Blessed to Be a Blessing
The call to worship for Israel in Deuteronomy says, “the Lord your God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” As we move ahead as Christians upon our Christian Journey, we encourage each other to look ahead. We cannot rest upon our laurels. When we record our failures, we remember that these are the stepping stones to success. When we miss the mark we can triangulate toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Our mission is to create an environment where men can be encouraged in their faith… Where our prayer is “Lord come help yourself to our lives.” Not looking back to that which is behind, but pressing forward on path that God has prepared for us to walk. In this life, mortality is 100%. Between now and then we are encouraged to make our lives count for Christ. The beauty of walking with the Lord is that morning by morning new mercies I see. God’s gracious goodness is new each day. Each new day is a clean slate to walk in fellowship with him. Our sins are not held against us, for he who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Our adversary the devil us up to his old tricks. We are still in the midst of the spiritual battle that has raged since the fall of man. Secular leaders influenced by the “God of this world” continue to lead in the wrong direction. The right direction can only be viewed through the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he said, I am the way the truth and the life. It’s not what we stand against that matters, rather, it’s what we stand for. Therefore stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.
Jesus himself was “narrow minded” when he said, “I am the only way.” Today Christians are attacked for being narrow minded. They are ridiculed and ostracized from political correctness because Christians follow the truth of the Word of God and not the word of man. Holiness or sanctification means to be set apart for the purpose intended by the Creator. We are called to be discriminating and to set ourselves apart for God’s purpose. God’s still in charge whether or not the “Priests of secular humanism” the prevailing religion of our land acknowledge his sovereignty. This is no different than when the prophet Ezekiel reproved Israel in Ezekiel 25: 26, “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean…” Sanctification starts with discrimination: understanding the difference between the righteous standard of the Word of God and the world’s standard where “everyone did right in his own eyes.” In this world we will be tested every day. Life is a series of choices. As Joshua said, “choose ye this day whom ye shall serve. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord”
A man of God is Christ-centered. We need to understand who we are, but more importantly, WHOSE we are. In life’s decisions, the question is “what’s the cost and what’s the benefit.” Ultimately decisions are not about the cost but rather about the value. What is it that you value? The Lord says, “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you.” How do we seek the Blessor instead of the blessing? We seek the Blessor by blessing others. The love of God is made perfect when we give it away. This is the example of Jesus Christ himself. Jesus prayed to his Father in the garden of Gethsemane, “If there be any way, let this cup of suffering, separation, and death pass from me.” He was praying about the injustice of the sins of the World and separation from his Heavenly Father by death. God’s answer is that Jesus would have to drink the cup. It’s through suffering and pain and death that Jesus paid the price for sin on our behalf. Jesus Christ for the joy (of our salvation) that was set before him endured the cross and is set down at the right hand of God. The heart of the gospel is that he who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.
God makes good on his promises. He will make it good on his timetable and not ours. He will clean the slate and give us grace and mercy for our redemption according to the truth of his Word. The love of God gives unconditionally. When we pray for our enemies, we reflect the nature of God himself. For in that while we ourselves were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.
God has set us in the body of Christ so that we can live to be a blessing. We need to be thankful for the opportunities to give and bless others unconditionally. Our attitude of gratitude is based on his sacrifice for sin on our behalf. We love him because he first loved us. When we come to know our Lord Jesus Christ, we can love others on his behalf. The narrow way is living in the land of blessing as we live to bless God by blessing those to whom he has called us to minister. We give and love unconditionally when we live to edify, comfort and encourage others according to the Word of God.
Therefore, the Lord thy God is one Lord. Thou shall love the Lord with all thy heart, with all thy mind and with all thy strength. Honoring the first commandment is “thou shalt have no other God between your face and my face.” When we walk in fellowship with him, the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the true church and the truth of the Word of God. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ made this available. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me. Therefore may our prayer be, “Lord come help yourself to my life…take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee.”
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael