King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: The People of God
Date: Friday February 24, 2012
Today's Chapters: Deuteronomy 12-15

Hello My Friend,

If you were to ask any person off the street who God's people are, you may get one of three responses, I do not believe in God, we are all God's people, or those who live right are God's people. Ask a born again believer who God's people are and you may get one of two responses, those who receive Christ are God's people or those who receive Christ and live right are God's people. The truth is, we are all God's creation, but not all God's people. Unbelievers, those who think they are God's people because of their religion, and those who are trusting in any other means than Jesus Christ to save them are not God's people. God's people are only those who have accepted and received Jesus Christ as their Savior and are only trusting in Him for their salvation. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ...But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:5,9,10.

Moses continues to instruct Israel on what they were to do when they get to the promised land, now, he explains where they will offer sacrifices. The command is given to destroy all altars, pillars, groves, and images, made for the worship of idols in the land of Canaan, and to bring all sacrifices and holy things unto the place which the Lord should choose for His habitation.

“These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth...And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee...When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after...Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose:” - Deuteronomy 12:1,7,20,21,26.

Today, God does not choose one particular place to dwell, He dwells in the soul of every born again believer. We are free to enjoy the things that our soul desires, God just wants us to give reverence to Him in all things. Key word, soul, God wants us to feed the desires of our soul, not the lusts of our flesh. When we acknowledge God and thank Him for every thing we are less likely to do the things that feed the lusts of the flesh. “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...By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” - Hebrews 13:8,9,15,16.

Moses warns them that they are going to be approached by people who think they are God's people, but are not. They were warned not even to patiently listen to false teachers and dreamers, but to instantly reject it as unscriptural. “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.” - Deuteronomy 13:1-5.

There are many religions claiming to know God and even Jesus Christ, God allows these false religions for one reason and one reason only, to prove our faith in Him. There is only One God and He is in the form of three persons, God the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, any other perception of God is false. There is only One Way to God, and that is through Jesus Christ, any other way is false. There is only One Life and that is eternal life with Jesus Christ. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” -John 14:1-4,6,7.

Moses tells the people of Israel how God had given them three distinguishing privileges, God chose them, they were His children, and they were holy people. Since they were God's people they were peculiar people lead to live above the rest. “Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing...And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always...And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,” - Deuteronomy 14:1-3,23,26.

When a person accepts and receives Jesus Christ as their Savior they receive the same privileges, God chose them, they are His children, and they are holy people. God's people are required to be holy, and if they are holy, they are indebted to the grace in which God which makes them so. Those who God chooses to be His children, He will transform to be a holy people, zealous of good works. They must be careful to avoid every thing which might disgrace their profession, in the sight of those who watch for their fall. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” - Romans 12:1-3.

To be released means to be free from confinement, bondage, or obligation, God enforced a release every seven years on any debt owed by any person that was not paid. If a person owed money to a creditor and could not afford to pay it, the creditor had seven years to try to claim it, at the end of the seven years, if it has not been claimed, that person would be released from paying the debt. Moses explains this further,

“Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth...Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.” - Deuteronomy 15:5-8,10.

The year of release is representative of the grace of the Gospel in which it is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord. The Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, when one believes in the Gospel and asks Jesus to save them they are released from the debt owed for their sins, which is death and hell. All who call upon the Lord obtain the release of their sin debts, are pardoned of their sins, and are taught to forgive others debts as they have been forgiven. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors...For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” - Matthew 6:12,14,15.

Today's Psalm: 33:12 - “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

Today's Proverb: 14:34 - “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Today's Prayer: God, I will never understand that the qualifications to being one of Your children is simply believing in Your Son, but nevertheless I am and that is truly a blessing in itself. Lord, I know Jesus paid the price for me and that no work I do for You is needed, but I want to live in obedience to Your commands and to serve You with all my heart and soul. Show me the way, Lord, keep me in Your Word to know Your truths and live in obedience to You, help me to be able to discern truth from lies and to warn others too. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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

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