Morning

March 21

Deuteronomy 4:39-40 ³⁹Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. ⁴⁰Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.

Moses reminded the people of the ways in which God had made Himself known to them. Then he spoke these verses. I believe God has shown each person reading this devotional a revelation of Himself. It is because He has drawn each of us uniquely that we are responsible to acknowledge and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and earth below. There is no other! There should be no valid competitor for our allegiance. There should be no usurpers to His lordship over our lives. If we are bowing to anything else, in any way, we are not rendering to God the response He deserves. Is there "no other" god in your life? Take that to heart this day.

The enemy of our soul would love to distort the reason God directs and instructs us, just as he did in the Garden of Eden. God wants us to keep His instructions "so that it may go well with you and your children". n the Old Testament the Spirit was not indwelling believers. That made generalized rules necessary as standards of conduct and health. Today the Spirit indwells every believer to instruct us specifically in every situation, "so that it may go well with you and your children". God can do His work without you, but He wants to include you to bless you and your children. Many of us have fallen prey to the enemy's lie in the Garden and think God wants uninformed slaves.

Consider: Acknowledge that the heart of God, in instructing and leading you by the Spirit, is to bless you and your children. You will be much more excited about obeying His voice.