King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Establish Your Heart With Grace
Date: Tuesday February 28, 2012
Today's Chapters: Deuteronomy 26-27

Hello My Friend,

The word Amen means to confirm, establish, verify; to trust, or give confidence in; to agree in truth and firmness. It is not uncommon in my church to hear someone shout Amen when the preacher says something that they really agree with. Amen is powerful, when you pray to God and finish with Amen, you are confirming that you believe, that you trust, that you have confidence that your God will give you what you are asking Him for. How many times do we say Amen and live in doubt, especially if it has been a couple of years and still no answer in sight? Just keep going, perhaps God is establishing your heart with grace.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein...But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased...Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” - Hebrews 13:8,9,16,20,21.

As Moses winds down his speech to Israel he comes to the part of giving tithe, now, before the early church much of the tithe given to God was in the form of whatever God blessed them with through their labor, fruit, grain, vegetables, etc., it was to be offered willingly and brought to the preists.

“And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us...Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them: I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.” - Deuteronomy 26:1-3,13,14.

God loves a cheerful giver with a willing heart, it gives Him joy to see us putting Him first and also giving to others as well. If you take the word joy and make an acronym out of it you will get, Jesus, Others, Yourself. When you put Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last, God will truly bless and while His grace is all that is needed to give us the things we need on a daily basis imagine what He will give is when we have grace in our heart upon others. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” - 2 Peter 1:2-4.

Moses urges Israel to do two things, if no other, to obey the commands of God and to remember their covenant with God. “This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.” -Deuteronomy 26:16-19.

The word avouch means to declare or assert with positiveness, those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior can avouch that they are going to heaven, not because of any good that they have done, but because they have asked Jesus to save them and take them there. God avouches that if you only believe that My Son can get you to heaven then you will be mine, not because of any good that you have done, but because you are trusting that His death, burial, and resurrection saved you. “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” - Romans 5:9,10.

Moses continues urging them to always obey God's voice, reminding them that they are God's people and with that comes a blessing and a curse. “And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.” - Deuteronomy 27:9-15.

Like I said before, salvation does bring a blessing and a curse, the blessing is eternal life in heaven, the curse is the tribulation one faces if they choose their own way instead of God's here on earth. To each of the curses mentioned the people were to say, Amen. It professed their faith, that these, and the like curses, were real declarations of the wrath of God against ungodliness and unrighteousness. But by the mercy of God we can turn every curse into a blessings. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” - Hebrews 12:11.

Now, obeying God's commands or even acknowledging God after we are saved is not what establishes grace in our heart, it is the willingness to do these things with all our heart and soul, not expecting anything back. God gives us salvation by grace, we do not have to work for it, we do not even have to work to keep it, but those who live in His will after they are saved do so because they love God and have a willingness to live by His commands and to acknowledge Him in all things with their heart and soul. Think about it, how many people on earth have received Christ and go on with their lives without Him in it? Grace is the unmerited love toward others, it's giving and not expecting anything back. And guess what? When we show unmerited love toward others we not only save lives we get more blessings from God here on earth and in heaven too. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)..For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them...And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” - Ephesians 2:4,5,10,16,17

Today's Psalm: 72:19 - “And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.”

Today's Proverb: 22:11 - “He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.”

Today's Prayer: God, It truly is amazing that Your grace, Your unmerited love and favor toward us through our faith and trust in receiving Your Son is all that is needed to save us from death and hell. There is nothing that You will not do for Your children, just like every parent comes love and discipline to help us become the best we can be. You tell us to have grace toward others as You do us, while I truly want to live my life for You, I know that I do not always give grace to all that come near me. Lead me and guide me, Lord, only with You can I establish my heart with grace for all. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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