Continued from yesterday. [Moses warned the nation of Israel:] "O Israel, listen! Today you are to cross the Jordan River and begin to dispossess the nations on the other side. Those nations are much greater and more powerful than you are! They live in high walled cities. Among them are the famed Anak giants, against whom none can stand! But the Lord your God will go before you as a devouring fire to destroy them, so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out.

   "Then, when the Lord has done this for you, don't say to yourselves, 'The Lord has helped us because we are so good!' No, it is because of the wickedness of the other nations that He is doing it. It is not at all because you are such fine, upright people that the Lord will drive them out from before you! I say it again, it is only because of the wickedness of the other nations, and because of His promises to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that He will do it.

   "When you have eaten your fill, bless the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you don't forget the Lord your God and begin to disobey Him. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large, and your silver and gold have multiplied, that is the time to watch out that you don't become proud, and forget the Lord your God Who brought you out of your slavery in the land of Egypt.

   "Beware that you don't forget the God Who led you through the great and terrible wilderness with the dangerous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness . . . He did it so that you would never feel that it was your own power and might that made you wealthy. Always remember that it is the Lord your God Who gives you power to become rich, and He does it to fulfill His promise to your ancestors.

   "But if you forget about the Lord your God and worship other gods instead, and follow evil ways, you shall certainly perish, just as the Lord has caused other nations in the past to perish. That will be your fate, too, if you don't obey the Lord your God."

Taken from Deut. 9, 8, The Living Bible. For free Lifescope book,
write to Box 1575, Carlsbad, NM 88221. Please send $1.00 for postage and handling.