I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.

Leviticus 26-27

I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. Leviticus 26:11-12

 

This evening, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter twenty-three (the final chapter) - Either-Or - covering Leviticus 26-27, looking specifically at the second theme for the chapter - God Blesses Our Faithfulness.  Here, the commentary for today focuses on v3-13 which describes how God blesses our obedience to Him in response to His commands, all of His commands, including the commands He gave in v1-2 (see also post yesterday) where we are to worship Him and not other gods and how we are observe Sabbath.  Leviticus 26:3-13 describes blessings that, according the commentary, can be categorized as prosperity, protection, and His presence - of course all wonderful and amazing blessings. Yet, lest believers fall into the trap of believing that God promises us (in return for faithfulness) health, wealth, and other earthly blessings, the commentary (and John MacArthur and John Piper) warns us to not read into Leviticus 26 to find the keys to health, wealth, etc. While God does promise blessings for obedience in v3-13, the commentary instead makes the following points, emphasizing that "we should apply such promises in a way that is consistent with God's entire revelation in the Bible": 

1. "God made these promises not to individuals, but the Israel as a whole"
2. "God does bless our faithfulness, just not in the way the prosperity preachers claim.  In some places in the world, faithfulness to Jesus results in persecution, not prosperity.  When some Muslim people leave Islam to follow Jesus, their families disown them and sometimes physically assault or kill them.  Does God take care of them? He takes care of them for eternity! He blesses our faithfulness forever in heaven." See also John 16:33
   
3. "God blesses our faithfulness in many ways, best of all with Himself." See also John 1:14  
   

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are amazing and I know You bless me in ways that the world does not understand and in ways that I will fully appreciate when I meet You face to face in Heaven - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless me.  My sin - of many kinds - continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.

Ephesians 1

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. v7-8

Both OverviewBible.com and MacArthur Bible Study Commentary (for purchase) indicate Ephesians as a letter written to remind the young church of Ephesus of their identity in Christ and to prescribe how to manifest this identity in their lives - practical advice.  We all need to be reminded of how lavishly God has blessed us - and undeservedly so. 

We are holy and blameless in His sight (v4).
We are adopted by Him and been freely given grace (v5-6).
We have redemption and forgiveness of sins in His blood (v7).
He shares wisdom with us (v8-9).

Of course there are so many more ways God blesses us but Paul's words are more than sufficient to give us the humility we need to appreciate who God is and what He has done for us.  It should encourage us to continue to come back to Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has lavishly bestowed an unimaginable amount of blessings on me - thank You Jesus - I am overwhelmed by Your love.  Even more so because I know I am undeserving.  I sin daily - not being who You desire for me, I fall down in my sin.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

Psalms 1

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. v1-2

Over the past 10 years, I have indeed felt the blessings of God as my desire for God, for His Word, and for a deeper relationship with Him have all grown.  For sure there is more work to do, but I am certain that we can count on God's promises for how he will bless us as we draw close to Him.

Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.  For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. Proverbs 8:33-35

See also post here.

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. Lamentations 3:25

  
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed faithful - all of Your promises come true and You never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love or blessings.  I worry and I am selfish.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.

2 Kings 19

Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.  For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. v30-31

Although Assyria has already laid siege to Israel and taken captive its inhabitants, Judah remained, and King Hezekiah "trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. (2 Kings 18:5-6)"

As such King Hezekiah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, and with God's strength was able to overcome and defeat the Assyrians (v35-36).

Just because Hezekiah found favor in the eyes of the Lord does not mean that He was any more deserving of God's favor than Israel.  In fact, Hezekiah is sinful and broken just like other great kings (David, Solomon) and like all of us.  Read more about Hezekiah's pride in 2 Chronicles 32.

We should not expect a trouble free life just because we are faithful.  God does not promise a life without trouble - He does promise that He will never leave or forsake us and that we will overcome.


In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God - You have helped overcome many troubles in this world.  I know that You are always with me and You will help me overcome any troubles.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I worry and I am selfish.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve, You my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. v10-11

In Exodus 20 (The Ten Commandments), we are commanded to "have no other gods before [God]".  In Matthew 22:34-40 it says:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:34-40

Our first and best efforts should be for God before anything and anyone else.  We are blessed by God's grace alone - not through our own effort.

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of love, blessing, compassion, mercy, etc.  I am nothing without You and I can do no good things apart from You.  Thank You for Your love and mercy. I am not worthy such love and mercy.  I continue to worry and stress and place my desires above Yours.  Please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.

Psalm 128

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. v1

I am already blessed! And what a promise!

You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord. v2-4

I desire to be blessed in such a man but I know I am a work in progress - my focus must not be on the blessing but on glorifying God and serving Him.  I must endure and persist.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, You created all things, are in all things, and hold all things together.  You love me and are so full of patience, compassion, and mercy for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I am harsh with my words and actions and impatient.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 40

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. v5

No doubt, Jesus has blessed me beyond what I deserve as I am witness to God's glory daily, all day long.  From sunrise to sunset and all the days of my life, I see God at work in my life, in the world, and in the lives of others.  What an amazing God You are!   

Scripture encourages us to be thankful as proper worship for the One True God who delivers, rescues, protects, provides, heals, teaches, encourages, etc.

See here for Colossians 3 and 1 Thessalonians 5 as examples.  Other examples, include Hebrews 12 and Colossians 4.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29

 

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

 

My Prayer: God You are THE God, my God, one who is always there, never breaks His promises and provides life to the FULL.  You are an amazing God and You bless me beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus but please forgive me for my lack of patience, compassion and grace for others.  Help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.