A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of November 21-25, 2022
MONDAY
When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.
Deuteronomy 8:10
This is an important commandment. We should be mindful to bless the Lord when we are content with our natural circumstances. People complain that Christmas is too commercial. This is because many people forget that it is the celebration of the Lord’s birth. They forget to bless the Lord and get caught up more in the giving and receiving, spending, eating and drinking associated with the holidays. This is typical of human behavior. It is for this reason that God commands us to remember to bless Him in good times. It is easy to forget the Lord.
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Psalms 107:19-21 ~ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men!
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
November 21: 1 Chronicles 16, James 3, Obidiah, Luke 5
November 22: 1 Chronicles 17, James 4, Jonah 1, Luke 6
November 23: 1 Chronicles 18, James 5, Jonah 2, Luke 7
November 24: 1 Chronicles 19-20, 1 Peter 1, Jonah 3, Luke 8
November 25: 1 Chronicles 21, 1 Peter 2, Jonah 4, Luke 9
November 26: 1 Chronicles 22, 1 Peter 3, Micah 1, Luke 10
November 27: 1 Chronicles 23, 1 Peter 4, Micah 2, Luke 11
TUESDAY
Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today.
Deuteronomy 8:11
When we remember to bless the Lord, we open the door to fellowship with Him. In doing this, we invite Him in to speak with us, share His knowledge with us, and we benefit greatly from our association. Communion with God keeps our thoughts on the things that are important. We can focus on things from above, and not become entangled in the affairs of the world. Blessing the Lord allows us to abide in His world, to be content IN HIM, and not subject ourselves to the emotional ups and downs that plague us when we forget the Lord.
WEDNESDAY
Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them…
Deuteronomy 8:11-12
There are times when we feel blessed beyond measure. It is the Lord’s will to bless and prosper us. He delights in the prosperity of His servants. These times are the most precarious. These are times when we are full, when we can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labors. King Solomon called this vanity and vexation of spirit. It is empty without the Lord.
THURSDAY
Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage…
Deuteronomy 8:11-14
Then there may be some of us, who excel and prosper in every area of life. Imagine, being Bill Gates, and radically saved on top of it. There is so much that the Lord wants to do for us, but He will only do it if we can keep our focus on Him. If a little bit of prosperity causes us to forget Him, don’t think He will give us more. Our prosperity depends upon our keeping our covenant of worship with Him. When we think of the Lord, we must remember all that He has done for us.
FRIDAY
When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.
Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Deuteronomy 8:10-18
This is a good day to remember all that God has done for you personally. He found you when you were in sin, and loved you out of your sin. When you didn’t know how to look out for yourself, He protected you. Many times you could have been killed, or injured, or imprisoned, but God. Perhaps you had a hard life. There were times when you had no food. Someone brought groceries for you or took you out for a meal. Perhaps this was done for you more than a few times. In your resentment of your poverty, you vowed never to be poor again. You’ve worked hard for what you have, but God provided for you in those hard times. Don’t be bitter; bless the Lord for His provision.
So you are doing better. You have a good education, good job, good family, nice house, and car, maybe even an SUV or luxury vehicle. Sometimes in looking at all you possess, you will be tempted to think your power got you the things that you possess. Think again, it is God who gives you the power to get wealth. He doesn’t remind you of this constantly. This is why you must remind yourself to bless the Lord. He gives you wealth so that He may establish His covenant with you. Did you not know that you have a covenant of wealth with God? “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord… wealth and riches shall be in His house” (Psalm 112:1,3). God has sworn and He will do it. He will provide abundantly for you. Having that reassurance is enough to make your day. Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together.