How Does God Bless?
In fact, Jesus even warned about loving money and how difficult it is for a someone of wealth to come into a relationship with God. Despite that warning, in the church climate of today, especially in the United States, prosperity is still a big draw and the subject of many sermons.
In fact, you can't turn on a television preacher and find him preaching much of anything that doesn't in some way contain assurances that God wants to bless you with wealth. Of course, along with that assurance comes the caveat that any blessing will be directly tied to how much you give.
In the Prosperity Gospel, God will bless you IF you give, and consistenly give, and that blessing with be direction proportion to your giving, multiplying many times over.
However, if you look at the Word for how God blesses, you'll see many promises of blessings that have nothing to do with money. Perhaps it's time to reeducate ourselves as to how He wants to bless us. Afterall, if you're expecting one thing and He gives you another, how likely is it that you will recognize that blessing when you get it?
Blessed with a Good Memory and Mind
Pro_10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
Now, this is the verse that every Believer needs to be speaking aloud every single day. Instead of accepting that with age you might develop Alzeheimer's or dementia, the Word says our memory is blessed. So instead of just accepting that there may come a time when you will disappear inside your head, why not begin speaking a blessing over your mind and memory?
Today being to speak this about yourself: "According to the Word, the memory of the just is blessed. The Word also says we are justified by faith. Therefore I am just because I have been justified by my faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ. That means that my memory is blessed. I have the mind of Christ, and do NOT have memory loss or trouble remembering."
Children (Seed) are Blessed
Pro 20:7 The just man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
Isa 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Again being "just" means that you can claim blessings on your children and your children's children. Not only that, but as you hunger and thirst after righteousness, you have the promise from God that He will pour out (overflow) His Spirit on your children. So if you want to see your children saved and serving the Lord, make sure you are hungering and thirsting after God.
How many Christian parents are now wondering why their children seem to not want anything to do with the church or serving God, yet fail to see the connection to their own example?
- As parents did you find it easy to spend time at the lake on a gorgeous Sunday rather than in church?
- Did you find watching the Superbowl much more attractive that going to church?
- Did your children watch as you fought down and dirty with your spouse, only to see you turn on the smiles and charm when you walked into church?
Perhaps it's time for some parents to repent, and for other parents there's still time to refocus while your children are young.
Physical Needs
Exo 23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
Now, this seems to indicate that as long as we are serving God He is bound to bless our food, what we ingest, and that He will take sickness away from us.
Hey! Here's a suggestion: Instead of praying that trite little "Grace" before eating...you know the one: "Lord, thank you for this food. Bless the hands that prepared it and bless us. Amen." Isn't that basically how it goes?
So how about praying the Word over your next meal? Something like this: "Thank you, God, that as we serve you, you bless our food and nourishment and remove all sickness from amongst us. In Jesus Name Amen"
Blessed with Children/Offspring
Deu 28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body...
Vigor
In this instance "fountain" is referring to the procreative ability. Is it possible that the reason so many men have to take that little blue pill is because they have been unfaithful in their marriages? Is is possible that infidelity ultimately leads to inability?
Anecdotal support: One day talking with someone whose husband had been unfaithful, having many affairs during their marriage, she shared that eventually he was unable to perform.
Advice: If you want to retain your ability to perform sexually, then perhaps you need to "rejoice" (brighten up, make gleesome, cheer up, make glad, make joyful, make merry, cause to rejoice)...be happy with the wife you have.
That doesn't just mean being physically faithful in the marriage, it also means being emotionally, mentally and spiritually faithful. Avoid like the plague anything that would cause you to look away from your wife. No pornography. No "innocent" flirtations at work or church. No "just looking" at those short-skirted young things prancing past you in the mall.
Spiritually might also mean that if you are praying for your wife's best and for her to be blessed, you are not going to be tempted then to stray.
Spiritual Blessings
Every Area of Your Life Blessed
God promised the Nation of Israel (and by adoption, Believers) great blessings for obedience. Even today, if we will seek Him first we will see these blessings in our lives:
Deu 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
Deu 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
Deu 28:3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
It doesn't matter where you live, you will be blessed and by the same token will be a blessing to those around you.
Blessings of Reproduction
Deu 28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
"Fruit of your body" would be your ability to reproduce. Since these blessings were originally given to a society that were basically farmers and ranchers, today those blessings would apply to whatever endeavor, profession, trade or avenue in which we make a living or put food on the table.
Blessings on Your Thriftiness and Planning
Deu 28:5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
Once the food is on the table or in the pantry, it will be blessed to NOT spoil and to provide nourishment to your physical body. This also implies blessings on those provisions you make for your family's sustenance, perhaps even their inheritance.
Blessings on Your Movements and Direction
Deu 28:6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
By implication, all your movements will be blessed. So whether you are working in your house or driving down the road you will be blessed.
Victory and Peace
Deu 28:7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
No matter who comes against you, God will cause them to come to nothing.
Think of it this way: He is our Father. Just like you don't mess with a man's kids, you really don't want to mess with His kids!
Endeavors/Work Blessed
Deu 28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouses, and in all that you sett your hand unto; and he will bless you in the land which the LORD thy God gives you.
In everything you do, wherever you go, He has promised to bless you in every way that could be all that is good.
Abundant Blessings on a National Level
While the blessings below may sound like a repetition of those blessings promised in verses 1 through 8, however, if you look closely those seem to be directed toward the individual. While these following verse seem to be directed toward the entire nation of Israel.
So it is possible that this promise of blessings could apply to a nation that started off by dedicating it's very existence to God. Only two nations in history have started out in such a way...Israel and the United States of America.
With that in mind, read the promises of blessings below, and you will see just how God has blessed the United States. Sadly, if you read on in Deuteronomy you will see a list of curses that will come upon a people or nation that does just the opposite.
So it is possible that this promise of blessings could apply to a nation that started off by dedicating it's very existence to God. Only two nations in history have started out in such a way...Israel and the United States of America.
With that in mind, read the promises of blessings below, and you will see just how God has blessed the United States. Sadly, if you read on in Deuteronomy you will see a list of curses that will come upon a people or nation that does just the opposite.
Deu 28:9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
Deu 28:10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
Without a doubt the United States was once a force to be reckoned with throughout the world. Today, it appears that we have become the laughingstock...like the Emperor's new clothes. Most Americans don't realize that as a nation we are naked and exposed before the world.
Deu 28:11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
America was once considered the Breadbasket of the World. We fed the world. No longer.
Deu 28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
The US is now the largest debtor nation in the world, borrowing money from our enemies just to stay afloat. At the same time the weather has gone crazy and drought is a major concern.
Deu 28:13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
If the US had continued to honor God He would have continued to bless us, however...
Deu 28:14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
As a nation, we turned away from God and are now following the gods of celebrity, money, power and self.You might wonder what a study on blessings and prosperity has to do with End Time events. Well, read Psalm 37. The righteous are promised that they will "inherit the land", while 11 times you will see that the wicked and evil are going to be destroyed.
Choose this day whom you will serve. Will you serve God and learn to see His blessings in other things than money, or will you continue to seek and serve mammon and jeopardize your eternal destiny?
