Journal 28-8-2009

Journal 28-8-2009

Scripture

Deuteronomy 30 (New International Version - UK)

Prosperity After Turning to the LORD

¹ When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations,

² and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,

³ then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.

⁴ Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back.

⁵ He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.

⁶ The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.

⁷ The LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you.

⁸ You will again obey the LORD and follow all his commands I am giving you today.

⁹ Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers,

¹⁰ if you obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

The Offer of Life or Death

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.

¹² It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so that we may obey it?

¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so that we may obey it?

¹⁴ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it.

¹⁵ See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

¹⁶ For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them,

¹⁸ I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

¹⁹ This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

²⁰ and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Observation

God again asks us to obey. For the past 30 chapters, this is all God is asking of us again and again. He wants us to be right with Him. In fact, that is the whole theme of the bible. The main objective of the Bible is to get us to heaven with God. In this chapter, he gives us 2 things, a second chance and a choice. God commands us to return to Him. When we return to Him, God restores. When we are ready to come back to him, He is waiting for us with open arms. He restores all that is lost.

God also tells us that obeying him is not difficult. His words are in our mouth and hearts.

God also gives us a choice. He tells us what will happen when we obey and what happens when we don’t. He highly encourages us to obey and waits to pour his blessings on us.

Application

I must obey Him.

I must always return to him.

I must make my choice to follow God.

Response

Dear Lord, I thank you for your grace to me. Thank you that you are a God of second chances. I’m sorry for all my sins. Let me make my choice and follow your commandments.