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I can’t ignore the Old Testament – or as my Jewish friends say – the Hebrew Bible.  The power of Deuteronomy chapters 7-11 was so powerful this morning as I awoke looking at the Persian Gulf and reading and worshiping.  Here I am to be a witness for Jesus – of what a follower looks like and how he would have us serve others in His name – and God uses that to speak to me. 
God chose the Jews, not because they were big and mighty 7:7 – that’s not what got them in power nor what would keep them in power (too bad they don’t always believe this).  God chose the Jews, not even because they were righteous – he says in 9:5.  – It was that the other people were even worse than they.  Only one reason – God loved them, and Abraham loved God and God was honoring him.  Even in 10:12 he says they must have their heart circumcised.  Even though there were stone tablets – it was the heart.  I hear so much of Paul as I read these chapters.  I get tired of people trying to diss the OT and the people of it as if they simply followed the law – yes, they were to follow the law – but never without the heart or a passionate relationship with God.
So as I sit here first meeting with my UN friends of NYON and then with Al Jazeera’s global group – there are 3 things that stand before me – that should stand before you, NorthWood, wherever you are today – in Vietnam, in Mexico, in Nigeria, in England, in Hong Kong, in Doha – with the poor, with business leaders, with educational institutions, with healthcare entities, and with world leaders . . . . .
  All you have is to glorify God and none of is about you – the moment it becomes about you – it is not his – our hearts are stone and we are using God for our end instead of us for his end.
  If you glorify him you will love him with all your heart.  He won’t be an intellectual construct – a tightly woven theological system of knowing – but a Father who’s calling his family together, and the first thing one does when they see their dad is to embrace.
  If you glorify him you will keep his statutes.  If you are his child, how can you not reflect and look like your father.  We see his image in us, not in physical appearance but in character and spiritual appearance.
  If you glorify God – serve him with all your being.  If you are serving God, it will require more than you are intellectually, financially, emotionally, spiritually – good news – he has all that you need in him.  Be filled with the Holy Spirit – he will guide your words and as there were signs and wonders in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament – then in Your Testament as well – there will be.  The greatest thing to trust God for isn’t more of this or that – but more of him in more of his world.  Wherever you are today NorthWood move out with his Spirit – I am with you.