The old way

Wk 47 Day 2

Deuteronomy 17:16
¹⁶ The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again."

.. This was the ordinance made for the king chosen by the Israelites to rule over them.
.. Part of his requirements is to not seek out more horses for himself or use his power to let the people go back to Egypt to get more
.. God has ordered them to not go back that way again - where they used be enslaved before.

// Principles:

.. God did not allow His people, the Israelites to go back just go get more stuff - or to acquire things that they may not currently have in the new way of living - the Promised land.
.. Why? God has a reason for everything. Not that they would lack as they get to the Promised land, because God is able to provide no matter what.
.. The principle is that, a lot of times, we think that it's easier to get or acquire things the "old way" since we have experienced it. Yet, we also know that it's a huge possibility that we can be enslaved again by using our old way of doing things.

// Encouragements:

.. Trust that God is able to provide and there's no need to use old ways of doing things just to acquire possessions.
.. Just like the kings were ordered to do, to carefully read and obey the Word of the Lord in order to learn to revere God and not think highly of himself (v. 19-20), we need to do the same - to obey and learn more about God. We may not be kings (literally) but we are called a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) - thus we are "kings" in the eyes of God. We ought to do the same.

// Belle:

.. I must not use my old ways of acquiring things. My old life has passed and I will not use that just to get what I want - especially that it will be most likely be opposing God's will. If God wants to give me anything He wants and wills for me, He will do it in His own way and time. I must learn to continually trust that.
.. If I am tempted to do things the "old way", I must resist it immediately. As part of God's royal priesthood, I must continue to revere God by learning His Word consistently and continuously and obediently.

// God, thank you for reminding me of these things. I will not allow anything that will make me go back to what I used to be. I will do so by heeding your Word all the days of my life. I thank you for what You have done in my life. In Jesus' name, amen.