The Abidible Podcast
You love God. You want to abide in Him through His Word. But you just don't know where to start. You're in the right place! Be encouraged weekly as you learn to abide in the Bible yourself. Learn alongside your host, Kate, who is just a regular wife and mom (like you?) whose life has been transformed by learning to study the Bible on her own. If she can, you can! You're meant to be here, friend.
The Abidible Podcast
#064 "Fear, Serve, Swear" (Deut. 6:13 + God is One Recap)
What does it mean to fear God, serve Him, and swear by His name? At first, these commands from Deuteronomy 6:13 may sound heavy—but in truth, they invite us into freedom and joy.
In this final episode of the God is One series, host Kate unpacks these three directives and shows how Jesus fulfilled them perfectly in the wilderness. Where Israel failed and where we struggle, Jesus stood firm—turning fear into worship, service into joy, and allegiance into freedom.
Through word studies, cross-references, and practical application, you’ll see how the Spirit makes these ancient commands real in our lives today. This episode also reflects on our whole 10-week journey through the Shema, revealing God’s heart for His people from beginning to end.
If this episode encourages you, consider supporting the show or becoming an abidible+ member through Buy Me a Coffee (linked below).
Introducing abidible+
☕ Become a Member ☕
☕ Buy Me a Coffee ☕
Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:
Next Podcast Series: Ask Us Anything (<--Submit a question)
Next Abidible Study: "Into the Wilderness
Try our Free Demo Study
Abidible "God is One" Study
Abidible "How to Study the Bible" Course
Subscribe + Enter to Win a Free Study
The Bible Project "Shema" Series
----
Thanks again for listening. If you know someone who would be blessed by what you just heard, please share The Abidible Podcast with them. Help us spread the word so we can make MUCH of the Word. Be sure you are following our podcast so you’ll be notified when new episodes drop. And finally, if you’re enjoying this series, please take a moment to give us a review or become a monthly supporter.
You can:
Learn more about us at abidible.com
Follow us on social media
Email us anytime with questions: hello@abidible.com
---
"Rhodesia by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/"
Hey guys, this is Kate from Abitablecom and you're listening to the Abitable Podcast. I'm just a regular wife and mom who's had my life transformed by learning to study the Bible on my own. If I can, you can. On this show, I help you know and love God more by abiding in Him through His Word yourself. Fear, serve, swear. It is the Lord, your God. You shall fear Him, you shall serve, and by His name you shall swear. What does that mean? This is Deuteronomy 6.13,. Our very last verse in our God is One series. We've been in this passage for 10 weeks. At the end of this episode, I will give you a brief recap of each episode in the series so we can together remember all that God has taught us in this special season together. But first, if you're a big fan of the Abidable podcast, check out the link in the show description to learn more about partnering with us by buying us a coffee or by becoming a member of our Abidable Plus community. So, deuteronomy 6.13, fear God, serve God, swear by His name.
Kate:Today we're going to do something fun, simple and straightforward. We're going to take this verse through the abidable process that we teach in our how to Study the Bible course. So first we pray, lord God, open the eyes of our hearts to see and understand what you have commanded us to do in this verse. Holy Spirit, guide us into all truth. Let your word dwell in us richly as we abide in you In Jesus' name, amen. We'd next do some saturation with this verse, practicing it so we can memorize it and hide it in our heart. Perhaps this would look like writing it on the window with a window marker it is the Lord, your God. You shall fear him, you shall serve, and by his name you shall swear. God, you shall fear him, you shall serve, and by his name you shall swear. You'd record it five times on your phone's voice memo app it is the Lord, your God. You shall fear him, you shall serve, and by his name you shall swear. Maybe you'd letter it as we teach you, by taking the first letter of each word in the verse and put it in scrabble tiles or fridge magnets in your kitchen, in a place where you'd see it repeatedly as you studied the verse. It is the Lord, your God. You shall fear Him, you shall serve, and by His name you shall swear. Repetition and involving multiple senses are your friends when it comes to memorization, then we'd look at translation comparison. How do other versions of the Bible handle Deuteronomy 6.13? How do other versions of the Bible handle Deuteronomy 6.13? The NKJV, the NIV and the CSB all use the word oaths in God's name instead of by his name. You shall swear, like the ESV. The NASB is similar to the ESV and says swear by his name. Both the CSB and NASB say worship him instead of serve him, like the ESV. So that gives us a little more information, but we're still wanting to work toward more clarification of these terms fear, serve and swear. So next we'd move on to word study, cross-references and commentary.
Kate:Let's start with fear, then we'll move on to serve and swear. What does it mean to fear God? The Hebrew word for fear is yareh and can mean to fear, be afraid, stand in awe of, be awed. Reverence, honor, respect, revere. Our cross references do an amazing job of adding color and meaning to this definition.
Kate:First, is fearing God optional? Deuteronomy 10.12 shows us it is not. And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, require of you but to fear the Lord, your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul. God requires that we fear him and Deuteronomy 5.29 tells us why, oh that they had such a heart as this, always to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever. When we fear God and keep His commandments, we are blessed, and so are all our descendants forever. What does it mean to fear the Lord? Psalm 33 8 tells us plainly Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. Inhabitants of the world, stand in awe of Him. To fear God is to stand in awe of Him. What is promised to those who fear the Lord? Psalm 34, verses 7 and 9, tell us the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them. O, fear the Lord, you, his saints, for those who fear him have no lack. God himself surrounds and protects those who fear him, and they lack nothing. How do you fear the Lord? Deuteronomy 6, 2 is clear Fear the Lord, your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and commandments, which I command you all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Fear God by obeying his word and teaching it to future generations.
Kate:Moving on to the commentary section, david Guzik expounds on this idea of fearing God by saying when we fear God, the idea is not of a shrinking fear from an angry God. Instead, the idea of fear is more in the concept of an awe-filled respect, an inner repulsion at the idea of offending such a great, loving God who has done so much for us. In summary, we can see that to fear God is to live in continual awe of who he is, responding to His greatness, goodness and love with deep reverence, wholehearted obedience and a desire to honor Him in every area of life. It's not a paralyzing dread, but a posture of worship that treasures His commands, trusts His promises and hates the thought of grieving him. This kind of fear draws us closer to him, brings blessing to us and to future generations, and keeps our hearts anchored in the joy and safety of his presence. Next, we have serve him. We'll take this through the same process.
Kate:The Hebrew word for serve is avad and can mean to labor, do work, serve as subjects, be bondsmen, worship For cross-references. We have several places in Deuteronomy, like 10, 20, and 13, 4, that say serve him and hold fast to him. Cross-referencing are cross-references one of my favorite things to do. We see that serving is frequently tied to this idea of holding fast and cleaving to God, walking in all His ways, loving Him, clinging to Him. There's even a New Testament cross-reference for Deuteronomy 10.20, which talks about remaining faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, as a response to the grace of God.
Kate:This idea of bond-servant is unfamiliar to us, and so, if you were doing this study and came across this word, what we teach you to do in the course is to dig further, and if you looked up this word in a simple search, you'd find it frequently in the New Testament. In fact, at least five New Testament authors Paul, james the brother of Jesus, peter, jude and John all call themselves slaves or bondservants of Christ. This term in the Greek is doulos and communicates deep surrender, loyalty and willing service to their master, motivated not by compulsion but by love. Note that on this list we have Peter, a three-time denier of Christ. Paul, a violent persecutor of the early church, and James, the brother of Jesus, who was initially embarrassed by and opposed to his brother's ministry. These are the men introducing themselves in their letters as bond servants of Christ.
Kate:This is a shock to our system and we'll need to come back to this in a little bit. So, in summary, to serve God is to give Him your whole heart, to cling to Him in love, loyalty and trust, walking in His ways not because you have to but because you want to. It's the posture of a bondservant joyfully surrendered to a good and gracious master. This kind of service flows out of gratitude for his mercy and grace and it's marked by steadfast devotion that says I am yours, lord, all that I am, all that I have, is for you. Finally, we have this word swear, and by his name you shall swear. What does that mean? We know people today say I swear to God, or things like cross my heart and hope to die, or I swear on my grandmother's grave. Is that kind of what this means?
Kate:Digging into the definition, cross-references and examples here is critical to our understanding. Remember, we can't read our own modern-day biases or experiences into the historic text of this ancient book. A verse in the Bible can never mean something to us that it didn't mean to the original intended audience. So let's start by looking at the definition for this word swear, which in the Hebrew is shava. Here we get that same definition we got last week in Deuteronomy 6, 12, where we learned that God swore to their fathers that they would enter the promised land.
Kate:This word means to take an oath to be complete to seven oneself. And to swear by God's name means to take an oath in his name which is connected to his fame, reputation and glory. This one was the most confusing to me. I need cross-references and some commentary to help me understand this ancient practice more clearly. We have several cross-references for taking an oath Leviticus 19.12, which warns against profaning God's name by swearing falsely. Joshua 2.12, which shows an oath invoking the Lord as the guarantee of protection. Psalm 63.11, which links swearing by God with rejoicing in Him. Isaiah 65.15, which contrasts God's name with the names of false gods. And Jeremiah 5, verses 2 and 7, which lament those who swear falsely, even while using God's name. Side note, if you want a list of the Hebrew words and cross-references I'm mentioning, you can find the full transcript for this episode in our new Abidable Plus membership community.
Kate:So in the time of Moses and Israel's entry into the promised land, an oath was more than just a promise. It was a public, binding declaration made before God, often in covenant agreements or legal matters. To swear by the name of the Lord was to call on His character as witness and judge over your words. Doing so invoked both His blessing for truth and his judgment for falsehood. In contrast, swearing by other gods was an act of allegiance to them, which is why Israel was commanded to swear only by Yahweh.
Kate:David Guzik reminds us that while Jesus warns against careless oath-taking in Matthew 5, 33-37, there is still a permissible use of oaths among God's people, since God Himself swore an oath in Hebrews 6, 13. The instruction here is simple you are to swear an oath only in the name of the Lord, not in the name of any other God. Matthew Henry adds swear by Him only in all treaties and covenants with the other nations and do not compliment them so far as to swear by their gods. He also notes that swearing by God's name can represent an open profession of faith, as in Isaiah 45, 23,. Every tongue shall swear, explained in Romans 14, 11 as confessing God. Jonathan Edwards clarifies that public profession in this sense includes both present faith and future commitment, your declaration of belief and your vow to live in light of it. That's why, in scripture, swearing in God's name is often shorthand for openly aligning yourself with Him and binding yourself to live in faithful obedience.
Kate:In short, for Israel, swearing by God's name was both a declaration of allegiance and an act of worship. It was never to be done lightly, never in the name of another God, and always as an expression of truth, loyalty and devotion to Yahweh alone. When we step back and take in all of Deuteronomy 6, 4-13, the picture becomes beautifully clear. God alone is God, yahweh, the one true God, the only one worthy of our worship. He has proven this to us, not just by declaring it, but by revealing Himself through His mighty works, his covenant faithfulness and His steadfast love for His people. Because of who he is and all he's done, we are called to respond with our whole lives.
Kate:It's here that the commands to fear, serve and swear take on their full weight. To fear Him is to live in continual awe, revering His greatness and goodness, delighting to obey and hating the thought of grieving the one we love. To serve Him is to joyfully surrender as His beloved bondservant, clinging to Him in love and loyalty, offering every part of our lives in gratitude for His mercy. To swear by His name is to openly declare our allegiance, living in truth and devotion and refusing to give that loyalty to any other. Together, these commands form a posture of life that keeps our hearts faithful, our worship pure and our daily walk anchored in God's presence. Our worship pure and our daily walk anchored in God's presence.
Kate:But here's the challenge. We live in the modern world with its constant noise, distractions and temptations pulling at our devotion. So what happens when our culture, circumstances or even our own hearts make it hard to fear, serve and swear by the Lord alone? That's what we're going to talk about next. If we're honest, the word bondservant makes us flinch. Earthly masters can be abusive and untrustworthy, so total surrender feels unsafe. But God is not like that. He is a good master, holy, faithful and kind. If our hearts resist giving him everything, it's usually because we aren't seeing him rightly. How do we see him rightly? We abide in his word, we walk in community that reflects his character back to us, and ultimately we need new hearts that love what he loves. Hold that thought. Our age also disciples us to self-rule, we're told. Follow your heart, live your truth. And famously, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
Kate:Autonomy sounds noble until it becomes our functional God, then even good gifts, achievement, image, safety, comfort start calling the shots. Here's the crisis when we won't fear, serve and swear by the Lord alone, we end up fearing, serving and swearing by something else Reputation, success, approval. Reputation success, approval, control and those masters never love us. Back Into that exact pressure cooker. Jesus steps into the wilderness. Every lie that lures us away from fearing, serving and swearing by the Lord meets Him there and he answers with. It is written. We'll be right back after this message.
Kate:Kids are heading back to school, but what about you? As we've walked through Deuteronomy 6.13 together today, you've seen the simple, repeatable steps I use to study God's Word, and you can learn them too in our how to Study the Bible course. This 20-lesson video course will help you better know and love God by abiding in Him through His Word. You'll learn not just why to study, but how, with practical skills like annotation, cross-referencing, word studies and more. It's rich enough for seasoned believers, yet clear enough for beginners, and every lesson comes with workbook pages to deepen your learning. You'll get lifetime access for your whole household, bonus resources and even a coupon for a free, abidable digital study when you finish. So, while your kids are growing in the classroom. You can be growing in the Word. Start today by clicking the link in this episode's description.
Kate:And now back to the show. Let's now look at how Jesus responds to the very temptations that pull at our devotion. This is Matthew 4, verses 1-11. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered it is written man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written he will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a stone. Their hands, they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him Again it is written, you shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him Be gone, satan, for it is written you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Kate:The three temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness weren't random. They directly mirrored the struggles Israel faced in the wilderness. And't random. They directly mirrored the struggles Israel faced in the wilderness and the very commands we've been studying in Deuteronomy. And every time, jesus responded with scripture from Deuteronomy, perfectly living out what we so often fail to do. The first temptation was turning stones into bread. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8.3, which we read last week man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Instead of doubting God's provision or grasping for self-sufficiency, Jesus chooses full dependence on the Father, showing us what it really means to fear Him in trust and reverence.
Kate:The second temptation was to throw himself from the temple to prove God's care.
Kate:Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6.16,.
Kate:You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.
Kate:He refuses to manipulate God for proof or use his position for selfish gain. Here he embodies what it means to swear by God's name in truth, professing faith in his goodness without twisting it for personal advantage. The third temptation is to bow down to Satan in exchange for worldly kingdoms. Jesus quotes our verse from today, deuteronomy 6.13,. You shall worship the Lord, your God, and Him only shall you serve. You shall worship the Lord, your God, and Him only shall you serve. In one decisive moment he does what our wondering hearts resist he fully serves God alone as the rightful Master. In every response, jesus perfectly reverses the failures of Israel and ours too. Where they grumbled, and us too, or doubted or tested or turned aside, jesus feared, served and swore by the Lord alone.
Kate:If this passage in Matthew has your heart stirred, our brand new study into the wilderness is the perfect next step after God is won. In this new study, you'll step into the desert with Jesus and see how much our salvation hinged on His victory over temptation. You'll learn to fight lies with truth, understand why His sinlessness here was essential for our salvation, strengthen your foundation in God's Word and discover how wilderness seasons can draw you nearer to Him. You'll also gain practical Bible study skills to help you memorize and wield scripture when you need it most. Whether you're in your own wilderness, walking alongside someone in theirs, or simply longing to know Jesus more deeply, this study will meet you there and help you stand firm in Him. Learn more at the link in this episode's description.
Kate:Here's the staggering truth. Jesus' flawless obedience in the wilderness wasn't just an inspiring example, it was a saving act. He kept the law that we break daily. He fulfilled the commandments we could never keep, so that his victory over temptation could become ours by grace. And that is exactly how he addresses our deepest heart issues the resistance to surrender and the longing to be our own master. Here's the big idea. Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves. He perfectly feared the Father, served Him alone and professed allegiance without compromise.
Kate:Deuteronomy 6.13 commands us to fear, serve and swear by the Lord alone. And if we're honest, that's where we come face to face with our own limits. On our own, we resist surrender. We want to be our own masters. But Jesus' victory over temptation in the wilderness didn't just prove who he was. It purchased freedom for us to live differently. Because of Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin or self. We are free to serve a good and gracious master in joy. So what does life look like when we truly live in the freedom and fullness Jesus won for us?
Kate:Let's envision it, because God's command in Deuteronomy 6.13 isn't just an ancient ideal. It's a present reality for every believer indwelt by His Spirit. This is where we get to see how things can and should be different because of Him. Imagine a life where fearing God is not a distant theological concept but a daily heartbeat, where your awe of Him shapes every decision, every conversation, every thought. Imagine serving Him not as a reluctant obligation but as the natural overflow of love for the one who rescued you. Picture swearing by his name not only in formal vows but in the everyday profession of your loyalty to him, through your words, your integrity and your unwavering faith. Because of Jesus, you can begin living Deuteronomy 6.13 today in real, practical ways.
Kate:1. Fear, which means see God, rightly Ask the Spirit to open your eyes to His greatness, goodness and love. When you see Him as he truly is, awe will replace apathy and reverence will flow naturally into obedience. Two serve, which means surrender joyfully. Lay down the lie that serving God is drudgery. Instead, step into the freedom of belonging to a good and gracious master who delights in you. Serve him not out of compulsion but because you want to. And three swear, which means declare your allegiance. Let your words, commitments and daily integrity be an open profession that you belong to Jesus, whether in public or private. Live in a way that says I am his and he is mine. This is what life can look like on the other side of the wilderness, where fear becomes worship, service becomes joy and allegiance becomes your natural posture. And because Jesus fulfilled every command in our place, this isn't just an ideal. It's possible for you right now Because of Jesus. This isn't wishful thinking. His Spirit empowers us to see God rightly, to trust Him completely and to delight in His commands. This is the kind of life Moses longed for Israel to know and the kind of life we actually can live now, because Jesus fulfilled every command in our place and placed His righteousness on us, and that's good news.
Kate:I'm going to end this episode with our final recap, for our God is One series. This is the joyful part of each series where we get to look back at what God has taught us. There is purpose in this practice, so don't skip it. Summarizing our learning is how we move it into long-term memory. So I'm just super excited to take a few moments to recap each episode for you. Again. All of this is included word for word in the transcripts available to our Abitable Plus community. You can just print it out and take word in the transcripts available to our Abidable Plus community. You can just print it out and take notes in the margins.
Kate:In our opening episode of the God is One series, number 54, we set the stage for our deep dive into Deuteronomy 6, 4-13, the Shema and the call to remember who God is, what he has done and who we are because of Him. We looked at why Deuteronomy is such an important book, quoted over 80 times in the New Testament and beloved even by Jesus Himself, who drew from it, as we just saw, three times when resisting Satan in the wilderness. Far from being a redundant second law, deuteronomy is Moses' final farewell sermon to Israel before they enter the promised land. It's a heartfelt plea to remain faithful to the God who rescued them. To give context, we walked through the Pentateuch, Genesis through Deuteronomy, and saw how these books reveal God's holy nature, his invitation to live set apart and his missional heart for the nations. We also took a fresh look at Moses, not as a flawless hero, but as a weak and humble man whom God equipped to lead his people and to write the words that still call us to faithfulness today. The law given in love was for Israel's good, but they couldn't keep it perfectly. This pointed to our need for a new covenant, fulfilled in Jesus, who writes God's law on our hearts and becomes our once-for-all sacrifice. The big idea in episode 54 was Moses in Deuteronomy calls out to us remember, remember him.
Kate:Next in our series was episode 56, which was part one of two on Deuteronomy 6.4, hear, o Israel, the Lord, our God. The Lord is one. In this first episode on the Shema, we explored what it really means to hear this verse, not just as background noise, but in the way scripture intends hearing that leads to obedience. Moses wasn't calling Israel to passive listening, but to an active, lifelong response to the truth that Yahweh alone is God. We looked at the Hebrew behind the words, learning that Shema means hear and obey and that the Lord is Yahweh, the personal name God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. This name declares His eternal existence, self-sufficiency and faithfulness to His covenant promises.
Kate:The word one here points to God's exclusivity. There is no other besides Him, and God didn't ask Israel to trust this claim without evidence. Through the exodus miracles and His ongoing provision, he had already proven again and again that he alone is God. We also face the cultural tension of declaring the Lord is one today. The Bible leaves no room for moral relativism or a many paths to God approach. Every worldview is exclusive in some way. The real question is which one best explains reality and is supported by the unity of scripture, history and evidence. The big takeaway for episode 56 was this isn't an arrogant or unloving claim. God's declaration that he alone is God is an act of love, an invitation to trust the only one who can save, sustain and satisfy. And if this is true, it doesn't just require our agreement, it calls for our allegiance.
Kate:In part 2 on Deuteronomy 6-4, which was episode 57, we asked if Yahweh alone is God, how should we live? We went back to the Hebrew word Shema, hearing that leads to obedience, and confronted a hard truth Knowing that God is the one true God isn't enough. We must live like it. Just like Israel was tempted by the gods of Egypt behind them and the gods of Canaan ahead of them, we too are tempted to return to our old idols or blend our faith with the gods of our culture comfort, approval, success, pleasure and self-reliance. We traced Israel's repeated cycle of forgetting and syncretism Yahweh, plus something else, and saw that it always ended in destruction. The problem wasn't just behavior, it was the heart, and we have the same problem. We need more than willpower, we need new hearts, grace in abundance and a Redeemer who saves us from ourselves. That's the story the Bible tells from the beginning to the end the one true God revealing himself through his acts of salvation, culminating in Jesus the great I Am, who made the same exclusive claim as his Father and proved it through his perfect life, sacrificial death and victorious resurrection. Every other worldview says do. Only Jesus says done.
Kate:The big idea in episode 57 was Yahweh is the one true God. Worship Him alone. When we know who God is, idolatry becomes absurd. Like Peter, we can say Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. If he alone is God, there is nowhere else to go, no one else to trust and nothing left to do but hear and obey. Episode 58 was on Deuteronomy 6.5.
Kate:This well-known verse calls us to love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might. But before we can respond to God with that kind of love, we have to clear away our misunderstandings of love shaped by imperfect human examples and past hurt. I shared the story of our adopted son, liam, who didn't love us first. We loved him first. Over the years, that love has transformed our son to look and act more like and I talked about specifically his dad. The same is true for us and our God. We love because he first loved us.
Kate:The Hebrew word for love here is achava, not just a feeling but an action rooted in God's own character. He set his love on us not because we earned it, but because of his grace. Our love for him is meant to be an active response to his love for us To love God with all of our heart. Levav means from the center of our whole existence, mind, emotions, desires and decisions, with all of our soul. Nefesh means with our entire physical being in life and with all of our might. Me'od means with our muchness, every opportunity, capacity and resource.
Kate:Yes, it sounds impossible. Until we remember this, the key to loving God has nothing to do with our own ability. He loved us first and His Spirit empowers us to keep loving Him. That's why this command isn't burdensome. In fact, jesus says His yoke is easy and His burden is light, in Matthew 11, 28-30. Here's the big idea we are commanded to love God with all our heart, soul and might, and this is not a burden. It's the most natural response to his everlasting love for us. When we truly know who he is and what he's done, and who we are in him, loving him becomes joy, and the more time we spend with him, the more we love him, the more we look like him and the more we want to live for him.
Kate:Next is episode 59 on Deuteronomy 6, 6, which says these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. In Israel's history, god's word was precious, sometimes literally kept behind the curtain in the tabernacle. Yet over time, entire generations lost it. During the judges' and Josiah's reign, and even after the exile, the law was forgotten until someone rediscovered it and revival followed. Psalm 119, likely written in the post-exile return, reflects the psalmist's desperate longing to have God's word deep in the heart, not just the mind. Today we have unprecedented access to scripture, yet it so often goes unopened. The real problem isn't access, it's our resistance to God's authority and our tendency to approach his commands casually.
Kate:Deuteronomy 6.6 calls for something far deeper letting His words dwell in us so fully that they shape, guard and guide us from the inside out. Through word study and cross references, we see that on your heart means actively placing, storing, treasuring, guarding, writing and holding fast to God's Word, welcoming it to dwell in the very center of who we are. But here's the hope God never intended for us to do this in our own strength. Chaya shall be in. This verse carries both a command and a promise.
Kate:Under the new covenant, god himself writes his law on our hearts that's Jeremiah 31-33, through his spirit. Writes His law on our hearts that's Jeremiah 31-33, through His Spirit. This transforms Deuteronomy 6-6 from a crushing obligation into a grace-filled reality. Yes, we actively study, meditate and obey, but our effort is a Spirit-empowered response to God's initiating grace. As Calvin said, the Spirit uses the Word to make it effective. The big idea in episode 59, it is God who puts His Word on your heart and our study is a joyful, grace-driven response to that work. When we engage in the Bible, we aren't just reading another book. We're partnering with God in the very process. He promised writing His truth into the deepest part of who we are, so that we might truly live.
Kate:Next is episode 60 and Deuteronomy 6-7, which says you shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise. This isn't a call to performance or a crushing burden. It's the natural overflow of a life saturated with God's word. We saw that when his word is engraved on our hearts, it will inevitably spill out into every part of our lives, and Moses shows us where that overflow lands in the next generation. From Genesis to the Gospels, god's heart beats for generational faithfulness. He commands His people to pass His truth on, not just in formal teaching but in everyday moments. The Hebrew word for teach diligently is shanan, meaning to sharpen like a blade.
Kate:This isn't casual instruction. It's intentional, repeated, precise work to equip those who follow us to stand firm, fight lies and know their God. We see this beautifully in God's design for the Passover, where children are present, ask questions and receive answers grounded in personal testimony. This is what the Lord did for me when he brought me out of Egypt. That's the pattern Life story and scripture woven together so the next generation knows not just the law of God, but the God of the law. The gospel reminds us. Our children, like us, cannot obey perfectly. They need Christ to transform their hearts. Our goal isn't tidy morality, but pointing them to the cross again and again, in discipline, in joy and in ordinary conversations.
Kate:The big idea for episode 60 was overflowing with scripture into the lives of your children and everyone you influence will be as natural as breathing when you abide in him. Practically, this means starting with your own heart, sharing what you're learning in real time, seizing everyday moments, asking spirit-led questions and modeling repentance. It's not about perfection but saturation, letting God's word dwell richly in you so that it flows through you to the next generation. Episode 61 was based on Deuteronomy 6, verses 8 and 9. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Kate:We unpacked what it truly means to bind God's word to our hands, foreheads and even our doorposts, and questioned whether Moses intended this literally or metaphorically. Rather than being a legalistic ritual, we saw that these commands are invitations to cultivate a life wholly shaped by love for God. Scripture isn't meant for dusty shelves or church services only. It's meant to saturate every realm of our lives our habits, homes, hearts and even our daily rhythms. Drawing on examples from ancient Israel and modern-day practice, we learned how even one quiet moment under the covers with the word can renew our perspective. The inner narrative of I have to do this can be replaced with the liberating truth of I get to do this because responding to God's commands flows from love, not obligation. The big idea in episode 61 was God's word isn't meant to stay inside a book. It's meant to shape our whole lives. When we bind it to our hands, hearts and homes, it becomes a daily expression of love, not legalism, and transforms routine moments into sacred ones.
Kate:For our next episode, number 62, we looked at the first part of Deuteronomy, 6.10, which says and when the Lord, your God, brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, to give you. This verse shifts our focus from commands to promises. Up to now, moses has been reminding Israel how to love God with all their heart, soul and might, to keep his words on their heart and to teach them diligently. Now he points them forward to what God will do. The first thing we see is that it's the Lord, your God, who brings them in. They're not walking into the promised land because of their strength, numbers or strategy. This is His work, his timing, his covenant promise. Unfolding the land is a gift, not anything they've earned. Moses anchors this in God's faithfulness to Abraham, isaac and Jacob. These are promises centuries old, yet God is about to fulfill them exactly as he said. This is a reminder for us too. Every blessing we receive in Christ is grounded in God's unchanging character and covenant love, not our performance. There's also a subtle but powerful encouragement here God is not just the promise maker, he's the promise keeper, what he says he will do. The Israelites could look back at the exodus, the wilderness and His provision and see the evidence. We can look back at all that too, as well as the cross and the empty tomb.
Kate:The big idea of episode 62 was God's promises are certain because they rest on His faithfulness, not our faithfulness, and when he brings us into His blessings. It's always a gift of grace. This opening phrase in Deuteronomy 6.10 reminds us that the God who began the work will bring it into completion. Our role is to trust Him, walk with Him and remember that every promised land moment in our lives is a testament to His glory, not ours. And before we close with Deuteronomy 6.13 from today, last week we bundled the rest of Deuteronomy 6.10 with verses 11 and 12 for episode 63. These verses talk about the promised land with great and good cities that you did not build and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant. And when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. We saw that Moses paints a vivid picture of grace. Israel is about to step into built cities, stocked houses, dug cisterns and mature vineyards that they didn't labor for. But the abundance comes with a warning take care lest you forget the Lord. This isn't theoretical for Moses. The same man urging Israel to remember is the man who himself failed at Meribah, striking the rock instead of speaking to it. He writes his own failures into scripture, not as a flawless hero, but as a friend of God who learned the grief of forgetfulness and the mercy of God.
Kate:We traced Israel's story to show why forgetting is so tempting. Slavery in Egypt meant no rest and no ownership. The wilderness was full of tents, manna and daily dependents, and then acknowledged their sudden shift to security and plenty in Canaan. Prosperity brings a unique danger pride and amnesia. We named our two recurring problems.
Kate:One we tell God how he ought to give his gifts. Israel was bored with the manna, a golden calf they could manage. Achan's upgrade at Jericho and our own modern. I'll trust you when it looks my way. And two after receiving, we try to take the credit. Full cupboards trick us into believing we were the ones who filled them. Scripture presses back what do you have that you did not receive? And we learn that forgetting in Deuteronomy isn't a memory lapse. It's a moral choice, a heart turning from the giver to the gifts. The law can warn, guide and convict, but it can't change the heart. It can't save us. That's why the story leans forward to Jesus. The striking twist in this episode, though Moses never entered the land in his lifetime. He stands spiritually or physically in the land with Jesus at the transfiguration. What the law could not do, grace did. The real promised land is God's presence and Jesus brings us in that moment, shouts the gospel to us.
Kate:The story of Deuteronomy 6 doesn't end in our striving. It ends in His sufficiency. The big idea of episode 63, moses isn't the hero of the story, israel isn't the hero of the story. You're not the hero of the story. Jesus is the hero of the story. I closed by calling us to live, like that's true, in seasons of fullness. Remember the giver, let gratitude replace pride, point every blessing back to the one who brought us out of the house of slavery and into a grace. We did not earn Cities, we didn't build Wells, we didn't dig fruit, we didn't grow all because of Jesus. Well, friends, what a joy it's been to walk through Deuteronomy 6, 4-13 with you. Week after week, we've pressed into what it means to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and might, to keep His word on our hearts, to teach it diligently, to remember the giver in seasons of abundance and to see Jesus as the hero of the story from start to finish. I pray these truths don't just stay in your notes or in your headphones. I pray they're saturating your everyday life.
Kate:Now I have some news. I'm going to be taking a break from the podcast for surgery and an unknown recovery time. I don't know yet how long I'll be out, but I do know this. I'll be keeping you updated through our email newsletter, so if you're not already subscribed, take two seconds and do that now. There's a link right in the episode description. That's where I'll share any updates, new resources and when I'm ready to come back to the mic and before I step away for this break, I have to circle back to tell you more of the story of a study that wasn't on my radar at all until yesterday.
Kate:I woke up with no plans to start something new, but God had other plans. In the quiet, he brought me back to Matthew 4, 1-11, the passage he used years ago to draw me back to himself when I was out of church, out of his word and wandering in my own wilderness, the one that made me realize that Jesus answered every single temptation with scripture. So if the Son of God believed God's word was that important, how could I not? That realization years ago sent me on a 40-day crazy read-through-the-Bible journey, which brought me back to Him and eventually became the foundation for everything here at Abitable. And yesterday it became the foundation for something else a brand new study called Into the Wilderness.
Kate:As I faced this surgery and an unknown recovery, I kept thinking I don't want to take a break from studying God's word and I don't want to leave you without something to dig into. So in just a few hours, the study came together. Jason and I will be working through it during this season and if you feel so led, you can too. Again, here's what it's all about. We will step into the desert with Jesus and discover just how much our salvation hinged on His victory over temptation. We'll see how every word mattered, how he fought lies with truth, why his sinlessness here was essential for our salvation and how the same word that sustained him is the word that sustains us. This is a study for the one in the wilderness, the one longing for victory over temptation or the one who simply wants to know Jesus more deeply. You can grab your copy today. The link's in the description. Whether it makes it to the podcast someday or stays a special study we do in this unique season. I can't wait to see what God does with it.
Kate:Before I sign off for a bit, I have to say thank you to my buddy, ian, who is a full-time working dad of five, who's had some crazy personal things going on in this season and yet has continued to faithfully edit my episodes over the last year for free, and also a massive thanks to his wife, kelsey, for sharing his time with our ministry. They have been such a gift to me and to all of you because, trust me, you don't want to hear what this podcast sounds like before Ian gets his hands on it. So pray blessing over them, would you. When I return, it will be with Jason for our Ask Us Anything series. So if you haven't submitted your anonymous question yet, the link to do that is in this episode description. And while I'm away, you can help keep the Abitable podcast alive and keep my download stats from flatlining by going back to listen to episodes you maybe haven't gotten to hear yet. Think of it as watering the plants while I'm gone, thank you. Thank you for being here with me, for praying for me and encouraging me for loving God's Word and for walking through it with me, for praying for me and encouraging me for loving God's word and for walking through it with me. I love you all so dearly, and that's it for this episode and this series. If you know someone who would be blessed by what you just heard, please share the Abidable Podcast with them. Keep spreading the word so we can make much of the word. Drop us a review, tell us what you love and what you're learning. Check out the link to learn more about partnering with us by buying us a coffee one time or by becoming an Abitable Plus member. For those of you looking for a new study, I hope you'll pick up the Into the Wilderness one that just launched. Or visit Abitablecom and check out any of our learning products, including our 20-lesson how to Study the Bible course.
Kate:I will pray for us and then close us out with our memory work for our entire passage. Lord, you are one. There is no other God besides you. You alone are worthy of all our heart, all our soul, all our might. We praise you as the promise keeper, the God who brought Israel into the land that you swore to Abraham, isaac and Jacob, and the same God who has brought us out of the house of slavery through the blood of Jesus. We thank you that every gift we have, from the breath in our lungs to the homes we live in, is grace upon grace from your hand. Forgive us, lord, for the times that we have forgotten you in our abundance, when we've turned our hearts from the giver to the gifts. Forgive us for when we have been casual with your word, slow to teach it and quick to trust in ourselves. Forgive us for loving you with only part of our hearts, holding back our soul or offering you only what is convenient instead of our whole might. Write your word deeply on our hearts. Let it be on our lips when we rise and when we lie down, when we sit at home and when we walk along the way. Help us to remember you in every season, in wilderness and in abundance, and to point the next generation to you with joy and urgency. Keep us from forgetting, keep us abiding and let our lives tell the truth that Jesus is the hero of the story, forever and always. In his name we pray amen. Let's close by doing our memory work together.
Kate:I'm going to say all of Deuteronomy 6, 4-13. One time, say it out loud with me or quietly to yourself Hear O Israel, the Lord, our God. The Lord is one. You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Kate:And when the Lord, your God, brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, to give you, with great and good cities that you did not build and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant, and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord, your God. You shall fear him, you shall serve, and by his name you shall swear. Deuteronomy 6, 4-13. Hey friend, great job. No matter whether you got some of it or all of it, keep going. Keep working on it and practicing so that this beautifully powerful passage will be hidden in your heart forever. And remember you are able to abide in the Bible. We'll see you next time. Until then, let's abide.
