God’s Blessings

March 30th – Psalm 126:5

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Psalm126:5

Easter is one of my favorite times of year. Because it’s a season of reflection, renewal, and rebirth. Christians around the world celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While equally joyous Jews, celebrate the wonderful feast of Passover, thanking God for their freedom from Egypt. Both celebrations are rooted in joy and gratitude. Psalm 126 is also rooted in joy and gratitude. And contains some lessons we can reflect on as we commemorate this most holy holiday. First, is gratitude for all of God’s blessings, and how He has delivered us from past troubles. Next is perseverance in difficult times. For if we remain steadfast and persevere, God will take the seeds of our tears and make them blossom into enormous joy. Finally, trusting in God’s promises. God never goes back on His Word. So we can have faith that as our heavenly Father, God will always provide for the needs of His children.

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March 29th – Matthew 28:19

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Matthew 28:19

The number twelve is used 187 times in the Bible. In most cases it is represented as the number of perfection and authority.  And during His ministry on earth Jesus, “…summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve so that He could send them out to preach.” (Mark 3:13-14) There wasn’t anything especially remarkable about these men. They weren’t Lords or Princes. Nor were they great scholars or high priests. They were average men who throughout the Gospels we see fail, struggle, and doubt God. Yet Jesus chose them anyway. And He chooses us as well, blessing us with the same commission of sharing the Good News. Because Jesus doesn’t care about our past, our failures, or our social standing. What He wants is a close personal relationship with us. He wants us to love Him, and to tell others about Him so they too can know Him and spend eternity with Him. Will you answer His call?

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December 24th – Luke 1:45

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Luke 1:45

We all want to be chosen by God to do great things. But if He did appoint a task for us alone to fulfill, how would we feel? I often imagine how Mary must have felt hearing the glorious news she was to carry the Savior of the world. Was she scared, excited, overwhelmed? Did she laugh, cry, or stand frozen in shock? Of the many emotions Mary must have felt, the one she didn’t feel was disbelief. For after asking how this miracle would come to be and hearing, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35), Mary simply replied, “may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) The example of strength and obedience shown by Mary is something to behold. Her unshakable faith led to God to bless her greatly. And just as He did for Mary, God will bless our faith as well!

 

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Rebekah – Saying Yes To God No Matter The Cost

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As Rebekah hurried to bring the freshly prepared dishes to the dinner guests, she couldn’t help but overhear the conversation between the servant and her father, Bethuel. The gold bracelets on her wrists the servant had given her, clinked together as she placed the plate of smoked fish on the table. Rebekah admired the way they glistened in the candle light. And she listened as the welcomed servant told her father of the marriage proposal. …

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June 2nd – Psalm 73:26

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Psalm 73:26

Do you ever get weary of watching the wicked prosper? Asaph was one of David’s worship leaders in the tabernacle choir. He too couldn’t understand why God let people not only practice evil, but be rewarded by it. But God’s ways are not ours, and regardless of his wondering, Asaph still put his faith in the Lord. For he knew that as long as God was his portion, no matter the actions of the wicked, he had all he needed. To have God as our portion means making Him the source of our happiness and strength. And to be humbled, joyful, and content with all God blesses us with. Evil may swirl around us, but nothing is out of the Creator’s control. And His power is perfected in our weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9,10) So if we keep our hearts and mind focused on Him, we can be assured that God will never fail us!

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January 20th – psalm 55:22

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Psalm 55:22

Between the government, social media, and news outlets, fear is peddled as a hot commodity. No wonder in today’s climate people are afraid to even step out of their front door. But God, in His great love, reminds us that as His children we need not fear. For the Lord our God is with us. And with His mighty hand He will provide, sustain, and strengthen us. And never will He let us be shaken. But for that to happen we have to trust in Him and His promises. And let’s be honest. It’s easier to have fear than faith. To act on emotion instead of in standing in God’s truth. Billy Graham once said, “Fear can banish faith, but faith can banish fear. Faith isn’t pretending our problems don’t exist, nor is it simply blind optimism. Faith points us beyond our problems to the hope we have in Christ.” A great hope that allows us to cast all our cares upon Him, knowing we are wrapped in God’s love, goodness, and mercy.

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September 9th – Proverbs 22:9

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Proverbs 22:9

We’ve all heard that it is better to give than to receive. But do you truly believe it? If you do, are you actively searching daily for opportunities to give? And when you give do you do it begrudgingly, or with gladness? The condition of our heart when giving might not matter to the one receiving, but it matters to God. For He is the Originator of “paying it forward”, and wants us to follow His example cheerfully, and generously. The Lord blesses us abundantly with the intention of us passing on those blessings to others. For the harvest we reap comes from God alone. And when we share our bounty with others, not only does it please God, He promises to repay us above and beyond what we gave. But regardless of our reward, we should be eager to give because Jesus gave everything to us. And out of hearts of thankfulness, we need to sow as generously as did our Lord.

 

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August 23rd – 1 Peter 4:1

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1 Peter 4:1

The days are growing shorter until the day of the Lord. And until that glorious day, troubles and adversities will increase not only for Christians, but the entire world. But while we wait for the return of our Savior, Peter gives us some encouragement. He urges us to share the same attitude as Jesus when it comes to suffering. The agony Christ endured to give us eternal life should bring each of us to our knees in thankfulness. And so for us to suffer in the flesh like our Lord is not just a privilege, but a testimony of our faith. Because suffering in the flesh means we have made a commitment to turn away from worldly living. To forsake the pleasures of sin and the path of self indulgence. And instead be willing to experience hardships, trials, and afflictions for the sake of Jesus. To follow the example of our Lord and suffer for the glory of God and His will to be done.

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May 18th – Ephesians 3:20

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Ephesians 3:20

Have you ever prayed to God and been absolutely blown away with the abundance of His answer? The apostle Paul tells us instead of being surprised, we should anticipate our Father to go above and beyond what we ask of Him. For we serve a God who loves to bless exceedingly those who abide in Him in faithful obedience. The Lord wants us to come to Him in prayer with all of our needs. Because He cares about every detail of our lives, both great and small. And when we do, we need to be bold, expectant, and prepared for an answer that will be far greater anything we could imagine!

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