Deuteronomy 9 4 After the L ORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The L ORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the L ORD is going to drive them out before you.

5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the L ORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the L ORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

You Are Nothing But Trouble! Deuteronomy 1-11 You may have heard someone say this You may have thought about it when you looked at someone It may have been said to you “Novia / Novio” Didn’t see their defects

Don’t think… I haven’t seen your defects I chose you because you are righteous You are so wonderful I know who you are You are nothing but trouble!

Deuteronomy 9 4 After the L ORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The L ORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the L ORD is going to drive them out before you.

Deuteronomy 9 5 …the L ORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the L ORD your God is giving you this good land…

7 … you provoked the L ORD your God to anger in the desert. …you have been rebellious against the L ORD. 8 … you aroused the L ORD ’s wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you. 13 … they are a stiff-necked people indeed!

16 … I saw that you had sinned against the L ORD your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. 23 … But you rebelled against the command of the L ORD your God. You did not trust him or obey him. 24 You have been rebellious against the L ORD ever since I have known you.

You are nothing but trouble! If that is the case… If the Lord knows this… Why keep them around? Why are they his people?

Deuteronomy Yet the L ORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today.

I love you I want you and your children to be blessed in this land Remember what the Lord has done for you

Deuteronomy 6 20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the L ORD our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the L ORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Deuteronomy 8 10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the L ORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the L ORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

Deuteronomy 8 14 …you will forget the L ORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”

To avoid this scenario Here is what you are to do… Do not forget what the Lord has done Teach your children what God has done Because they don’t know what you know

Deuteronomy 11 2 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the L ORD your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; 3 the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt…

Deuteronomy 4 9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

Your responsibility Remember Teach your children So that the next generation will know

Deuteronomy 6 4 Hear, O Israel: The L ORD our God, the L ORD is one. 5 Love the L ORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Deuteronomy 6 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Within the Old Testament these are some of the most memorable verses They are important enough that these concepts and thoughts are repeated

Deuteronomy And now, O Israel, what does the L ORD your God ask of you but to fear the L ORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the L ORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the L ORD ’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Deuteronomy So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today— to love the L ORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…

Deuteronomy Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Deuteronomy Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the L ORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

Putting it all together We are nothing but trouble! The Lord knows exactly who we are There is no need for us to try to fake our way through church

Putting it all together God loves us anyway God has made a conscious choice to embrace us He wants to bless us and call us His friends and family

Putting it all together God expects us to Remember To remember who we are in Christ To remember our first love To remember how He has touched our lives

Putting it all together We are to show and tell Christ We are to share Christ with our children, friends and neighbors We are to allow others to experience the same joy we have… That even though we are nothing but trouble Jesus loves us

We are not worthy We are nothing but trouble! His love and sacrifice makes us worthy when we believe We are to love the lord with all our heart, mind and strength