“The blessings are here put before the curses to intimate 1. That God is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy. 2.That though both the promises and the threatenings are designed to bring and hold us to our duty, yet it is better that we be allured to that which is good by a filial hope of God’s favour than that we be frightened to it by a servile fear of his wrath.” (Commentary on Deuteronomy, Henry, clx)

15 “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.

19 Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

20 “The Lord will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me.

21 The Lord will make the pestilence stick to you until he has consumed you off the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

26 And your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away.

27 The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with tumors and scabs and itch, of which you cannot be healed.

35 The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.

47 Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,

59 then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting.

65 And among these nations you shall find no respite, and there shall be no resting place for the sole of your foot, but the Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul.

66 Your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread and have no assurance of your life.

1. Blessed where you live.

2. Blessed in reproduction.

3. Blessed with food.

4. Blessed wherever you are at.

5. Blessed from enemies.

6. Blessed in holiness.

7. Blessed by fear from others.

“shall see that the Lord’s name is called over thee.” (Beacon Bible Commentary- Gen-Deut., Ford, Deasely, 597)

8. Blessed in God's good treasury.

9. Blessed in the best direction - UP!

“Good people sometimes, under the sense of their unworthiness, are ready to fly from the blessing and to conclude that it belongs not to them.” (Commentary on Deuteronomy, Henry, clxi)

1. When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
CH Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.


Johnson Oatman 1897 https://hymnary.org/text/when_upon_lifes_billows_you_are_tempest

Sermon Discussion Questions

1. How do these verses impact you as you read through Deuteronomy 28? Many curses are mentioned here, but we can focus on the blessings.

2. Are you one that regularly focuses on the blessings in your life? How have you attempted to do this in recent days? How can you do this today? This week?

3. How is this passage not taken as the prosperity gospel?

4. OVERTAKE - How does this one word impact you from the chapter? How can God's blessings overtake you?

5. Of the nine blessings mentioned in the message, which one is currently easy for you to see? Which one is hard for you to see, and you just needed that reminder? Which one provides the most comfort today?

6. Count your blessings today....Who will you verbally share your blessings with?