The Blessings of Serving the Lord

Scripture: Lev 26:3 If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make [you] afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you. For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new. I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

Observation: Wow! Being a follower of God has fantastic benefits. Like Isiah 54 says: No weapon formed against us shall proper. Everything we do is successful, every conflict victorious. To the degree we follow God, so it will be. God's command for us is simple, Love the Lord God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your strength... and Love Your neighbor as yourself. (Matt 22:38-39). If we can do that, the world would be a different place, beginning with us.

Application: The benefits of following God are fantastic, but we shouldn't follow him for his benefits. In fact if we did, we wouldn't be following him. We have to love him with everything we have, and love is not selfish, ... it is self less.


Prayer: Dear Jesus, I love you. I pray that I will follow you all of the days of my life. I pray that I will love you with everything I have, all the days of my life. I pray that I will share you love with everyone I meet. Let it be so in Jesus precious name.

Bruised

Scripture: Lev 24:20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him [again].

Observation: Can you imagine being called into court, and being beaten for your punishment? Before the age of prisons, which are quite recent in our history, that was the means of justice.

Application: The Bible says we are all sinners, no one much argues with that. We are all guilty, and we all deserve to be called into court and beaten for our wrong doings. And the reality is that according the the law in Leviticus 24, we all deserve death. The Bible says that Jesus took our punishment upon himself so that we would not deserve punishment. He took our bruises, he took our disgrace, he took our death. How could he do that? He is God, he can do all things, and he did. But we have to accept his gift. If we refuse his gift, then we will have to give account for our own wrongdoings.

Prayer: Dear Jesus. Thank you for loving me so much that you took my punishment, when you didn't deserve it. Forgive me of all of the wrong things I have done. Fill me with your love and your spirit of peace. I dedicate my life to serving you, this day, and all the days of my life.