In Exodus 19 the Word (God of the Old Testament–Jesus–Jn. 1:1-4,14) was speaking to Moses concerning the 12 tribes of Israel. Read verses 5-8. Notice in verse 5 the word “then” which separated what God commanded them to do and what He would do as a result of their obedience to His commands. Then note their response in verse 8, especially the word “all.”

With the foundation of obedience and blessings laid, the Lord late gave them a separate covenant concerning His weekly Sabbaths. Read 31:12-17). Later, as recorded in 35:1-3 He AGAIN reminded them of the importance of His weekly 7th day (Saturday) Sabbath. Later He told them to enter into the land He had promised their forefather Abraham. He promised that He would drive out the heathen Canaanites from before them and give them the land they (the Canaanites) had occupied. This was what came to be known as the “Promised Land.” All Israel had to do was occupy it. God promised to drive out the heathen from before them. He would even send in hornets to force them to leave. However, the Israelites had a better idea. Instead of obeying God, they would send in scouts to search out the land. Upon seeing the giants who lived there, they refuse to go in.

As a result of their disobedience they were made to wander in the Sinai desert for the next 40 years while the older generation, who had failed to do as commanded, died off. When the next generation was told to enter the land, they did as commanded and became the most powerful, most successful, most prosperous nation on earth. But only for a while. Over time Israel again departed from their God. Because of their disobedience He raised up the Assyrians and the Babylonians who defeated, enslaved and scattered them throughout the earth where all but a few Jews remain to this day. Those who were allowed to return to the Promised Land (approx. 7,000,000 at present) live in what is called “Israel.”

Today, their descendants are operating under the same God and the same Law. The vast majority, now called “Christians” occupying what are called “Christian nations.” Incredibly, these modern day Israelites are following in the spiritual footsteps of their ancestors, with America leading the way. Having once been the most powerful, most successful, most prosperous nation on earth, America is on its way to military defeat, enslavement and scattering–SO SAYS THE LORD. The lesson was taught, but not learned. As the Book of Revelation reveals, God’s end-time people are duplicating the rebellion of their Israelite ancestors by rejecting His Law. The difference between ancient Israel and modern Israel is that anciently they recognized God’s Law but refused to obey it. Their modern-day ancestors (the Laodicean era church–Rev. 3:14-20) destroyed destroyed the Law by “nailing it to Christ’s cross.” God prophesied that both ancient and modern Israel would suffer the same consequences. America, along with all other Christian Nations, will be militarily defeated, enslaved and carried off to the lands of their conquerers as slaves. This will take place in the soon-coming Tribulation Period. Why did ancient Israel and why will modern Israel suffer the same curses from God? Because both rebelled against God by rejecting His Law. Read Who and Where is Israel Today? Key word–Who.

Incredibly, the Laodicean Church ignores the Words of the One they claim has “saved” them and freed them from His Law–the very Law He commanded them to obey in order to be saved. Jesus Christ declared in terms a child can understand that He did not come to earth to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it, meaning to preach it and live it to the fullest extent of its holiness and power (Mat. 5:17). The word “fulfill” in the Greek language is pleroo, meaning to manifest, to bring to fruition. It was prophesied of Him that He would come to earth to “magnify the Law and make it honorable (again).” Jesus came to manifest God’s Law in human form as an example of man’s ability to fulfill God’s will and inherit eternal life. As a man, Jesus fulfilled it perfectly, leaving us the ultimate example which we must emulate in order to live with Him for eternity in the paradise earth will become following the millennium.

Now we will examine some of the Lord’s statements in order to understand what is happening in the present relative to God’s cause-and-effect formula for giving-and-getting. His law of sowing and reaping explains it about as well as can be done. However, we need to notice that it is not a one-for-one give-and-get situation. Notice that when we sow one thing we receive many things as a result: We sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. This works in both the positive and negative realms.

In Matthew 6:33,34 Jesus tells us to “Seek first the Kingdom of heaven (one thing) and ALL THESE THINGS will be provided for you.” “All these things” refers to the previous verses (25-32) in which we are told that all of the things we need in this life will be provided for us “IF” we OBEY GOD’S LAW which is necessary in order to receive those promised blessings in this life, then to live in God’s eternal kingdom with Him and Christ in the next life. Read The Kingdom of God and the “IF” series. Key words–Kingdom and the Why? series. Key words–Kingdom and Why respectively.

In Luke 6:38 Jesus explains God’s giving-getting Law thusly: “Give and IT (what you give) will be given unto you in GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER AND RUNNING OVER MEN WILL GIVE TO YOU.” As I noted previously, I relate many of life’s situations, messages and lessons to the cotton fields of Missouri where I spent much of my younger life. When picking cotton we used six foot long or nine foot long pick sacks depending on one’s size. I would pick until my sack was full of loose cotton weighing 40 pounds or so. Then I would shake it and pack it down so that it occupied only about half of the sack. Over time I would repeat this act several more times until the sack was so full of hard-packed cotton that it would weigh from 70 to 80 pounds and would hold no more cotton. Then I would throw it onto my shoulder and carry it to the cotton trailer where it was weighed, after which I would carry it up the ladder and empty it into the trailer. That done I would repeat the process until dark made it impossible to see the cotton. This is the picture I see in my memory when reading Luke 6:38–“good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.” The formula that worked in the cotton fields works in the Christian walk: THE HARDER I WORKED (THE MORE OBEDIENT I BECAME) THE MORE MONEY I MADE (THE MORE BLESSINGS GOD SENDS MY WAY).

However, the same rule applies to our disobeying Him. When we sow our wind the return is much greater than the wind we sow. In the negative realm, the “whirlwind” can be devastating. God means business when it comes to obedience to His Law. He provided everything necessary FOR us in order for us to receive what He has promised. Conversely, He commands everything FROM us in order to EARN what He has made available–eternal life with Him in paradise. Those who refuse to WORK His Law (obey it) need to study James 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26. Jesus came to die for His friends, His brethren. Read John 15:13,14 and Matthew 12:46-50. Jesus did not die for Law-breakers who are neither His friends nor His brethren. His friends/brethren are those who “do whatsoever I command you to do” which is “the will of My Father in heaven.”

The Lord’s will–what He commands in His Holy Scriptures–is for us to give our lives to Him completely. Hold back nothing from Him on the spiritual level and He will return the kindness many times over. Give God your all relative to time, energy, devotion, etc. Remove all things that are not necessary from your life. Let nothing consume your time, energy, etc. that is not necessary in order to make a living. I asked God to take from me the desire for everything that was not necessary so that I could dedicate my all to Him. He did exactly that. He is no respecter of persons. If He will do that for this old cotton picker, He will do it for anyone. I no longer have a desire to watch sports events, cop shows, etc. My greatest joy is experienced when I am in His Word, praying, fasting, writing and teaching. I would not trade what I have for all of the world’s treasures. I have the only real treasure–a life filled with Almighty God. I want for nothing. For example: I have been given five automobiles and asked for none of them. As He said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” Everything else will be provided. We will not need to seek for it, for He knows what we need before we do.

Read Matthew 5:6. Notice the word “filled,” meaning “good measure, packed down, shaken together ….” Give your life to Him and He will fill you with His Holy Spirit through which all things flow. Whatever of the world you give up He will replace with the things of Himself–righteousness, holiness, power over Satan as well as the material things you need to live a happy, fulfilled life. This does not mean that there will not be persecutions, trials, temptations from Satan, etc. Jesus had to face those things and so do we. Like Jesus, we must prove ourselves to the Father. “All who will live Godly in Christ Jesus WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION” (2 Tim. 3:12). But, just as Jesus overcame, we can and must overcome. In Revelation 3:21 He tells us that “He who overcomes (life’s trials, etc.) as I overcame will sit with Me on my throne” in the Kingdom of God. Note the promise and the condition. We must work in order to get paid. Believing alone will not get it done. So says the Apostle James in chapter two. L.J.