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In Salvation Part 1, we
discussed the basis for this study on salvation. Briefly, that we are
all Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Gal 3:29
And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Deut 28:8-13 lists the
promises that God gave to Abraham. Now let's take a close look at what
the promises were that God gave to Abraham so we can understand our
position in the family of God.
Deut 28:8
The Lord shall command His
blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thy
hand unto; and He shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee.
We need to understand that
God is a giving God. A God of life and blessing rather than an angry
vengeful God. While it's true that God will chastise those He loves that
stray from Him, His love and mercy NEVER fail. Deut 28:8 shows us the
first two promises God gave to Abraham. Our storehouses will be blessed
of the Lord and He will bless ALL that we endeavor to do. Don't
misunderstand! God cannot and will not bless sin or unrighteousness. Our
faithfulness is the main factor in God's ability to bless us. His word
says to seek him first and all these things (life's necessities) will be
added unto us. Earnest, faithful seeking of God's righteousness brings
the blessing of God into our lives.
Deut 28:9
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.
If we obey the directions
of the Lord in His word, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and live by
the faith that He has given us, He will make us a lighthouse to the lost
in this world. Jesus said that if He is lifted up, He will draw all men
unto himself. That's our job here on this earth and we do this by
faithful obedience to Him.
Deut 28:10
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.
Everyone that sees us
should see the Glory of the Lord shining in our lives. There should be a
marked difference in the way that we live and handle the things that
life throws our way. By living according to God's word, there should be
such a difference that all peoples of the world see it and ask "What
makes you different?" I believe that if we were truly living by faith in
God, that we wouldn't have to look for opportunities to witness. They
would be looking for us!
Deut 28:11
And the Lord shall make
thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of
thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord
sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
In short, God will make
you rich in possessions and rich in the number of children that you
have. He will bless your cattle to produce above normal and bless your
land to produce above normal as long as we honor and obey Him. We must
be ever mindful of the fact that we determine what God can and cannot do
for us by our faith and obedience. If we are faithful and live according
to His
word, then He can rain all
His blessings on us. If we are not living according to His word, we tie
His hands and He cannot bless us.
Deut 28:12-13
12 The Lord shall open
unto thee His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land
in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt
lend unto many nations and not borrow.
13 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.
The promises in
Deuteronomy are not the only blessings or promises that God has given to
those He loves and that serve Him. Next month in Salvation - Part III,
we will continue deeper yet into God's word concerning His precious
promises to us. |
