3. Our God is a _merciful_ God. This He proves _"by showing mercy unto thousands that love Him and keep His commandments."_ God threatens to punish all that transgress these commandments, but He also _"promises grace and every blessing to all that keep these commandments."_ Our God is a gracious and loving God. He promises to reward those who keep His commandments. It is true, we do not deserve any reward, even if we fulfil His Law and live according to His will. It is our duty to do so. But so kind and loving is He to His children that He will reward them if they do what they owe Him.--What does our God promise us? He promises _grace and every blessing._ The grace of God will be upon us when in love of God we try to keep His commandments. He will be well pleased with us, His children. What a great thing it is to be assured of God's grace and good will! Who can harm us when the Lord is with us? He furthermore promises _every blessing_ to those who keep His commandments. God will bless His obedient children here on earth, in this life, but far more will He bless them in the life to come with eternal salvation. In heaven we shall see Him, our Father and Savior. _Therefore we should also love and trust in Him and willingly do according to His commandments._ 4. The Ten Commandments teach us the _holy will of our God,_ or, as we also call it, _His Law._ Here we learn what as God's children we should do and not do, in order to please Him. Gladly we should learn it. We desire to love Him who has loved us.--We learn also _that we have not kept the Law,_ that we cannot keep it, that we daily transgress the commandments of our Lord. We learn that we are sinners who have deserved death and damnation. This also we should learn willingly, for it teaches us _how much we need a savior._ And then we go to our only Savior, to our Lord, who has fulfilled the Law in our stead. REMEMBER:-- _1. God is our Lord. He has a right to give us His commandments, and it is our duty to obey Him. He is a jealous God, who will see to it that His Law is fulfilled._ _2. God threatens to punish all who hate Him and transgress His commandments. Fear His wrath and do not act contrary to His holy will._ _3. God promises grace and every blessing to all who love Him and keep His commandments. Love and trust Him, and willingly do according to His will._ MEMORIZE:-- _There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy._ Jas. 4,12. _Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them._ Deut. 27,26. _The soul that sinneth, it shall die._ Ezek. 18,20. _The wages of sin is death._ Rom. 6,23. _This do, and thou shalt live._ Luke 10,28. QUESTIONS.