Our text is spoken by Moses to Israel prior to entering Canaan. In context, Moses declares to the children of Israel that if they will obey all the commandments and statutes of God they will have a happy and blessed life in Canaan. But if they turn to other gods, and serving idols they will surely perish, and be driven from the land. Let me give you some things to consider.

1. Israel was getting ready to go into Canaan, a type of the perfect will of God.

2. But in Canaan, God's perfect will, they still had choices to make.

3. Their lives could be blessed or cursed dwelling in the place where God desired them to be.

4. It was their choice.

5. It was a simple decision to make, obey God and be blessed, or disobey and be cursed.

6. A "no-brainer" right. You are probably thinking a two year old could make the right choice, and I would agree with you.

7. But the sad fact of the matter is that there came a time when the children of Israel turned from God to idolatry, and God removed them from their land into captivity

Here's the lesson for you and I. God's people who are in His will have a responsibility to pass on to the next generation the extremely simple truth that obedience brings blessings, and disobedience brings judgment. I know this seems an elementary truth, and perhaps unnecessary, but sadly those who have always enjoyed the blessings of God are prone to take them for granted. The heart that is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked will convince our children and grandchildren they can compromise their obedience to God's commands, and everything is going to be okay. Total obedience to God must be taught, emphasized, re-emphasized, and declared over and over again, if we hope to sustain the full blessings of God upon our life and family.

The old song has it right.

Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

As simple as it seems many of God's people down through the ages have let this truth slip from them and embarked on a journey of disobedience to God, which resulted in spiritual shipwreck of their life!