Confession

"If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. For the land will be abandoned by them, and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes. Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God. But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the Lord." -Leviticus 26.40-45

God will punish disobedience. He must because He is holy and righteous, and His people must live according to His standards. But God, though He is a god of justice, is also full of mercy. He must punish sin and disobedience, but if there is genuine confession, God will extend forgiveness. There are still consequences for sin, but ultimately there is forgiveness and restoration.

Men, as long as you are breathing, it is not too late. No matter what you have done, there is forgiveness available. Your life may be falling apart because of the choices you've made. Your decision and actions may have cost you your home, family, and job, but God is able to forgive you, and to restore you. Are you willing to confess your sin and turn to Him?

It is important to note that confession does not mean all your problems will go away. Again, our choices have consequences and we must face them. But when we confess, we face them with God and they are now used to mold us into the image of Christ. And as we face the consequences, God is working for restoration in our lives. But it all begins with the confession.

Obedience brings blessings from God. Disobedience brings punishment and separation from God. Confession brings restoration to God. Let us live in obedience, and quickly confess when we disobey.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Penalties for Disobedience

"But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you. If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit." -Leviticus 26.14-20

If obedience to God brings about blessings, it can be assumed that disobeying Him will and rejecting His standards of righteousness will bring about punishment. Here, immediately following the verse that talk about blessings, God warns Israel what will take place if they choose to reject Him. If they break the covenant God will appoint terror, consumption and fever. Their efforts to grow food will be futile, and their enemies will consume whatever grows. God will set His face against them, and they will not have victory. Instead of freed men, they will be subject to those who hate them. God tells them that they will be punished seven times more for their sins and that He will break their pride.

Men, what does your life look like? Is it full of the blessings of God, or with the penalties of disobedience. To clarify, living for God does not mean that your life will be problem free, I'm working on a paper towards my Master's about pain and suffering in the Christian life, and how it ultimately serves to make us more holy. Turning to God does not mean that we will have no problems. It means that God will be with us, provide for us, and protect us no matter where we go. There will still be hardships and trials, but when we live in obedience God is always with us.

If we choose to live for ourselves, ignoring what God has said, we invite destruction. It may not come right away, infact those who live for themselves may seem the most prosperous and successful in this life. But is there any joy? Is there any meaning in what they do? If God isn't there, then what is the point?

We have two choices, obediently follow God, living righteously according to His standards; or we can disobey and do whatever seems right and best to us. One path brings the presence of God through all things, good and bad. The other goes it alone. What is your choice?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Blessings of Obedience

"If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect." -Leviticus 26.3-13

God tells His people that if they will follow Him, be fully devoted to Him, and live righteously as He has instructed them, then He will bless them. As I read this I thought back to Genesis 28, when Jacob is giving God all of the requirements God needs to meet for Jacob to follow Him (see Ultimatums from March 3,2014). Jacob said that if God would do this, this, this, and this, then Jacob would serve Him faithfully. But who is Jacob to give such ultimatums to God? Who is any man to God how it's going to be? But here we see God talking. Here we see God telling man what must happen, and what God will do if they obediently follow Him.

God promises to send rain so that the crops will grow, and He promises that the crops will come abundantly and last so that they don't have to worry about what they will eat. He promises peace, so that the people can live without paranoia, always looking over their shoulders and sleeping with one eye open. He promises that war shall not come to their land, and that harmful animals will be removed as well, so that their families and flocks may live in safety. God promises victory, few will overcome many, and the enemies will flee before them.

God promises to make them a great nation, and to fulfill His covenant with them. They will multiply and enjoy the promises made to Abraham. God promises His presence and acceptance of them. He will be their God. He delivered them from slavery so that they might enjoy fellowship together. God greatly desires for this, but in order for the people to receive it, they must desire it equally greatly. God has done so much more them, offered them so much, that they must respond in trust and righteous living to receive the blessings.

Men, God makes the same promises to us. He promises provision, protection, and peace. He offers us victory and security. He desires to dwell among us and fellowship with us. But in order to receive the blessings from God, we must pursue the God of the blessings.

This isn't a list of "do this in order to get that" rather it is the result that comes from intimate fellowship with God. When we come to new life in Him, when we delight in Him and fellowship with Him, these things are the natural result of that. And when we live apart from God, these things cannot be found. They are the result of a righteous life. The are the blessings of obedience.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor