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‘When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the LORD’ – Deuteronomy 6:11
God had delivered the people of Israel from 430 years of slavery in Egypt. He had anointed Moses to lead the people into the Promised Land, where they will have a new beginning and to worship Him. God gave them many assurances and promises. He even called the Promised Land “a land flowing with milk and honey” meaning a place of plenty food, and money and life is very easy.
“So I have come down to deliver them out of the land of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey” – Exodus 3:8
Prosperity more than poverty can dull our spiritual vision because it tends to make us self-sufficient. The same thing can happen with our nation, church, companies, and individuals. God told the people while they were in the wilderness that they should be careful when they enter the Promised Land and when they start experiencing the goodness of his promises. Moses warned the people not to forget God when they arrive at the Promised Land and became prosperous.
Prosperity is good but it is often most difficult to follow God when life is easy, we fall prey to temptation and fall away from God.
How can we forget God? When we have more than enough.
In times of plenty, we often take credit for our prosperity and become proud that our own hard work and cleverness have us rich and successful. It is easy to get so busy managing wealth that we push God right out of our lives.
Here are some notable examples of this truth:
- Adam lived in a perfect world and had a perfect relationship with God. His needs were met and he had everything. But he fell when he disobeyed God’s law.
- The Israelites had experienced the bountiful blessings when they settled in the Promised Land, when they were filled, they fell into idolatrous practices.
- King Solomon had it all: power, fame, wealth, and wisdom. But this very abundance was the source of his downfall.
- The United States and the western civilization have received great wealth and prosperity. But this same grace and blessing have led them to approve same-sex marriages and promote abortion: which leads to downfall.
If you forget the Lord God in times of abundance, you will certainly be destroyed. You will be destroyed if you refuse to obey the Lord your God.
A Call to Remember And Obey
You must fear the Lord YOUR God and serve Him.
Deuteronomy 8:10-18
“When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
"But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt.
Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.' Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”
By: Samuel Mantey
Twitter: @SamuelMantey
Email: samuelmantey@gmail.com
