God's Harsh Warnings = "Love"

                                          Leviticus 26:16
               "I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over
                     you terror, consumption, and the burning ague,
                               that shall consume the eyes, and
                                       cause sorrow of heart" 

         God warned his people of sin’s consequences for the same reason a parent warns a child of danger to protect and provide for them out of love.  God wanted his people to prosper through their compliance to his design for life.  And he wanted it so much that he promised to reward them if they obeyed (Leviticus 26:3-13).  Even if the Israelites chose to disobey God and were scattered among their enemies, God would still give them the opportunity to repent and return to him (26:40-45).  God did not want to destroy the Israelites, but to help them grow. That is the purpose of his harsh warnings.
        Our day to day experiences and hardships can sometimes seem overwhelming.  God allows these events to happen to help us grow, not to curse us.  We need to see that God’s purposes are to help us live as he designed us to live and to bring about continual growth in us.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us very simply:  "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord."  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  To retain hope while we suffer shows that we understand God’s merciful ways.
        Amen!!

Reading: (Lev. 26:1-45)
                (Jer. 29:11)

                                        May God Bless You
                                         And Your Families

                                                         Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.
                                                         The Cross Life Ministry