Thursday, April 9, 2020

Thurs.’s Devo -The Blessings

Read: Deuteronomy 33:1-29; Luke 13;1-21; Psalm 78:65-72; Proverbs 12:25
After all of Moses reproofs and warnings, he finally gets to bless the tribes with God’s blessing. I would think that this was a joy for Moses to do.
He blessed Reuben with growth in their numbers and Judah with strength to defeat their enemies. Levi was blessed with faithfulness and obedience. Benjamin was blessed with God’s presence. Joseph was blessed with abundance and fruitfulness. Zebulun would prosper abroad and Issachar would prosper at home. Gad was blessed with leadership and Naphtali with favor. Asher was blessed with security and respect.
All of Israel was blessed with God’s protective shield and victory over their enemies.
In Luke, the people were trying to get Jesus to put a measure on sin, but Jesus refused. The worse sinner and the least sinner were all sinners that needed to repent. Jesus gave them the parable about the fig tree to show his patience to allow people to repent.
Jesus healed the woman who was bent over under a demonic spell. It just happened to be the Sabbath. I love what the Pharisees said. They told Jesus that there were six days that he could heal but just not on the Sabbath. That is pretty funny! Jesus healed on the Sabbath because on the 7th day, everyone will be healed. What was crooked will be made straight.
Then Jesus explained that the kingdom of God starts very small and grows. We can plant a little seed of hope or love in someone and it will grow. We can water a seed already planted and it will grow. The kingdom of God is advancing.
Lord, thank you that you choose the weak and make them strong. You choose the poor and make them rich in spirit. May your kingdom come. May we plant seeds of life and hope and not fear and destruction.

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