EXECUTE YOUR WIFE?

I just read Deuteronomy 13.  In this chapter God warns the people of Israel not to tolerate anyone who tries to get them to worship other gods.  The penalty for doing so is death!

(vs.6-9a  LB)  If your nearest relative or closest friend, even a brother, son,  daughter, or beloved wife whispers to you to come and worship these foreign gods, do not consent nor listen, and have no pity:  Do not spare that person from the penalty;  don't conceal his horrible suggestion.  Execute him!

Yikes!  That's strong!  This is a NO COMPROMISE situation!  Don't even crack the door open to the possibility of worshiping or serving another God.

Deuteronomy 5:7  (NASB)
You shall have no other gods before Me.

In the next chapter God talks about the foods they can and cannot eat.  Then He addresses the topic of tithing.  Verse 23 (LB) reads:  The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives. 

TWO PRINCIPLES:

1. No compromise when it comes to serving God!
2. Put God first in everything!

A 'No' and a 'Yes'. 

NO  -  Don't even give a nod to other gods!

YES  -  Deliberately give a tenth of your earnings to God as an expression of your submission to Him and love for Him!  Let this giving catalyze His leadership in every area of your life!

EVALUATE:

Is your only allegiance to God?
     Can other people see that by your values and priorities?

Are you tithing? 
     Are you putting God first in every area of your life?

DEUTERONOMY - RELEVANT?

Excerpts from Deuteronomy 7-9:

(7:9-11 LB)  Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is the faithful God who for a thousand generations keeps His promises and constantly loves those who love Him and who obey His commandments.  But those who hate Him shall be punished publicly and destroyed.  He will deal with them personally.  Therefore, obey all these commandments I am giving you today.

(8:3 LB)  Yes, He humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna...He did it to help you realize that food isn't everything, and that real life comes by obeying every command of God.

(8:10-14 LB)  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 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...

(9:4-6 LB)  Then, when the Lord has [delivered you from your enemies] don't say to yourselves, 'The Lord has helped us because we are so good!'...It is not at all because you are such fine, upright people...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.  I say it yet again:  Jehovah your God is not giving you this good land because you are good, for you are not - you are a wicked, stubborn people.