OBEDIENCE BRINGS THE LATTER RAIN

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Deuteronomy 11:13-17: "And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled. Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, lest the Lord's anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you." (NKJV)
 
The early rain was rain which came after the seed was planted. It watered the seed so that it would take root and sprout. The latter rain was rain which prepared the mature plant for harvest. The church needs the latter rain- the rain of the Spirit which will prepare the harvest. These verses tell us that there is a condition to receiving the latter rain. We are to "earnestly obey" God's commandments. We can't do it half-heartedly. Just going to church because it's expected of us won't fulfill the conditions. Just praying before meals or bed won't do. Just doing anything because we feel it is expected won't do it. We must love the Lord will all that we have- our heart and our soul.  Love isn't a feeling. It is a deliberate descent of our will. It isn't always gushing and tingly. But love causes us to be obedient to God's commandments.  It has to be a deliberate action.
 
There are benefits to obeying God and there are results to disobeying. Jeremiah 5:22-25 tells us this. Though he was speaking to rebellious Israel, it is also true today. Verse 25 here says: "Your iniquities have turned these things away and your sins have withheld good from you." The iniquity of the church turns away the goodness of God.
 
 
(Taken from Pastor Keith's message 10/27/2013
 
 


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