Moses is speaking to Joshua and the next generation of Israelites as they ready themselves to enter the promised land. As a consequence of their disobedience of God during their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites had to wait in the desert for 40 years. And because of his lack of trust in God during a separate incident, Moses himself wasn't going to enter the promised land. But these hard-learned lessons in the desert were not lost on Moses - and he was going to make sure the next generation of Israelites knew the certainty of what he had learned before: obey God, and you will be blessed; reject God, and you will be cursed. That's just the way it was. 

And so it is today. Like the law of gravity has held true both then and now, this "law of blessings and curses" still holds true today. In John 3:16-17 Jesus tells us we have the choice to believe and be blessed (eternal life with God), or not believe and suffer the curse (separation from God). In John 10:10 he says we can follow him and enjoy a full life, or follow others toward a life of destruction. In John 13:17 he teaches us that we will be blessed if we serve others.  We see this principle in our own lives and in the lives of the rich and famous. No one is above it - it's just the way it is.

God is not standing with one eyebrow raised and his arms folded waiting to see our lives unravel. He wants to bless us.  It is sobering and humbling to know that this blessing in our lives is a direct result of our choice to obey Him.


Author: Mark Dwyer

I had the chance to be in St. Louis this past week and we visited this place called City Museum. It is kind of confusing because it really isn't a museum at all. It really is a giant play place for kids and adults. It also may be one of the most confusing places ever. There are tunnels and paths and places to go that lead you in all sorts of crazy directions. You really can't describe it. But as I was having a blast exploring this place I realized in many ways this place was just like life. There are paths and avenues and opportunities all over the place. Some positive and some not. It can be crazy confusing. 

The key to the City Museum was to remember where your starting point was. If you could remember that almost everything would eventually come back to that point. The same is true in life. We must remember our starting point and that is Jesus. 

We are new in Christ and when we lose our way just remember that is where we start. We start in Him!


Author: Brett Lilly

It strikes me how the simple, crucial and consistent message of "living by faith" weaves its way through the Bible. Faith is to believe in what is unseen. Adam and Eve needed faith to obey the simple commands of God. Noah needed faith to build a boat on dry land and save his family from the flood. Abraham needed faith to become the father of a nation at an old age. Moses needed faith to lead the Israelites out of slavery. David needed faith to defeat Goliath, and then Saul. Peter needed faith to leave his job as a fisherman. Paul needed faith to make a 180 degree turn and lead the people he had been persecuting. 

And all of these people, through their faith, received their true reward when Jesus completed his mission of reconciliation. It wasn't through their ethnicity, actions, intelligence, condition or luck. It was God's grace through their faith (Ephesians 2:8). And so it is with us today. Our access to the greatest gift of all time depends not on how we live, who we are, where we're from or what we own - just what we believe about Jesus. The question he asked Peter (Matthew 16) must be answered personally by each of us today; "Who do you say I am?"

When Moses came down Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments, his face radiated the brilliance of the God with whom he had just met. And yet the old covenant that he brought with him doesn't hold a candle to the new covenant, which Christ has revealed to each new believer. The sun is impressive in the day, but its power can also be seen at night through its reflection off the moon. If you have met Him already, is your life reflecting the light of God?

Author: Mark Dwyer