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October 21st, 2012

10/21/2012

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Leviticus 26:3-12
We have to remember always that our God is a God of order. 
He created order out of chaos.
There is order in everything God created.
Not only He placed natural order, God also placed some moral and spiritual order in HIS written Word.
Unfortunately we are trying to mess up with His moral and spiritual order today.
There are consequences to pay for such disobedience.
God was talking thru Moses to the people of Israel to follow and obey God’s commands.
All God’s blessings depend on their willingness to follow and obey His commands.
GOD’S PROVISION
In verse 4 & 5 we see God’s PROVISION as a result of our response.
A direct relation exists between people’s obedience to God and their relation with the natural world around them.
God chooses to bless His people for their obedience to HIS Laws and commands.
GOD’S PROTECTION
Verses 6-8, we observe that God promise to protect them, give them victory over their enemies and face huge challenges with HIS help.
Daily our life goes thru lots of dangers of all sorts.
Danger from people, dangers on the road and dangers in the school and workplaces
God said He will protect HIS people always.
GOD’S PRESENCE
In verses 9-12, God promised HIS people with HIS presence.
He said He will keep His covenant; He will dwell among them, and walk with them.
Old Testament has many examples of people who did not follow and obey the commands.
They paid dearly for such disobedience.
King Saul lost his kingship because of his arrogance.
King David brought calamity into his family because of adultery with Beersheba.
Even Moses lost his opportunity to enter into the Promise Land because of his anger.
They did not follow the rules, God’s rules.
Our spiritual growth is stunted and spiritually weak because we may not be following the rules.
Dysfunctional and unsatisfying life may be the result of not following the rules.
Such Christian life reflects spiritual poverty and brokenness in their relationship with the Lord.
God may be withholding His provision because of our rebellious nature and disobedience.
Because of their spiritual poverty for many Christians everything becomes a struggle.
Because of our choices, God’s peace becomes scarce.
We enjoy God’s protection in the midst of all fears when we are following the rules.
Willing obedience to the Word of God assures the LORD’s Provision, Protection and Presence no matter what our circumstances are.
That is the key to our life on the earth amidst all struggles.
Just follow and obey God’s rules.
God will allow His provision; His protection and presence come in our way.

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October 14th, 2012

10/14/2012

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Deuteronomy 8:1-18
There comes a point where Moses is about to go home to be with the Lord and the nation of Israel is about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promise Land.
In this chapter Moses was basically impressing upon the people of Israel to reflect upon their journey through the desert route for 40 years.
This journey was not to be forgotten but to remember the lessons it taught.
What is that Moses wanted the People of Israel to remember?
I. LEADING OF THE LORD
They had to remember that all their experiences of past 40 years were not mere chances and happenings because the Lord was watching over them and overseeing their journey intimately.
The most important thing to remember was that how God led them.
A. The ways of the  Lord
The Lord’s ways were a strange mixture of hunger and provision; danger and deliverance.
Their desert journey was “through the vast and dreadful desert, thirst and waterless
land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions.”
He allowed His people to go through such struggles and dangers.
Our Lord also puts us through such situations with pain, suffering, sickness and dangers in our life.
Verse 15 & 16 explains that God was watching over them as He provided manna from heaven and water from the rock.
Verse 4 says that “their cloths never wore out nor their feet swore.
B. The ‘whys’ of the Lord
Only in the desert journey one can recognize the dangers, hunger and thirst.
The utter dependency on the Lord is the only way one can survive the journey.
When we go through the desert journey, God wants to know what is in our heart.
Trials are designed to show what kind of person one can be.
We also find a whole lot more about ourselves when trials come.
God leads us through experiences so that we can realize how dependent we are on Him.
We learn to pray when we know that God is the only answer. 
These Israelites learned things in that wilderness they would have never learned in a tropical paradise.
2. GOD IS PREPARING US FOR GLORY.
End of verse 16. He does all this “so that in the end it might go well with you.” 
It was never God’s intention to leave HIS people in the wilderness. 
It is always God’s intention to bless His people.
He is preparing us for a glorious eternity with Him. 
But He is preparing us for good things in this life as well.
In verse 18 Moses commands them to remember that it is God gives you everything in ife.
Whether we acknowledge or not, our Lord provides everything we have and enables us to do our best in our careers, in our profession, in our education, and all our success in life.
We depend upon HIM not only in perils but also in pleasures.


 
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    Author

    Pastor John Sesham
    Abundant Grace Community Church, Hayward.

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