Blessed to Be a Blessing

Lesson 21 – Blessed Are Those in the House of God

2010-03-29T14:24:00.001+02:00

Psalm 65:4 (NIV)
"Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple."

That's what the church of Jesus is--those chosen by God to live in his courts, receiving the good things of the life of faith. Of course, we don't physically live in God's courts, but we are those blessed with God's nearness.

Several things about the church are revealed to us in this verse. Note first that we are those who have been chosen. Before the foundation of this world, God chose to love us in Christ. Our salvation is not based on any goodness or worthiness on our part, but on God's decision to love us. Being chosen means we've not been left alone. We're wanted, and not just by anyone, but the God of this universe.

Next, the church is made up of those who have been brought near to Christ. Whereas sin separated us God's presence, for our sinful unrighteousness could not dwell with God's holiness without suffering destruction, God reached across this divide suffering destruction on our behalf. Through faith in Christ, we're invited fully into God's presence, bearing not our own righteousness, but Christ's holiness.

Finally, this verse speaks of the church as those who dwell in God's courts. Essentially, we are those of God's household, joint heirs of the kingdom with Jesus Christ. While we all have earthly families, through Jesus, we join the household of faith, becoming God's own possession. I can't imagine what it would be like not to have a home, but even if all we know on this earth passes away, we have a home in Christ, dwelling in God's courts.

Lesson 20 – Blessed in Belief

2010-03-17T12:20:00.001+01:00

Luke 1:45 (NIV)
"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

Seems to me that this promise applies equally to everyone who professes a faith in Jesus Christ. God's blessings are upon those who believe. In these, we experience a right relationship with the Lord, know peace that is without any other basis, and truly experience joy no matter how things turn out.

While Mary was blessed of God in being chosen to be the mother of Jesus, the path to this blessing was belief. In fact, I suspect God would have chosen another if Mary had hardened her heart and refused to believe that God's way would involve a pregnancy outside of marriage. But that was God's way then, and even today, it is still God's way. Our Lord reveals his will to his people and allows us to make a choice to believe.

While I wouldn't advocate belief simply to receive God's blessings, even believers need to be reminded that we don't experience some blessings simply because we're not living each day in belief. And while our God seeks trust, most of us have trust issues. By definition, this means we're not in control, and quite frankly, that doesn't sit well with some of us, myself included.

So what to do? How do we live a life of faith?

Let's start by committing to allowing God to be God, reminding ourselves daily he is in control and that we've surrendered willingly to his will. I'm not talking about beating ourselves down, for God created us with a great capacity to think and function in life, but to trust God knows what he is doing, even when I'm not so sure about where my life is heading.

For me, this means taking time each day to resurrender myself to whatever the Lord determines to bring my way. If God wills it, I am for it. If God wills it, I rejoice in it. If God wills it, I won't run from it. This is a tall order, but one needed from every believer if we are to receive God's blessings.

Lesson 19 – Blessed in God’s Ways

2010-02-22T20:57:00.001+01:00

Proverbs 8:32 (NIV)
"Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways."

While the "me" in this passage refers directly to wisdom, many see wisdom as an analogy of the leadership of Jesus Christ or even the Holy Spirit. Wisdom calls for us to listen, as if wisdom has a voice, promising a blessing if we go wisdom's way.

Some have trouble with proverbs, especially when looking at specific circumstances. While this proverb promises blessing to those who keep God's ways, what about those who are close to God, following after the Lord's wisdom, only to find themselves in dire straights? What about a believer who worships God with all their heart, only to find themselves suffering from cancer at an early age?

These are difficult questions, and a ripe field from which Satan would have us question the truth of God's wisdom and even his love!

But instead of seeing a proverb's exception as proof that God's word can't be trusted, I think it better to view them as the door which opens the possibility of God's blessings. If we keep God's ways, then God is freed to bless us, if that be his will. Conversely, when we err from following after wisdom, there is no real opportunity for God to bless us.

Another way to look at any proverb is to view it as a general rule for life, even while acknowledging there are exceptions all around. Still, when we follow the wisdom of God's proverbs, we can generally expect things to turn out the way God normally ordains, and when they don't we can rejoice that God is working a new plan for our lives.

When it comes to embracing wisdom, following God's ways is the path which leads to blessing.

Lesson 18 – Blessed with Life and Favor

2010-02-22T20:42:00.001+01:00

Proverbs 8:33-35 (NIV)
"List to my (wisdom's) instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord."

Life and favor flow from God's wisdom, and not just in the general blessings which come to anyone who seeks to function in life according to God's ways. With God, wisdom gives life and favor to the undeserving; that being, you and I. Those who shouldn't receive life and favor find ourselves as recipients of God's love.

The Father's love never ceases to amazes me, especially when I can't come up with any concrete reason for God to give us favor and life. Simply put, I can't explain the Father's love. This is probably because it's not a love which comes naturally to any of us.

Outside of our immediate families, instead of love, we go through life seeking justice. We want fair prices. We want to be paid a fair wage. We want those things which are ours to remain ours. We want criminals to be caught and punished. We want our elected officials to have our best interests at heart. But when it comes to life and favor, we're surely relieved our Father looked beyond justice to embrace the wisdom of mercy.

And while justice for sin was served by Christ on the cross, the whole plan began with mercy. According to God's wisdom, humanity would get more than justice. We would get an undeserved second chance.

Now that's a blessing for which we should all rejoice!

Lesson 17 – Blessed with Forgiveness

2010-02-13T17:20:00.001+01:00

Psalm 32:1-2 (NIV)
"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit."

Surely this is the definition of the love of Jesus Christ in a nutshell. Whereas we are all sinners, through submission to the Lordship of Christ, our guilt is forgiven and our shortcomings caught up in the Lord's sacrifice. Whereas our sin haunts us, God no longer counts these sins to our account, declaring our spirits as no longer deceitful.

Doctrinally, this is a description of both justification and sanctification in the heart of the believer. Under justification, we are made right with God, just as if we had not sinned. As those who are sanctified, we've been set apart and made clean unto the Lord.

Here's the key to embracing this verse as our own. We have to set aside our feelings and live by faith. We won't always feel like one made right with God, totally forgiven of all our sins. Nor will we always feel as if we're free from the stain of our sins, for they always seem to accuse us.

What God wants us to do is set aside these feelings and accept it in faith that God has done all of what he said he would do for those who come to Jesus Christ. He blesses those who believe with salvation, bringing about justification and sanctification.

Sanctification always seems to bother us, for while we have been sanctified in Christ, there is also the sense that sanctification continues throughout this life, for we continue to battle our sinful tendencies and strive to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. But know for sure that every believer is already blessed by our Lord. Our salvation is made secure in Christ. Sanctification has already occurred, and it is still occurring in our lives.

Satan would love to immobilize the church by convincing us to live by sight and not by faith. When we do, we read this verse and wonder in our hearts if we've really been blessed by God. We look at the sins which we still battle and come to the conclusion we're not worthy of the blessing, for we seem to still be lost in our unholiness.

But this is a false picture of who we are in Christ. When we come to faith, we receive the blessing of justification and sanctification, not matter what Satan may say!

Lesson 16 – Blessed with the Father’s Inheritance

2010-02-12T13:53:00.001+01:00

Matthew 25:34-36 (NIV)
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

The church is made up of those who are blessed by the Father with an inheritance, the right to belong to the kingdom of God. So real is our adoption and citizenship into this kingdom, God gives us the rights of sonship, making us joint-heirs with Jesus.

In this passage, Jesus explains that the Father will one day separate those of the kingdom from those who are not, moving some to his right side and some to his left. And how will God make this separation? He will look at our works. Those who do the Lord's work are identified as of the kingdom, and those who do not are declared to be outside.

Of course, no believer is at work to somehow merit God's love, but we work for Jesus Christ because we are grateful for the cross and desire to give God glory in our lives. Still, it is this work which identifies the church as worthy of the Father's inheritance.

I'm always stunned by the simple tasks which identify those of the kingdom. God didn't say that our work was some monumental task, like personally convicting the world of sin, or traveling the world as a missionary, or the building a large congregation. He doesn't even point to work within the church, tough we know these tasks are important.

Instead, Jesus teaches that the Lord's work comes in caring for the least of those in this world. These are those who are hungry, thirst, friendless, poor, ill and imprisoned. These are those for whom our Lord yearns to give his love, so these are those to whom we go in the name of the Father.

In his life, Jesus identifies with these people with his very existence. He lived with many of them, sought them out as he traveled, and healed their diseases. Whereas the church ignored them, Jesus went to them. Likewise, Jesus taught that when care for these people, we are caring for him.

Surely this is impetus for the church of every age--to be socially active in our world, going to those in need and bringing the love of Christ is real and tangible ways.

Lesson 15 – Blessed in the Lord’s Fortress

2010-02-11T19:27:00.001+01:00

Psalm 28:8-9 (NIV)
"The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever."

From our years of ministering to the soldiers of the U.S. Army, we've come to learn the names of some Army installations, and can even identify some of the states where these installations reside. For an Air Force guy, this is a big accomplishment!

While Army installations are called posts, kasernes, or barracks in Europe, within the United States, they are referred to as forts. As a child, I was fascinated by forts and built many with Lincoln Logs. And as you know, while safely within the fort, the good guys always win.

Within the church, we are blessed by the fortress which is our Lord's anointing. We are the ones covered in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, thus protected from Satan's accusations and the Father's righteous judgment. With the Lord's fortress, we are blessed by the removal of our sin and guilt by the Lord's work on the cross of Calvary.

Just as a fort has an officer in charge, one who cares for the needs of its inhabitants and directs the fort's defenses, so it is likewise within the fortress which is given as our blessing. Of course, our officer in charge is not a military man, but a shepherd. Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd, is the one who anoints and directs the church within his fortress.

You may have noticed there are many wooden forts left in America, for they simply couldn't stand up to the test of time. Rain, dry rot, insects, fires, and the relentless pace of progress have destroyed them, so that we're pretty much left to drawings and our imaginations to envision these forts.

But notice our blessing. The fortress which is Jesus Christ stands forever. It will not be defeated. The church is secure in the Lord. Our Shepherd leads us forever.

Lesson 14 - Blessed by the Lord’s Name

2010-02-10T22:02:00.001+01:00

Exodus 20:24 (NIV)
"Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you."

What a promise. Wherever and whenever the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is lifted up by the church in worship, God will come and bring blessing. Never underestimate the importance of worship, for God meets his people when we come with open hearts before his throne.

As with Israel in their wilderness wanderings, existing without a home, there is no place we may go where God will not meet those who call upon his name. Whereas life may be for you somewhat unsettled, God's presence is the blessing that can always be counted on.

While most of us are not nomadic, we face enough challenges in life to recognize we need a God big enough to be there no matter what. We need a God who is always there when we call upon his name. We need a God who will not abandon his people and leave them to struggle in a time of need. I'm not talking about a God who serves as our own personal genie, but a God who is above all the chaos of this world, bringing stability where none is to be found.

Notice that this blessing comes with a condition. God presents himself and blesses only when we come before him in true, evidenced when we bring an offering for our sins and our desire for fellowship. While there remains no sacrifice for New Testament believers, with Christ presenting his own body for sin, once for all, the principle of coming with a sacrifice on our lips still remains, for our Lord desires the right heart attitude when we call upon his name, that of grateful humility.

I don't think this is one of those promises for Israel alone, but a blessing which still rings true for the church today. Wherever the name of the Lord is proclaimed, Jesus meets us there. In our lives, we need to be a people where the Lord's name is honored, and if we will do so, the Lord will bless us with his abiding presence.

Lesson 13 – Blessed with a Right Standing

2010-02-03T14:17:00.001+01:00

Psalm 24:3-6 (NIV)
"Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob."

Followers of Jesus Christ are the ones blessed with a right standing. We are the ones made worthy to come humbly before the throne of the Lord in worship. We are the ones who stand before the Lord without suffering God's wrath. The New Testament teaches that this right standing is given freely by God only through faith in Jesus Christ.

David asks a very important question, one which haunts every person. "Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?" He answers, "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false."

Of course, there's a big problem with David's response. Since everyone sins, how will we know we've cleaned ourselves up enough to rightly come before the Lord? How can we know if God will accept us? Truthfully, the matter becomes painfully clear. No matter how hard we try, we can't ever be clean and pure enough on our own to have a right standing before God.

We need the blessing of God upon us. We need God's holiness to overshadow our lives, to be covered in his righteousness and not our own. Through faith in Jesus, God promises to change our sinful natures, with the result being that God declares us clean and holy.

This is the blessing of a right standing before God--a way to come into his presence through the power of the cross to atone for sins.

And it all begins by seeking the Lord's face. God wants to be found, so when we seek him, he gives his blessing!

Lesson 12 – Blessed with Joy Eternal

2010-02-02T13:12:00.001+01:00

Psalm 21:6-7 (NIV)
"Sure you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken."

I certainly hesitate to write of joy, since I've never been a particularly joyful person, at least not since childhood. For some reason, joy doesn't seem to flow through my veins, and when I see promises of joy in the Bible, I have to wonder if somehow I've missed the boat.

Still, the Bible's promise for believers to know joy is clear for all to see, and if we are to embrace the truth of God's word, we need to believe in faith that joy is given to us—without exception. Maybe we just need to find it!

In Psalm 21, David embraces the blessings God gave him as king—victories over Israel's enemies in battle, filling the desires of his heart, giving him a lasting kingship, and bestowing on him a long life. Finally, David declares the blessing of joy which comes from God's eternal presence.

While few of us will be able to rightfully declare these same blessings in life, David shows us that one of the keys to embracing joy is listing the blessings God has already given us. By making the effort to open our eyes and thank the Lord for the good things in our lives, we can't help but know joy.

As the old hymn says, we need to count our blessings and name them one by one. And whether we see our blessings as great or small, we can know they are given directly from God, showing us his love.

In these specific verses, David describes God's blessings as having no end, being for all of life, and then into eternity--not that David's kingdom wouldn't have trouble, for they certainly came upon Israel even during his day--but that when people embrace God's presence, they will know a joy that has no end. God's presence is unfailing.

For those who love Jesus Christ, this blessing of God's presence is eternal. We just need to open our hearts to it, embracing this blessing in our life.

This will surely bring us joy.

Lesson 11 - Blessed in Revelation

2010-02-02T11:44:00.002+01:00

Matthew 16:15-18 (NIV)"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Every believer enjoys this same blessing, the one given that pivotal day when Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the one anointed of God to be the Savior of the world. As believers, we are those to whom Christ has been revealed by the Father's call upon our lives.
Everyone who confesses Christ is blessed to be the church. To us, there is has been a revealing.
Revelation is described as God making his nature more fully known to humanity. Without his revelation, we are limited, and can only somewhat know him and his glory.
The Bible tells us God reveals himself through his creation, declaring his glories both day and night. God has also revealed himself through the voice of his prophets, teaching the world his unchangeable standards for morality. Through the Holy Spirit, God reveals himself most intimately, interacting personally with the souls of humanity. And finally, God fully revealed his loving nature, face to face, in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the one who will come again to reveal to the entire world God's justice.
This blessing comes when we realize the fullness of God's revelation. Unfortunately, many chose to go down every other path of life except the one made available through God's revelation. By embracing evolution, they can deny God's revelation given in creation. By declaring that truth is subjective, they can deny God's revelation through Scriptures. By viewing Jesus as just another prophet, they can reject God's love given on the cross. By denying the very real power of sin over their lives, they can turn away from salvation without a guilty conscious.
But blessed is the man or woman who turns fully to Jesus Christ, declaring him to be the Christ, the Lord and savior of their lives. This is the blessing of the church. This is the blessing God offers to those would worship his name.

Lesson 10 – Blessed in Our Homes

2010-01-20T12:22:00.001+01:00

Proverbs 3:33 (NIV)
"The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous."

While some take this proverb at face value, claiming life will be an easy one for every true believer, the experience of believers throughout the centuries tells us otherwise. Life doesn't always come up roses for the believer, and certainly, the wicked seem to get ahead more than we think they deserve.

When some read this, they use it as an excuse to deny the faith, like those who say they can't worship a God who allows suffering in the world, even if the curse is on the unbeliever. Others claim to accept its simplest reading, but then struggle when they face suffering, wonder if their righteousness is at fault. How good is good enough to avoid suffering?

So what then do we do with this verse?

I think the answer lies in a clearer understanding of God's blessing. The trouble is, we apply our own ideas of what a blessing would be as we interpret this verse. Most of us see blessings as an easy life, success in all we do, and plenty of wealth and happiness. Sure, those are blessings from God, but I don't think they are the blessing referred to in this verse.

The whole story of Christianity carries the theme that all of creation is cursed by sin, falling with Adam and Eve as they chose the path of disobedience. But with faith in Christ, we are no longer cursed, but have received a righteousness that is of God. We are declared holy. In this way, the believer is blessed. Surely this verse carries this idea when it speaks of righteousness.

But the verse still goes further. Here it speaks of a blessing and a curse upon the home. And while salvation is an individual decision of every person, there is a sense of God's blessing on the home of the believer. Paul hints of this in 1 Corinthians when he writes of a home being sanctified by the believer, even when the spouse is not of the family of God. Where a believer present, God considers that home under his umbrella of blessing, even when the whole family has not accepted Jesus as Savior.

These are words of comfort for those married to an unbelieving spouse. In spite of the situation you find yourself in, be assured that God's hand of blessing is upon your home. While we cannot say for sure how this blessing will be played out in individual families, we can know and trust that it will be for the good of Christ's kingdom.

Lesson 9 – Blessed through Abraham

2010-01-17T19:26:00.001+01:00

Genesis 18:18-19 (NIV)
" Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

Our Lord is a covenant making God, and this is just one of several passages where he commits himself to Abraham and his descendants. While the promise God gives this family of becoming a great and powerful nation remains relevant to today's Mideast claims over lands in and near Israel, the part of this covenant which still resides on the church today is the promise of a blessing which comes to all nations. Through Abraham, all nations would be blessed.

While I won't point to an extensive Bible study on this topic, the New Testament clearly teaches that it is through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that this blessing would be fulfilled through the Lord. Jesus is the only promise to this covenant. Through Jesus, all peoples may come to a right relationship with God. This is the blessing which comes to us through Abraham.

In a perversion of this promise, some claim that this blessing would come about through another prophet. While those who follow this line of thinking rightly claim Abraham as the father of faith, they ignore God's promise to bless the world through Isaac and Jacob. To get around this difficulty, they've gone as far as to rewrite Old Testament events (though thousands of years later), declaring their writings surpass the Bible, freeing themselves to deny Christ and to stake their claim on the land of Israel.

While this is a very sensitive issue, it is clear that God's blessing of our salvation comes only through Christ as a direct fulfillment of this covenant with Abraham. And while God did promise a large nation through Abraham's other children, he also told Abraham they would not be the lineage through which the promise would be given. The blessing for all nations comes only through Christ, through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Satan's way seems to be to try to confuse God's truth. He's a spin doctor to the max, taking the truth and twisting it for evil. While it is difficult to question one's birth and religious heritage, as we lovingly remain faithful to Christ, the world will take notice and receive a blessing, and it will come about God's way alone.

Lesson 8 – Blessed Are the Persecuted

2010-01-15T12:14:00.001+01:00

Matthew 5:10-12 (NIV)
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Here, the attitude to have is one of rejoicing and gladness, though not simply in the persecutions coming from those who oppose Christ, but simply in being found worthy to bear the name of Christ.

If you're like me, you've probably never really liked this part of the Sermon on the Mount. Who wants to have a sunny outlook on life when things are going bad, and in particular when you are being personally attacked in some way or another?

I'm convinced that many of the trials which I see hitting our church's younger families come about because they have recently committed themselves to Christ. And while they may not understand what is going on, Satan does, and he brings these believers into the crucible. Persecutions, whether a direct attack on us for the name of Christ, or in some other indirect way which just seems to be a life of troubles, are Satan's way of trying to get us to turn away from God's promises for our lives.

This is what Satan tried with Job, and no doubt, things haven't changed much since. Whenever we stand for Christ, there will be persecutions.

So that leads to the real question. How is it possible to rejoice and be glad in the face of persecutions? Of course, the Bible is not teaching us to go around saying all is good, even when it is not. And likewise, this isn't an opportunity for us to train our emotions to see things as rosy when in fact, all is not well. Some believers try those roads, but they invariably find themselves feeling guilt when they can't keep up the charade for very long.

What Jesus is telling us to do is to count it as joy whenever we face troubles, for that is an indication that we belong to Christ. That is the real blessing. To be the Lord's, regardless of what Satan would throw our way.

Lesson 7 – Blessed Are the Merciful

2010-01-14T12:42:00.001+01:00

Matthew 5:7-9 (NIV)
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."

These three attitudes - mercy, purity of heart, and peacemaking – all relate to loving others with the same love given to us without merit in Christ. Those who are blessed in the kingdom not only love God, but make it their practice to give away God's love to others.

Mercy is an attitude we all want when it applies to our own faults, but we hesitate to give it away except when we think it is earned or their heart has had a change of mind. We tend to give mercy only when it is in our best interests. But in Christ's eyes, mercy loves that person who has wronged us, even when their actions have been unlovable.

Pure in heart describes the way we relate to others, not only in our deeds, but also in our words and thoughts. Most believers tend to treat people well, but truth be known, I don't think our thoughts for each other are often so pure. In Christ's definition of purity, even our thoughts toward others reflect God's love. Not only do we practice what we preach, but we think it inwardly as well.

Peacemaking implies going out of the way to restore relationships. When it comes to our friends and family members, most of us are willing to do this, particularly after some time has passed. But what about when the rift is between you and someone you don't know or don't already care for? In Christ's economy, peacemaking speaks of a heart seeking reconciliation even when there is no other basis for coming back together.

Jesus would later tell his disciples that the world would know they were Christians by the love they would show for each other. That's what these "be-attitudes" are all about, shaping our hearts so we can love others. Of course, the world won't be drawn to Christ if we only love other Christians, or those like us in other ways. Instead, the world is looking for a people who are different. They are looking for a people who are willing to love the unlovable.

I have to wonder, is this how our community would describe those of our church? Are we merciful, pure in heart, and seeking to be peacemakers? Or are we just like everyone else, with no hint of the Christ whom we claim to worship?

To receive God's blessings of mercy, to see God, to be identified with Christ, we need the Lord's love in our hearts.

Lesson 6 – Blessed Are Those Meekly Seeking Righteousness

2010-01-13T17:21:00.001+01:00

Matthew 5:5-6 (NIV)
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

The next attitudes we're to have to receive God's blessings are meekness, along with a hunger and thirst. While the latter is clearly spelled out as a hunger and thirst for righteousness, we're not told much about meekness.

As with the first two we looked at, these are also attitudes of the heart which lead to salvation. Meekness is the realization I can't do a thing to atone for my sins on my own. Meekness is coming before God in humility, not demanding anything from him, bowing my spirit low before him in reverence and fear.

We come this way to God because our hearts are empty. We desire righteousness, but we've come up short without Christ. You see, no one comes to salvation on one's own merit. That's why we must come in meekness, hungering and thirsting for the righteousness that only Jesus Christ can give.

I invite you to join me in faith. Come inherit the earth as a joint heir with Christ. Be filled with the righteousness which is only Christ's to give.

Lesson 5 – Blessed Are the Poor and Mournful

2010-01-13T17:11:00.001+01:00

Matthew 5:3-4 (NIV)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Most have heard of the Beatitudes – "attitudes" for "be"ing – from Christ's Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon, Jesus offers nine blessings to those who approach the kingdom of God according to these attitudes.

The first of these blessings come to the one poor in spirit and mourning. To these people, Jesus promises the kingdom of heaven. These are the ones who receive comfort in this life.

I've always believed that these first two attitudes relate to the condition of the heart. They challenge me to ask, "Am I one who sees the ugliness of my own sin the way God sees it." Can I say that I cry out in my heart over the lost condition of my life apart from God? God only brings these blessings when I look upon my heart in this same way.

Even as believers, we need to remain burdened over sin's continuous assault on our lives, for these attitudes toward sin should last a life-time. Every day, we need to be sensitive towards the pain we bring upon our Lord through sin. For when we're most sensitive, then we are most thankful to our Lord for our undeserved salvation.

I've always been intrigued with David, one whom was after God's own heart. You'll remember that David was known to ask the Lord to search his heart. This was a check of his attitudes. I think we need a lot more of that. We need to cry out to the Spirit to show us our sins, driving us to be poor in spirit, and to mourn over our sins.

Those who inherit the kingdom and receive God's comfort are those who are poor in spirit and cry out over sin.

Lesson 4 – Blessed in Our Delight

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Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

It doesn't really surprise me that God's blessings come with conditions. For unless we agree to live according to God's will, there is simply no basis for any blessing. You could even say God's offer of grace, a blessing which is never deserved, also has its conditions, to include a requirement for a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

Here, the promise is of a blessing on the one who delights in God's word and makes it his practice to meditate upon it. This is the one whose life shuns the wisdom of the wicked, refuses the way of sinners, and flees from friendship with those who mock our God.

The psalmist goes on to liken this blessing to a tree deeply rooted in streams of waters, producing fruit in season and not shedding leafs in the heat of the sun. This pictures the security belonging to one rooted in Christ. God is our provision and we shall not be moved. The psalmist goes on to say the Lord watches over the ways of his own. He cares for those who are made righteous in Christ.

What this tells me is that the events of my life belong to God. I can trust him to sustain me in all my needs. I belong to him and live only for his pleasure. I can be assured that God's eye is upon me. This is my blessing.

While I'm familiar enough with the rest of the Bible to know that this blessing doesn't translate into a life with no problems, I can be assured my life belongs wholeheartedly to God.

Lesson 3 – Blessed in Our Humanity

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Genesis 5:2 (NKJV)He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.

This is a blessing God gives to all peoples, regardless of belief in Jesus Christ. It is the blessing of our humanity, our nature. It is that which makes us uniquely mankind. And while we celebrate the rest of creation, we must never forget the special blessing of our humanity.

This blessing which makes our position special is not that we're at the top of the food chain, but that we've been created in God's image.

Of course, this doesn't mean we're like God when it comes to power, wisdom, worthiness, and a whole host of things which define God, for life experiences tell us otherwise, often times in all too painful ways. But when it comes to being created in God's image, I think of two special things. These are our blessing of being mankind.

The first is that we've been created in God's image to have a soul. This is makes us different from other animals, for both God and mankind are the same through our spiritual nature. From our earliest days, we're inward thinkers. We're introspective. Some call this our consciousness, or our inner being, or our selves, but this is what makes people uniquely blessed of God.

We're the only ones with a soul. We're the only one of the animal kingdom with the capacity to make moral decisions. Our spiritual nature tells us right from wrong. Without it, we'd have no society at all, with the strongest ruling according to the forces of their might.

That leads to the second aspect of this blessing--we're created to live in relationship. That's the whole idea point male and female. God made one from the other, and then called us both mankind. We can't be separated. We're both needed to identify humanity.

At its core, our sexual nature is all about living in relationship. This is God's image given to us. This is the image which tugs upon our souls to know God, to want to commune with him, to desire to please him.

In recent decades, people have begun to struggle with their self-image. Am I really male or female, or even both? Am I really any different from the rest of the animals? Am I just part of natural selection and evolution? The Bible warns that these types of questions come when people purposefully forget the blessing we have in being created in God's image.

When God is out of the equation, we're forced to see ourselves as nothing special at all. No wonder people are so messed up. The spirit nature continuously tells us we've got it all wrong, calling us to reach out and accept God's blessing for ourselves, but the rest of humanity says there is no God!

The only way out of this struggle is to embrace God's blessing, that he's created us uniquely as humanity, and he remains ready to have a relationship with you.

Lesson 2 – Blessed by the Sabbath

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Genesis 2:3 (NKJV)
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

While this verse isn't a direct blessing on God's people, I think it provides an indirect blessing we shouldn't ignore. The creation account records that God rested on the seventh day, having finished the work of creation.

In the Ten Commandments, we learn this Sabbath was to be considered holy. It belongs to God. It is set aside for his purposes. Jesus later explains that while the Sabbath belongs to God, he gave it for our benefit. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, thus reflecting the purpose of God's blessing.

Clearly, we must not treat the Sabbath like all other days. God blessed it and gave it to us, so we need to recognize its importance in shaping our lives. As a day set aside unto the Lord for his purposes, it is to be a day in which we are also set aside for the Lord.

Traditionally, the church meets together on one holy day per week, referred to as the Lord's Day and traditionally observed on Sunday ever since Christ's ascension. Churches assemble to remember Christ's sacrifice for sin. We assemble to lift our voices in worship. We call out to the Lord in prayer. We commit to obeying the Spirit as we consider holy Scriptures.

While these are of utmost importance in drawing near to the Lord, I also encourage you not to forget the example of our Lord on his first Sabbath. He rested. While God's work is also complete in terms of our salvation, there is surely more work to be done in us, for sanctification seems to be a life-long process. When it comes to committing ourselves to live as Christ, allowing the Spirit to be ever-changing our hearts, there should be no rest.

However, don't forget that God commanded Israel to be at rest on the Sabbath from their secular work. No trade, no harvesting, no carrying a burden. Stay put. And, while we live in the freedom of the New Testament, we'd do well to follow this example of rest, for among other benefits, it gives our hearts and minds time to hear the Lord's voice.

Sure, some have to work on Sunday, and some tasks which we face can't be deferred. I'm sure God understands. But we need to do our part to free our minds to hear from the Lord. That is what the Sabbath is all about.

For many of us, we need to find a way to move our minds from the tasks of the week. This might mean taking a swim, going for a jog, playing the piano (or the radio for that matter!), or walking the dog. The key is, we need to move from what we do daily to position ourselves to hear from the Lord.

At its heart, the Sabbath is a change. We move from doing old things, to doing new things. And in this change, we recognize the importance of the Lord in our lives and we give God time to make us into something new. I thank God for the Sabbath and invite you to join me weekly in giving a day unto the Lord.

Lesson 1 – Blessed to Multiply

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Genesis 1:22 (NKJV)
And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 1:28 (NKJV)
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 9:1 (NKJV)
So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth."

"Be fruitful and multiply." These are the words God spoke to Adam and Eve at creation. These are the same words he declared to Noah and his sons after earth's destruction. These are words linked in Scripture to God's declaration of a blessing bestowed on those who were the crown of his creation.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be the direct recipient of God's blessing. Likewise, I suspect I've already received his blessings and haven't taken enough time to even notice. And what does a blessing really mean? Surely it isn't limited to what we say at the dinner table. And wow would a blessing from God change my life? Surely I'd be changed for the good.

While we might discover some answers to these over the course of this study, from these initial verses, I don't think we would be wrong to conclude that God's blessing is still upon us. And this blessing comes with a mandate - be fruitful and multiply and have dominion.

God's intention is for us enjoy his creation, that we dominate creation, that we serve as a reflection of who he is upon this earth. And in this enjoyment and dominion, I think our Lord wants us to get a glimpse of his creative genius in setting not only this world, but the entire cosmos in order.

Of course, this mandate doesn't mean we should be a sort of "anything goes" occupant, wasting what we've now discovered to be limited resources, and killing off who species at a time by our appetites. We do have a responsibility here to take care of things. Otherwise, it will be difficult to be fruitful and multiply after we've wasted all we've been given!

The point is, God blessed us with both a position and a responsibility on this planet, and the whole world is there for us to enjoy. Every sunset, every ocean wave, every majestic mountain, every towering pine, and on and on, they are there to be enjoyed. So that's what we need to do. Let's make it our plan to get out, to celebrate the earth our Lord has given us, and as you do, thank God for blessing you in this way.