April 13 / Deuteronomy 26

Deuteronomy 26 Gratitude and faith. The two go hand in hand and are exemplified in the presentation of firstfruits to the Lord. We take the beginnings of our harvest (whether a literal agricultural harvest or — for us, more likely — the monetary “fruit” of our labors) and we present that to the Lord in …

April 12 / Deuteronomy 24-25

Deuteronomy 24-25 Does God have a heart for the poor, the sojourner, the fatherless, the widow, the oppressed? You bet, as should be abundantly evident in today’s reading and, frankly, throughout the Scriptures. But do we share His heart? The first question in Search the Scriptures today asks us to take personal inventory of how …

April 11 / Deuteronomy 22-23

Deuteronomy 22-23 Sometimes we have a hard time understanding parts of the Torah. Sometimes it gives us heartburn, and we think God is too harsh (but see the post from two years ago). Some people want to disregard some verses altogether, thinking they are no longer culturally relevant (e.g., Dt. 22:5). But sometimes Torah just …

April 7 / Deuteronomy 14-15

Deuteronomy 14-15 We know from Mark 7:18-19, where Jesus declares all foods clean, that we are no longer subject to the Kosher dietary laws, so it can be tempting to simply skim over these regulations as irrelevant to us. But that would be a mistake. We need to look for God’s purpose in giving these …

April 5 / Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32

Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32 And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, …

April 4 / Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11 Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, “It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,” whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. …