The Believers best option for Survival

The New International Version Chapter 10

And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

The Believer’s best option for Survival

Text: Deut. 10:12-13

Support Scriptures: Deut. 6:5 Prov. 16:3, Micah 6:8, Deut. 5:33, 1Tim. 1:5

Introduction: Commitment is defined as a state of personal dedication to something or someone, which results in actively promoting and working for their good and well-being. If our commitment to God is to produce an unwavering faith, why is it so challenging to commit our way unto the Lord? Choices, alternatives, recourses, possibilities, or courses of action all are descriptive names for the word option. The problem with options is if they are not well thought upon they could not be for our best benefit. These verses are an introductory summary to the general exhortation in verses 14–22. Having shown the impossibility of self-dependence (chap. 8) and the impossibility of spiritual pride in light of her rebellious history (9:1–10:11), Moses called Israel to exercise her only option for survival: total commitment to the Lord.

Commit yourself to Him!

Moses called Israel to exercise her only option for survival: total commitment to the Lord. This is seen in the several infinitives used: to fear (cf. comments on 4:10), walk … love … serve, and observe. Such commitment was for their own good. God requires commitment from us because its for our benefit and well being. In order for you and I to survive some of the pitfalls in life it will require a level of commitment to do what is necessary to keep you out of the gutters of despair. We are not able to see into the future. Each day presents some new challenges, temptations, and test. Our closeness and obedience to the Lord can help us navigate through these times.

Circumcise your Heart

The proper response to their election by the sovereign Lord was to circumcise their hearts (cf. 30:6). An uncircumcised heart suggests that you have a will that is hardened against God’s commands. It is another way of saying the person is stiff-necked or stubborn (cf. 9:6, 13; 31:27). So the command to circumcise their hearts assumes that human hearts are naturally rebellious and need correction. Though human hearts are slow to change, Moses warned the nation that no bribe or anything less than an inward transformation could satisfy the Lord. This is not “Lets make a Deal” it is the Sovereign God and He will not accept anything less than a change of heart. God knows you and He knows me, stop trying present something that is insufficient of what He requires.

Choose to Obey Him

Once again Moses laid special emphasis on the inseparability of love and obedience (cf. 6:5–6; 7:9; 10:12–13; 11:13, 22; 19:9; 30:6, 8, 16, 20). The ultimate test of an Israelite’s love for God was whether he obeyed Him (cf. John 14:15). In Hebrew the command to love the Lord means to choose Him for one’s most intimate relationship and then to express that choice in obedience to His revealed will. What has the Lord revealed to you in His Word? You can’t answer that question unless you have first read it for yourself, then the proper response is to do what it says to do. Now all of us need help and encouragement to do what the Lord says for us to do. Thats why there is the Bible. There are preachers, teachers, Christian husbands and wives, and other faithful believers to assist us along the way.

Closure: When our level of commitment is true and pure, our hearts have been changed, and the choice is made to obey God our world can be a better place to live. We can agree with Hezekiah Walker & LFC.

I need you, you need me.

We're all a part of God's body.

Stand with me, agree with me.

We're all a part of God's body.

It is his will, that every need be supplied.

You are important to me, I need you to survive.

You are important to me, I need you to survive.

I pray for you, You pray for me.

I love you, I need you to survive.

I won't harm you with words from my mouth.

I love you, I need you to survive.

It is his will, that every need be supplied.

You are important to me, I need you to survive.

Finally, what Jesus Christ accomplished out on Calvary assures and gives us the only option for survival here and it solidifies our future home in glory.