Our Spiritual Blessings From God | United Church of God Dont have a stingy heart. All of the prophets of Israel were resisted, rejected, and persecuted because they spoke to men for God: And the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy (2 Chronicles 36:15-16).101. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. If we would understand what in the world God is doing in these days, we must understand what the Bible teaches about divine blessing. 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. Few understand the blessings of God as they should. 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. Well, normally we do rejoice in a merciful God who forgives. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. In Gods economy, serving others is a privilege and not a curse. Related Topics: Dispensational / Covenantal Theology, Theology Proper (God), Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. The unnamed author of this epistle reminds these Christians of their Old Testament roots. Download a Personal Copy of these Bible Verses about Blessings! Biblical blessings are often associated with protection and happiness. . 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. I have become a cynic when it comes to promises received in the mail. This shall never happen to You. But He turned and said to Peter, Get behind Me, Satan! Help me to rejoice always, Father, for this is Your will for me. Their journey to the promised land held many trials. 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. He helps them out of their own troubles. (3) The Jews thought of Gods blessings in terms of material prosperity and His cursings in terms of material adversity and physical affliction. Gods blessings are based upon His grace and not our works. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. Publisher: OpenBible.info. (17) The blessings our Lord accomplished on the cross of Calvary will not all be poured out on men in this life. Like Lot, we find our righteous souls vexed by sin (2 Peter 2:7-8). The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. What the Bible says about Blessings, Physical - Bible Tools The rich man spent eternity in hell while Lazarus spent eternity enjoying the blessings God promised in Abraham. But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him. 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. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 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. Tools. 20 Prayers for Strength When You Need It Most - Christianity.com Thou dost make us a byword among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. But Peter was wrong for supposing that Gods blessings were incompatible with suffering. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 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. #blessed Its a social media tag for when someone feels blessed and who has, or is getting, everything theyve dreamed of getting. J Rarely, if ever, do I see people posting about how blessed they are as poor in spirit or persecuted like we read about in the Beatitudes. This is to be the pattern for the Christians dealings with others, including our enemies (Matthew 6:44-48; Acts 14:15-17; 17:30-31). Deuteronomy 28:1-2. God promised to bless Abraham and his offspring. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that {the limb} which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed (Hebrews 12:3-13). 1. God was in no hurry to fulfill His promised blessings. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. The writer to the Hebrews differs with such thinking. And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Christians often find their third tithe years to be abundant with all types of blessings and invaluable lessons learned. 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! Jesus simply did not fit the mold of Jewish expectations. If we do not understand Gods temporal blessings, and His eternal blessings, we will not understand the plan of God. If we are a child of God, we know His eternal plan allows only those things into our lives which result in our ultimate and eternal good: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Thus, the blessings of the Old Testament are partial and provisional. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. The promised blessings of the Bible are the good which God has purposed and promised. Why is that? Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. And they say, How does God know? And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 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. If you have not trusted in Gods promise of blessing in Jesus Christ, then you are under the curse of sin. Job 1 and 2 Jesus turned the teaching of the Jews upside-down. Yet Thou hast rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And dost not go out with our armies. 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). Q 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. 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. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the human race. "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. Verse Concepts. 2 Chron 30:27. When Jesus began to teach His disciples concerning His coming rejection, suffering, and death in Jerusalem, even His disciples reacted. 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. The Lord will help you defeat the enemies that come to fight you. 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. Phone: (262) 255-4750 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. 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. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. 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). (4) God has the right to bless or to curse men (see Romans 9:19-21). C Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift. 2 Cor. Perhaps the most puzzling passage in the Old Testament concerning Gods blessings comes from the Book of Proverbs: It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it (Proverbs 10:22). Biblical blessings are often associated with protection and happiness. When affliction comes into our life, we do not pray for Gods grace, nor do we ask God for wisdom, patience, or endurance. We will experience Gods comfort: They shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). It is not that one group is more spiritual than the other. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Revelation 21 and 22. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. Proverbs 3:13-18 (NIV), The memory of the righteous will be a blessing. Proverbs 10:7 (NIV), He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. Proverbs 21:21 (NIV), Jesus said to his host, When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. That plan incorporates all things (Romans 8:28), which includes pain, suffering, and sorrow. Blessings, Physical. Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm Central Time. The land of Canaan was not to be possessed until Abrahams offspring had been oppressed and enslaved for four hundred years. These are not always material blessings, however. We will be co-owners of the whole world: They shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him . But first, let me lay down a principle that has helped me grasp why there is such a preponderance of earthly blessings promised in the Old Testament like the inheritance of land (Psalm 37:22), deliverance from our enemies (Psalm 41:1), fruitfulness in our families and in our fields (Genesis 17:20; 48:34) while in the New Testament, there are very few earthly blessings promised, but rather afflictions are promised, with the material, physical blessings largely postponed until the resurrection. To belong to Christ is to belong to God as our Father and to be heirs of all that God owns that is, everything. (Marriage and children are both a blessing, but neither is without its trials and suffering.) Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long, And chastened every morning. Moms come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing's for sureall moms need to connect with other moms! If we get hungry for God and follow his commands if we seek spiritual growth, physical blessing will follow. This is what it means to be truly blessed. 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). Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!. of (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). The son was just the beginning. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. What are spiritual blessings? | GotQuestions.org This leads us right into the fourth blessing ( Ephesians 1:7 ), the redemption through His blood. To belong to Christ is to belong to God as our Father and to be heirs of all that God owns that is, everything. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:32-40). 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. The Whole Bible for the Whole Christian - CultureWatch He also promised to make him a great nation (Genesis 12:2; 15:5; 17:5-6). Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Malachi 3:10 (NIV), Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Therefore his people return to this place; And waters of abundance are drunk by them. P When we understand the difference between Gods temporal blessings and His eternal blessings, we learn to expect suffering and trials as a part of His plan, and as a part of His program to bring about eternal blessing for us. He called those blessed whom the Jews regarded as accursed. God is not the only one who pronounces blessings. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. So death works in us, but life in you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 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. (12) Gods temporal blessing is neither synonymous with prosperity nor incompatible with suffering. 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. Selah. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. 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. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. TopicalBible Lets circle back now to Jordans reference to the Beatitudes. Give, and it will be given to you. These are not always material blessings, however. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. He struggled with Esau from the womb until the day he left Canaan. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. It is the blessing to which Abraham and every other Old Testament saint looked forward. But what does it mean to truly be blessed according to Scripture? 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. But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Germantown, WI 53022-0756 Obedience, stemming from gratitude, faith, love, and hope, which is empowered by Gods Spirit, brings the temporal blessings of God, while disobedience brings a curse (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 106:3; 112:1; 119:1-2; Proverbs 8:32; Isaiah 44:3; Daniel 12:12; John 13:17; James 1:12; Revelation 14;13). What exactly do you believe those are?. No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. Not one of them received the promised blessing. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. There are no priests or saints through whom we have to go to God, but only Jesus Christ. on 03/30/2021. Proverbs 15:6 says, "In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked there is trouble.". (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. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless. In Christ, God bore the curse of sin and death and provided for us eternal life in its place. He leads me beside still waters. - 2 Corinthians 9:8 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. What are the promises of God? | GotQuestions.org When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. T See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. In the context of prayer, Paul prayed that he might have theLords prospering on his physical journey to visit the saints atRome (Rom. His teaching was radically different from that of the Jewish religious leaders of His day. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 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? Thats in the list: All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death. Death is yours. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me (Psalm 119:75). May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! Joseph, one of the Bibles great heroes and a son of Jacob, suffered a great deal in his early life. We begin to make decisions and to pursue a course of action which takes away the pain. The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. What the Bible says about Awake, do not reject us forever. And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. Why dost Thou hide Thy face, And forget our affliction and our oppression? 5:18). I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. June 10, 2013. They would do well to give more thought to the blessings of God as defined in Scripture. Good will comes to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. The trials and afflictions of the Israelites did not end with their exodus from Egypt. 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. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. Heres the principle: in Gods wisdom, the Jewish religion of the Old Testament was largely a come and see religion. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. Blessing and cursing are both temporal and eternal, the temporal being partial and mixed with sorrow, while the eternal is full and complete.