Give Thanks for God’s Provisions & Hidden Blessings
Are you thankful for God’s blessings, provision, guidance, and love each day? It’s easy to take God’s presence and help for granted. Let’s take a moment to count the ways that God has provided for us.
Be Careful: Don’t Forget the Lord
Are you wandering in the desert?
In our study of Deuteronomy today, we have a new generation of Israelites soon to enter the promised land. The Israelites who had sent spies to spy out the promised land 40 years earlier have all died. The older generation of Israelites had rebelled. They believed the bad report that 10 of the spies spread. Only two of the spies—Joshua and Caleb—gave a good report and believed that the Israelites could take possession of the land. Only Joshua and Caleb believed that they could defeat the people that occupied the land 40 years earlier.
And because the people rebelled, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years and did not go and take possession of the land. The older generation did not believe God would give them victory over the inhabitants of the land and so they wandered in the desert for 40 years—until that entire generation died.
God is now warning this new generation of Israelites to not forget the Lord.
God had told the earlier generation to go and possess the land that he had promised to give to their fathers. But they did not believe they could defeat the people of the land.
They had a lack of faith.
They were looking to their own ability and their own strength.
They were looking at the inhabitants of the land and saw the inhabitants were stronger and bigger than they were, and the people of God were afraid.
The Israelites forgot about God and how God delivered them out of Egypt.
They needed to believe God would defend them.
They needed to stand firm in faith.
They needed to move forward in faith.
They need to remember the promises of God.
They needed to believe that what God did to the Egyptians (a strong enemy), he would do to the enemy that was now before them.
Remember, God warned the people not to rebel. He warned the people to obey the commands of the Lord and to not be afraid.
The people of God would soon learn that Moses would not be the one to lead them into the promised land, and he warns them to not worship other gods. The Israelites were not to allow their hearts to wander from serving the Lord. They were told that if they sought the Lord with all their hearts, they will find him (Deuteronomy 4:29).
The Israelites were told that God would not abandon them and that they should always remember that God brought them out of Egypt, and that they would soon cross over into the promised land.
Be careful to remember God’s faithfulness
God clearly loved the Israelites, for no other reason than he loved them (Deuteronomy 7:7-9). And he loves you like this too.
The Israelites would soon learn that God would defeat the people and nations who occupied the promised land, just as he did to Pharaoh and his army.
This new generation of Israelites understood that the nations before them may be stronger. However, they were told “do not be afraid” of them; remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear (Deuteronomy 7:17-19).
God was preparing the Israelites for their entry into the promised land.
God wanted the Israelites to remember and not forget all that the Lord had done for them in Egypt as they moved forward to take possession of the promised land. God wanted the Israelites to be careful, and to take to heart, all they were commanded to do. He wanted them to obey, and not rebel like the previous generation.
“Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you” (Deuteronomy 8:1-5, NIV).
Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today (Deuteronomy 8:11-18).
The Israelites were warned to be careful and to follow every command. And if they did, two things would happen:
They would live and increase.
They would enter and possess the land.
The blessing of obedience was not only that they would live; but that they would increase. Not only would they enter the land; but that they would possess it.
Living and entering the land is one thing; but increasing and taking possession of the land is quite another. Increasing and possessing the land would mean the Israelites were victorious over all the inhabitants of the land.
Give thanks for God’s provision
Remember, this was a new generation that was about to enter the promised land. This generation grew up in the desert over the last 40 years. They had heard the stories of God’s deliverance from Egypt, from their parents and the previous generation. But they did not witness the deliverance themselves. They heard of the plagues that came against Egypt, but they did not experience it themselves.
They heard the promise of God regarding the promised land. They would have heard the story of the Red Sea parting and the destruction of the Egyptian army. But they were not there themselves. They only heard of the stories. They only knew of his promises.
Could they trust God to give them victory?
What this generation did know, is that they had already experienced the provision of God in the desert for themselves.
They experienced God providing manna and quail six days a week.
They experienced how the manna would last only one day. But the people could gather twice as much on the day before the Sabbath (a day when they were not to work or gather the manna) and only over the Sabbath day would the manna not spoil and last for a second day.
They experienced God providing good, sweet water in the desert.
They experienced how their clothes and sandals did not wear out during those 40 years of wandering.
They experienced being led by God in the desert.
But could they trust God to give them victory over the battles they were to face in the future? The people of God soon learned that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Yes, they could trust God. God provided for the Israelites for 40 years, and he warns them to be careful not to forget the Lord their God. The previous generation did not consider that with God they were already victorious even before the battle.
The Israelites needed to remember that truth and promise of God.
Church, the time of wandering in the desert occurred because the previous generation refused to believe they could successfully take possession of the promised land.
We are warned:
Be careful to follow every command.
Remember how the Lord led you in the desert.
Remember how the Lord gave you manna.
Remember how your clothes did not wear out.
Remember how your feet did not swell.
In other words, remember how you were cared for in the desert (in the past), and how physically healthy you were those 40 years that you were wandering in the desert.
Let me caution you to remember all the things God has done for you. As you do, you will be able to walk forward in faith each day, knowing he is the same yesterday, today and forever more.
In just a few days we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time we give thanks for the past and look forward to the future. It might be a good time to stop for a few moments and think what you are thankful about. Maybe: providing for finances, health, healing, relationships, job, salvation, or protection in a situation.
Now, you may not always agree with how things are going in your life. Just remember, God loves you. He has plans to prosper you and not harm you. You have a hope and future in Christ if you know him as Lord and savior. Remember, God sent his one and only son Jesus; he suffered, bled, died and rose again that you might have eternal life.
And just as an earthly father may say no to their child. Just as an earthly father may discipline a child. Just as an earthly father may allow their child to make choices that are not the best at times; so does God. But that does not mean the earthly father does not love the child. Same is true for your heavenly father. And like the father, in the parable of the prodigal son, God is ready to welcome home with open arms whosoever calls out to him in faith.
God did not stop the Israelites from rebelling. But when the Israelites, decided to turn back to God with all their hearts he was ready to welcome them back. The same is true for people today.
God allowed the Israelites to wander in the desert for 40 years to humble them and so they would learn and remember God’s faithfulness and provision in times of need. As they remembered God’s love, faithfulness and provision in the past they could walk in faith and move forward knowing God was with them as they crossed over into the promised land.
Starting in verse 12 we see a warning to not forget about God when they settle down and take possession of the land. The writer reminds the reader how God led them in the desert: how he brought water out of a rock, he gave them manna to eat.
God knew that when things started going well, the people would become satisfied, settled, wealthy, and proud. Then forgot about God and his promises and delivery from bondage.
The people might begin to think they accomplished everything by their own strength; but they hadn’t. It was God who gave them the ability to do all they did. It was God who gave them the victory; lest they forget.
God is waiting for you with open arms
What does this mean for us today? We must remember and not forget that God has blessed us, redeemed us, and gives us victory over sin and death.
Not many people will cry out to God if they have a sense of pride in their hearts. Not many people will cry out to God when life is good.
It’s not until a tragedy happens, until the person recognizes a need for God that they will cry out to him. It’s not until the person understands they are a sinner, until they have fallen deep into bondage, become ill or find themselves in some awful trouble, that they choose to reach out for help.
And yet, God is waiting for them—for you—to cry out to him; and with open arms he will forgive, save, and deliver when they cry out in faith.
God is waiting for us to cry out to God, and he will answer. God is also waiting for those of us who may have made some poor choices and who have found ourselves in spiritual bondage, in a faraway land, and as we cry out to God, he will answer.
God will welcome us back just as the father of the periodical son welcomes his son back. With a celebration and rejoicing.
Truth be told, not many people will cry out to God when things are running smooth. Sadly, when the battle is over, and the person feels secure, the person will often forget about God.
Remember, that is what happened when America was attacked, and the twin towers fell. People filled the churches. But as time passed, many forgot about God.
Many in America today call themselves Christians, but they have forgotten about God, until they need him. Now that they feel safe; many have forgotten about God. They see no need to go to church on a regular basis. They do not see the need to read and pray daily. They see no need to study the scriptures and learn more about the Lord. They see no need to press in and seek the Lord with all their heart. Oh, they may have heard the stories of how God moved in the past. They may have heard how people would go to the altar, pray and leave renewed in faith. But today for some people, the stories in the bible are just that, stories.
Others believe, but that was then, and this is now. They do not have faith for God to heal, provide or deliver from bondage, today.
Still others have compromised, forgotten or simply walked away from God because they got too busy. Too busy to spend time praying, singing, worshiping with others or listening to a sermon.
Without realizing it, they have dismissed their faith in God and began to believe a lie of the enemy.
A lie that God does not care.
A lie that they don’t need God.
A lie that they earned the promotion themselves.
A lie that they got the job by their own ability.
That they deserved the raise in pay because they worked hard. That God had nothing to do with it.
Do you remember God’s help and promises?
The truth is: God blessed you!
God opened that door for that job.
God gave you that skill and ability.
God gave you the wisdom to come up with that idea.
Do you remember the day you said yes to Jesus? Do you remember the time you fasted and prayed? Do you remember the first prayer God answered? Do you remember the last time you thanked God for the breath in your lungs or for the freedom to pray and worship God? A freedom that many around the world do not have.
Are you passionate for God today, as you once were? Do you love the Lord today as much today, as you did when you first believed? Now I am not saying you don’t love or remember the Lord. Just, be careful and do not forget the Lord. Don’t allow the busyness in life or distractions to cause you to forget the Lord.
The Israelites were soon to enter the promised land and they remembered God’s faithfulness in the past and believed he would deliver them in the present.
And as Christians we are soon to enter the promised land. Never forget the blessings of God this Thanksgiving. Never forget his promise that he will never leave or forsake you. Walk in faith and victory daily.
Eternity with Christ happens the moment we breathe our last breath here on earth. Let us be careful to remember and never forget the Lord.
Suggested Praise and Worship
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This and other sermons brought to you by Faith Chapel, an Assemblies of God church in Pleasanton, CA.