“So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”
– Deuteronomy 4:39-40
Read
Deuteronomy 8:6-18
God is preparing his people to live in the land of more than enough.
Remember: An invitation to relationship
We learn to rely on God in the wilderness – the Land of Just Enough. But the danger of the Land of More Than Enough is that we’ll forget. We’ll forget who God is, what he’s done, and whose we are.
Obey: A challenge to responsibility
When we forget, we fail to follow through on what has called us to do, and we miss out on life the way it was intended. We are called to be a conduit of God’s blessing to the world.
Two Principles to Live By:
Principle 1:
Look out for the marginalized – the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner.
Principle 2:
Tithe: Giving your first 10% to God and trust him for the rest.
– Deuteronomy 14:23
It’s difficult to forget God when you regularly give to him in recognition that he is your provider and enables us to generate wealth.
- Your standard of giving sets your standard of living, not the other way around.
- You cannot out give God.
- God doesn’t need your money, he wants your heart.
Next Steps:
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 says, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
- What have you chosen?
- What habits do you have in your personal and family life to remember who God is and what he’s done in your life?
- Where has God called you to something that you still need to follow through on?
- Have you begun giving the first portion of your income to something that God is passionate about?
- What is another step into generosity that you can take to deepen your dependence on God?
