========================================================================
  BLESSINGS AND CURSINGS
  by John Henry Jowett
========================================================================

Summary: We must read and heed the whole law, including the blessings
and the cursings, to develop holy love and moral stamina.

Topics: "Gods Judgment", "Spiritual Discipline"
Scripture References: Deuteronomy 11:26, Proverbs 1:7, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 2 Timothy 4:2, Hebrews 12:6

------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Henry Jowett emphasizes the importance of not only focusing on the
blessings but also acknowledging the warnings and rebukes in the Word of
God. He warns against spiritual softness and the lack of moral stamina
that comes from ignoring the severity of God's truth. Jowett urges
believers to embrace both the gentleness and severity of God, to
confront the fearfulness of sin, and to seek a love that passionately
opposes all forms of evil.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_He read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings._"

--JOSHUA viii. 30-35.

We are inclined to read only what pleases us, to hug the blessings and
to

ignore the warnings. We bask in the light, we close our eyes to the

lightning. We recount the promises, we shut our ears to the rebukes. We

love the passages which speak of our Master's gentleness, we turn away

from those which reveal His severity. And all this is unwise, and

therefore unhealthy. We become spiritually soft and anæmic. We lack
moral

stamina. We are incapable of noble hatred and of holy scorn. We are

invertebrate, and on the evil day we are not able to stand.

We must read "all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings."

We must let the Lord brace us with His severities. We must gaze steadily

upon the appalling fearfulness of sin, and upon its terrific issues. At

all costs we must get rid of the spurious gentleness that holds
compromise

with uncleanness, that effeminate affection which is destitute of holy

fire. We must seek the love which burns everlastingly against all sin;
we

must seek the gentleness which can fiercely grip a poisonous growth and

tear it out to its last hidden root. We must seek that holy love which
is

as a "consuming fire."

========================================================================
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/john-henry-jowett/blessings-and-cursings/
========================================================================