Our Lord Himself took upon Himself the task of serving. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real. They think of Gods blessings primarily in terms of that which is physical and material.102 They believe that because Christ has come, every promised blessing can be ours, now, if we but believe and ask for them in faith. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. What a verse! I must do whatever it takes to be happy, even if that involves disobedience to Gods revealed Word.. But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). The same errors which plagued the Israelites and Christians of old are popular in evangelical Christianity today. (11) Ultimately, blessing or cursing are the result of ones response to Gods provision of forgiveness and righteousness in Jesus Christ, the promised seed of Abraham (see Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6; John 3:18; 14:6; 1 John 5:12). That is why God blessed him. Jeremiah 22:15 (NLT), Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. - Philippians 4:19 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. We seek to obey God when we used to delight in disobedience. Heres the principle: in Gods wisdom, the Jewish religion of the Old Testament was largely a come and see religion. After David was anointed as Israels future king, and Sauls replacement, David spent his days fleeing for his life from Saul who was bent on killing him (1 Samuel 18-31). Publication date: Mar 3, 2023. Y Like Job, they would be badgered by their friends to find the sin in their life, and confess it so they could be blessed. But this command I gave them: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. Transcript Craig Scott Pastor, United Church of God God not only accomplished our salvation by the means of Christs suffering, but He uses suffering to draw men to Himself (Luke 6:20-23). We will be shown mercy: They shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7). God's blessings are meant to protect us, guide us to the path of righteousness, and give us hope. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). You cannot be richer than a Christian. Where Moms Connect is a unique mom's ministry curriculum that brings women together and helps them connect naturally, through discussion, Bible study and fun. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. (From Forerunner Commentary). Trust in Him, and you will be blessed. Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:8-12). We will experience Gods comfort: They shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). Gods blessings are not sovereignly bestowed in the way He chooses but are mechanically obtained by doing the right things. We now loathe that which we once loved. The promise of blessing passed from Abraham to Isaac (Genesis 26:24) to Jacob (Genesis 27:27-29; 28:12-15). Indeed, this is how many translations of the Bible, including the New King James Version, translate Paul's statement to the Galatians: "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made" . I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. So death works in us, but life in you. So it is today. God chose Israel as the object of His blessings. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. This bundle contains the Year of Blessing annual . And he said, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake (Matthew 5:10). Our very clothing is a physical blessing. (3) What is the relationship between blessing, faith, and obedience? But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE, we also believe, therefore also we speak; knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. The writer to the Hebrews differs with such thinking. Later Judah and his brothers suffered much over their ill-treatment of Joseph (see Genesis 37-45). And in so doing, we actually miss the blessing God has for us in affliction. Good will comes to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. But just what has God promised to do for Abraham? Peter, who once rejected the idea of suffering, later has much to say about suffering in his epistles. In order to receive God's spiritual blessings, one must be in the right spiritual location, that is, in Christ. The Jews of old and many Christians and others today think of Gods blessings in terms of the immediate enjoyment of physical and material pleasures and the absence of pain. Put simply, Gods blessing does not mean that we are free to indulge in every sensual pleasure, but neither does it mean that we must deny every earthly pleasure. Let that sink in. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation, Father. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 We will be part of Gods family: They shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9). For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future all are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. Such eternal blessings are far greater than any temporary physical blessings we could receive. All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten Thee, And we have not dealt falsely with Thy covenant. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Here are 20 BIble verses about God's blessing that show us how He blesses us materially and spiritually, and that Jesus Christ as our atonement for sin is the ultimate blessing God has given to all. It does not tell us that he was seventy-five when he first received the promise of a son. But Peter was wrong for supposing that Gods blessings were incompatible with suffering. In our identification with Christ, we enter into His rejection and persecution by men, and in so doing are blessed by a closer walk with Him, a deeper fellowship with Him, and a growing hunger for heaven and the full blessings of God (see 2 Corinthians 4 and 5; Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 2-4). Berean Bible Society Blessings, Physical As I conclude this lesson, let me share a quotation by Harold Stigers in his commentary of the Book of Genesis: God designs certain tests and trials in regard to earthly things so that we may see that our inheritance resides in God Himself--in our finding them nothing without Him, and Him everything even without them.104. C Judaisms errors concerning divine blessings can be summed up in these statements. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. These are not always material blessings, however. Use these Bible verses to remind you of the many blessing you can claim as a child of God! Or heres the way James puts it: Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12). And Im going to circle back and probably end there and affirm what he sees and show why it is such a great answer to his own question. (19) Gods promised blessings do not assure us we will escape the wrath of men toward God, but only that we will escape the wrath of God toward men. Next we will look at our Lords teaching on blessing before turning to the rest of the New Testament to study divine blessing. in 1971. It was not in Abrahams lifetime that the promise of a great nation was fulfilled. Give, and it will be given to you. What the Bible says about Blessings, Physical ( From Forerunner Commentary ) Proverbs 3:9-10 By paying to God what we owe Him (that is, His tithes), He rewards us with blessings. All their years will be pleasant. Job 36:11 (NLT), Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. Job 5:17 (NIV), Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. Psalm 1:1 (GW), Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Psalm 40:4 (NIV), Blessed are those who dwell in your house to worship; they are ever praising you. Psalm 84:4 (NIV), Give freely to the poor person, and do not wish that you didnt have to give. #blessed Its a social media tag for when someone feels blessed and who has, or is getting, everything theyve dreamed of getting. In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Thy name forever. Verse Concepts. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Unsplash Read more Site Map About Us Help John 3:16. How they are destroyed in a moment! For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. This means that you do not get all your blessings in this life, but that death itself belongs to you as a gift, as a doorway to infinite, eternal, immeasurable blessing. The Lord will bless you with full barns, and he will bless everything you do. Deuteronomy 28:2-8 (NCV), I will also bless the Gentiles who commit themselves to the Lord and serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who have accepted his covenant. Isaiah 56:6 (NLT), A beautiful palace does not make a great king! How were these saints so successful? He and his mother struggled with Isaac and Esau. He looked for a heavenly city, a city which God would prepare. Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. God gives rain and sunshine to men, and in His grace He delays judgment, giving opportunity for repentance. And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. This is one of the reasons Jesus teaching and His offer of the kingdom was rejected. Salvation is "in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:10). He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit., Saying, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.. June 10, 2013. Unfortunately, many Christians today hold to the same basic errors held by the Jews of Jesus day. These are not always material blessings, however. The common factor in all the blessings in the Bible is this: God's Kingdom. Temporal blessings are not to be measured so much in terms of material prosperity, physical health, or the absence of pain, as in the enjoyment of Gods presence. PO Box 756 They are not in trouble as other men; Nor are they plagued like mankind. The complete and final fulfillment of Gods promise to Abraham is yet to occur. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. Such men say if we employ the right approach, (their approach, usually for a donation), success is assured. When affliction and adversity comes into our life, we conclude that suffering is incompatible with blessing. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong (1 Peter 3:13-17). The unnamed author of this epistle reminds these Christians of their Old Testament roots. Redemption speaks of buying one's freedom, paying a ransom. Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! He leads me beside still waters. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. So remove evil from your house. Job 22:23 (NCV), Even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice. Luke 11:28 (NLT), (Help the unfortunate) and you will be blessed. Almost daily, some bulk mailing assures me I am the lucky winner of one of several prizes. All I need do is contact them to identify my prize. But in addition to the deserved suffering of Israel, many godly Israelites suffered. What the Bible says about Blessing may be accomplished by what appears to be Gods cursing. Selah. 1:3), God has also blessed us withphysical things. For He knows the secrets of the heart. They suppose prosperity is ones reward for being spiritual and that suffering is the consequence of sin. But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. These blessings are not fulfilled in this life, but in the next. The difference is that one group seems to succeed on the basis of faith while the other group suffers by faith. HCSB, ISV, BBE. They are not experienced in time, but in eternity. Browse the best Bible verses about blessings in this collection of scripture quotes: Photo credit: GettyImages/Digitalskillet. The suffering of some saints should be no more troublesome to us than the success of some saints, or even the success of some sinners. His teaching was different not as the result of a change in Gods plan, but due to the Jews misconceptions concerning Gods promised blessings. AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due.

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