Blessings and Cursings

He read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings. —Joshua 8:34

We are often inclined to read only what pleases us and avoid that unpleasant stuff. We like to hear “smooth things” (Isa. 30:10).  We embrace the blessings and neglect the warnings.  We stand on the promises and shut our ears to the judgments.  We like stories of Christ’s gentleness, and skip over the accounts of His rebukes.

All scripture is profitable—Both “the blessings and the cursings” (2 Tim. 3:16).  The Bible is not a smorgasbord of truth where you pick and choose only what appeals to your spiritual palette.

When we fail to hear “the whole counsel of God,” it is to our own detriment and hurt. We become spiritually weak and soft towards sin. We lack moral fortitude and spiritual backbone to stand against wickedness. It is easier to compromise.

God has given us ALL His Words for our benefit—The sweet and bitter;  the honey and the wormwood (Rev. 10:10).  As God commanded, “ALL my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears” (Ezek. 3:10).

We need the WHOLE Bible to be a WHOLE Christian.