Deuteronomy 8 Developing Strong Christian Lives

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Developing Strong Christian Lives
Deuteronomy 8
Paul J. Bucknell
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Looking for quick remedies?
I have always known the truth about my life, I
guess the truth is harder to accept than I ever
anticipated.
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Deuteronomy

• A. Reconnecting with Gods Purpose (Dt 1-4)
• B. Reflecting on Gods Person (Dt 5-11)
• C. Refocusing on Gods Way (Dt 12-26)
• D. Responding to Gods Promise (Dt 27-34)

Looking Back, Moving Forward
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Developing Strong Christian Lives
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A.) Embrace Gods good purposes
81 All the commandments that I am commanding you
today you shall be careful to do, that you may
live and multiply, and go in and possess the land
which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers.
82 And you shall remember all the way which the
LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these
forty years, that He might humble you, testing
you, to know what was in your heart, whether you
would keep His commandments or not. 83 And He
humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you
with manna which you did not know, nor did your
fathers know, that He might make you understand
that man does not live by bread alone, but man
lives by everything that proceeds out of the
mouth of the LORD. 816 In the wilderness He fed
you manna which your fathers did not know, that
He might humble you and that He might test you,
to do good for you in the end. 818 But you shall
remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is
giving you power to make wealth, that He may
confirm His covenant which He swore to your
fathers, as it is this day (Deut 81-3, 16, 18).
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1) Experience His great blessings
81 All the commandments that I am commanding you
today you shall be careful to do, that you may
live and multiply, and go in and possess the land
which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers.
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a
good land, a land of brooks of water, of
fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys
and hills a land of wheat and barley, of vines
and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive
oil and honey a land where you shall eat food
without scarcity, in which you shall not lack
anything a land whose stones are iron, and out
of whose hills you can dig copper. (Deuteronomy
87-9).
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2) Experience humility and testings
82 And you shall remember all the way which the
LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these
forty years, that He might humble you, testing
you, to know what was in your heart, whether you
would keep His commandments or not.
Humility and testings
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Prosperity vs. Biblical teaching
De 81 Purpose prosperous
Gods ways always blesses
De 82 PurposeTests us- trials
Gods ways experience trials
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3) Realize Gods involvement
83 And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and
fed you with manna which you did not know, nor
did your fathers know, that He might make you
understand that man does not live by bread alone,
but man lives by everything that proceeds out of
the mouth of the LORD.
by everything ... out of the mouth of the Lord
by bread
physical
spiritual
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A.) Embrace Gods good purposes
1) God wants to prosper us
Never doubt Gods good intentions!
2) God will try our hearts
Expect trials. Learn from them.
3) God is involved in your life
Welcome Him. Work with Him!
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B.) Understand lifes experiences
And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and
fed you with manna which you did not know, nor
did your fathers know,
that He might make you understand that man does
not live by bread alone, but man lives by
everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the
LORD (Deuteronomy 83).
Foundational spiritual experiences
The process
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B.) Understand lifes experiences
And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and
fed you with manna which you did not know, nor
did your fathers know, that He might make you
understand that man does not live by bread alone,
but man lives by everything that proceeds out of
the mouth of the LORD (Deuteronomy 83).
Crisis
We deepen our intimacy with the Lord by
remembering His wonderful ways in our past and
great future plans ahead.
humbled
hungry
fed you
Special (manna)
The process
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Outsight - materialism
Humanism
Materialism
Health care
Soul care
environmentalism
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Outsight-green religion
goddess
Mother earth
sin
Green religion
ecology
Insensitive to earth
earth charter
redemption
Carbon offset
Are you one of Gaia's Children? Would you like
to not only Learn, but help Educate others about
our Mother? Learn ways to help Gaia and yourself.
Learn to compost, recycle, alternative
cleaning/paper products More. Speak out for
Gaia!!
Tithes (taxes)
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Cycle of Growth
When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall
bless the LORD your God for the good land which
He has given you. (Deut 810).
Cycle of Growth
Blessing
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Cycle of Decline
Beware lest you forget the LORD your God by not
keeping His commandments and His ordinances and
His statutes which I am commanding you today.
(Deut. 811)
Lest, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and
have built good houses and lived in them, ... and
your silver and gold multiply, and all that you
have multiplies, then your heart becomes proud,
and you forget the LORD your God ... (Deut.
812-14).
Blessing
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C.) Respond to our Lords dealings
We develop a strong Christian life by obeying and
remembering Him.

• Obedience to the Lords commands

Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of
the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to
fear Him. (Deuteronomy 86).

• Remembering His great ways

But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it
is He who is giving you power to make wealth,
that He may confirm His covenant which He swore
to your fathers, as it is this day.
(Deuteronomy 818).
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Review Application

• Embrace Gods good purposes

In the wilderness He fed you manna which your
fathers did not know, that He might humble you
and that He might test you, to do good for you in
the end. (Deuteronomy 816).
God has a good plan for your life. Trust Him no
matter what.

• Understand lifes experiences

Look back and see what experiences God has taken
you through. What have you learned? They will
help you in the future.

• Respond to our Lords dealings

Respond to the Lords love by obeying Him and
remembering His ways in your life.