Overtaken By His Blessings!

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. Deuteronomy 28:1-9 NKJV

There is so much more within this passage of scripture–blessings through the 14th verse, but then comes the 15th verse to the end–the curses of disobedience. We know the story of what happened to the Children of Israel in their journeys–when they obeyed God they were blessed; when they didn’t, they suffered the curses of their choices.

From the beginning–after Moses met with God–commandments were given and expected to be followed. And then there were added various sundry laws and policies until realistically–God’s people–like now–decided it wasn’t worth trying to keep up. And this is why when God walked the earth in the person of Jesus Christ–He said–Love Him, and Love Your Neighbor–everything He wanted us to do–summed up in two commandments. Why? Because He is love and He wants us blessed beyond measure!

If we love Him, we desire to please Him, and if we endeavor to please Him at all times, we won’t do anything that would create any cracks in our relationship with Him.

If we love each other–we won’t do anything that would cause harm to one another or injury or damage of property. If we love each each other–we lift each other up and encourage one another to stay on the path He has established for us. Loving each other doesn’t mean we have to agree with one another, but we know how to disagree, agreeably, maintaining the love relationship. That’s what God wants from us and when we endeavor to obey, He blesses us–with more love, peace, joy, happiness, self-discipline, and wisdom from on high.

Most of us (I realize not all will feel the same) have a great deal to be thankful for on this day. Some have watched loved ones suffer and leave this life. Some have agonized over the fate of our nation and loved ones abroad. But in the midst of all the turmoil and upheaval, if we look hard enough–we can find a reason to be thankful.

I’m thankful for His love that never abandons me. I’m thankful for the peace within when I know I’ve been obedient to Him. I’m thankful for my family–a husband who loves me and for my children and grandchildren–who I admit–I’ve spoiled with love. I’m thankful for the friends who love me as much as I love them–even when we don’t agree. I’m thankful for life, health and strength and determination to keep moving forward in His name. I’m thankful for the desire He has placed in me to rise up and speak out against injustice, hate and bigotry everywhere. I’m thankful for the wisdom He keeps pouring into me and directing my thoughts and actions in sharing with others.

I am blessed and highly favored, overtaken by His blessings and will continue on the journey He has established for me. And I pray that anyone and everyone reading this today, will feel the same way–overtaken by blessings.

Advertisement

Obtaining Happiness and Keeping It!

If people are bound with chains and trapped by the cords of affliction, God tells them what they have done and how arrogantly they have transgressed. He opens their ears  to correction and insists they repent from iniquity. If they serve Him obediently, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness. Job 36:8-11 HCSB

People are looking for happiness–in all the wrong places–and when they find what they think is happiness, it is short-lived and leaves them frustrated and oppressed. When most are asked what makes them happy, the first words that come out of their mouths is having money, then love.

If people need money and love to make them happy, we can get a better understanding as to why there are so many miserable people in the world.

Factual understanding: 1% of all Americans hold the wealth of country. These are the big businesses that rake in money hand over fist, pay minimum wages, and often ship manufacturing jobs overseas. This is the Wall Street Gang and in many cases–upon close inspection and looking at their lifestyles–they are not happy because they are obsessed with obtaining more money. They think living lavishly makes them somebody and when in actuality, they are somebody without the frills.

On the other hand–there are many people who have little money, but have learned to be happy with what they have and they are generous to a fault, compassion always reigning in their hearts, and they know how to enjoy the little things in life.

When it comes to love–far too many people have confused lust with love and when feelings wane–and there is no more interest in the person–the lust having been satisfied and now they turn to other people who are looking for lust–not love–and start the cycle all over again.

At the same time, there are people who understand that real love begins with loving self, loving God, receiving His love and loving others. They don’t need someone hanging onto to them to know love, they are loving to all–considering what’s best for all they meet. They know how to nurture relationships, listen to others and genuinely care. True happiness is a mindset that is developed from loving self.

Now, getting back to Job and his situation in life. Although he had lost everything (materially) as well as his children, he never gave up on God--even when his so-called friends and wife encouraged him to do so. His reward for obedience and steadfast faith in God? Restoration of all he had lost and even more. He may have experienced some sad moments as we all do, but he was able to keep moving forward to receive from God.

No matter what happens to us in life, if we are open to correction, repent of anything that harms others or self, and obey God, He will keep His Word and we can end our days with prosperity and live our years (however many we have) being happy.

“Because I’m happy” is a popular refrain in a song, but it also needs to be a deeply-rooted attitude in the hearts of all Believers because we have love and we know that God is always more faithful to us than we might be to Him, so we can count on Him to provide our every need. And when we take the time to please Him, He gives us the desires of our hearts.

Find Wisdom–Find Happiness!

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.” Proverbs 3:13-15 NKJV)

Many people are seeking a superficial happiness through–the things they amass–rather than in knowing that those things offer only a temporary appeasement, lasting only as long as they last or through people–who are so fickle they are always changing their minds. True happiness–that lasts–is in seeking and finding wisdom from God.

Wisdom, once obtained, can never be taken and God lets us know that when we gain understanding–knowing what to do with the wisdom He gives, we will discover that nothing compares to the wisdom He gives.

Solomon–the wisest man who ever lived–did not ask God for things–for riches, or gold, or silver, or lands–He asked God for wisdom and with the wisdom he obtained, he gained understanding in how to manage the riches that were given because he did not ask for them. God knows what we need!

Finding a job or a better paying job won’t bring us true happiness, which is why people are always complaining about the jobs they have. No matter how much they make, it is never enough–there is always a plea for more.

Here’s a plan–instead of asking or seeking God for more–tangible things–let’s seek wisdom and knowledge in how to manage what we have and gain understanding from exercising wisdom so that we never have to ask for things.

I am convinced that some of us will never have all that God desires for us to have because we have not mastered being a good steward over that we already have. Help us, Lord! We want–to squander–which is why we don’t have what we want. It is never too late to learn the lesson of sound financial management, planning, and saving. I’m a late bloomer–in understanding financial wisdom, but I’m willing to backtrack and learn to the extent that I can. Giving of our resources is a good thing, but saving is equally important. Even though my grandson is only 13 years-old, I’m teaching him now to save half of everything he gets from monetary gifts, chores, etc. It is never too early to learn and never too late–unless we are dead or have nothing to manage.

What we have to remember is that God can take a little–bless it–and multiply it beyond our expectations--when we exercise the wisdom, He freely gives. I’d rather have His wisdom poured out upon me than all the riches in the land because I can use the wisdom to obtain the riches!