SOME BLESSINGS ARE CONDITIONAL

Proclamation:

"If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin ..." 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of The Lord God which He spoke to King Solomon when He appeared to him in a dream after he had finished building the temple of The Lord and the royal palace as an answer to his prayer. (2 Chronicles 7:12)  God wanted His chosen people to change their behavior before He would answer their prayers and forgive them.

Application:

We are blessed by The Lord God in more ways than we can count.  We receive some blessings without asking for them.  We are blessed when our hearts keep on beating and we keep on breathing.  However, some blessings are conditional; we only get those blessings after certain conditions are satisfied.  We only get the specified "then" blessings when the "if" conditions are satisfied.  Some of our prayers will not be answered until we, as believers, humble ourselves, and pray, and seek The Lord, and turn from our wicked sinful ways.  We should not expect that God will forgive us and bless us if we continue to commit the same sins over and over again.  If we honestly cannot help ourselves, then we need to pray to Him for His help and strength to change our ways.  The Bible says that the fervent prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)  We don’t have to be perfect but we must believe and be sincere when we pray.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and then He will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) 

DON'T JUDGE OTHERS FORGIVE THEM

Proclamation:

“Do not judge or you too will be judged.” Matthew 7:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd during His Sermon on the Mount as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  Only Jesus has the authority to judge anyone and He will judge everyone. (John 5:22 and 1 Peter 4:5)  Those who judge others will be judged in the same way that they judged others. (Matthew 7:2)

Application:

Human beings are sinful by nature.  We will frequently do, say, or think the wrong things. However, all too often we are quick to condemn others for their wrongdoings.  None of us is perfect. (Romans 3:10)  All of us have sinned. (Romans 3:23)  To those who wish to condemn others, Jesus said, "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone ..." (John 8:7)  It would be better for us if we would forgive those who have sinned against us and pray for those who have done wrong.  For if we forgive others who have sinned against us God will forgive us of our sins.  If we do not forgive others then we ourselves will not be forgiven. (Matthew 6:14-15)  So, let us not be quick to condemn and judge, let us be quick to forgive.

"YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN"

Proclamation:

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’ ‘… No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and The Spirit’ … ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:3-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as He responded to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council, who had come to Him under the cover of night. (John 3:1-2)  Nicodemus took Jesus literally and wondered how one could re-enter their mother’s womb to be born again.  Jesus made it clear that He was referring to a spiritual birth. (John 3:5-6)

Application:

We must have a spiritual transformation or regeneration produced by The Holy Spirit.  This new birth is an act of God based upon a person's belief in and acceptance of Jesus Christ.  It also implies becoming a new born child of God.  Therefore all believers have two birthdays.  The first is their physical birthday and the second is their spiritual birthday.  We must all undergo a spiritual transformation.  Without this second birth, we will remain a lost soul for eternity.

WALK IN THE LIGHT

Proclamation:

"Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in The Light of Your presence, Lord.  They rejoice in Your name all day long; they celebrate Your righteousness.” Psalm 89:15-16

Explanation:

This Psalm was written by Ethan, the Ezrahite, who was distinguished for his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:31)  Under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God Ethan wrote about God’s mercy and truth, the glory of God, and the happiness of those in communion with Him.

Application:

If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we don't walk in The Light very well.  We can only walk in The Light for a short while before we fall down and sin in our thoughts, words, or deeds.  Sometimes we are like a toddler learning to walk, we take a few steps then we fall down. When we try to walk in The Light, we don't get very far before we have a sinful thought and fall. With the help of The Holy Spirit we get back up and begin again to walk the walk of the Christian way.  It is much harder to 'walk the walk' than it is to 'talk the talk'.  Our goal should be to walk in The Light all day long, every day, in heaven.  However, while we are down here on earth the plan should be to walk in The Light a little bit longer each time between our falls. 

WE ARE BLESSED

Proclamation:

"Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the one whose sin The Lord does not count against them, and in whose spirit there is no deceit." Psalms 32:1-2

Explanation:

This psalm was written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  David knew that he was a sinner and he frequently prayed and asked God to forgive him of his sins.  He knew that he was blessed because God had forgiven him for all of his sins and transgressions.

Applications:

We often think of blessings as something tangible, like wealth or possessions.  Some of the best blessings we can receive are good health, a long life, and happiness, along with the protection from dangers seen and unseen.  However, it is my opinion that the greatest blessing of all is the forgiveness of our sins.  We are blessed!  All of our "... transgressions ... sins ... iniquities ...", and our rebellion against the will of God, our failure to live up to His Word and keep His commandments, and the perversions of our fleshly desires, were all forgiven by the death of Jesus on the cross.  If we confess our sins and iniquities and ask to be forgiven, then they are not charged to our account. (1 John 1:9)  We are covered by the blood of Jesus.  All of our sins, shortcomings, and our deceitful tendencies and thoughts are forgiven.  That is truly a blessing.

FAITHFULLY WATCHING AND DOING

Proclamation:

“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes…” Luke 12:37  The King James version of The Bible for this verse reads: “Blessed are those servants, whom The Lord when He cometh shall find watching ...”

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as reported by Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Jesus was speaking to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd.  His point is that the good servant will be watching and working while he waits for his master to return.  He will be prepared when his master returns.

Application:

Since we do not know the day or the hour of our Lord's second coming, we ought to live our lives continually expecting and ready for His return.  "Be ye therefore ready also; for The Son of Man cometh at an hour that ye think not." (Luke 12:40)  We must also be ready, because The Son of Man will come at an hour when we do not expect Him.  If we stay ready then we won’t have to try to get ready when He comes.  Being faithful stewards means that we should be studying and meditating on The Word of God and living our lives according to His will. "... Who then is that faithful and wise steward ... Blessed is that servant, whom His Lord when He cometh shall find so doing." (Luke 12:42-43)  By doing that we will be ready for Him whenever He returns.  Then when we see Him we will hear Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  (Matthew 25:21)

DON'T LET PAST SINS HOLD YOU BACK

Proclamation:

“At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is The Son of God.  All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?  And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’  Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is The Messiah.” Acts 9:20-22 (NIV)

Explanation:

During his past life, before being converted on the road to Damascus, Saul had persecuted Christian men and women.  He even entered their homes, hauled them out, and committed them to prison. (Acts s 8:3)  He was so bad to the believers that it was hard for the people to accept him as a preacher of the gospel.  But as bad as he was, God was able to change him and use him. (Acts 9:20-22)  Saul was his name as a Hebrew; Paul was his name as a citizen of Rome. (Acts 13:9)  Paul not only preached the gospel, he organized several churches while on his various missionary journeys.  Additionally, thirteen of the twenty-seven books of the new testament of The Bible were written by the apostle Paul. 

Application:
Has your pre-Christian past ever been an embarrassment to you?  When you meet your old friends are they shocked at the new Christian you?  Do you feel that you were so bad in the past that God would not use you to spread His Word or build His kingdom on earth?  If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then remember the apostle Paul.  He went from persecuting Christians to preaching the gospel.  Don't let your past sins, for which you have been forgiven by God, get in the way of your present work for The Lord.  Let go of your past and let God use you now and in the future.  God has forgiven you.  All of us have sinned. (Roman 3:23)  We have all done things which were not Christ-like.  After we ask God to forgive us, we need to forgive ourselves and move on.  God has a plan for each of us. (Jeremiah 29:11)

DON'T STAY ANGRY

Proclamation:

“In your anger do not sin; Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Ephesus while he was a prisoner in Rome.  Paul reminded them that they were saved by the grace of God and that they were to behave in a Christ-like manner.  He said that it was okay for them to get angry, but it was not okay to stay angry or to let anger control their lives.  Getting angry did not give them the permission to sin.  They were to forgive the person who made them angry and not let the devil use their anger to cause them to sin.

Application:

We have all gotten mad or angry at some time in our lives.  Anger is a natural emotion.  The “anger” is not the issue, but what we do about it or what we do when we get angry that becomes the problem.  The world says, "Don't get mad, get even" but that is not the Christian way of doing things.  The Bible says, "Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath; neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26-27 KJV)  The Bible also says "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31-32 KJV)  Acting out of anger allows the devil to take control of our behavior and speech and we do not give God glory.  According to Bible scholar Rev Dr John Mac Arthur, "bitterness can be likened to a smoldering resentment (that gets worse with time).  Wrath has to do with rage, the passion of the moment.  Anger is an internal, deep hostility.  Clamor is the outcry of strife out of control.  'Evil speaking' is slander.  And 'malice' is the general term for evil, the root of all vices."  We need to do the right thing, be righteous and Christ-like.  We may get angry, but we should not stay angry or act while we are angry.  We need to forgive whoever made us angry and not wait a long time before we do it.  Forgiving them will probably require us to pray a long prayer and ask for God’s help, but we will be better off for having done so.

DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE

Proclamation:

"Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached The Word of The Lord and see how they are doing.’  Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.  They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.  Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left …” Acts 15:36-40 (NIV)

Explanation:

Under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul, recorded these words documenting a disagreement between two of the apostles.  Paul wanted to return to the towns where he and Barnabas had preached.  Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them but Paul did not think that was a good idea.  They could not agree, so they agreed to disagree, and went their separate ways and continued to do the work of The Lord.  It is possible to disagree with someone without being disagreeable.

Application:

It is difficult for two people to agree on everything.  Even people who like and love each other will not always agree.  Christians will not always agree on every issue.  Here The Bible records the fact that even the apostles did not always agree.  It is not surprising to hear about members of the church who disagree with one another.  The disagreement, usually over something minor, is not the issue.  What is important is how they handle their differences.  Others, believers and non-believers, may see or hear about the disagreement and be affected by it.  We need to exercise good Christian behavior even when we disagree with someone, especially when that someone is also a child of God.  The work of The Lord should not stop just because two people disagree.  After each of you has stated your position and all of your supporting facts, and it is clear that you do not agree, continuing to argue, especially loudly and forcefully, is pointless and usually leads to very non-Christian language and behavior.  It may be better to separate and part company when you strongly disagree with someone.  Your disagreement should not cause a brother to "fall" into sin or cause a lost soul to "turn" from Christ.  Agree to disagree, but do not become disagreeable in the process.

GOOD HEALTH A LONG LIFE AND HAPPINESS

Proclamation:

“Blessed are all who fear The Lord, who walk in obedience to Him.  You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours…your wife…your children…your children’s children…” Psalm 128:1-6 (NIV)  

Explanation:

Here the Bible promises special blessings for the Godly man himself and for his family. These blessings include provisions and prosperity in addition to a long life.  This conditional blessing will allow the believer to live long enough to see his children and his grandchildren grow up and do well. 

Application:

When we fear The Lord, we hold Him in reverential awe and have great respect for Him. The Lord has special blessings for the Godly people who fear Him and who are obedient to His Word.  We will be blessed with a job which will allow us to provide food for our family.  We are blessed in our homes, on our jobs, and after we leave our jobs as well.  We will be happy and do well, and our spouse and our children will also do well.  This is truly the way to prosperity.  We will also be blessed to live a long life, long enough to see our grand children grow up and do well.  These verses provide the Biblical basis for asking The Lord to bless someone with “good health, a long life, and happiness.”

WE SPEAK POWERFUL WORDS

Proclamation:

“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’” Acts 3:6 (NIV)

Explanation:

After the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, The Christ, and after they had received The Holy Spirit, Peter and John were on their way to the temple.  A lame man outside of the temple gates asked them for some money. (Acts 3:1-3)  This verse is Peter’s response to the lame man.  Jesus had told them that that they would receive power when they received The Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8)  Peter spoke “in the name of Jesus” and through the power of The Holy Spirit the lame man “jumped to his feet and began to walk.” (Acts 3:8)

 Application:

Believers were not saved just to sit back and do nothing.  We were also given power when we received The Holy Spirit of God.  We are to tell people about our Lord and Savior, and to be His witnesses. (Acts 1:8)  We may not be able to lay our hands on people and heal them but we have the power to help people.  Our words and our prayers are powerful.  We can share The Word of God with people and help them.  Helping is not always about giving someone money.  Peter helped the lame man but he did not give him any money.  (Acts 3:6)  We are empowered to speak to people in such a way as to change their lives through the power of The Holy Spirit.  Our prayers are also powerful.  We can bless others by praying for them in the name of Jesus, by the power of The Holy Spirit, to the glory of God. (John 14:13)  So, be very careful what you say when you speak to people.  Speak to them in a way that will be helpful to them.  Don't just show them the error in their ways.  Help them to see The Way, The Truth, and The Life. (John 14:6) 

EVERY GOOD GIFT COMES FROM GOD

Proclamation:

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from The Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  James 1:17 (NIV)

Explanation:

Under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God the Apostle James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, wrote this in a letter to the scattered believers during their period of persecution under King Herod, after the crucifixion of Jesus.  After telling them that there is good that can come out of their suffering, and that God will grant them wisdom if they prayerfully ask Him for it, he told them that every good and perfect gift comes to them from their heavenly Father.

Application:

Everything that is good which happens to us, is a blessing from God.  Not just the gifts and presents that we receive, but even the good little things that we take for granted, like each breath and each heartbeat.  Even the kindness shown to us by a friend is a gift from God.  Every random act of kindness that which shown to us is the result of love, and all love is from God because God is love. (1 John 4:8)  So, when we receive a gift, we not only need to the human giver of the gift, but we need to thank God for using that person to make that blessing possible.  We also need to thank God for the gifts and blessings which we receive that no man can give us.

ONE MORE CHANCE

Proclamation:

"You forgave the iniquity of Your people and covered all their sins.  You set aside all Your wrath and turned from Your fierce anger.  Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away Your displeasure toward us."  Psalms 85:2-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the sons of Korah.  They recorded the fact that God has forgiven His people in the past, and they were praying that God would forgive them again.  They recognized that they had sinned and sinned again, and they were asking God to restore them to His good graces.  

Application:

Today we recognize that we have all messed up and sinned against God. (Psalm 51:4)  We realize that we have sinned in the past and we know that The Bible teaches us that if we confess our sins that He will forgive us. (1 John 1:9)  Our problem is that we have sinned again and now we need to ask God for forgiveness again.  We need one more chance.  We are not asking for a second chance, we messed that one up a long time ago.  We need His forgiveness, and we need another chance.  We also need to pray for His help and His guidance in order to sin less and to do the right thing.  This is especially true for any sin which we commit repeatedly.  We need His help to turn from our sinful ways. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  Only He can restore us to His good graces and return us to a right fellowship with Him.  Only He can restore to us the joy of our salvation. (Psalm 51:12) 

DO NOT LET THE ROCKS SPEAK FOR YOU

Proclamation:

"Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!'  'I tell you,' He replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'" Luke 19:39-40 (NIV)

Explanation:

In the gospel according to Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul, these words were recorded which Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in the crowd of His disciples.  As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, (Luke 19:28), riding on the young colt, (Luke 19:33-35), the crowd began to shout praises unto Him. (Luke 19:37-38)  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd told Jesus to rebuke them, and tell them to be quiet. (Luke 19:39)  Jesus responded to them by saying "If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." 

Application:

As believers, we should praise The Lord God loudly and often. (Psalm 100:1)  In fact, we are encouraged to praise Him continually. (Psalm 34:1)  For He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.  He does not need us to give Him praise, but He will be praised.  If we do not praise Him, then the rocks will praise Him. (Luke 19:40)  So, let us praise Him.  Let us praise often and frequently.  Let us praise Him so that the rocks will not have to speak for us.  The Lord God is truly worthy to be praised.

BE A PURIFYING INFLUENCE IN A DECAYING WORLD

Proclamation:

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

In this passage of his letter to the believers in The Church at Colosse, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, the Apostle Paul told them to be careful in the way in which they act towards and speak to outsiders.  He told them that they should make every effort to interact with others in a Christ-like manner, displaying the grace of Christ, so that their behavior and their words were helpful and reflected positively on Christians.

Application:

As believers, we should speak with grace.  Our words should be spiritual and wholesome (Godly), fitting and sensitive (appropriate), purposeful and complimentary (helpful), kind and gentle (considerate), truthful and thoughtful (filtered by our mind before being spoken).  Our words should also be seasoned with salt.  Salt adds flavor to food, but it also prevents corruption.  It was used to prevent the bacterial contamination of meat before refrigeration in days of old.  Salt has a purifying influence by preventing decay.  By their being like salt they would have a purifying influence in a decaying world.  Jesus said that His disciples are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)  As believers, we should also know how to, and be ready to, answer people when they question us.  To do this we must read and study The Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:15)  Then, after we hear and read The Word of God, we must be doers of The Word. (James 1:22)  We must live in such a way that our Christian beliefs and our behavior are consistent.  Let us pray that God will use us to add a Christ-like flavor to this sin-sick world, and that He will use us to be a purifying influence in this decaying world.

WE WILL BE BLESSED IF WE DO AS CHRIST DID

Proclamation:

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:15-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

According to The Holy Spirit inspired word recorded by the Apostle John, the disciple who referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved.  Jesus said these words to His disciples after He had washed the feet of each of the disciples. (John 13:3-10)  Jesus was not giving them a “mini” bath, He was just knocking the dust off of their feet.  The point that He made was that the man who has been shown and taught the right way, and then does right and follows the right way, will be blessed.  Jesus had shown them that not only was He a teacher but He was a servant and they were also to be servants.  They should be willing to wash each other’s feet.

Application:                        

When we know that which is right, we should do that which is right.  As the saying goes, "when we know better, we should do better."  We are encouraged to not just be hearers of The Word of God, but also to be doers of The Word. (James 1:22)  The Lord God will show His wrath to those who hear The Word of God, and then do not obey it. (2 Thessalonians 1:8)  Christ lived His human life on earth as an example to us.  He was the perfect example of Christian behavior.  While we cannot be perfect, we need to follow His example.  We should not think too highly of our selves. (Romans 12:3)  If Jesus was willing to do lowly tasks for the benefit of His disciples, then we should not think that we are too whatever to do menial things to benefit others.  If we live a Christ-like life, and do that which we know is the right thing to do in order to help others, then we will be blessed.

BE QUICK TO LISTEN AND BE SLOW TO SPEAK

Proclamation:

"My dear brothers, take note of this; everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.  Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept The Word planted in you, which can save you." James 1:19-21 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are The Holy Spirit inspired words of James, the half-brother of Jesus, who became a pillar of the early Church after the resurrection of Christ.  James wrote to the people of God to provide them with guidance regarding their behavior.  He was encouraging them to exercise self-control, to listen to others more often, and to be think before they speak or become angry.  He told them that they should not say or do anything which would displease God, and they should humbly accept and display The Word of God, and The Holy Spirit of God, which was within them.

Application:

It has been said that the reason we have two ears and one mouth, is that maybe we ae supposed to spend twice as much time listening as we do talking. (Author unknown)  James encouraged believers to listen to others, but he did not say that they should believe everything that they hear.  He said believers should be slow to speak, meaning that we should hear what the other person has to say before we respond.  Additionally, we should think about what they said and what we are going to say, before we speak.  James said that we should be slow to get angry, because when we get angry, we often say and do things which are not consistent with the Christ-like life that we should live.  We also should always be ready to listen to The Word of God, and we should welcome every opportunity to gain a better understanding of it.  We should be very cautious and slow to teach or tell others about The Word of God without first giving our words careful consideration and much thought, least we mis-speak.  If The Word of God is within us, then we should let it shine forth for others to see by our actions, which will speak much louder than our words.

BLESSED IS HE WHOM THE LORD FINDS DOING GOOD

Proclamation:

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.  But understand this; if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So you also must be ready, because The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.  'Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?  It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.'"  Matthew 24:42-46 (NIV)

Explanation:

The Apostle Matthew, the former tax collector, recorded this parable which Jesus spoke to His disciples regarding the end of the age, (Matthew 24:3-36), the rapture of The Church, (Matthew 24:40-41), and His return to earth. (Matthew 24:44)  He told them to keep watch and be ready, because not one knows exactly when He will return.  He then taught them using a parable that the wise and faithful servant will be doing the work which he was assigned when The Master returns.

Application:

Since no one knows exactly when Christ will return, we need to prepare now for His return.  It is said that we need to get ready now, and stay ready, so that we be ready when He comes.  If we stay ready, we won't have to worry about trying to get ready when He comes.  Just as in the days of Noah, the people would not turn from their sinful ways before the flood, and after the flood came, it was too late for them. (Matthew 24:37-39)  It would be better for us today, if we were like the good and faithful servant. (Matthew 24:45 and Matthew 25:21 and 23)  Blessed is the servant whom The Lord will find doing good works when He returns. (Matthew 24:46)  The question we each need to ask ourselves is: what will The Lord find us doing when He comes for us?

PRESS ON TOWARDS THE GOAL OF CHRIST-LIKNESS

Proclamation:

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

In his letter to the believers in The Church at Philippi, the Apostle Paul wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Paul told them that although he was saved, he was not perfect.  However, he was pressing on towards the mark for which Christ had laid hold of him.  While he had not attained it yet, he was going forward towards it, and he was not going to worry about his past mistakes and sins as he worked toward the prize for which God had called him. 

Application:

We can learn from Paul.  All of us have sinned. (Romans 3:23)  We all have skeletons in our closets because of our negative, mistake filled, and sinful past.  However, once we have confessed our past sins, and asked God to forgive us, He forgives us.  We should also let go of them. (1 John 1:9)  We should not let our past sins, or our past successes, hinder our present work, or block our future efforts.  God has a work for each of us to accomplish as part of His kingdom building project. (1 Chronicles 28:20 and Colossians 3:23)  As Paul said, we are all like a runner in a race heading for the goal of Christ-likeness, we are not there yet, but we must keep on running towards the goal.  None of us is perfect, but God loves us and He can still use us to accomplish His purpose.  None of the men in The Bible were perfect, except for Jesus, The Christ.  They just believed and were willing to work for The Lord God, and He used them for His purposes.  We must likewise forget about our past and be willing to use our skills and abilities to work for The Lord. (Exodus 36:2)

BLESSED IS HE WHO HAS COMPASSION

Proclamation:

"Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; The LORD delivers him in times of trouble.  The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.  The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness."  Psalms 41:1-3 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this psalm of David records the blessings and the sufferings of the people of God.  Those believers who are poor, weak, sick, down or depressed, will be blessed by The Lord God.  He will protect them, preserve them, uplift them, sustain them, cure them, and restore them.  David also said that The Lord will bless those who have compassion for others who are suffering and in need.

Application:

We are blessed in so many ways, most of which we take for granted.  The Lord blesses us when He protects us, preserves us, sustains us, and restores us from and through the things which confront us as the storms of life.  Some of the storms that we go through are for our benefit in order to strengthen us. (Romans 5:3, James 1:2-3, and 1 Peter 1:6-7)  However, He also blesses us for having compassion on those who are suffering and are less fortunate. (Proverbs 11:25 and 2 Corinthians 1:4)  When we have pity on the poor and less fortunate, we are lending whatever to The Lord, and He will repay us. (Proverbs 19:17)  Jesus, The Christ, said that as we treat the less fortunate, we are doing the same unto Him. (Matthew 25:40)  When we are a blessing to others, we will ourselves also be blessed.

GOD ENLIGHTENS REWARDS AND PROTECTS US

Proclamation:

"For The LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones."  Proverbs 2:6-8 (NIV)

Explanation:

King Solomon, who was granted great wisdom by God, (2 Chronicles 1:7-12 and 1 Kings 4:29-34) wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Solomon stated that God gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to those that He chooses, and He rewards, guards, and protects them.

Application:

As we live and breathe we are blessed everyday.  We are given many additional blessings daily for being a child of God.  While we are all blessed we do not all get the same exact blessings.  We are all enlightened, rewarded, and protected as He determines is fitting for us.  As we demonstrate that we will do the right thing with the blessings that we have received, then we will be blessed with more.  (Matthew 25:21 & 23)  Our intellectual abilities differ and so does our capacity understand the facts which are presented to us.  Therefore, our ability to utilize and apply the facts that we receive also varies and as our level of wisdom differs.  Some of us choose not to make the best of these God given gifts.  However, He still guards and protects all believers.  We just need to pray and ask for His help so that we can make the best use of the gifts which we have been given.

THE POWER OF PRAYER AND PRAISE

Proclamation:

"After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose."  Acts 16:23-26 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded, under the influence and direction of The Holy Spirit of God, by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. (Acts 16:16)  The owners of the slave girl earned a great deal of money because of her unique ability, and they were not happy with Paul and Silas for ending their source of income.  They seized them and turned them over to the authorities for conducting unlawful activities. (Acts 16:19-21)  In spite of their situation and circumstances, being falsely accused, in prison, physically beaten, and locked in the stocks and chains, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God.  In their darkest hour, they praised God.  Their prayers were heard, things began to shake, and their chains came loose, along with the chains of all who were in prison with them.  The jailer was so impressed that he asked them, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"   Then he led them out of the prison to his house, and all in his household were saved. (Acts 16:30-33)  

Application:

The world is watching to see how believers respond to the events of life.  They make judgments about all believers based upon our behavior.  We are representatives of The Lord God on earth, and we never know who is watching us, or what effect our behavior will have upon them.  Therefore, it behooves us to always act and speak in a Christ-like manner.  There is power in prayer and in praising God, chains can be broken and doors can be opened.  We ought to do both more often, and we ought to give God the glory for the good things which result from our prayers and praise.   As the saying goes: “No prayer, no power; little prayer, little power; much prayer, much power.” (Author unknown) 

WE SHOULD GIVE GOD OUR BEST EFFORT

Proclamation:

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."  Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV)

Explanation:

The wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, the son of King David, wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to warn the young people, and all of the other people of God, to avoid just going through life relying on human wisdom and doing just enough to get by.  He encouraged them to do their best at whatever they do.

Application:

I was taught that a person should do their very best to be the best at whatever they do.  The Bible teaches us that we should do our best at whatever we do and that we should work as if what we are doing is for The Lord. (Colossians 3:23)  We are also taught that we should get busy and not procrastinate because this life is short and it will soon be over. (John 9:4)  Whatever we do, and in all that we do, we should do our best to do it to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)  Nothing that we do should be done in a half-hearted manner.  Everything that we do should be done to the best of our ability.  Anything that is worth doing, is worth doing right, and it is worthy of our best effort.  We are working for The Lord God and He deserves our best effort.

BLESSED FOR HOLDING GOD IN REVERENTIAL AWE

Proclamation:

"Blessed are all who fear The LORD, who walk in His ways."  Psalms 128:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

The human author of this psalm, and the context and occasion for which it was written are unknown.  The purpose clearly was to inform the people of God that those who hold The Lord in reverential awe, who are humbly submissive to Him, and who obey His Word, will be blessed. The author goes on in this psalm to say that such a person's work will be productive, and all will be well with them, their spouse, and their children.

Application:

To fear The Lord God is to hold Him in reverential awe.  In order to be truly happy, one must be truly holy.  The believer who truly enjoys life is the one who acknowledges that The Lord God is in every aspect of their life.  By living in practical obedience to The Word of God and walking with God, one can truly enjoy a happy, healthy, productive, and long life. (Proverbs 3:1-2)  If we fear The Lord, are obedient to His Word, and walk in His ways, then we will be truly blessed.