But in addition to the deserved suffering of Israel, many godly Israelites suffered. And he said to his disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. And I think one of the most illumining texts about how we are blessed as Christians which we are; I would say we are infinitely blessed is 1 Corinthians 3:2123. These saints also had faith, but their faith resulted in perseverance rather than in success or prosperity. He makes me lie down in green pastures. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? All day long my dishonor is before me, And my humiliation has overwhelmed me, Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger. 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. 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 mistreat you Luke 6:20-28). TopicalBible Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. Last week Art Lindsley referenced Hebrew poetry found in the Bible to give a more complete picture of flourishing. When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the human race. The same errors which plagued the Israelites and Christians of old are popular in evangelical Christianity today. Along with sin came the curse. Our Lord Himself took upon Himself the task of serving. First and foremost, Gods blessing involves the forgiveness of our sins, the defeat and destruction of Satan, the passing away of that which is old and corrupted by sin, and the creation of that which is holy and acceptable. Thats the New Testament pattern: sacrificial generosity and service now; spectacular blessing later at the resurrection. Geocoding Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. V 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 . In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; My steps had almost slipped. Were on a mission to change that. Heres the principle: in Gods wisdom, the Jewish religion of the Old Testament was largely a come and see religion. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. It is the blessing which comes from faith in Jesus Christ and not from human effort or achievement. There is no geographic center for Christianity. We must live by faith trusting God to fulfill His promises, even when our eyes tell us the opposite is happening now. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works (Psalm 73:1-28). It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Thy statutes (Psalm 119:71). Gods blessing is not only the gift of those things which are good and desirable but the removal of the curse. The Book of Hebrews brings the Old Testament faith into focus and clearly describes the nature of the blessings God promised and for which believers waited in faith. These can all be good things, but I think you could also argue that if these blessings lead us further away from God, they are not truly blessings at all. Not one of them received the promised blessing. In the early days of Davids life, he was misunderstood and chided by his brothers (1 Samuel 17:20-30). John 3:16. The rich man spent eternity in hell while Lazarus spent eternity enjoying the blessings God promised in Abraham. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. 2 Peter 2:7-8 In Christ, God bore the curse of sin and death and provided for us eternal life in its place. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!. These trials came from the hand of the God who had promised to bless them: And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. If you have not trusted in Gods promise of blessing in Jesus Christ, then you are under the curse of sin. 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. Peter rebuked our Lord for speaking of His own suffering (see Matthew 16:21-22). Unfortunately, many Christians today hold to the same basic errors held by the Jews of Jesus day. Give, and it will be given to you. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface: "It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. H 3) states summarily the ground of thanksgiving, expanding it with glowing fullness in vers. Gods blessings are the fulfillment of His promise and the conclusion of a process which includes suffering and sorrow. And in so doing, we actually miss the blessing God has for us in affliction. Why did your father, Josiah, reign so long? 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. 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? 2 Chron 30:27. Bible Verses About Blessing Others " The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Numbers 6:24-26 Scriptures on Blessing and Favor Blessing and favor are found with the Lord and amongst His People. Are we becoming more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit? Thou dost cause us to turn back from the adversary; And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. We must therefore live by faith. Your blessings in this life will be mixed with sorrow. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. What an amazing promise--a promise which will surely be fulfilled! Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. These six blessings summarize what it means to live forever under the kingdom, the heavenly rule of God: So in summary, (1) the presence of God seen and enjoyed in the face of Christ, (2) covering us with mercy because of all our sins, (3) calling us his children, (4) comforting us for all pain and loss in this world, (5) bequeathing to us the universe for a familiar homeland, and (6) everything set right in our souls and in the social order of the new world this is our great reward. He also promised to make him a great nation (Genesis 12:2; 15:5; 17:5-6). Our blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Gods common grace is extended to all men, without distinction. (2) Gods curse is the process of bringing about mans deserved retribution of divine judgment. All of those referred to were people who obtained Gods approval through their faith in Gods promise. The point I wish to underscore here are the two very different categories of saints. We now desire that which we once found offensive and repulsive. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. He also promised Abraham that he would become a blessing to all who would bless him. 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. M As to the first, many will claim that God loves and forgives us all unconditionally. The difference is that one group seems to succeed on the basis of faith while the other group suffers by faith. How they are destroyed in a moment! 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. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of Gods own possession, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:3-14). 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. Israel was the showcase of Gods blessings among the nations. Whereas, in the Old Testament, Israel had the promise of physical blessing, the church today has been promised spiritual blessings "in the heavenly realms." Our inheritance is reserved for us (1 Peter 1:4). Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. But notice that in the list of things that belong to us is death. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Proverbs 10:22 tells us that "the blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.". Ephesians 1:3-5. Exodus 1:5-22 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" . May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:92). 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.