Saturday BlogPost [April 5, 2014]

Saturday, April 5, 2014 [by Keesha Sullivan]

 

"If you [Israel] fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God…" (Deuteronomy 28: 1-2).

 

The key word in these two verses that I had underlined in my Bible was the word "If."  Some of the synonyms for the word "If" are "on the condition that," "provided that," "presuming that," "supposing that," "assuming that," "as long as," and "given that."  So in other words, God could have said, "[On the condition that] you [Israel] fully obey the Lord."

 

In Deuteronomy 28:1, the Lord is giving Israel a choice. It is the same choice that God gave to Cain. He said in Genesis 4:6-7, "'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."  Again we can say that basically God said, "[As long as] you do what is right, will you not be accepted?"

 

We too have that choice.  God loves us enough that he gives us the opportunity to decide what we want to do. He is as I have heard many people call it a "Gentleman."  He doesn't force Himself on His people.  He asks for our hearts and our complete devotion, but in no way does he force us to give it to Him.

 

Unfortunately, if we look at the latter verses, we find that choosing to go against God's design and denying his offer leads to sin, captivity, excruciating heartache, and curses to fall upon us.  Fortunately, if we look at other verses in the same passage, we find that choosing to follow God's design and accepting his offer leads to holiness, freedom, relief/health, and blessings to fall upon us.

 

Joshua, the man of God that would lead the Israelites after Moses passed, understood this decision.  He said in Joshua 24:15, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

 

I will follow Joshua's lead, and I declare today that, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord with all of our heart, our soul, and our mind.  Lord, thank You so much for giving us choice.  Thank You for giving us the privilege and the honor of choosing You as Lord over our lives.  Thank You that You bless us when we obey Your word. Thank You that through You we have holiness, freedom, relief/health, and blessings.  You are an amazing, wonderful God. We love You.   Amen

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"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)

Kenny Sullivan

(201) 218-0751

שלום