GPBC Blog

By Ty Andersen--

Since becoming a Christian 32 years ago, I have sought God in an attempt to make sense of the world and how I can fit in The Big Picture. My most recent method of processing the Word of God - consuming it more frequently - has led me on an exhilarating ride that bends my mind and soul. When studying books of the Bible that I have studied previously, I often say to myself, “How did I miss this?” The Lord keeps revealing himself to me in ways I don’t expect.  

In my past I perceived much of Leviticus-Numbers-Deuteronomy as white noise. Now I’m seeing those books in ways that are clear and make sense. Here are some observations:

• The sin of envy is often overlooked in today’s culture; however, Numbers 12 demonstrates how determined God was to fully eradicate it. James 3:13-18 reinforces this.
• One of the Lord’s greatest promises is found in Deuteronomy 18:15-21.
• Deuteronomy 23:15-16 demonstrates how the Word of God was millennia ahead of its time in terms of human rights.
• Deuteronomy 29:29 is currently one of my favorite verses. It gives me peace and is how I am attempting to approach my everyday life. 

Reading the Old Testament often makes me feel uncomfortable because of its brutality and how my own life parallels the journey of the Israelites. A passage that is strongly resonating with me is Deuteronomy 30:10-20. It teaches that us that we cannot confront the universe by following our own ways. If we do not trust and obey God, the universe will devour us. We will surely be crushed into oblivion. It is only though obedience and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that we can surpass our limitations and make peace with the cosmos.