“Every Time We Turn Around Blessings Upon Blessings”

Deuteronomy 28:1-6

Blessings is defined as any means of happiness; a gift,benefit or advantage;that which promotes temporal prosperity and welfare, or secures immortal felicity. 

All good things come from God and so when we receive blessings why shouldn’t we thank Him for them? If the Lord shines His face upon us and is gracious to us, that is a blessing.  When Moses caught a glimpse of God the Lord caused Moses’ face to shine from the Shekinah glory of God.  He made Moses’ face shine when “the Lord turned his face toward him and God was certainly gracious to Moses as He still is to His own children today. We are blessed for being persecuted, reviled, and lied about when it is “for Jesus’ sake. The Greek word for blessed is “makarios” which means to be made happy. When Peter and the apostles were beaten for preaching the gospel, did they go and ask the church to pray for them?  Did they ask the Lord to stop their beatings and persecution?  No, “they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).  These men were reviled, persecuted, and beaten and yet they rejoiced…because they were blessed!  They were very happy about it because they were “considered worthy to suffer shame for [Jesus’] sake.”  Persecution and joy actually go together or at least they should. In James 1:12 it says, “Blessed is the man who preserves under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  

I come by this morning to let you know God’s greatest desire is that we be blessed and prosper. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Be bless and I love you!!! JE