Read: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7
God warned the people that just because a person could do signs and miracles and prophecy the truth doesn’t mean that they are sent by him. The proof is not in their miracles but in their worship. If they worship other gods then they are not to be followed. In Revelations, God warns us of the same thing. In the last days, people will rise up and do miraculous things but their heart will not be the Lord’s and their motives will be selfish. The devil can do supernatural things so we can not be deceived. He is an angel of light looking for a way to deceive God’s elect.
God told them to eat any animal that has a hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. The divided hoof is a picture of the Word that divides soul and spirit that keeps us balanced. Chewing the cud is a picture of meditating on the Word and bringing it back up to “chew” on more.
Creatures in the water that have fins and scales are a picture of spiritual things. Fins keep a fish swimming upright and balanced. The scales are its covering. We are covered with the blood of Jesus.
They were not to eat birds that ate dead things. We are to feed ourselves things that bring us life. The Word of God is the “living” Word of God.
We are to give a tenth of everything to the Lord. It is not that he needs anything we have but the fact that we need to give. Giving humbles you and delivers you from the fear of lack. If you are generous then money will not control you but you will control it.
In Luke, we are reminded that not all the religious leaders were against Jesus. Jarius was a ruler in the synagogue and he had a need that superseded his judgment about Jesus. His twelve year old daughter was more important than his pride. There was a woman in the crowd that had been bleeding for twelve years. She and Jarius had to break protocol to see Jesus. She was considered unclean because of her bleeding, but she was desperate. Jarius probably received rebuke from the other religious leaders but he cared more about his daughter than the opinions of his friends. Jesus healed them both because of their faith.
Then Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them power to drive out demons and cure diseases. He sent them out to do what he did. We are to follow Jesus’ lead.
Lord, help us to realize the authority you give us over the powers of darkness. Let us not be afraid to face our fears and defeat them by the blood of the Lamb.
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