BLESSINGS

Ephesians 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

Are you a half empty or half full, type of person? I am the half empty type so I have to constantly remind myself of HIS blessings. But we all can overlook the blessings we receive from the LORD. When you sit down to eat, do you thank HIM for HIS provision? I try to most of the time but the world is moving so fast that there are days that things just fly by. Like this morning when I got sidetracked and didn’t do my devotional! No matter what your day is like remember, Luke 6:21 God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.

No matter what our world is currently like Jesus promises we will have spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms because of Christ and if you’re hungry you’ll be satisfied and if you are weeping in due time you’ll laugh!

I hope this brings you encouragement and slight glimpse at what heaven will be like.

B.I.B.L.E.

Basic instructions before leaving earth.

The Bible is our instruction manual preparing us for our heavenly home!

Have you read yours today?

Blessings 

IDOLATRY-IDOLS

 2 Chronicles 31

Idols Are Destroyed

1Now when all of this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, and smashed the [pagan] pillars (obelisks, memorial stones) in pieces, cut down the Asherim (wooden symbols of a female deity), and tore down the high places and the altars [of idolatry] throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons (descendants) of Israel returned to their own cities, each to his own property.

1 Corinthians 10: 14Therefore, my beloved, run [keep far, far away] from [any sort of] idolatry [and that includes loving anything more than God, or participating in anything that leads to sin and enslaves the soul].

Idolatry is the worship of a cult image or "idol" as though it were God.

Do you have any idol’s that need tearing down?

Blessings 

Times of Refreshing

 Times of Refreshing 

18But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

We were created by God in His image for Him and without Him we are incomplete. Some say we have a hole in our heart ❤️ that only HE can fill. Without HIM we try to satisfy that hole with worldly things, drugs, alcohol, sex, possessions, work, television and much more.

When we confess our sin and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are set free! Let’s review verse 19 and meditate on it!

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” Selah 

Do your times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord or are you trying to fill that hole?

Blessings 

Voice

John the Baptist preparing the way!

Luke 3:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for Him.

5Every valley shall be filled in,

and every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked ways shall be made straight,

and the rough ways smooth.

6And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’ ”

John was saying, straighten out your lives, the Messiah is coming!

We likewise are supposed to be a voice for Jesus!

Do you talk to people about Jesus and what HE’s done for you?

Everyone that’s come to Christ has a salvation story and it’s that story that makes you unique! Use your salvation story as a voice in the wilderness for Jesus, preparing the way for others to come to Christ!

What’s your salvation story?

Blessings 

Bread of Life

 John 6: 28Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”

29Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

Today I decided to get back to basics and just grab my Bible instead of using the app, prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide HIS words and opened the Bible and these were the verses that caught my eyes.

Who was Jesus talking to? People, but the people wanted a sign to be performed! 

They wanted bread always! Physical food!

But Jesus was the Bread of Life! Spiritual food!

35Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. 

Jesus fills our spiritual hunger and thirst!

When God revealed Himself to Moses, He identified Himself as the “I AM”.

Now Jesus said, “I AM the Bread of Life.”

Are you filling up on Jesus, the spiritual food and water of Life?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 30:1 Now it shall come to pass!

 1“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you [a]call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you,

“From the height of blessing during the reigns of David and Solomon, to the depth of cursing at the fall of Jerusalem, Israel’s history has been a legacy of either being blessed or cursed under the terms of the Old Covenant.” (Guzik)

“Now it shall come to pass”

Let that sink in! “when all these things come upon you”

Moses knew through the Lord that everything, the blessings and curses were going to happen! 

How can we be certain all the prophecies in the Bible will happen?

Because of all the prophecies that came true so far!

The Lord cannot lie and what HE says will happen, WILL HAPPEN!

Do you believe the Word of GOD is true?

John 17:17 Amp Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:29 BASIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE LEAVING EARTH

 29“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Let these words sink in!

“but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever,”

B.I.B.L.E.

BASIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE LEAVING EARTH

If you aren’t studying the Bible with the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit, then what is the Bible to you? Just another book!

But if we are studying it properly, we see Jesus in the Old Testament and read HIS words in the New Testament!

The big question is, Are you following HIS instructions?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:21-28 Nation who forsakes the LORD!

 21And the Lord would separate him from all the tribes of Israel for adversity, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this Book of the Law, 22so that the coming generation of your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, would say, when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses which the Lord has laid on it:

23‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 24All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 25Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; 26for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. 27Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. 28And the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it isthis day.’

“God’s purpose in bringing judgment against a covenant-breaking Israel was also for the sake of all nations. When they see what happens to a nation who forsakes the LORD, they will be warned to obedience.” (Guzik)

Let Guzik’s comment sink in and meditate on it!

“When they see what happens to a nation who forsakes the LORD”

I heard someone say this morning: “God bless America, what’s left of it.”

Are you praying for a revival in our nation?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:16-20 PEACE

 16(for you know that we dwelt in the land of Egypt and that we came through the nations which you passed by, 17and you saw their [b]abominations and their idols which were among them—wood and stone and silver and gold); 18so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 19and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I [c]follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.

20“The Lord would not spare him; for then the anger of the Lord and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the Lord would blot out his name from under heaven.

PEACE 

“He may have an immediate sense of peace at the moment, but it is the peace of the blind, the peace of the ignorant, who cannot see the peril of coming judgment.” (Guzik)

“The drunkard may be happy when he is drunk, but his happiness is based on a illusion. God warns against including the peace of the righteous with the peace the wicked might seem to have.” (Guzik)

Isaiah 48: 22“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

Have you noticed how wicked our nation is becoming?

Romans 1: 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29being filled with all unrighteousness, [l]sexual immorality, wickedness, [m]covetousness, [n]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31[o]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, [p]unforgiving, unmerciful; 32who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

DO THESE PEOPLE HAVE PEACE? ⬆️ 

Judgement is coming!

The question is, which side of eternity will we be judged on?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:10-15 OLD-NEW

 10All of you are standing today before the LORD your God—you leaders of tribes, elders, officials, and all the men of Israel, 11your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water— 12so that you may enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, which He is making with you today, and into His oath, 13and so that He may establish you today as His people, and He may be your God as He promised you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

14I am making this covenant and this oath not only with you, 15but also with those who are standing here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God, as well as with those who are not here today.

OLD-First

“The covenant demand is here extended to those who were yet to be born. Future generations were one with that early Israel who took the oath at Sinai.” (Thompson)

NEW

Hebrews 9:15 NIV For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

As babies in Christ we tend to view the Old Testament as difficult to read, digest and understand. But when we start eating solid food and maturing in Christ we begin to study, digest and understand that it’s just as important as the New Testament! It’s full of Christophanies, prophecy’s, the coming Messiah and HIS cruxifixction.

Do you only study the NT, the OT or both?

Which covenant are you clinging to?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:7-9 Battle with GOD!

 7When you reached this place, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out against us in battle, but we defeated them. 8We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 9So keep and follow the words of this covenant, that you may prosper in all you do.

Battle with GOD.

How else could slaves conquer lands against an army?

Only with GOD! 

How do we fight our battles?

Ephesians 6: 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Have you put on your armor today?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:5-6 God is with you!

5For forty years I led you in the wilderness,

yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.

6You ate no bread and drank no wine or strong drink,

so that you might know that I am the LORD your God.

“Plainly, these are remarkable miracles. Clothes and sandals simply do not last 40 years of hard marching in the wilderness apart from a miracle. The wilderness does not provide enough food and water to meet the needs of some two million people apart from a miracle. A nation of slaves for 400 years does not conquer standing nations and take their land apart from a miracle.” (Guzik)

Are you marching in the wilderness today? 

We have the miracle of salvation given to us by Jesus. Lift up your heart to HIM and allow GOD to carry you through your journey in the wilderness and to meet your needs.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:2-4 Miraculous Sign

 2Moses summoned all Israel and proclaimed to them, “You have seen with your own eyes everything the LORD did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to all his land. 3You saw with your own eyes the great trials, and those miraculous signs and wonders. 4Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.

The Israelites witnessed all the “great trials, and those miraculous signs and wonders”!

“The miracles in and of themselves could not accomplish anything in the heart of Israel. If God did not send His Spirit to change their hearts, then the greatest wonder imaginable would not make a difference.” (Guzik)

It’s no different today because it’s the nature of man wanting to see miraculous signs before they believe!

Matthew 12: 38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

39Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 

“But seeing great wonders accomplishes nothing apart from a supernatural work of God in someone’s heart.” (Guzik)

Examine your heart ❤️, does it require a miraculous sign from the Lord to believe in Jesus?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 29:1 Covenant

 1These are the words of the covenant that the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant He had made with them at Horeb.

“Some 40 years before this, at Horeb (Mount Sinai), Israel made a covenant with God: Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.” And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.” (Exodus 24:7-8)” (Guzik)

The previous generation that had the blood 🩸 sprinkled on them had all died in the wilderness because of their sin of unbelief!

But we have the New Covenant!

Luke 22:20 NLT After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

Some churches still use wine and others use grape juice, the substitute for blood 🩸.

One sip of wine can cause some a lifetime of addiction and recovery ❤️‍🩹. 

As Christian’s we don’t want to be that temptation to those that can’t handle alcohol.

You can try to tell yourself, but how was I to know? But who knows, maybe you didn’t care and wanted to indulge anyway?

I ask, why would you like to be the the devil, the great tempter? 

Please don’t put yourself in that position. 

Instead, be like Jesus and put others first out of love. 

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 28:61-68 DOTH

 61The LORD will also bring upon you every sickness and plague not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. 62You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left few in number, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.

63Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and multiply, so also it will please Him to annihilate you and destroy you. And you will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.

64Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. 65Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul.

66So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival. 67In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see.

68The LORD will return you to Egypt in ships by a route that I said you should never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

DOTH

“For though he doth not delight in the death of a sinner in itself, yet he doth doubtless delight in the glorifying of his justice upon incorrigible sinners, seeing the exercise of all his attributes must needs please him, else he were not perfectly happy.” (Poole)

Doth. To do; to produce; make.

Sometimes we joke and poke fun of words of the past that aren’t used in today’s English speaking society but as we see in Poole’s commentary it’s not funny!

This chapter isn’t fun to read or digest because of ALL THE CURSES which HE would eventually doth to the Israelites. I suspect their children weren’t easy to digest either, physically speaking and eluding to one of the curses in this chapter!

Sin slowly corrupts, little by little. It took generations before He doth all these curses! Think of the woodsman with a small hatchet cutting down a large tree. Each swing whittles a small chip of the tree trunk. Now consider it sin and with each swing it slowly gets worse until the fall. That’s what sin does to us.

Sin is the curse of curses!

We can’t take away the curse of this world but we can break the curse of sin by accepting the free gift of Salvation and coming to Christ!

Does the world know you are HIS or do you act like one of the incorrigible sinners that are cursed?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 28:49-60 WAIT

 49The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle—a nation whose language you will not understand, 50a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young. 51They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish. 52They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you.

53Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.

54The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces,cand the rest of his children who have survived, 55refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates.d

56The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embracese and her son and daughter 57the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates.

58If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God— 59He will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary disasters, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. 60He will afflict you again with all the diseases you dreaded in Egypt, and they will cling to you.

As I read these verses it sickens me that the Israelites didn’t heed the Lords warning of these curses! Eating their own children! 

But re-read verse 58! ABBA gives them a way out! HIS love says wait! 

Jesus is like that when we sin and stray! HE says wait, stop, repent and come back to my loving arms!

JESUS is the only cure for our hurts, hang ups and habits! 

You can try to fill the GOD hole in your heart with all the things of this earth but they will never be satisfying until you fill it with JESUS!

What are you filling your heart with that you shouldn’t?

Blessings