¹And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

   ²Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

   ³And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

   ⁴This day came ye out in the month Abib.

   ⁵And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

   ⁶Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.

   ⁷Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

   ⁸And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

   ⁹And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

   ¹⁰Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

   ¹¹And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,

   ¹²That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’s.

   ¹³And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

   ¹⁴And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

   ¹⁵And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

   ¹⁶And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

   ¹⁷And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

   ¹⁸But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

   ¹⁹And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

   ²⁰And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

   ²¹And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

   ²²He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

I listen diligently and pay attention to the voice of the Lord my God.

I am watchful to do all His commandments,

which He commands me this day.

 

Therefore the Lord my God is setting me high above

all the nations of the earth.

 

All these blessings are coming upon me and overtaking me because I heed the voice of the Lord my God:

I am blessed in the city and blessed in the field.

 

The fruit of my body is blessed and the fruit of my ground is blessed and so is the fruit of my beasts, the increase of my cattle and the young of my flock

 

My basket is blessed and so is my kneading trough.

I am blessed when I come in and blessed when I go out.

The Lord is causing my enemies, who rise up against me, to be defeated before my face.

 

They may come out against me one way, but they will

flee before me seven ways.

 

The Lord is commanding the blessing upon me in my storehouse and in all that I undertake.

 

The Lord my God is blessing me in the land, which He has given me.

The Lord is establishing me as a person holy to Himself, as He has promised me, because I am faithful to keep the commandments of the Lord my God and walk in His ways.

 

All the people of the earth see that I am called by the Name of the Lord and that His hand is upon me, and they are afraid of me.

The Lord is making me to have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of my body, of my livestock, and of my ground, in the land which the Lord promised to give me.

 

The Lord is opening to me His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to my land in its season and to bless

all the work of my hands.

 

Therefore I will lend to many nations, but I will not borrow.

The Lord is making me the head and not the tail.

I am above only and not beneath.

I am blessed today and every day, because I heed the commandments of the Lord my God, which He commands me this day and I am watchful to do them.

 

I will not turn aside from any of the words, which He commands me this day – to the right or to the left – to go after

other gods to serve them.

 

I am abundantly blessed, because I serve the Lord my God with joyfulness of mind and heart, in gratitude for the

abundance of all with which He has blessed me.

 

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and 47

Paraphrased from the Amplified Bible

 

 

This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.  Joshua 1:8 AMP

 

The Lord spoke to Joshua and told him to meditate on the Word of God day and night and to speak nothing else, but the Word, out of his mouth. In this way, he would become a doer of the Word and he would become prosperous, wise and successful. This is not just for Joshua, but for every one of us. God’s Word is no respecter of persons. If you will meditate on God’s Word – put it in your heart, speak it out loud, think about it and act on it, you too will be prosperous, wise and successful.  

 

God has given us many wonderful and precious promises, but they will only become ours when we believe what He has said to us and we act on His Word and take hold of his promise. It is like a gift under the Christmas tree – the gift may have your name on it, but it will stay there, just as it is forever, unless you go over to the tree, pick it up, open it up and start to use it! When you meditate on God’s Word, you must read it, memorize it, think about it – rolling it over in your mind – and then confess it to yourself and over yourself. Keep confessing it until it becomes so real to you in your spirit – more real than the things and situations you are seeing with your natural eye. When you meditate on God’s Word and confess God’s Word, you begin to see the promise with the eye of your Spirit, and sooner or later you will see it manifested in the natural realm!

 

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.

 

22 That is why his [Abraham’s] faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

 

23 But [the words], It was credited to him, were written not for his sake alone,

 

24 But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

 

25 Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God].  Romans 4:21-25 AMP

 

Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness – right standing with God. These words were not written just for his sake, but for yours as well, because through every generation, with or without the law, faith was required in order to be counted righteous, Works alone, no matter how good, cannot purchase righteousness. Righteousness comes only by faith – it is a free gift. Jesus was betrayed and put to death because of your misdeeds and mine.

 

God raised Jesus from the dead to secure your justification (your acquittal) making your account balance (He paid the debt you could not pay) and absolving you from all guilt before God. You can come boldly and confidently into the throne-room of grace to find mercy in your time of need.

 

Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one).  Romans 5:1 AMP

 

You are justified through faith and you have peace, and can enjoy peace, with God through your Lord, Jesus Christ, but it doesn’t completely benefit you unless you become aware of it and understand it through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.  Romans 5:2 AMP

 

Through Jesus, you have access by faith into grace – God’s favor. This grace and favor is secure – as long as you believe in Him – it will always be yours. You can relax and know that God’s grace and favor rests upon you now and you can rejoice as you look forward to experiencing and enjoying the glory of God, in a measure here, and in it’s fullness in eternity.

 

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.  Romans 5:3 AMP

 

When you know how much the Father, Son and Holy Spirit love you, how much favor you have with them and how wonderful heaven is going to be – there is not much left that can scare you. For you to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:29)!

 

You are so full of Jesus and so full of joy that you are not afraid of trouble or hardship. When you go through something hard you have two choices – you can let it take you out or you can take it out! When you decide to fight the good fight of faith, place your confidence in God, and bear up under the pressure, you are going to come out better than when you went in.

 

You are going to come out the other side with more patience than you had before and an ability to endure much more than you could before. The devil is not going to be able to push you around so easily the next time! You will be toughened up!

 

And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:4-5 AMP

 

When patient endurance is developed in your life, it also develops maturity of character. This kind of character produces the habit of joyful and confident hope – a hope that will never disappoint you. Some people are afraid to hope in case things don’t work out and they are disappointed, but when you have gone through some hard things and you have trusted in God and He has come through for you, you are encouraged to develop the habit of a hopeful attitude. This hopeful attitude will always serve you well and will not disappoint you. Hope is the foundation for your faith and you know that it is only your faith in God that causes Him to pour out His grace, mercy and favor on you when you ask for it. Therefore, when you face your next challenge – and you will – you can face it with confidence, remembering that God came through for you last time and knowing that He is sure to come through for you again this time, as you put your trust in Him.

 

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2 saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were “unclean,” that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”   Mark 7:1-8 NIV

 

Religion and tradition are terrible things. They cause you to take your eyes off the really important things and to become obsessed with trivia – things that are completely unprofitable to your spiritual life. If the devil can’t get the Church to reject God outright, he will try to dilute the power of God and the power of the Word by mixing it with doubt, unbelief and man-made tradition. In the end you are serving a ritualistic form of religion and you have no more relationship with the Lord at all – you only think that you do. This is the place the Pharisees were. They were blinded and deceived by their religion, relying completely on their own works for favor with God and neglecting to keep their hearts pure and honest before God. They only did Him lip service. They worked at perfecting the outward man to impress people, rather than humbling themselves before God – the only One Who has the power to save their souls. Because they only gave lip service to God without giving Him their hearts, all their efforts amounted to nothing before God and were of no eternal value.

 

And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’   11 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”   Mark 7:9-13 NIV

 

Because the Pharisees’ hearts were not right with God, they were not afraid to brashly pervert the Word of God. They were so deceived by religious tradition that they even encouraged people to bring an offering to the temple in lieu of obeying the Word and commandments of God! They built their kingdom at the expense of God’s kingdom. No wonder they were disturbed and threatened by Jesus – He exposed their lies and hypocrisy and their impure hearts.  

 

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.'”  17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? 19 For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”) 20 He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.'”  Mark 7:14-23 NIV

 

You must not only put a guard on your lips, but you must guard and protect your heart. Don’t try to please or impress man. The only One you should be trying to please, is the Lord – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Your lip service is totally insufficient without a humble heart that is yielded to the Lord. Your sacrifice is worthless if your heart is not submitted to God and if it is not right with God. If you turn your heart toward God and you seek to please only Him, then He will gladly accept all your sacrifices, including your sacrifice of praise.

 

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Psalms 51:15-17 NIV

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”   Matthew 26:26-29 NIV

 

When Father God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to the earth, it was for a specific task and a specific reason. He came to die, to shed His blood, to cut a covenant between God and man. His blood was poured out and an everlasting covenant of grace, mercy and forgiveness was established on the behalf of all those who believe in Him and receive His sacrifice.

 

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.  Hebrews 2:14-18 NKJV

 

We are created, flesh and blood. Jesus came to earth, also becoming flesh and blood, God in the body of a man, to die for us. That is what Christmas is all about. God came to earth as man to share in all our sufferings, to die as a sacrificial lamb, to destroy the devil, and to release us from the bondage we were in all our lives, which was caused by the fear of death. He did not come to save angels – there is no redemption for fallen angels – but He came to save us from sin, fear and death.

 

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.   Hebrews 9:11-15 NKJV

 

The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to wash away every sin without exception. He cleanses our conscience from dead works and religion and tradition, bringing us into a relationship with the Father that we never had before. In His blood is the fulfillment of the promise of eternal inheritance promised to all those who will receive it by faith.

 

22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.   Romans 3:22-26 NIV

 

We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s grace. The good news, the joy to the world that the angels spoke of at Jesus’ birth was that Jesus Christ was born to die, an atoning sacrifice, redeeming us from sin and judgment, bringing us into right standing with the Father if we believe in Him. 

 

13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV

 

Through Jesus, the Father has delivered us from the all the powers of darkness and He has conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

 

Through Jesus’ blood, we are redeemed, and our sins are forgiven and washed away.

22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.   Hebrews 9:22 NKJV

 

Because of the blood of Jesus and only the blood of Jesus, we stand pure and holy before the Lord of Hosts.

 

 

 

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!   Psalms 27:13 AMP

 

What would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living?

 

What would have become of me had I not believed?  I would have lost heart (NKJV); I would have despaired (NASU); I had fainted (KJV), unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  God is good and He has promised us that if we trust Him and obey Him, that He will show us His goodness. Because I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord, at this time and in this place, I encourage myself in the Lord – I will not lose heart, despair or faint.

 

God has promised us that He would bless us and take care of us in the land of the living – here in this lifetime. I believe that I will see His goodness – here and now – because I believe the promises in His Word. I believe (RSV); I am still confident of this (NIV); I am expecting the Lord to rescue me again (TLB), so that once again I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! I will see God’s goodness because I believe in Him and His word! His word is true, but it is only true to me if I will believe it.

 

I cannot afford to give up, to look at the dark side of life, to be depressed, or to be discouraged. I must keep my hopes up, keep the faith, trust in His word, and keep my eyes on Jesus! My believing brings the promise to me that He has already promised. If I refuse to believe the promise, then I will give up hope and I will be lost – I will never see His goodness. 

 

King David knew the promises of God and He trusted His word. That is why he was successful when all the odds were against him. That is why he lived a long, prosperous life – because he believed that God would take care of him. He also knew that if he doubted God’s word that he would have been lost. He knew that God was his source and supply and he leaned totally over on God allowing God to be God in his life.

 

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident. 4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

 

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” 9 Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.

 

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!  Psalms 27:1-14 NKJV

 

When your life hangs in the balance – will you believe in God’s goodness and allow Him to be strong on your behalf – or will you doubt Him and lose what little you have? You know what the right answer is! Be strong and of good courage, wait on the Lord and expect Him to keep His word.