Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - Do You Get What You Deserve? | Torah | Deuteronomy 9

Episode Date: September 29, 2022

Is what you have a result of hard work? Do you have more than others because you’re smarter than others? Did you earn your power, wealth or popularity? In today’s episode, Patrick discusses Deuteronomy 9 and shares a reminder of what you actually deserve. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it with others, so others can find it too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Deuteronomy 9

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Patrick Miller. I was recently sitting in a circle of highly successful investors and entrepreneurs. Not because I'm any of those things, I'm not, but I was invited to be a fly on the wall, so I was just paying careful attention to see what I can learn. There was a teacher up front, and he asked everybody in the room a simple question, why do you have what you have? It's a simple question, but it's hard to answer. Why do you have the house you have and not a smaller house?

Why do you drive the car you drive and not a lesser car? Why do you have the clothes you have and not less expensive clothes? Why do you have what you have? If you were totally honest, how would you answer that question? Is it because you're smarter than other people that you have what you have? Is it because you're more attractive than other people? Is it because you work harder than other people? Is it because you're more moral and upright than other people?

The truth is that, at least for me, I often think I have what I have because I've earned it. I've worked hard for it. And so I'm looking around at this circle of people who have been much more successful than me, people who have much more wealth than me. And I'm wondering, what are they thinking right now? And I realize they're probably thinking the same thing that I am. I have what I have because I'm smarter, because I've worked harder. What about you?

After a long pause, the teacher looked around at everyone in the room and said, just because you're on third base doesn't mean you've hit a triple. The reality is that most of you in this room started right there. Ouch, that's a hard thing to hear. It's a hard thing to say. But as I looked around at this group of, again, highly successful individuals, many people in the room were nodding. I talked to one guy afterward to ask him why he was nodding along. And he said to me, if I'm being honest, I looked down. out just to be born in the family I was born in. I have what I have because my parents paid for

all my schooling. They gave me a interest-free loan to start my first business. They helped me get connected to the right people when I wanted to sell it. He realized that he hadn't hit a triple in life. He was literally born on third base. In Deuteronomy 9, Moses is recounting the story of Israel, and he's giving them a stern warning. Once they enter into the promised land and possess it, They'll look at their lives and they will think, wow, I've really made something of my life. I've worked hard to get here. I have what I have because I'm so righteous, because I deserve it, because I've earned it. But Moses wants them to see a stark reality.

You don't deserve it. Quite the opposite. You, Israelites. You woke up on third base. You only have what you have because of the generosity of God. Deuteronomy 9-4. This is Moses speaking. You not say in your heart after Yahweh your God has thrust out the Canaanites before you.

It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land. No, whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that Yahweh is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land. But because of the wickedness of these nations, Yahweh your God is driving them out from before you and that he may confirm the word that Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Verse 6, know, therefore, that Yahweh your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked Yahweh your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord.

Moses goes on after this to recount all of the stories of Israel's rebellions, how they tested God at Maribah, how they made a golden calf to worship, how they refused to go into the promised land out of fear. Moses tells them that time and again, the Israelites were not righteous. They were stubborn. They were rebellious. So as a result, no Israelite should wake up one day in the promised land, pat himself on the back and say, wow, I've really earned this, haven't I?

No, the people earned God's wrath, but they received God's kindness. They didn't get what they deserved. They woke up on third base. We're no better. We're no different than the Israelites. If we're being honest, I know this whole thing can feel a little harsh, but it's because none of us like being told the truth about our failures. None of us like to admit that what we have, we have by grace, not by works.

None of us wants to accept the humbling truth that on our own, we wouldn't be on third base. We would have struck out a long time ago. So do you realize that you woke up on third base? Or do you think that you've earned everything you have? Or do you think that you deserve even more than what you have? I'm not talking about material wealth right now. I'm talking about spiritual wealth. Do you realize that you deserve to strike out?

But Jesus hit a home run in your place. until you realize that fundamental truth, you will always battle with two twin evils in your life, pride and disappointment. You may become proud because you've come to believe that you've earned and deserve everything that you have. Or you may find that you're crushed by disappointment because you believe you've earned and deserve more than what you have. Only Jesus confronts you with the truth. You've earned and deserve the wrath of the living God. Only Jesus offers you this necessary gift, the pleasure of God.

Because when God looks on you, he doesn't see your sin. He doesn't see what he's forgiven. He only sees Jesus. You see, you've been born on third base. Even better than that, Jesus has hit a home run in your place. When you realize those truths, you'll be set free from pride and disappointment. Free to experience humility. Free to think of yourself less.

Free to experience thankfulness. for what you know you don't deserve. Free to walk in the joy of God's generosity. Free from the temptation to look down on others. Free to rejoice in the goodness of your heavenly father. You don't deserve what you have. You deserve far worse. But praise God that in Jesus we get far better than we deserve.

We get better than we can imagine. We get God and life with him forever. Before you forget, sign up for the 10-minute Bible Talks News. Hit the link in the show notes and you'll get an email every Wednesday that's going to help you beat that midweek slump and go deeper in your walk with Jesus. Thanks for listening.