NEW YEAR 2025

Blessing or Curse

Deuteronomy 11:26-28

Over this past year we can all go back and think of 100’s if not 1000’s of decisions we have had to make. Some of them have been pretty easy and some of them have been very hard.

The fact is that we will have to do the same here in 2025. But what I want us to talk about this morning is not the decision, to loose weight, what car you are going to buy, where you are going to live.

The most important decision you need to make right now this morning is are you going to make obeying serving and honoring God the most important decision of your life in 2025.

Or are you still going to let your life be controlled by the other 100’s and 1000’s of decisions that you have to make. I understand there is no getting away from having to make those everyday decisions.

But the question is are you going to be controlled by them like many of you were in 2024.

In 2025 why don’t we make the decision today that we are going to let God be our #1 priority in every decision we make. Do you really realize how much easier your life would be.

Are you going to experience God’s blessings this year or are you going to experience God’s discipline. Whether you want to believe it or not God not only blesses but he also disciplines.

The people in Israel experienced both. They had a choice to make as they entered into the promise land would they choose to obey God and experience blessings or would they choose to disobey God and receive God’s discipline.

Deuteronomy 11:26-28

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:

28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

This is not very hard at all to figure out this morning. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what is taking place.

Moses said for the last 40 years you have received both blessings and curses from God. So what is it going to be you make a choice you choose for your future.

For the Israelites this meant God blessings was prosperity they would be blessed they would go into a fertile land where they could produce fruit and have a good life. They had been slaves to the Egyptians for 400 years.

Moses told them God said I will give you a land that will provide all your needs, a land where you will be blessed if you choose to obey God.

Now when we look at curses here in the scripture it means discipline. Moses says having seen both what do you want for your future. If you want God’s blessings obey him or if you want his discipline continue to disobey him.

The same applies to us, we are either going to choose to obey or disobey and either way we are going to face the same things the Israelites did. Blessings for obeying, discipline for disobeying.

God’s word promises us discipline when we disobey God.

Hebrews 12:6-8

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Proverbs 3:11-12

11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:

12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

If you continue to disobey God and you do not receive any punishment from him read V-8 again

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

When we obey we receive God’s Blessings

Proverbs 16:20

20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

Happy is he, Blessed is he.

Deuteronomy 28:1-8

28 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

As we are starting a new year you can make the decision today. Do I want God’s blessings for me and my family or do I want God’s discipline for me and my family.

So what do we mean when we say God’s blessings? Sometimes it does mean that we will prosper in the things of life, may mean better relationships with your friends and family, protection from evil, a peace of mind no matter what is taking place around us.

There are real benefits that we will experience if we choose to obey God. Rather than to disobey him.

So what do we mean when we say God’s discipline? It can be anything and I am not scared to say that I truly believe that God is very patient with us when we are disobedient, but I also believe that God will do whatever is necessary to bring you back to him whether it is taking that which is most important to you.

May be even taking you out of this world if nothing else seems to work. God is serious about us disobeying him.

None of us chooses discipline and want to be cursed. I want us to. Look at some pathways that causes us to disobey and ignore God.

1. That pathway starts when you have an improper view of God.

The Israelites thought just because they were God’s people he would ignore their sin. I can promise you one thing just like God did not ignore their sin he is not going to ignore your sin.

If you are a Christian God’s forgiveness means he has erased the eternal consequences. That you will have a place in heaven.

It doesn’t mean that since you were saved you can live any way you choose and not be disciplined by God.

It actually guarantees God’s discipline

If you are not receiving God’s discipline for having an improper view of God read Hebrews 8:12 again

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

A second way to experience God’s discipline in our life is to

2. Have An improper view of ourselves

We think when good things happen to us it is because of good luck or something we have done by our own works or efforts.

We refuse to acknowledge that God is the one that is truly blessing us and if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have anything.

This is exactly what the Israelites did and look what Moses tells them.

Deut 8:11-14

11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

The times we are most likely to turn away from God is when our bank account is full, when we are healthy, when we are having a great relationship with our family and friends, when thing are going good at work.

These are the times that we turn away from God and feel that we don’t need him.

Many times the reason God turns our world upside down I believe is to truly remind us that we need to be totally dependent on him and not ourselves.

If you are not receiving God’s discipline for having an improper view of yourself read Hebrews 8:12 again

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

The third reason God can bring discipline in our lives is when

3. We have an Improper view of other people

That is when we depend on other people to fill a place in our heart and depend on them for our needs.

That is exactly what idolatry is. Loving someone else or something more than we do God.

When we study the bible right here in Deuteronomy There is one sin that God will punish every time and that is idolatry.

You may be here this morning thinking that ain’t me. I believe in God I don’t worship some statue, that is not what God calls an idol it is anything or anyone you put ahead of God.

Wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, job, money, children, hunting, fishing, baseball, football any other sports.

Whenever you put anything at all before God I would be very careful because God will surely discipline those that do.

If you are not being disciplined for putting those things before God read Hebrews 8:12 again

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

So what is it then that leads to God’s blessings in our lives. We see some of the main things that lead to God’s discipline.

Moses shares with us that pathway also.

Deu. :11:26-27

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:

If you want God’s blessings in your life then “Obey the commandments of the Lord your God.”

If you are looking to start 2025 off right remember this verse, memorize it. Matter of fact I want you to put your name where Israel’s name is.

Deu. 10:12

12 And now, Michael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

Moses tells the Israelites and you and me here there are 3 things we must do to be blessed.

1. Fear God

What does it mean to fear God? It means to fear just what it says. We should fear when we are not doing right we should be afraid of the discipline we are going to receive when we disobey God.

2. Walk in all of his ways.

If you want to be blessed by God it means to obey God in everything you do. In every part of your life.

Are you doing that,

What about your moral life?,

What about your family life?,

What about your everyday work? You know our work is a calling no matter what you do are you doing with all your heart or just doing it to get by.

What about your business dealings? Are they honest.

What about your spiritual life? Are you tithing the way the bible tells you to.

Are you attending church faithfully?

Are your reading your bible and praying?

Are you not only attending church but serving in the church you are attending?

This is what Moses is saying here are you walking with God in all of his ways.

3. Love God and to serve him with all of your heart.

Your obedience to God should not be out of the fear but your love for God, for everything he has done for you.

He did this for Israel, he loved them, delivered them, freed them from bondage, parted the red sea so they could cross without being killed, provided them food and water. Out of gratitude shouldn’t they have obeyed him. Of course they should.

We should be thankful this morning for all God has done for us. Not only all of the things he provides you with everyday but most of all dying for you and for me.

Shouldn’t that make us want to honor and obey God in everything we do and to love him with all of our heart.

This is the pathway that leads to God’s blessings in our life.

Let me tell you this this morning if you wait until you are in the middle of the battles in your life to obey God then guess what you have waited to long.

The choice to love God and obey him with all of your heart should come before hand. It should be long before the battles even come. Then when they do you are prepared to fight them.

Are you ready to make that decision today to make God the priority in your life.

If you want to have a better year in 2025.

I strongly suggest you do you best to avoid God’s discipline in your life this year.

Don’t have an improper view of God, improper view of yourself or an improper view of other people.

If you want to be blessed this year then make the commitment right now to do what this one verse tells us.

Deu. 10:12

12 And now, Michael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

Fear God, walk in all of his ways and love God and serve him with all of your heart.

Do these things and you will have a great 2025.