Deuteronomy Overview Part 1 - Fixed Perspective To Conquer Canaan

We always move to a new premise every 2 years. The Lord has a reason. We must take away blessings before moving. Have we found out the reason? For 2 years, I give you this charge again: equip in concentration. What the Lord finds that is closer than blood relations is co-workers who are related as one in heart, the heart that is cut opened with Jesus and the Emmanuel message “walking” in between. Do you want to be like Jesus to get 12 disciples with such understanding of the heart?

Passage Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Israel is eternally successful. Israel means winning over God. Jacob fought with God and won, just like how the child wins over the parent. Therefore, be always in joy, be in thanks and be in prayers. This is the result of the gospel. But why does the Christian always fail? This is the reason of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy = Repetition Record

A little problems and frustrations here and there and the child of God goes into anxiety, frustration, and is sorrowful. This is the state of Adam. This is therefore the reason of repetition. God repeats the same covenant with Abraham again and again. God helps by circumcising Abraham, and by circumcising our hearts. God is a God of commemoration. The reason of the Holy Communion reminds us again and again: “Do not forget!” Therefore we have to repeat by having scheduled prayers, in the morning, noon and evening. Shall we the blessed ones, bring a heart that has not awakened to work every morning, have a burdensome heart at noon, and a heart that has failed with guilt every evening? No, but God provides for new grace every day, refreshes us every day by giving us remembrances.

1) Fixed Perspective

When we are weak, we waste a lot of emotions and resources. When we have a map to drive, even when we are slow, we will reach the destination fast. If we do not have the map, a turn will put us in anxiety. If we are flying high in emotions, we have to be watchful, as we would definitely fall for a period. It does not matter when there are weaknesses and problems here and there, but the church we want to set up is one that understands God’s work, sees the fulfillment of God in every step, and submits to receive a method to overcome all things through fixed perspective.

2) Content: 10 faiths/truths

(1) God the Father

(2) God the Jesus Christ

(3) God the Holy Spirit

(4) Me (all of Trinity is in me)

(5) Angels

(6) The place I am in: Kingdom, Eden

(7) The world is a place that is going to be judged and will expire

(8) God has a plan in all our 7 fields

(9) But the days are limited, where I just accomplish God’s stuffs

(10) Crown is what I will receive eternally

These are our church’s 10 truths. We have the 36 lessons to get a skeleton structure - 5 gospel messages of differentiating between gospel and religion, 20 basic messages to know God and walk with Him, and 10 healing messages to get healed. And we must move on to Bible Overview in using the whole bible to acquire a fixed perspective.

3) Prayers: hearts and minds

When one acquires the Answer / Will of God, he will definitely receive Joy. Fixed perspective is being able to view everything, situation or matter by the 10 truths .

4) Wisdom

Wisdom is what everyone looks at, not spiritual principles. How do we receive the zealousness of God (and not ours)? When we look at sorrowful people beside us, how do we acquire the wisdom to pull them close to be connected with God? But within all frustrations and busyness, can we get the complete answer to be able to have an answer and thus preach the gospel in and out of season? If our joy is not because of God, that joy is not joy but is very temporal. Do not say that you know the gospel if you cannot. But if you know the gospel, there is absolutely nothing that can cause you to admire or compare ministry, career advancement, family happiness with others, etc. But when you enjoy the unlimited gospel, you will have pity on all people, and this is the opening of evangelism doors. Let us know the gospel all over again!

1. History => Fixed perspective from Past

Our age is not in twenties, thirties, forties, etc, but our actual age is from Adam. The promise that all our forefathers received is the same as that which we must receive. For this, let us become the heirs of history.

1) Promise => that is given to me today

<1:8> The promise that has been given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is given to you as inheritance.

Individual Gospelisation

Abraham: God gives the first promise to us. This is individual gospelization. This means that our thoughts, words and actions are God’s.

Family Gospelisation

We shall get a family that is not Singaporean’s, going only after better living, bigger cars, and bearing children.

Regional Gospelisation

How do we look in the eyes of the shopkeepers and cashiers? How do we look in the eyes of our relatives? Will they come one day to beg us to tell them about? Jesus Christ?

World Gospelisation

The reason God wants us to circumcise our hearts with all our efforts with these 4 promises is because the pull of the world and desires are so strong.

2) <1:9-18> Organization / Structure / Principles => Church Central

There are leaders and elders set up over all Israel; organization and structure are set up over all Israel. It is not that the church itself is important, but the principle is about acquiring fixed perspective on being central to God’s word. In living, we easily fall into useless talks of comparisons of salaries (as an example). Restoring the organization will give us protection over waste of time and emotions so that we can go right to God immediately into this system of thoughts. The structure must become our habits and system. This is called scheduled prayers. Some people do scheduled prayers but have nothing to gain even if they spent over 30 minutes on praying. The reason is because the hearts and minds are not inside the ideology of God’s word and therefore they cannot go into meeting with God. There must be a trust and system in looking to God. This is why God repeats again and again on how Israel moves with the pillar of cloud and fire. According to the timetable of our sheep, we can definitely say with assurance, and not be afraid, the need to go for Sunday service every week. If we have just been happy just one moment but not constantly, we have not gotten the habits of success. Therefore, let us come to meetings, but definitely not by ritualistic repetitions, but with preparation of the heart.

3) Israel’s Failure (Rebellion / Failure) <1:27> <Rev 12:10>

The worst thing that can happen to a child of God is not being able to acquire the heart of God but only look at the laws of God rigidly. This is called having seen the fallen countenance of God and not the smiling face of God. There is no one in grief that will be successful in future.

4) Sanctification (40 years in the Desert)

The things that we are not being able to let go of are things that we think are greater than the salvation work that Christ has done on my life. The faster we sanctify ourselves, the faster the discipline of God goes away. God wants to deal this in us so that the sorrows and negativity can go away from us.

5) Advice / Must Encourage

<4:1-4> Preserve your hearts and minds!

Are we tiresome after meetings or after a day of work? Do we complain because of some lack? Therefore, this is the reason God wants to deal with us, because we are unable to preserve our hearts and minds.

(1) Kings, People of God => Kingdom

In all history, with great kings and all, God removes everyone that is not connected to the gospel.

(2) Exodus, Red Sea, Tabernacle, Walk Wilderness, Enter Canaan

(3) Experience of Regeneration (Cherish)

(4) Baptism: Discern -> Death and Resurrection power

If I cannot receive the love of men, it will definitely do satisfactory that I receive the love of God.

(5) Prayers

“If I cannot love before prayers. However, upon prayers, I can love.” This is the most powerful man. Why do we worry about a few thousand dollars in the bank? But have a prayerful heart to get all abundance and sweetness. Receive this: there is no greater answer other than in prayers.

(6) Whole life -> Guidance (Pillar of cloud/fire) <- Ark of the Covenant

Walking with God is called the prayers at all times. This is by being central to the Ark of the Covenant.

(7) Conquer (Witness)

If we have the answer, we can be a witness to even any pastor because we have the answer. Even if we are weak, we can be witnesses because God is our strength and our refuge. Why is He our strength? This is because we are weak. Why is He our refuge? This is because we are in difficulties. Acquire the answer that supercedes all problems. With this, the pity and compassion of people around us are definitely acquired to the extreme. And when we become an heir, be as slow as possible. When you lead in prayers or live among your family members, be slow to feel the Holy Spirit and also let others feel the Holy Spirit. Put in thoughts and words of authority so that people will listen.

“May the gospel dwell in my heart first. May it be the one and only to restore in my heart.” God wants to restore this in us, and to restore this thought no matter what happens.

2. Laws => The Protection (fixed perspective) for the people of God for our Present time

The heart we must review now is whether we are living before God by loving God and men. Therefore God gives the Principle of Success to let us know laws. We must live in authority. To protect us, God placed us in a boundary. For example, God placed the boundary that children must obey elders so that they may not be hurt.

1) Promise -> Make covenant

God never mentions the laws in the first place, but He makes covenant first, so that Israel becomes His citizens, and is totally responsible for them. After making the covenant, Israel can then do above what the Ten Commandments require.

2) Ten Commandments

(1) Love God, Love Men

It is important to know the principle of Ten Commandments. Nicodemus and the young man found Jesus out to say that they have obeyed all the laws. However, this is the biggest lie, proven by Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount. The real meaning of the Ten Commandments is not only about the works. It is not even about the works and the heart, but also and especially the spirit. This is the law - love God and love men.

(2) Circumcision at heart -> Teach your children <6:4-9, 11:18-20>

Engrave them in your hearts -> impress them upon your children

= Fixed perspective -> Interpersonal relationships

For example, when we meet people with conflicts of interpersonal problems, the law protects so that we must think first about having pity and having mercy before we go on to love them. Sometimes we judge our spouse, so how can we love others?

(3) Laws: Answer in all matters

Have we realized and known why the laws and rules of men keep getting more and more? This is simply because there are more and more chaos and sophistications such that there is a need to contain them. In Christian denominations, why is there a need to argue on the way to do baptism and why is there a need to argue on whether to put a headwear in church for sisters? There is no real restoration if they are not baptized in their fields or if sisters do not submit to brothers outside the church. We must not pass down the family principles and laws that have been affecting us in repeatedly asking, “Have you washed your hands? Have you had your meals? Have you drunk enough water? ...” If there is any wayward behaviour, a reminder will do, but the true deep meaning of restoration is to teach the habits of the true meaning of loving God and loving men. If there are nags of persecution in the family because of church meetings, do not be affected so that they may realize the gospel of my Christ one day.

3. Prophecy - Perspective by Holding To Visions => The Exchange of Generations

God gives vision, dreams for us to live today. The success tomorrow is not going to come out of the blue. However, if you are successful today, you will be successful tomorrow.

Taken from Discipleship Training on 25^th August 2006, Deuteronomy Overview Part 1.