ALL THESE WORDS...

ALL THESE WORDS...
In Deuteronomy 32:45-47, we read "And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel; and he said unto them, 'Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day...for it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life..." The occasion at which Moses "spake all these words" was just before they were to enter into the Promised Land at Jericho.

This was the second generation of Israel; those who were "20 years old and under" back at Kadesh-Barnea, where Israel failed to obey God and thereby forfeited their entrance some 40 years earlier.  To this new generation, Moses re-emphasized the Law of God. He concluded this re-counting with the words "Set your hearts unto all the words...for this is not a vain thing for you...because it is your life..."

Moses puts his finger on one of the great problems in the average Christian's spiritual life.  We confuse what is necessary with what we think is important at the time. We get so busy making a living that we forget about that which really sustains us. We focus on maintaining the material and minimize (in some cases, ignore) the spiritual. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 when He said "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."(Matt 4:4).  In John chapter 6, after hearing many "hard sayings" most of the disciples "went back and walked no more with Him."  Jesus turned to the 12 and asked "Will you also go away?" To which Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go, Thou hast the words of eternal life."

The Apostle Paul wrote, "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain." If your focus is on the temporal and you ignore the eternal, what have your really gained?  Don't sacrifice the eternal on the altar of the immediate. Pick up that dusty Bible and read it, for it is your life!

It was in 1874 when 36 year old Philip Bliss wrote the words and music to WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE to be used in a new publication launched by the Fleming H. Revell Company. In 1876, a copy came into the hands of George Stebbins. He and his wife introduced the song in a church service and it soon became popular wherever Stebbins went. It's a song worth your singing as you remember today's devotional thoughts.

Pastor Bob Townsend
Pleasant Point Community Church