I've got something kind of brief for you on my mind this morning - an encouraging reminder if you will. It's for me every day.
Seems like so many people want something from God for themselves today (a blessing, a miracle) ..so that they can "be happy."
Do you see that in people where you live as well? Hey, I can totally understand people wanting to be happy. They say that "happy" is dependent upon happenings and I think it comes from knowing and obeying the Lord.
We in the West still seem to be on a feelings and "Happiness kick" today, but happiness seems to evade those who seek it directly. It would be better if we all remembered and applied Matthew 6:33 right!
Please know that when God loves to give to His kids. He indeed wants you blessed in Jesus, but He also has others in mind. He wants to bless others through you, believer. Our heavenly Father blesses His children so that they will be a blessing to others! He's done that through the Jews. I'm grateful for our Jewish Savior, Jesus.
Yup, with every blessing God gives ..comes responsibility. He blesses us on purpose and for a purpose.
God's Word makes this clear in Psalm 67, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; selah. That thy Way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations" (vv. 1-2). Is there even one person or one Nation that God has forgotten about? No. They all are on His heart still. That's the reason for Calvary—He gave His only Son Jesus to be a blessing for many. Jesus gave His all to be a blessing to many. Christ was not "in it" so that He could get blessed down here.
How has God blessed you, and what are you currently doing with those blessings? What will you do?
The Bible says, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?" (Lk. 12:48-49). The Bible says, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2). The Word doesn't call us owners here.
With gentleness, respect, and holy reverence towards the Lord we are to, "Be ready always to give an 'answer' (apologetic) to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15). We've received so much. Doesn't it for the most part, seem like the real Church of Jesus is illumination-rich and application-poor today? Let's live to see that changed.
We are challenged to be doers of God's Word, not just hearers only. You already know this. Blessed are the wise doers of the Word.
I love how our Lord told His disciples this, "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:7-8).
He didn't say, "Freely you have received blessings and good teaching, so sure, do give ministry out, but apply some real pressure to your hearers so they will dig deep and bless you back."
You know how Jesus Himself was such a blessing to so many people, He still is. We read in the Bible how He added the right words with the right tone at the right time with those selfless deeds that He did to help others. You remember how Jesus was given that lad's lunch (five barley loaves and two small fish), but many people walked away satisfied and blessed that day.. "And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted" (Jn. 6:11).
What a great God we serve! Christ came here to live with us! He chose to be a good Example of His own teaching and principles. Can we not follow closely, be thankful for the blessings, and then trust God for His supernatural touch on what ministry or practical gift that we deliver to others as well?
All this might seem insensitive of me.
Hey, I want you to know that I do feel for all workers who are still out of work here, and for those who are under-employed too. I pray that God provides for them and redirects our leaders so that more jobs can be created. The Lord is our main source for sure. But at the same time, let’s never succumb to a self-focused mentality, forgetting the lost and those hurting Christians and unbelievers around us. Each day we have, each breath we take - those are gifts! We each can still maintain a bless-another-attitude, a right heart with right motives.. and simply by God's grace do what we can to make that happen for someone. Sure, live determined to bless another today! So many thousands in my own country here are very discouraged and have even quit looking for work, but believing prayer to God in Jesus' Name (with true repentance where needed..) can effectively deal with that. And regardless of how you or I feel we can still prioritize properly and make the most of our time here for God's Kingdom and His glory. I sound kinda preachy I guess. Sorry about that. I just want to edify you and I'll leave you with this. I love what Edmund Burke said regarding doing something rather than doing nothing to bless others.. "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little." That's my point exactly, we all can do something starting with prayer!
“Prayers go up and blessings come down.” ~ Yiddish Proverb
God is thee blesser, and we live for Him, not for his blessings no matter how good they are.
Jesus is God's best blessing to us. We worship Him and not any of his blessings to us.. even if they are people that are blessings to us.
You remember that Jesus Christ once spoke about a faithless person not blessing anyone in the Bible, when he could have done something. He didn't use what was given to him to use for blessing others.
After we have been given so much here in the West, where our poorest people here are richer than the vast majority in the world comparatively, we certainly don't want to be like that guy who told Jesus he, “..was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours” (Matt. 25:25).
There are indeed a lot of non-citizen lawbreakers here allowed to keep breaking laws and receiving free handouts by the government. Not good.
Man, but I still don't want to be like that guy! How about you? Let's use what we have to bless people.. not via compulsion or religious pressure, but as we've each purposed in our hearts.
We can be salty for a better run government, but also remember this: The mission fields of the world are right here on our doorsteps, and we can wisely give out the gospel message in love.
I am blessed so that I can be a blessing first to the Lord and then to others.
I will observe to do as the Bible encourages us to. That's talkin' about wise application for God's glory.
That's the key phrase for Bible study -- it's not merely so you can know more in your brain and then it self terminates there. Go do a study in the terms: "that you" or "so that" it's related to a good purpose. God says...
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Joshua 1:8 nkjv
You know that the intellectual gain of studying the Scriptures is not the main purpose of doing that. Knowledge can easily puff up, but love edifies.
We study so that we can grasp it well, so that we can understand well, so we can be n live well (instead of spiritually sick..) so that we can do what God says to do and how he says to do it.
So that.. occurs 1,734 times in 733 Bible verses in the KJV, including 206 exact phrases.
Obedience stemming from charity in our hearts is better than sacrifice. Biblical worship is indeed our top priority ministry (it's ministry unto the Lord.. and our witnessing, working, giving and discipleship can also become worship unto the Lord.. if we don't become workaholics making service an idol) and real worship is largely connected to sacrifice to glorify the Lord.
Remember when Mary sacrificed of her time to sit at the feet of Jesus and Martha got all worked up and been out of shape serving. Relationship with Him comes before serving for him.. and there's indeed a place and time for serving.
In the Old Testament the Jews lived under the Law, but our attitude under this dispensation of Grace should be to glorify the Lord all the more with our lives.. right.
The Bible says, "Jesus called out to them [His followers], 'Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!'" (Matthew 4:19).
