King James Daily Bible Study: Delighting In His Way

King James Daily Bible Study: Delighting In His Way
Date: Thursday March 10, 2011
Chapters: Deuteronomy 28
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-march-10
Details of Today's Reading: The blessings upon those whom obey God's commands, and the foretelling of the curses upon those whom do not obey God's commands.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
Most of us try to do the right thing, but if you ask someone what would be the right thing to do you would get a thousand different answers. Why? We all have our own views on what we see as the right thing to do. While one person condones a little white lie, another is against it. I can count many times where I have allowed something knowing it was wrong because I did not want a confrontation. Since we all have our own views on what the right thing to do is it is important to see God's view on what the right thing to do is. The Bible says, “For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” - Psalm 37:22-24. The key to doing the right thing is delighting in God's way. Regardless of what others do or how they treat us, we must follow God's way and delight in doing so and when we do God not only blesses us, He blesses us abundantly and everyone around us as well.

The Israelites were days from entering the promised land, I imagine they were both excited and scared at the same time. You know the feeling you get when you walk into a place you have been anticipating for the first time? Wow? There is so much to see and do? What do I do first? Well, most places have a map or a guide showing you what to expect. Through Moses, God gave the Israelites a guide on what to expect and promised them if they follow the guide that they would be blessed.

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” - Deuteronomy 28:1-6.

Our guide in everything we do from friendships, to marriage, to work, to play, is God and His Word, as long as we follow His guide we will be blessed and prosper. Who knows us better than ourselves? God does, after all He is the one who made us. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” - John 16:13.

While God is the creator of all things He only chooses certain people to be His people, that is, to represent them as His. Now the amazing thing about that is that God is not a respecter of persons and chooses people from all walks of life, rich, poor, thin, fat, smart, or dumb. He has even chosen murders, thieves, and adulterers to represent Him. Why? To show us that anyone can come to God and do the right thing, to be a changed person and live their lives for Him. You know, people who live in the world are much more afraid of us than we are of them? Why do you think they mock us and treat us so badly? Moses explains this further.

“The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee...And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” - Deuteronomy 28:9,10,13,14.

There is no better life than one with God in it, He blesses you in so many ways that you can not imagine. Little things that meant nothing to you have more meaning to them, life itself has more meaning to it. When you are one of God's people others notice it and it scares them. Why? God changes you and they do not want to be changed. Jesus said, “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” - Matthew 10:21,22.

While God saves all who come to Him through His Son that does not exempt them from continuing to live in sin. They might get to heaven, but God is going to strip them of their blessings here on earth until they figure that out. God warned the Israelites what would happen if they do not follow His commands.

“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.” - Deuteronomy 28:15-20.

We must realize that God does not place curses on us Himself, we do it all by ourselves. Every time I read through these chapters I am reminded of the life I was living when God was not in it and the things I allowed and did to please others while trying to find my place in the world. Oh, I was cursed, I destroyed myself, but it was not until I destroyed myself that I realized I have no place in the world, my place is with God. We must lose our lives to gain life. “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” - John 12:25,26.

Now, God has turned that curse into a blessing, simply because I heard His voice and listened to what He was trying to tell me all along. Sometimes it takes God a while to get through to us, but when He does He delights in us as well. We will still have to face some trials and even some repercussions of the past, but this time God will be with us and bless us for delighting in His way. “As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.” - Proverbs 11:19-21.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the One from whom our blessings come (28:1-2). “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” - James 1:25.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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