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Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion

Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion

Just going with the flow living in status quo is not the abundant life God had in mind. But overcoming apathy and igniting passion in our lives is going to take a continual, intentional effort. In the natural, our flesh seeks comfort and does not want to be bothered with living on purpose. It’s easier to pop in a Netflix and eat junk food and numb ourselves to life’s demands than to rise up and tenaciously embrace responsibilities. But God calls on us to overcome comfort and to really care and have compassion for others.

Overcoming Apathy

What if God did not care? Think about that for a moment. Our hearts can accuse God when life gets hard, but the reality of His character and His promises and His actions is that He loves us deeply. So much so that He would come and die on our behalf. And this God who did that for us has every bit of authority to ask the same of us. We need to stop living for the flesh and live the passionate, abundant life He has for us. It won’t be easy, but it is far more fulfilling than just living to satisfy what our flesh demands.

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 22-24

A little reminder about the book of Deuteronomy, which reads like beautiful sermons from Moses, reminding God’s people of true north and how to live out this relationship with God.

“The word Deuteronomy means ‘the second law’. This translates the Greek title of the book. The title in the Hebrew language is ‘these are the words’. Deuteronomy does not just repeat earlier laws. It is a record of the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. It teaches people how to love God and their neighbors. There are 100 references from Deuteronomy in the New Testament. Deuteronomy is still important for Christians today, although the culture is different. The book is sometimes called ‘The Book of Covenant Life’.” (Easy English Bible Commentary). Today’s reading is part of Moses’ second speech continuing to discuss practical rules for how to live.

Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion—Rules Don’t Have To Spoil Our Fun

No one likes rules, and yet God’s commands and rules are given for our good. Knowing the intention behind the rules is a reminder to our hearts that we go astray but God’s plumb line brings us back. Rebellion is to be confronted and we need to point one another to the right way God has commanded that we should live. But it will be hard. Apathy and self-centeredness stand in our way.

Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion—Remembering to Care for Our Neighbor

At the beginning of our reading today, Moses reminds us to care. Don’t ignore other people’s problems if we notice them. Apathy keeps us self-centered and we forget sometimes to look up and notice others.

Deuteronomy 22:4

“4 If you see your brother’s donkey or ox fallen down on the road, do not ignore it; help him lift it up.”

The words, “do not ignore it” are a mantra repeated three times in the first four verses. Don’t ignore if a brother’s ox or sheep or donkey are straying. Do the right thing and look after other people’s things when trouble arises. Care and help others.

Why would we have to be reminded to care? Because this world is hard and our hearts get hard, too. We are naturally selfish and need to have care and compassion for others just like God does for us.

Even in the care of animals, God notices if we are caring and compassionate or not.

Deuteronomy 22:6

“6 “If you come across a bird’s nest with chicks or eggs, either in a tree or on the ground along the road, and the mother is sitting on the chicks or eggs, do not take the mother along with the young. 7 You may take the young for yourself, but be sure to let the mother go free, so that you may prosper and live long.”

Prosper and live long because of how we treat even animals? Yes. When we are righteous, acting like Jesus would, it affects all of our life.

Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion—Going Against the Flesh and Walking in Righteousness

We don’t like to be told what to do especially when we are shirking our responsibilities. It bugs our flesh, right? I have dealt with that behavior in my children. When you ask them to pick up after themselves and they attempt to turn the tables on you – how dare you ask them and remove them from their land of comfort? Of course, it was they who made the mess.

And God even guides us in how we should dress.

“5 “A woman is not to wear male clothing, and a man is not to put on a woman’s garment, for everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord your God.”

Look, we can say it hurts people’s feelings to uphold God’s standards, but letting someone live in perversion, which is twisting God’s righteous way of living is not love at all. We don’t have to reject a person to reject their sin. It might take some deprogramming from this world’s lies to help people see the truth. Gently and lovingly. God’s ways – the One who made us – are truly what is best and makes us happiest. Anything else is bondage.

Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion—Addressing Sin

I don’t really like to talk about sinful things. Ephesians 5:12 backs me up on this.

“It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.”

And yet, rather than legitimize sin, we do need to confront sin, expose it in our ranks and not permit it. And if we don’t address sin in our lives and in those God has called us to shepherd, then God will.

Psalm 50:16-23

“But God says to the wicked: “What right do you have to recite my statutes and to take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate instruction and fling my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you make friends with him, and you associate with adulterers. 19 You unleash your mouth for evil and harness your tongue for deceit. 20 You sit, maligning your brother, slandering your mother’s son. 21 You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But I will rebuke you and lay out the case before you. 22 “Understand this, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to rescue you. 23 Whoever offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God.”

Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion—Purge the Evil

Purging the evil from our lives is not always obvious. We acclimate to the culture around us and it sneaks in without us being aware.

The phrase, “you must purge the evil among you” is repeated several times in today’s reading. But it is not just about getting rid of evil influences and behaviors in our lives. We also have to put on. Put off and put on

Ephesians 4:17-31 underscores how we are to live in Christ.

Overcoming Apathy and Igniting Passion—How Are We Now to Live?

“17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

25 Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity. 28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.

29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him[m] for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Scripture of the Day: Deuteronomy 24:18

“Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. Therefore I am commanding you to do this.”

Application

  • God’s rules are not suggestions. They are commands from a loving God.
  • God’s boundaries lie in pleasant places.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁 12 𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗧.

Day #323: Deuteronomy 22-24

𝒱𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓎: Deuteronomy 24:18

“Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. Therefore I am commanding you to do this.”

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