that God is very specific in the area of accountability of sin. There will be no blame-shifting or excuses like, “everyone was doing it so why am I so bad.” No matter what sin a person has committed, whether large or small, they must be held responsible for those sins. There is going to be no protection or martyrs who will volunteer to take the punishment for someone else. In the above verse, God is speaking of putting someone to death in the physical sense for severe violations of His Holy Law. This principle is definitely a foreshadow of what will transpire on the last day when all the unredeemed will stand before the Lord. All the wealth of the rich man will not buy him a pardon and all the excuses of the poor man will not exempt Him from punishment either. Every unbeliever on that day will have one thing in common-No Savior. Each must be punished for their own sins and everything that was done in secret will be brought to light. (Heb 4:13 KJV) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Those who wheel and deal on earth in secret think they have hidden their transgression but God sees everything. (Dan 2:22 KJV) He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Let those who presently walk in darkness realize that they reign because today is the day of evil, but there is coming a great gittin’ up morning, when the Lord, the Judge of all the Earth, shall do right. Now is the day of salvation!
March 8
Today‘s Reading - Deuteronomy 26-28
(Deu 28:32 KJV) Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.
In today’s reading we are going through one of the most foreboding chapters in the Bible. It is the twin of Leviticus 26. It speaks of the blessings which Israel will enjoy if they remain obedient to God and it speaks of the judgments it will incur if they are disobedient. As I mentioned in a previous commentary, it may have been this chapter or Leviticus 26 which Hilkiah gave to Josiah causing him to rent his clothes when he read it and realized how far Israel had strayed from the Lord. This chapter should also be a warning to every nation, including ours, that strays from the ways of the Lord. I picked out this one verse because it is so apropos for today as we see different movements in the church eating up our youth. Christian rock is nothing more than the world’s music and beat with religious lyrics. When I look at the album covers and see what the bands look like, if they were standing on a street corner, it would look more like a gang of thugs rather than a group of Christians, if indeed they are saved. If there is one tenet of salvation that we should be able to count on, it is the inward transformation will have an effect upon the outward appearance. Just because some artists depict Jesus having long hair, does not mean He had it. In fact, if Jesus did have long hair, He was in violation of Scripture. (1 Cor 11:14 KJV) Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? Long hair, earrings, and the unshaved look makes these artists look like secular rock stars. There is no such thing as looking like the world to the glory of God. Another area which has invaded the churches is liberalism. The true gospel is no longer an exclusive gospel but it is now an inclusive gospel without any judgment. Young people have fallen prey to the liberalism which has spewed from the seminaries and now with ever subsequent generation, there is less interest in true missions to bring forth the gospel. I believe this is why there is a great shift in missions in these last days to support nationals who work within their own country bringing the gospel. The church has been courting false and watered-down gospels and this is why so many young people are leaving the church to find acceptance and reason of existence in cult groups who promise nirvana. It also seems that the parents of Christian children and the church leadership are powerless in stopping this unholy exodus. Christian parents need to teach their children the true gospel from the time they are toddlers, so the Word can become deep-rooted in them and then we will see a generation of strong Christian children that the world cannot touch. It is never too late to start the training.
March 9
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 29-31
(Deu 31:8 KJV) And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
In today’s reading we come across this passage which should be of great comfort to every Christian who reads it. If you are a preacher, this verse is a six part sermon. We read that the Lord goes before us. This is a great comfort especially when we must go into a tough situation. We can be assured that God has already set up the conditions. This is why we can enter any tough arena with confidence knowing that God has already paved the way of preparation. This applies to any situation the believer may face. In other words, before you walked in, God was already there. God also assures us that whatever we face, He will be right there with us. God not only prepares the situation ahead of time but He also enters into it with every believer. This can build a great confidence in whatever the believer is facing. God also promises that He is not going to fail us. The circumstances of our situation may not turn out as we hope but that does not mean that God has failed in whatever situation we are in. God also said that He will not forsake us. The Lord Jesus re-stated that promise in that He said He would be with us to the end of the world. Sometimes we enter into a situation and maybe the people we trust most have abandoned us. This can and does happen, but we will always have the assurance that God will never walk away from His children. He has put much into the redemption of His children and He will never abandon them. This is why God gives us that short but reassuring command, “fear not.” A Christian may have concern about a situation but they need never have a stultifying fear. Look at what fear caused the Israelites at Kadeshbarnea. If they would have listened to Joshua and Caleb, they would have never faced the 38 year ordeal in the wilderness. If you get down to it, it was just outright fear which triggered the unbelief that caused their wandering dilemma. If you think about it, that one act of fear caused the deaths of several hundred thousand people who were unable to see the promised land. The second admonition God gives is not to be “dismayed.” The Hebrew word carries with it the meaning of being broken in pieces. It is used 3 times in that context in Isaiah 8:9. In other words, God is commanding us not to be terrified or to despair. When God wrote these words through Moses, it was almost time for two major events to happen: The death of Moses, and the seizing of the promised land. This is why God was telling them not to fear because they were about to enter into a new phase. For forty years they were wanderers, now they were about to become settlers. In our lives too, each day is a new phase of our life and we can have confident trust that God has already seen the day to its end, even though our alarm clocks have not even gone off yet.
March 10
Today’s Reading - Deuteronomy 32-34
(Deu 34:7 KJV) And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
In today’s reading we come across this verse which tells us of the death of Moses. It gives us a little insight into the physical condition of Moses. Moses was very adept at leading the people up until the time the Lord took him away from them. He was full of life and his faculties had remained sharp right to the end. At 120 years of age, Moses was as keen as a young man of 20. From the age of 80 years, Moses was leading the people of Israel around the desert as God’s prophet to this nation. He endured the hardships of the desert. He endured the accusations that the people brought against him. He brought the Word of God to the people and when they disobeyed, he had to watch many of them die in rebellion against God. I am sure that this broke his heart, since he was the only one who saw God and spoke with him and knew the terror and compassion of the Lord. He endured the attacks of his own family when Miriam tried to usurp authority and God struck her with leprosy. He even disobeyed God in anger over the murmuring of the people at the “waters of strife.” Nevertheless, through all the hard times and tough decisions that Moses had to make, God was there to guide him and to reinforce the fact that Moses was the true prophet of God to Israel. It was not that God hated Miriam or Aaron, but God needed to keep order in the camp by having one person as his spokesman, so there would be no confusion as to who was speaking for God. It is the same today, God has chosen to create one means of communication to His people and that was the Bible. He ended revelation at Revelation so there would be no confusion in the camp of the church as to who was speaking the Word of God. If someone claims to be speaking in the name of the Lord by means of a verbal revelation or sign, then we know that person is a false prophet, and the Scriptures tell us not to be afraid of them. When we look at the life of Moses in the wilderness, we see all the hardships he faced and it reminds me of any Christian life that is dedicated unto the Lord. Many are ready to lay their bones down at retirement but Moses was ready to take them up. If God has some type of ministry for us, it does not matter what age we are, because God will give us the strength to start it and hand it down, or to complete it. Senior Saints have so much to offer the younger Saints. It is a shame that many of them do not volunteer more, especially at church. Senior Saints can become spiritual advisors to younger Saints and help pass on a great heritage to the next generation. (2 Tim 1:5 KJV) When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.