Furthermore...

Exodus 3:15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.

Wow, God took time to recall more than just one reminder - he recalled several! He is the God of his fathers, of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob – what credibility he lists!  He reminds Moses of the steadfastness of his name, his love, and his commitment to his children.

He then establishes that He will never change, because it’s his name forever, his “memorial-name” to ALL GENERATIONS.

That’s the kind of father we have!

He will never leave us, abandon us, push us away or disregard who we are to him.  He is the ONE we can count on even when all of life hits us hard. 

He is a good father who cares for our wounds and restores us to health and to eternal life with him.

All My Life

Genesis 48:15 He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

Here again, we read about God’s faithfulness to the past generation.

I love the last part where in his blessing, the speaker recalls how God has led him his entire life.

Isn’t it such a beautiful picture of us walking with Him, as he leads us like a shepherd leads sheep, to water, to green pastures, away from cliffs, and into his arms?

That’s the kind of God, the kind of Father, we all have access to…because of Jesus.

You can receive that same blessing because you are a descendant of Abraham…and so am I.

Be blessed.

...Of your father

Genesis 46:3 

Many verses use that phrase “God of your father” where the speaker reminds the person being spoken to of God’s faithfulness to past generations.

We need to have people in our lives who have seen God’s faithfulness, and we need to sit near them and listen to those stories of God’s love and care in their lives.  If it’s not our own father, then we need to find a father who has lived that experience.

And then when we hear it, we need to believe and receive what the father has for us.

And finally, we need to tell our children so that they then have a father who has experienced the Father’s love.

God is faithful and has been, to the first father all the way down to you and the fathers coming after you….

Listen, receive it, and tell it…and don’t be afraid.

Engaged

Titus 3:8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

I think the key word in this verse is “engage.”  We can all do good deeds.  We even require our kids to get out of bed on a Saturday morning and do good deeds for the family, the community, or church.

But we can all do good deeds without being engaged.  It’s sort of like being present but being absent.  Our heart isn’t in what we’re doing.

Being engaged in doing good deeds wanes and becomes disengagement when we are doing good deeds to be thanked, seen by others, or for our own gain.

Being engaged becomes invigorating and satisfying when we do them to please him only, in obedience.

I want to be engaged in doing good…do you?

Wise Builder

I Cor 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.

I love this verse. 

Jesus laid the foundation – his sacrifice – his love – his mercy – his forgiveness.

We are the builders who are building on that foundation.

But we must be oh SO CAREFUL.

We are not to lay another foundation, we are not to add to the foundation, and we are to be careful that we actually build on His foundation and not another’s.

Can you imagine starting a new house and being shown your slab, and then building on another’s foundation?  That would be absurd.

Jesus paid it all, he laid down his life, and that’s the foundation he’s given us.  We are to do the same.

Be careful how you build on that foundation, and make sure you are wise in all that you do.

Observe

I Chronicles 22:13 Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed.

Here it is again – a promise of prosperity – if we obey.

And here’s what happens.  We obey what we think we’re supposed to do, and all hell breaks loose. We lose our job, our home is flooded, our kids are sick, and our dog runs away.  How is that prosperous?

We can still be prosperous even in the middle  of loss, because we know that all things work together for good.

If we obey him, if we’re strong and courageous and not fearful, we will be prosperous.

And sometimes…that prosperity is inside us…in the deep parts of our soul where immense growth is taking place…right in the middle of adversity.

Doing all you know to do?

Not feeling all that prosperous?

He says you will be prosperous, so believe it.  Let His spirit do its work in you, and all “these things” will fall into place.

Hold Fast

Joshua 22:5 Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Did you know it’s possible to be careful and obey without your heart and soul being in it?  Of course, you do.  We can all remember doing what our parents said to do, but hating every minute of it, and doing it with a sour face and hating them for not “letting” us do what others were doing.  The reason we felt that way was that we didn’t understand our parents and their “rules.” We thought they were just being mean.  And the fact is, some of them were mean!

However, God isn’t mean.  He is the definition of love.  And what he tells us to do is told to us out of love, for our good, and for our protection.

This verse says “hold fast to Him” and I think that’s the key.  We have to cling to the truth that he is a loving Father and there is no other way that leads to life except through Him.  When we truly believe that, then we obey with our heart and soul, and the sour face is lifted.

Success

Joshua 1: 7, 8 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

There’s not much to add to these verses.  They say it all. 

It takes strength and courage to obey.  Even our kids know that.  In the middle of temptation, in the group of kids who are disobeying, among peers who are mocking them, we require obedience from our kids to that which we have taught them. 

If they do obey, and don't play in the street, they won’t get run over.

If they do obey, and don't tell a lie, they will sleep with a clear conscience.

If they we do obey, and put up their toys, dad won’t slip and fall.

God has a lot of “ifs” too, and we have to be careful to obey them by thinking on them at all times, and choosing to do them in His strength and because we love Him…and what He says brings life.

The Alien

Deut 31:12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law.

Isn’t this verse a great picture of what the church should look like?

It should be an assembly, a gathering, of all genders, all ages, and people from all planets (ha) and it should be for the sole purpose of hearing, learning, and fearing the Lord – by being careful to observe his word.

If we are careful to preach his Word – his love – his sacrifice – to the masses – they will hear and respond.  If we veer and start preaching at people, shaking fingers in their faces, or strutting around like we’re better than they are – they won’t get it.  The love of God will be overshadowed with the love of self.

I love the word “alien” in this text.  It’s those who are “other than” who we are.

Some of my best friends are complete opposite of me.  And that’s okay.  We don’t want clones.  We want people of all kinds to see Him and to love Him and to experience the radical change that love can make in their lives by healing all of their hurts and covering all of their shame.

Head not Tail

Deut 28:13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully,

Some might read this verse and take from it that they will be successful, on the top not the bottom, and esteemed and not abased if they obey the Lord.

However, to be the head and not the tail means to carry great responsibility, to act wisely, to be in authority not lagging behind.  There’s nothing boastful or self-centered that occurs when we obey His commands.  It’s all about glorifying Him.  When we obey his commands, we will be above circumstances and not under them, NOT above others and better than them.

Sometimes (myself included) we want God’s blessings and we demand them, if we perform.  We expect him to exalt us.

It’s not about exalting us, it’s about exalting Him through honor and obedience.  And even when we are the head and on top and not below, it’s to lead others to Him, not to show them what we’ve done.

All

Deut 26:16 “This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.

This verse speaks volumes, doesn’t it?  It’s not enough to just do what God commands us to do – love him and love our neighbors – but we need to do it with all our heart and soul.

There have been plenty of times I’ve obeyed in a heartless manner. I’ve shown up for duty or service with a resentful heart, a no-care attitude, and an I’d-rather-be-doing-something-else look in my eyes.  I didn’t enjoy the act of service and I’m sure the people I was serving could tell I didn’t want to be there.

There have been other times I’ve obeyed cheerfully, giving to Him and not noticing whether or not the recipient received well or not, just knowing that I had obeyed.  It’s those times that are the most rewarding, knowing that I obeyed out of a grateful heart.

Some days, it’s hard to obey.  When he says speak, we want to stay home and be silent. When he says go, we want to walk the opposite way.  And when he says rest, we want to stay in forward motion until we drop.

Note to self:

Be careful to obey with my heart and my soul….not just my head and my resistant heart…

Our Lips

Deut 23:23 You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God, what you have promised.

Little kids are not pleased when we adults promise something to them and then don’t follow through.  If we say we’re going to build them a treehouse, they will hang on that promise until the treehouse is built!

When we make promises to the Lord, we should also be serious with our intent and obedience.  If we promise to serve and love Him, then we need to fulfill that promise daily.  

When we promise to raise our children to know Him, we need to make sure our days are not so full that time with Him gets crowded out in favor of playing time on the field.  If we make a vow before God to love and honor our husbands, we need to do that with a faithful heart.

In other words, be careful what we say to Him, and what promises we make. 

Words are important to the Lord.  His word never fails.  We can count on it.  We need to be just as diligent as we can with our words back to him.

Be careful what goes out from our lips…

Don't Add or Subtract

Deut 12:32 Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.

Isn’t this an interesting verse?

Consider this. 

Perhaps you feel prompted to speak a word of encouragement to a friend, and you speak it.  Then your mind starts wandering and you then start accusing your friend or reprimanding her for getting herself into trouble, in the first place.  That’s “adding to” what God told you to speak.  Just speak what He says, and be done.  Don’t use your own fillers to expand the message.

Perhaps you feel prompted to give a certain amount to a friend in need and then you only decide to give half of it, instead of obeying with the full amount.  Of course, God will forgive you, but be careful to obey what you hear him say…and nothing more…nothing less.

It’s hard to hear him exactly at times, and there is always grace.  But the message here is that when we do hear, we are to obey what we hear him say and not try to analyze or breakdown or corrupt that which we’ve heard.

After You

Deuteronomy 12:28

“Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

Here’s another promise for being careful to listen and obey all of God’s commands to us.

Do you want your sons and your sons’ sons after that to be blessed? 

Then obey what God tells you to do.

God is serious about obedience.  When he tells us to love instead of hate, forgive instead of harboring resentment, to give instead of hoard, to speak instead of staying silent, and to pray instead of losing hope…he means it. 

There is life promised to those who obey, and not only life for them but for their children and their children’s children.

That’s a pretty hefty promise from a pretty amazing Father, if we are just careful to obey and love and do…

To Do

Deuteronomy 8:1 “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.

God gave the 10 commandments for protection and life to his people.  He promised blessings to those who obeyed.  Later, his son Jesus came and was given as a sacrifice for our sins, so that we no longer have to face the consequences of sin – death.  He suffered that consequence in our place.

He then gave commandments to love the Lord with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. 

It’s a simple command, and we now have his Holy Spirit living within us, to enable us to obey.

And the blessings still come, for those who are careful to obey…the blessing of life and not death, of multiplication and not division, of possession and not loss.

Be careful to do…all that he tells you to do.

In Your Mouth

Numbers 23:12 He replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

Did you know…the Lord puts things in our mouths to speak? Sometimes it’s just a kind word. 

I saw an older woman trying on a pretty poncho-type coat and I told her it looked pretty on her. It really did.  Her face lit up, she smiled and told me thank you, and then chatted with me a few seconds before moving on.  I felt like that one compliment made her day…or maybe it  made mine…because I spoke what I heard him say.

The Lord thinks she is beautiful.  And she needed to hear that she was beautiful.

What is the Lord putting in your mouth to say today?  If it’s criticism, accusation, or gossip, that’s not His words.  If it’s encouraging, truthful and cheery…then say it.

In fact, be careful to say all that He puts in your mouth to say…and you will be a blessing to others.

Be Careful

Leviticus 22:2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they dedicate to Me, so as not to profane My holy name; I am the Lord.

Aaron was Moses’ brother, and he came alongside to be a help for Moses in all that God told him to do.  Here we see an instruction to “be careful” with gifts.

We are all given gifts to use to bless His name.  Some of us are gifted artists, singers, creators, athletes, etc. and all gifts that we have been given are to glorify Him, not us.

In fact, when we use them to do anything other than that, we are “profaning” his holy name. To profane something is to treat it with irreverence.

When we boast about our abilities and take the credit for our accomplishments, without acknowledging the Giver and the Sustainer of life, we are taking something that is not rightfully ours.

Does that mean we are not to be proud of what we do?  Of course, not.  But when we exalt what we do and who we are above who He is, we are on shaky ground.

Be careful with your gifts…careful to give Him praise and honor…for he is gracious and generous to those he loves.

Abide

I John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.

I was just talking with a friend recently about this word “abiding.” She noted how she had to learn to abide when she lost her husband, because every moment and every day was such a hard struggle. But she has come to realize that she needs to abide with Him every day of her life…until the end. There’s never a day when abiding is something she can forfeit.

So what does abiding in him as little children mean?

It means running to him first thing when our eyes open in the morning and curling up in his lap, last thing before we go to sleep. 

It means sharing with him our day, listening to his voice and obeying him constantly, and being aware of his presence and responding to it always.

I want to be like a child who adores his Father so much that he never wants to let go of his strong hand…because he never has to.

Your Behavior

I Peter 1 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,  but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

One of the best ways we can encourage our kids to be obedient to us is by being obedient to Him.

If we require truthfulness in our kids, we must not be found lying on the phone to friends and bosses.

If we require integrity in our children, we must not be found cheating on our taxes and on our spouses.

If we require trust in our kids, we must show them how we trust God in all things, not just the good times.

We have to be obedient children to our heavenly Father, to demonstrate, so that our children will follow suit in obeying us and Him.

That’s the way it works.

Obedience

Colossians 3 says 

Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.  Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

I always told my children that I wanted them to obey me, not because they feared me or were afraid of disappointing me, or even because it was the right thing to do.  I wanted them to obey because they had a relationship with me of trust, choosing to believe that I knew best and that life would come from that obedience.

However, when we exasperate (infuriate) our children by pressing them with our thumbs just because we have the power to do so, or we demand their obedience “or else,” we are not cultivating relationship.

Yes, there are times when our children must obey whether they understand or not.  But we are to love our children, train them, require obedience and have a relationship with them.  We can talk, care for, listen to, and instruct them in love.

Yes, they won’t like it at times and they will have to make a choice to obey.

But don’t make it about scaring them or threatening them.  

Make it about loving them and Him, first.

Prove It

Philippians 2:15 So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

Blameless

Innocent

Above reproach

Lights in the world

If others were to describe your life as you show it to them on a daily basis, would they use these words and phrases?

If we are to be different, and if we are to be attractive to others, we have to be set apart and above the world and all of its evils.

The only way we can do that is to abide in Him and in His presence daily.

Imitators

Ephesian 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 

My grandson Gideon is about 17 months older than his sister.  As she began to talk and walk, she started copying everything he did.  If he jumped, she jumped.  When he sang, she sang.  What he ate, she ate. 

Kids are imitators.  It’s how they learn.

This verse is telling us to be like that – with God.

Instead, we tend to imitate others in word and deed and attitude and action.  That’s not wise.

We are to imitate God in love and mercy to all – without reservation.

If he forgives, we forgive.

If he loves, we love.

And he does….

Be Mature

I Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

We are told to come to Christ as a child.  We are to have childlike, trusting faith in Him.

This verse says to be like an infant as far as evil goes.  Infants are amazing, aren’t they?  Their skin, their smell, their sweetness – it wins us over – and then they mature and develop attitudes.

As our infants mature into children then into teens and next into adults, we hope their maturity manifests in becoming wiser and wiser with age.

It’s no different as we follow Christ over the years.  

We should become more faithful, more assured of His presence, and mature and wise in our response to life and to His voice.

How silly it would be to expect our children to remain infants.  They are created to grow and mature.

And so are we.

Little Children

Matthew 19 says But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Kids were coming to Jesus, and Jesus’ followers rebuked them and tried to send them away.  Why?  Because his followers  were stupid. 

They didn’t realize the value of children to the heart of Jesus.

In fact, Jesus encourages children to come to him and tells his disciples that His kingdom belongs to these children.

Children came to Jesus to listen, to feel his touch, to look into his loving eyes, and to find out what pleased him, because they had hearts that want to be accepted and pleasing in his sight.

When we lose that sense of wonder and obedience and awe, we are in sad shape.

He invites us all to come as children, to sit at his feet, to linger there and play, and to look into his eyes of love and know…that He is love and we are loved.

This enables us to then love others as we are loved.

Good Gifts

Matthew 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Even the best gifts and the best attempts at giving by earthly fathers pale in comparison to the gifts our Father gives to us when we ask.

I’ve given my kids gifts that I think they will love, only to realize later that what I chose probably wasn’t the best idea for them.  I’ve also realized that there were some things I wish I’d given them when they were growing up, that I failed to give!

We do our best.  And God takes care of the rest.  Because he’s like that.

If we feel as though we don’t know what to give, that we haven’t given enough, or we’ve even given too much – God can step in and give exactly what we need to us and to our kids.

There are things in my life that I received that I didn’t want, and they ended up being a huge blessings – like kids!  And there are things that God has blessed me with daily that I fail to stop and give thanks for, like health, vision, joy, etc.

His gifts are endless, they never stop coming, and they’re just what we need – even if at first we think they don’t “match” or they don’t “fit.”