When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which He hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping His Commandments, and His Judgments, and His Statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; (Deut. 8:10-15)
The faithful God who delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt and cared for them all throughout their wanderings in the wilderness is the same God who would go before them in the Promised Land and give them victory if they trusted Him and obeyed His Word. The same God who gave them water in the desert and healed them from the dragons in the wilderness is the same God who had promised them the land and that He would drive out all those who opposed Him from the land. Those that forgot God and went their own way would be destroyed but those who kept His Word, His Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments, would be protected from their enemies, preserved in the land, and the LORD would provide for all their needs.
God is not our genie to fulfil all our wishes and give us all we want. He is our Heavenly Father who provides for our needs, protects His children, and preserves His people according to His will. That doesn’t mean that all will be rosy and without trouble, for we all experience trouble in this sinful and broken world. When we stumble or stray, He corrects His own that we grow in Him. For the lost, He draws those who do not know Him to Himself that they might repent and put their trust in Him and His finished work on the Cross of Calvary for Salvation. Just as He desired the Israelites to obey and be blessed, God wants His own to obey His Word and do His will in this world, to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word until all that will come have been born again. He commands everyone everywhere to repent and offers His free gift of eternal life to whosoever will, not so we can continue in sIn but that we may live in Him the life we were meant to live.
While we are here God has sent those of us that know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet