Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009

6-24 The Blessings and Cursings

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“I’m an evolutionist,” Erik said sincerely. Erik is in his first year in college. “So, have you ever considered the case for creation?” He hadn’t. He’d been taught evolution in school, never heard anything different at home, so that’s what he believed. I asked him a few penetrating, yet simple questions: “So can you explain how life can come from something non-living?” He couldn’t. Despite the impossibility, the believers keep believing. “Can you tell me how a big explosion (bang) can create harmony and order?” He didn’t know, but that didn’t seem to faze him. “Can you tell me how a toxic puddle could give birth to the first living thing?” His answer? “Those questions are not in my field of expertise!” At the most basic, simplest level Evolution fails simple scientific tests, yet the believers keep believing. Pray that we will gain some independent thinking skills!

Today's Scripture reading is 2 Samuel 16; Micah 6; Luke 4:1-28
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.podbean.com - Archives can be found at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com

Today’s thought comes from Deuteronomy 28 " 1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 "And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God… 15 "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

What is one “proof” that God exists? Joaquin Miller wrote as if in answer… “Who gave your very God to you? Your Jew! Your Jew! Your hated Jew!” One of the most amazing stories of prophecy and history is the dispersion and return of the Jews to the Holy Land. The blessings and cursings of Deuteronomy 28 are crucial to our understanding of the prophetic future. There are about a dozen blessings promised to the nation and about three times as many cursings in that chapter. If Israel obeyed the voice of the Lord and followed His commandments they were promised that they would be blessed above every nation of the world! All their foes would be defeated, they would have abundance and plenty of goods, they would be the head, and not the tail… if they would obey the commandments of the Lord. But we know what happened! They have not… so the curses have overtaken them time and time again. They have become troublesome to the kingdoms of the earth, and many nations have ruthlessly ruled over them (36). Their sons and daughters have gone into captivity (41). They have been scattered among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other (64). All these cursings were for a sign and a wonder to all who would come after them of what happens to those who do not serve the Lord (46). Solomon restated many of those blessings and cursings in his prayer in 2 Chronicles 6 & 7. He asked that if the people were taken captive in a foreign land, and if they prayed and sincerely turned to God with all their heart, then God would hear and forgive and return them to the land (2 Chron 6:25&37). He concluded his prayer with that well known phrase; “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (7:14). This early prophecy would become an important pattern for understanding the future. The nation would go into captivity. They would be scattered throughout the earth… but God is not finished with them yet. He continues to bring them back to the land to fulfill His word.

Dear Lord Jesus. I love reading about the blessings, but pray that the cursings would pass me by. I pray that I would learn from the nation Israel how foolish it is to live a life independent of you and your plan. I want your plan for my life to be my plan! Thank you for the promise of a life lived to the full.

"Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

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