(15) Since divine blessing is based upon the sovereign grace of God, we cannot demand it, and we dare not protest when Gods dealings with us do not appear to be a blessing. 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" . This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. 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. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:14 (NIV), Give freely and spontaneously. For the Lord is a God of justice, blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18 (NIV), Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV), The best of all the first fruits and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. Germantown, WI 53022-0756 The difference is that one group seems to succeed on the basis of faith while the other group suffers by faith. Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. The Israelites were greatly blessed in number while they sojourned in Egypt (Exodus 1:5-7). The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. Yet Thou hast rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And dost not go out with our armies. Gods blessings are based upon His grace and not our works. Only in eternity will the full blessings of God be poured out on Gods people. 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. Peter, who once rejected the idea of suffering, later has much to say about suffering in his epistles. I know that no matter how good their promises sound, they simply are not true. You do not have to fear the future when God's hand is over your life. Blessing and cursing are both temporal and eternal, the temporal being partial and mixed with sorrow, while the eternal is full and complete. J In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. Therefore his people return to this place; And waters of abundance are drunk by them. Enter into the joy of your master.. A review of Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God and about the blessings of God explains why His teaching was found unacceptable by the Jews. And in so doing, we actually miss the blessing God has for us in affliction. Such men say if we employ the right approach, (their approach, usually for a donation), success is assured. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 1:3), God has also blessed us withphysical things. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift. 2 Cor. Acts 3:25-26 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. A Psalm of David. - Numbers 6:24-26. And the failure to recognize this distinction between Gods plan for Israel in the Old Testament and Gods plan for the church in the New Testament has caused a lot of people to put way too much emphasis on earthly blessings today. These were much more perplexing times as we see from the agony of this psalmist: Thou art my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. He blesses only Christians spiritually and eternally. By tracing the fulfillment of this promise through the Scriptures we will better understand Gods blessings. Let that sink in. Gods blessings took time to fulfill, and the process of fulfillment involved suffering and adversity. 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. In this glorious anthem, in which the apostle, tracing all to the Divine Fountain, enumerates the glorious privileges of the Church, and blesses God for them, he first (ver. We shall see what they are, what they are not, and when they will be fulfilled. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift. 2 Corinthians 9:11 (CEV), If the place of worship is too far from your home for you to carry there the tithe of the produce that the Lord has blessed you with, then do his: Sell your produce and take the money with you to the one place of worship. Deuteronomy 14:24-25 (TEV), God blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless. For He knows the secrets of the heart. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. They understood that the blessings God promised were not material, but spiritual, and that they were not temporal, but eternal. Divine blessing in the Bible is always physical and spiritual because it is fixed upon the reality of the fullness of life in the presence of God. If we had forgotten the name of our God, Or extended our hands to a strange god; Would not God find this out? He makes me lie down in green pastures. 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.. You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. Job 4:6. 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. So it is today. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT (Romans 4:3-8). Bible Verses About Blessings and Prosperity. I believe this is the dwelling of which our Lord Jesus spoke just before His death: Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. Both were cursed with death by being banned from the Garden and the tree of life. Routinely, such letters go in the trash without my even opening them. Matthew 16:21-27 You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. You cannot be richer than a Christian. I will take away sickness from among you. Exodus 23:25 (NIV), Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9 (NIV), Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10 (NIV), Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. Because he was just and right in all his dealings. 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. What a verse! Like Lot, we find our righteous souls vexed by sin (2 Peter 2:7-8). Thats in the list: All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death. Death is yours. All of us deserve to suffer for our sins. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. How is it related to cursing? As we come to the study of divine blessing in our series, we begin by considering Gods promised blessings in the Old Testament. The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. Blog, A There is a sense in which our suffering bears testimony to the end of sins dominion in our lives (1 Peter 4:1). (8) Divine cursing or condemnation is based upon an individuals decision and works. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. (5) What errors concerning divine blessing can we see in the Jews of old and also in Christians of today? Romans 4:3-8; 5:3-5; 8:18-25, 28; 12:14 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 102 This is not to say they do not believe in spiritual and eternal blessings, but only that their emphasis is on present material prosperity. But this command I gave them: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Neither Gods blessings nor His wrath are fully manifested in this life. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. N Dont have a stingy heart. 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). Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. We will experience Gods comfort: They shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). Suffering at the hand of a gracious God is a comfort, for our chastening evidences that we are Gods sons: For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. God was in no hurry to fulfill His promised blessings. He blesses the Christian temporally by His presence, by producing our growth and maturity, and by creating a hunger for the full and final blessings of heaven. To belong to Christ is to belong to God as our Father and to be heirs of all that God owns that is, everything. He helps them out of their own troubles. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. God is not the only one who pronounces blessings. How they are destroyed in a moment! Eternal blessings are full and complete, the enjoyment of physical and material prosperity, the full manifestation of Gods goodness and glory, and the absence of sin, Satan, death, and the curse. He was not only to be the son of Abraham but of Sarah as well (Genesis 17:15-21). For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. A Study of God's Plan for Man. What an amazing promise--a promise which will surely be fulfilled! The first recorded promise of Abrahams son was made when Abraham was seventy-five years old (Genesis 12:4).98 Yet the child was not born to Abraham and Sarah until he was one-hundred years old (Genesis 21:5). Jesus simply did not fit the mold of Jewish expectations. Gods blessing is not based upon human merit or works, but upon His grace. Let no one boast in men. Since the Mosaic covenant spelled out Gods blessings and cursings in this way in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30, this is not difficult to understand. The point I wish to underscore here are the two very different categories of saints. In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Thy name forever. (10) Blessing and cursing have present manifestations, but they are not fully manifested until the second coming of Christ. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.. Redemption speaks of buying one's freedom, paying a ransom. Paul adds that itis set apart by God in accordance with His Word and prayer,a clear indication that we are to offer thanks to the Lord forwhat we have at every meal. The difference between these two categories is not that one group has faith while the other does not. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:2-5). (2) In what ways does God bless all men? More likely, he meant that they received some of the promises but not the promises which could only be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ, promises which are still future for us. The way human beings experience God's blessing changes with the redemptive storyline that traverses the major peaks of creation, fall, redemption, and final restoration. Biblical blessings are often associated with protection and happiness. Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 103 Notice that while these saints obtained promises (verse 33) they did not receive what was promised (verse 39). The full and final blessing of God is not accompanied with sorrow. Thats the New Testament pattern: sacrificial generosity and service now; spectacular blessing later at the resurrection. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your Gods, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. Deuteronomy 15:10 (Msg), Worship the Lord your God and his blessing will be on your food and water. Of late I have been having discussions with my friends around what it means to be blessed. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. Such suffering serves as a test of our faith and obedience as we see from Jobs experiences.99 Precisely at times like these, Gods people find their perspectives changing and discover Gods presence as their true source of blessing: Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. When our Lord presented Himself as Israels Messiah, He taught a great deal about the blessings of God. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? They will likely be a part of an Arab confederation known as "the king of the South" (Daniel 11:40-41 . They are based upon His sacrifice at Calvary but are realized in His coming to judge the earth: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 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; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.. Blessings, Physical At other times, Israels suffering was not due to her unbelief and rebellion. of "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. As Asaph protested centuries ago in Psalm 73, the wicked may prosper, and the righteous may suffer. 100 When I speak of innocent suffering here, we must all understand that no mortal is ever innocent, save in the blood of Jesus Christ. God not only graciously blesses men, He also graciously delays the curse so that men might be saved (see Romans 9:22-24). May it not be said of us that our faith is too small, or to help us to look to You, to see in You, Your infinite power. He points them to the true blessings which are in Christ. May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. For the Christian, good includes the blessing of all those who are the called in Jesus Christ. 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! Trust in Him, and you will be blessed. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, Behold, we are your servants. But Joseph said to them, Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. In what ways does God bless only Christians? But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds (Matthew 16:21-27). And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. (4) The Jews of Jesus day thought of Gods blessings not in terms of grace but in terms of works. PO Box 756 The prophets suffered themselves and also spoke of the Messiah to come as the One who would suffer for the sins of men (Isaiah 52:13--53:12). (7) Divine blessing is based upon divine grace and not human merit or effort. When my heart was embittered, And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before Thee. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Salem Media Group. Some Christians seem to be saying that we can be assured of receiving all the promises now. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. If I had said, I will speak thus, Behold, I should have betrayed the generation of Thy children. If a nation turned from God, its promised blessings would be taken away: At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. 9:11 (CEV), Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13 (NIV), They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. Psalm 37:26 (NIV), The best of all the first fruits will belong to the priests. - THANKSGIVING FOR THEIR DIVINE ORDINATION TO THE BLESSINGS OF GRACE. The same errors which plagued the Israelites and Christians of old are popular in evangelical Christianity today. In My Fathers house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. He restores my soul. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. In Gods wisdom, the church of Jesus Christ is not an ethnic or geographic or political or national entity. The story of the rich man and Lazarus underscore this principle (see Luke 16:19-31). Verse Concepts. 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. 11:23-26). Our Lord Himself took upon Himself the task of serving. Jesus teaching concerning His own suffering and death took His disciples by surprise: From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Christians often find their third tithe years to be abundant with all types of blessings and invaluable lessons learned. You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on Gods interests, but mans. Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. "In everything [ not just some things and not just spiritual things] give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thes. God promised every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Thou dost make us a byword among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. He also promised Abraham that he would become a blessing to all who would bless him. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, What in the World Is Going On? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. I think the Beatitudes, taken together, provide a beautiful summary of the blessings promised to the followers of Christ: six immeasurable blessings are sandwiched between the summary promise Theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3, 10). In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other. Romans 1:12 (NLT), You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. It is not that one group is more spiritual than the other. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Their journey to the promised land held many trials. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. It is I who answer and look after you. It was not in Abrahams lifetime that the promise of a great nation was fulfilled. If a nation repented of its sin and turned to God, its threatened judgment could be averted. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still . But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. One only needs enough faith to be confident God hears and answers our prayers as we desire. And it shall come to pass, if thou . Put it at the disposal of me and my mission. Thats the kind of radical life were called to live in the New Testament. Thou dost sell Thy people cheaply, And hast not profited by their sale. So death works in us, but life in you. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. When we suffer, we do not ask God for the mind of Christ, or the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we ask God to bless us by giving us a life free from the pain and sorrow we are currently experiencing. Geocoding Last week Art Lindsley referenced Hebrew poetry found in the Bible to give a more complete picture of flourishing. The blessings here are plainly associated with happiness and welfare, both for Abram and others. . Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? Most of us are not quite this honest in our thinking, nor quite so bold in our rebellion against God and His Word. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. Thus, the blessings of the Old Testament are partial and provisional. Proverbs 10:22 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).
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