Love YHWH and His Commandments Printable

So many people have told me that the Old Testament books are just not practical for today, but if you study these books of Scripture you will find that that's just not true! Here is some great life advice from Deuteronomy."Love YHWH and his commandment always." -Deuteronomy 11:1I think that is such practical advice. If we love who we serve and the things he tells us to do we are going to be much more content and at peace if we resist every little thing he asks us to do. The word "always" is a great reminder to not just love and serve him when it's convenient or when things are going well, but all the time, in all circumstances.

This printable is free for your personal use. Click here to download this Bible verse from Deuteronomy 11. Other Bible verse printables:
Blessed Be the Name of YHWH
Write the Torah on Their Hearts
Don't Let Me Stray from Your Commands

Traffic & Laws

Most of us tend to not appreciate rules. This was definitely me when I was taking a ridiculous detour route to get to an appointment. I was running late and very unappreciative that this back road divergence had a stop sign every mile. So badly I wanted to run these so I could make it to my destination as soon as possible.

When you're driving somewhere it can be inconvenient to observe the rules of the road. When you're running late it can feel like you catch every light just when it turns red. It's frustrating to sit there and wait for it to turn green so you can be on your way again. It's extra exasperating when nothing is coming from the other way and it seems like there is no reason at all that you should have to sit there. You have your drivers license, so you know what you're doing, right?

But I think we can all agree that while they are sometimes inconvenient, traffic laws are a good thing. It would be nuts if cars from all directions whizzed through intersections without stopping. It would be dangerous to have cars passing stopped school buses or to not have vehicles slow down for construction crews or tractors. No one wants a sports car driving 100 miles an hour through a residential neighborhood or through a park. I am grateful for rules like that.

Just like with traffic laws, there are times when observing Scripture's commandments doesn't feel very convenient. Can't I just blast through this red light? I don't see anyone coming, so where's the harm? As we sit at those spiritual stop signs, we should remember that the Creator has purpose in his instructions -- whether or not we can see it or appreciate it in the moment. And let's not forget, we aren't the only ones who benefit from those instructions. By not breaking the speed limit laws I benefit from not having to pay a fine, but the other drivers on the road are safer when I am following the rules. It's not safe for others if I am recklessly operating my vehicle.

Not having traffic laws could save me a little bit of time once in a while, but overall this would add danger and chaos to my life. I don't want to have to approach every intersection and wonder if the cross traffic will stop or not. I want cars to slow down or get over when I am biking on the road. I reminded myself of this when I was heading to that appointment and the drive went from frustrating to peaceful. I really am glad that these laws exist, even if that means there are consequences like being ticketed when I don't obey them.

Would our lives be better if YHWH hadn't given us any directions for how to live? I simply can't imagine that to be true. If he hadn't commanded a Sabbath day, I never would have started resting for a whole day each week. If I didn't rest on the Sabbath, I have no doubt that I would be less healthy and more stressed out. That doesn't mean it's always convenient to honor the Sabbath, but I am so thankful for it. His instructions keep us on the safe path. 

"If you keep his commands, then you will live and have increase." -Deuteronomy 30:16

Related posts:
How Much of the Torah Do Believers Already Keep?

King David's Final Advice
Biblical Instructions: Have To or Get To?

Keeping Shabbat is Not Too Hard

Last Shabbat was a disaster. There was an emergency at my husband's job so he needed to work on Shabbat for the first time in years. Saturday morning, I loaded up my car to head to congregation only to discover that it wouldn't start. With no option other than staying home, I went back inside and figured I could have a peaceful day of Torah study by myself. As soon as I sat down to read a tractor started to plow the field adjacent to our yard. Once he was done someone down the road decided it would be a great time to shoot guns for two hours. Needless to say I did not have the serene peaceful day of rest that I prefer Shabbat to be.

I was recounting my frustration to a friend of mine who is from a Jewish family, though she doesn't practice. Her response was, "When you try and keep Shabbat you learn really fast that it can't be done because we have so much to do. In ancient times they didn't have anything to do so it was easy for them to keep Shabbat so that was command was just for back then and not now."

How incredibly sad.

There is not a single Scripture that speaks against honoring Shabbat. The Bible does not teach that if we have a busy schedule we are free to neglect this command. There are no instances of Yahusha or his disciples dishonoring Shabbat. We are instructed to do no work on it, to set it apart as holy, and YHWH says it is a sign between him and us. 

He also says this, "The mitzvah which I command you is not hidden from you, it is not far off. It is not in the heavens that you should wonder who will bring it to you. Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say, 'Who shall go and bring the Word to us that we may hear and do it?' But the Word is very near to you. It is in your mouth, and in your heart, and in your hand, that you may do it." (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

He says, "My commands are not too hard for you."

Shabbat is not convenient in today's Western culture. I get that. Society says that the Sabbath is for anything other than rest and worship. Need to do yard work? Saturday is the day for that. Have errands to run? Do them Saturday morning. Football and basketball games happen during this time. Almost all weddings are Saturday afternoon. It's the time of the week when friends want to hang out. A few stores I go to offer special deals that are only available Saturdays. I don't think this is a coincidence. Why should we be surprised that the enemy has worked so hard to corrupt this set apart day and to take it's benefits from us?

YHWH knew what our culture would be like, yet still he said, Guard my Shabbats.

This instruction was meant for us. There are no verses that contradict this. And while, yes we live in a busy day and age, so did the ancient Israelites. Shabbat wasn't convenient back then either. You think your life is busy? Imagine making dinner and needing to chop wood for the fire, slaughter an animal, and grow the vegetables. Imagine having to haul water home to drink and do the washing in. During Biblical times clothes were handmade, shoes were too. Copies of the Torah had to be done by hand. There were no matches to start fires. Wheat had to be grown, harvested, threshed, and ground into flour by hand. The Proverbs 31 woman? She had a lot to do. And I think that's exactly why YHWH commanded a day of rest. He knows how much we need it.

Deuteronomy 30:15-16 "Look! I am presenting you today with life and good and also death and evil -- in that I am ordering you today to love YHWH your Elohim, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations, and rulings; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and YHWH your Elohim will bless you."

Shabbat may not be convenient but it is worth it.

Vineyards You Did Not Plant

Our house came with a grapevine.

In D'Varim, just after the famous Shema verse, there is a snippet of what the Promised Land will be like. It's not only land but it is filled with good things.

"When YHWH your God has brought you into the land he swore to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz'chak, and Ya'akov that he would give you--cities great and prosperous, which you didn't build; houses full of all sorts of good things, which you didn't fill; water cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig; vineyards and olive trees, which you didn't plant--and you have eaten your fill; then be careful not to forget YHWH, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves." -D'Varim 6:10-12

YHWH did not take the Israelites out of Egypt only to commission them to build the Promised Land. He could have put them back to work--building homes and cities, planting trees and vineyards, and digging out wells--but He did not. He had already filled the Promised Land. He gave them abundant good things.

This promise is continually fulfilled. There are grapes in my yard and I did not put them there. Once a year there is an abundance of grapes. We eat them fresh. I give some away. I make juice. It is joyous.

Someone planted my grapevine. This promise of YHWH was fulfilled because someone invested herself planting a grapevine. We can invest ourselves so that others see promises fulfilled in their lives. That idea is empowering and intriguing at once. 

The above photo is but a fraction of our grape harvest so I am off to make 'wine' (it's actually just grape juice) for Passover. What are your thoughts on this? How has YHWH provided for you with something you didn't plant?