Remember The LORD is GOD - Deuteronomy 8:1-11, 17-18 - June 17, 2007

Sunday School Lesson – Remember The LORD is GOD – June 17, 2007

Our background scripture is Deuteronomy Chapter 6 – 11.

Our focus scripture is Deuteronomy 8:1-11, 17-18.

This is lesson three (3) in our series of Bible study. To me this is an exciting lesson. Come journey with our LORD as HE leads us into the Promised Land of Christian living.

In preparing for this lesson the LORD gave me a clear understanding of how this scripture does indeed compare to our walk as a Christian. It is a journey of faith and we can experience the Promised Land of Spiritual relationship with HIM on earth.

Most, if not all, Christians have a time along their journey with our LORD when they have wandered or currently are wandering in the wilderness. It is during these times in the wilderness that our LORD is preparing us and revealing to us that HE can care for us. This is to build our confidence and trust in HIM to give us courage to enter our Spiritual Promised Land.

Moses continues to preach to the new generation of Israelites to prepare them to enter their Promised Land. The Land GOD had obtained for their forefathers some forty (40) years earlier but their lack of faith prevented them from obtaining it. The old generation had to die off before the new generation could enter the Promised Land. The new generation wandered in the wilderness as they grew and matured. During those days they saw the hand of GOD working.

Just think for a moment about that and compare this situation to our Christian journey with our LORD. The Israelites are physically preparing to journey into a physical place that is flowing with plenty. The worship of GOD would be more performance orientated. We as Christians are being prepared to journey into a Spiritual relationship with our LORD that will be replete with spiritual bounty. Our relationship with GOD is through the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT. We are a child of GOD through the miracle of rebirth. So we have a physical/Spiritual/family relationship with GOD through CHRIST.

As a Christian our old life, our flesh, must die and give way to our new life in CHRIST. For many of us this takes a long time; often forty (40) years or longer. Our old life must come under the authority of the HOLY SPIRIT before we are prepared to enter our Spiritual Promised Land here upon earth.

The Physical Promised Land is GOD’S gift to the Israelites.

JESUS is GOD’S great gift to all mankind and our Spiritual Promised Land is also a gift.

The Physical Promised Land is a place of plenty but the Israelites would have to work to obtain what was in the land. Our Spiritual Promised Land is the place where we will serve and be obedient to our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS. We will fellowship with HIM. HE will be as personal to us as our closest friend upon earth. We will walk with HIM and talk with HIM.

Our spiritual Promised Land is the place where we know GOD, fellowship with HIM as Adam and Eve did. We can walk with HIM in the cool of the evening as described in Genesis.

Just as Adam had to work and have responsibility in the Garden of Eden, we as Christians will still work and be obedient to our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST as HE directs our lives. For a Christian to dwell in the Spiritual Promised Land does not necessarily mean we have to quit our jobs or change our careers. We can be ordained bakers, lawyers, used car sales person, clerks, service personnel, police, military, doctors, housekeepers, mothers, housewives, teachers, garbage collectors, cab drivers, EMS and the list goes on and on. GOD may call some to go into a full time Christian career. But HE will call and you will know HIS call because you will be in relationship with HIM.

The key is when we have the relationship with HIM, we will always be in the center of HIS will and we will know exactly what HE wants us to do. If it is to abide (rest and wait) and learn of HIM, then that is what we do as we do our regular work.

As Christians we all have the light of CHRIST in us and are called, as the HOLY SPIRIT prompts, to share CHRIST. It may be as simple as others seeing CHRIST in us as we go about our daily routine in life. We may offer a cup of cold water to a fellow traveler. Do not think because, in your eyes, GOD has not called or led you to do something grand that you are not doing the will of GOD. Just be obedient to whatever GOD directs you to do.

GOD has blessed many people with material blessings. Let HIM guide you in sharing those blessings with others. Seek the relationship first and then follow HIS commands.

Let’s journey together into the Physical and concurrently the Spiritual Promised Lands.

Let’s read Deuteronomy 8:1-5:

1 “You must carefully follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase, and may enter and take possession of the land the Lord swore to your fathers. 2 Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. 3 He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.[1] Mt 4:4; Lk 4:4 4 Your clothing did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these 40 years.[2] Dt 29:5; Neh 9:21 5 Keep in mind that the Lord your God has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.

Let’s consider verse 5. There are times we think the non-believers get away with wrong doing more than Christians. Think about that? What does verse 5 tells us? GOD disciplines HIS children. If you are not HIS child, HE still cares and HE will call you to salvation.

GOD will never give HIS children any thing that will harm them. So part of the preparation of receiving blessings is for HIS children to be completely focused upon HIM. This is best done by having a loving intimate relationship with HIM.

This is accomplished by spending time with HIM getting to know HIM. This is not going to a monastery and being isolated from the world but it is simply living everyday life and seeking HIS guidance through everyday living. Focus upon HIS Word, talk with HIM in prayer, fellowship with HIM and be obedient.

Moses reminds the new generation not to forget the experiences of their time in the wilderness. This generation grew up in the wilderness and experienced GOD’S provisions for them during that experience. We as Christians must, also, remember our time in the wilderness. Even when we were in the wilderness, GOD took care of us and provided for us. Just think about it.

During our time in the wilderness we wanted a deeper walk and experience with our LORD but it seemed to elude us. Our flesh would rise up and rob us of experiencing the fullness of CHRIST in us. But GOD knew the areas in our lives that needed to be brought under HIS authority. A nature, habit or an addiction that robbed us from being all GOD wanted and intended for us to be in CHRIST. GOD allowed us to go through that awful time for HIM to show us that HE would get us through the bad times in our lives. HE focuses on what we can be and not what we are. HE wants every Christian to live in the Spiritual Promised Land but there are requirements for entering.

Look at verse 3. JESUS quoted this verse to Satan when HE was tested, tried and tempted in the wilderness. JESUS had HIS time in the wilderness to prepare HIM for HIS journey for our salvation.

Matthew 4:1-4:

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. 2 After He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 But He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”[1] Dt 8:3

The wilderness is GOD’S proving ground and we, also, will be tried, tested and tempted in the wilderness. But even during the wilderness experience the Israelites saw that GOD provided; JESUS knew that HIS FATHER would provide and we, also, will see or have seen that GOD provides.

The Israelites saw that during those forty (40) years the very clothes they were wearing did not wear out. This was before polyester.

As a Christian, neither do our clothes of salvation wear out during our time in the wilderness. Remember the provision and care of our LORD during our time in the wilderness when we enter the land of Spiritual plenty.

Let’s read Deuteronomy 8:6-10:

6 So keep the commands of the Lord your God by walking in His ways and • fearing Him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams of water, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food without shortage, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and from whose hills you will mine copper. 10 When you eat and are full, you will praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you.

Again, it is very important to stay focused on GOD when we arrive in the land of plenty. Walking in HIS ways carries the intent of ongoing action. “Fearing HIM” is not hiding and being afraid of HIM but treating HIM with honor, reverence and respect. Never forget that HE is the provider.

GOD, through Moses, describes the Promised Land that HE has obtained for them. Let’s read verses 6-10. Now let’s explore the spiritual comparison.

Verse 6 gives us GOD’S expectation for us to journey with HIM. HE wants us to have a heart and an attitude that is in step with HIM. When we are walking with HIM, HE will bring us into a spiritual relationship as deep as we want. First, the land is good. The land has all that is needed for growth. There is plenty of water. The water I think represents the HOLY SPIRIT. There is easy to get to water that flows in a stream. But there is also spring water that you can search for and find. But if you really want to commit to the LORD in the deepest way possible there is bountiful, living water that can be found deep. You can find these sources of water whether you are in the valleys or the hills. No matter what stage of life you are in the water is available to you.

JESUS told the woman at the well.

John 4:7-14: (Living Water)

7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. “Give Me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8 for His disciples had gone into town to buy food. 9 “How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a • Samaritan woman?” she asked Him. For Jews do not associate with[5] Or do not share vessels with Samaritans.[6] Other mss omit For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” 11 “Sir,” said the woman, “You don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.” 13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well[7] Or spring of water springing up within him for eternal life.” 15 “Sir,” the woman said to Him, “give me this water so I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.”

John7:37-39: (Streams of Living Water)
The Promise of the Spirit
37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me[6] Other mss omit to Me and drink! 38 The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,[7] Jesus may have had several OT passages in mind; Isaiah 58:11; Ezk 47:1–12; Zch 14:8 will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” 39 He said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive, for the Spirit[8] Other mss read Holy Spirit had not yet been received,[9] Other mss read had not yet been given [10] Lit the Spirit was not yet; the word received is implied from the previous clause. because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Living water relates to the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives. JESUS tells us to come to HIM and streams of living water will flow from deep within us. It is all about yielding, obedience and knowing HIM through relationship.

In our Spiritual Promised Land there are a great variety of fruit that the HOLY SPIRIT produces. Keep in mind that the fruit of the SPIRIT has seeds and will reproduce. The Promised Land is replete with natural resources. We can plant, cultivate, grow and harvest as much fruit as we desire. We can mine as much natural resources as we desire. There are gems, gold, silver and valuable resources to be mined as we dwell in the SPIRITUAL Promised Land.

GOD cautions Christians because often we can get too big for our britches, so-to-speak, when things go smoothly. When GOD works through us and HE uses HIS power to move mountains, often we get the idea that it is our power because after all GOD needs us. Beware; this is the beginning of a great fall. It happened to the Israelites. They went into the Promised Land but they also lost it because of compromise.

I am convinced GOD is preparing some of you to enter the Spiritual Promised Land.

Let’s read Deuteronomy 8:11-20:

11 “Be careful that you don’t forget the Lord your God by failing to keep His command—the ordinances and statutes—I am giving you today. 12 When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in, 13 and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, 14 [be careful]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 15 He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flintlike rock for you. 16 He fed you in the wilderness with manna[3] Ex 16:4 that your fathers had not known, in order to humble and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper. 17 You may say to yourself, ‘My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,’ 18 but remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today. 19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will perish. 20 Like the nations the Lord is about to destroy before you, you will perish if you do not obey the Lord your God.

GOD tells us to stay focused on HIM when we are in the land of plenty. HE tells us to always remember where we came from. We need to remember our escape from the slavery of sin. And we need to remember that GOD led us through the wilderness and performed miracles to care for us as we wandered in the wilderness. We need to remember that we are only in the Spiritual Promised Land because GOD obtained it for us through HIS ONLY SON JESUS.

Also, keep in mind that if you loose your first love there will be consequences. You will loose your relationship (Not your salvation) with GOD and you will loose the joy of knowing the LORD. Just know that entering the Promised Land has great rewards but because of your human nature it also offers the potential for compromise and complacency.

Verse 20 tells the Israelites about the enemies GOD will help them conquer as they enter the Promised Land. As we enter our Spiritual Promised Land, GOD will help us conquer our flesh nature and flesh enemies. When we are set free and experience the abundant life in CHRIST and enjoy the power of HIS presence in our lives, we must keep our focus upon HIM. Never forget that. GOD promises us that if we forget HIM, disaster will come to us. Again as a Christian we will not loose our salvation because once a child of GOD always a child of GOD. But we will loose our Spiritual Promised Land. Can it be restored? Yes. Confession - agreeing with GOD that you have sinned and repentance – stop sinning.

1 John 1:9:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

GOD cautions Christians not to let this happen to them. Stay on your guard and stay focused on HIM.

Especially in our prosperity GOD wants us to rely upon HIM. GOD loves to shower HIS children with many blessings. Our part is to never forget WHO gives those blessings whether they are material or spiritual blessings.

Remember The LORD is GOD!!!