Scripture:
Deuteronomy 28:9-14 NKJV
[9] “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. [10] Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. [11] And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. [12] The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. [13] And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. [14] So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
Observation:
Most of what I have been writing has been out of the New Testament for the last few months, but I love the Old Testament as well, and honestly, I’m not misled about it. I know that there are churches that say the Old Testament. Doesn’t apply, and I hate to say it, but they are wrong. Saying the Old Testament doesn’t apply is like saying Jesus doesn’t matter. I don’t want to get off base with this SOAP, so I will stop there. One thing the Old Testament does is… it shows us we have a part to play. There is a very big theological word in it that gets missed a lot. First and foremost, I want to say that salvation is a gift. I don’t want anyone to be confused about that. Salvation comes from confessing Jesus Christ as our LORD and SAVIOR. That’s your free golden ticket. But that’s the beginning of the race. Deuteronomy chapter 28 verse 9 says the LORD will establish you as HIS holy people. Just as HE has sworn to you, IF you keep the commandments of the LORD and walk in HIS ways. This verse is not about salvation it’s about being established by GOD as HIS holy people. It’s a promise from HIM that HE will show everyone HIS hand of blessing on your life as you walk with HIM. Verses 10 and 11 are where the promises really get started. When the LORD’S hand is upon your life. Others will see it. Verse 10 says that the people of the earth will see that you are called by the LORD to be HIS. But how is that seen… by what we say?? Or by what we do?? You can slide back to verse 9 for the answer, and it starts with that theological word I mentioned. I suppose you’re interested in what that word is. Continuing to verse 11, we see that long life and increase of fruit and land are also part of this deal. Now I want you to know that these are promises that the LORD is speaking over HIS chosen people. The land HE is talking about is the land flowing with milk and honey, and the long life comes from being good stewards of the bodies HE gave them. Looking at verse 12, we see even more promises. But I have to tell you these promises hang on the choices we make. That theological word is the key to it. Verse 12 says the LORD will open HIS good treasure to you. The heavens and give rain to the work of your hands. So that increase will come from the crops you have planted. You will lend to many but not borrow. The theological word is in verse 13 as well, which contains more promises. HE will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above and not beneath. The first and not the last, that’s what’s being said. Let’s look at the final verse because I believe it sums it all up. Going after false gods, turning to the right or to the left. In other words, not staying focused on the LORD and HIS desire for your life hinders all of what was said above.
Application:
So, it’s time to reveal the theological word. Are you ready… it’s “IF.” Now I know this may cause some confusion. But we need to make it clear that we are not talking about salvation here. We are talking about walking in the blessings of GOD. Now listen, I want you to know I have tried it both ways, and I absolutely love the grace of GOD because it allowed me to do so, but I have to tell you when I walk according to my flesh life gets hard. My body was breaking down. I was homeless and chasing after an addiction. I knew Jesus as my LORD and SAVIOR, but following GOD’S way was not what I was doing, and it showed in the way my life was. So let me tell you what GOD is not doing. HE is not trying to keep you from having fun. IF sin was still fun, I would still be chasing after it. But there came a point in my life that I realized that my decisions were killing me. The point is I had that choice, “IF.” I wanted to chase after my flesh and do what it wanted. I could reap the results of doing so. Now let me tell you what GOD is trying to do. HE wants you to have a long life. To live in the good of the land. HE wants your life to be a reflection of HIS blessings. HIS ways are a road map to that. The obedience to the word brings the blessings of GOD. Now I don’t know about you, but the degradation of living for the flesh took more than I was willing to give and left my empty and broken. But the LORD redeemed my life, and I want to be a good steward of what HE has given me. As I have followed what HIS word says, I see HIM doing exactly what HE tells me in it. Salvation is a gift. You get it when you give your life to Jesus. But it doesn’t stop there. GOD wants to give you so much more. HE loves you too much to leave you how HE found you. HE wants your life to reflect HIS glory. When we walk in obedience to HIS word, we get to walk if the blessings of HIS word. I’m asking you to check yourself. Look at what GOD’S word says and look at your life. Are you focused on HIM, or is your focus turned to yourself?? Or some other god that has lied to you. HE is the one true GOD, and HIS promises are yes and amen. I have to tell you, though. HE can not bless your mess. Once you turn to HIM, HE will restore everything the enemy has taken. I’m telling you from experience. I have gone from homeless and living in a Hammock to blessings beyond what I can comprehend. Just by submitting and surrendering to the LORD’S ways. HE is not trying to take something from you. HE is trying to get something to you.
Prayer:
Father, we love you. Help us to see the truth in your word. We k ow that you want us to live a long life here on earth. Help us to see that you are not trying to take away our fun but trying to show us what we were doing us no fun at all. We want to walk in your blessings. Show us your ways through your word and give us a willing spirit with a desire to be obedient to your desires for our lives. Your word is a road map to your blessings. It’s a guardrail that keeps us on the path you want us to walk. It protects us from ourselves. Open our eyes to see that what you want for us is nothing but good and that our own way brings nothing good at all. We want more than anything to live in your blessings, and it’s our choice “IF” we do or not. Today, I choose you. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.