Friday, March 30, 2001

“Blessed Ones”

(Transcript Of CD#71)

 

 

Q. Do you want to be blessed? Do you want God Almighty’s blessings in your life?

A. Sure we do, that’s what we’re going to address today. We’re going to look at God’s Word and see how we can be blessed.

The first step in gaining God’s blessings is:

• *Psalm 32:1 says, “A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

The word Maschil from the Hebrew means instructive, something to make you intelligent, wise. Blessings can’t flow unless we have certain knowledge. That certain knowledge comes only from God Almighty and His Word!

God’s greatest blessing is His grace that He has extended to you, to me and to the world. Our sins can be forgiven if we believe in the heart and confess with the mouth Jesus Christ as Lord.

Q. Have you made Jesus Christ Lord of your life?

A. That can only happen when:

• *John 6:44 says, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

When the precious Holy Spirit draws us into a relationship with our Creator through the Lamb and we accept we become “blessed”. This next verse goes perfectly along with John 6:44. God chooses us when He draws us to Him.

• *Psalms 65:4 says, “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.”

Praise be to God for He still loved us even when we had our backs turned to Him. He made a way for us to come back into right standing with Him, by His Son and the Cross. Don’t walk around saying “woe is me” if you are under the Blood!

Q. Why not?

A. Because you have eternal life and now you have blessing flowing through you. Your Father in Heaven loved you enough to choose you, to draw you unto salvation. There is nothing in this world we can compare to being at peace with our “Maker” in complete satisfaction!

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, we have not seen Him, yet we still believe. That is a blessing, see:

• John 20:29 says, “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Because we believed we now have eternal life and we don’t have to die. The second death, which is the death of our soul has no power over us. Let that sink into your minds, we’re going to live forever, what a blessing.

See:

• *Rev. 20:6 says, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

Let’s go back to Psalms 32 once again and cover the full thought. Let’s go ahead and reread verse 1, as we cover verse 2.

• *Psalms 32:1-2 says, “A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2, Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”

We’re blessed when our Father looks at us and only sees the image of His Son. Having a right relationship with our Creator brings peace and blessings. So many times if we’re not careful we will take for granted the miracle of our sins being forgiven. We’re blessed beyond measure and need to be full of praise and joy.

Let’s now look at another one of God Almighty’s blessing for us:

• Psalms 40:4 says, “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”

Q. Trust in God brings blessings, how?

A. Because we gain understanding that God is in perfect control. We learn about God’s promises and how we can claim them for our own!

Coming out of the gate I want you to know that Satan is your enemy. He is your accuser and when you fall short he’ll be there to tell you it’s all over. Satan will say to you “you will never make it, you have sinned again”. This is when you claim God’s #1 one promise for your own.

• *1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

We’re all human and we are living in the flesh body. Sooner or later we will fall short and sin. Satan wants to convince us that our sins cannot be forgiven. Satan is not only a liar but also the father of lies (see John 8:44). Our confession = God’s blessing of forgiveness.

Moving along let’s cover another blessing that builds our trust:

• *Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

As we put God first in our lives we can 100% trust He’ll meet our needs (not wants) as long as we’re trying!

Q. What needs, what wants?

A. Cover Matt. 6:25-32 in your home study time. God our Father will provide everything we need to sustain life. These are all of the things that cause people “without” Christ to stress and dispare. Our Father is there for us and is the Great Provider. He is always there for us we have nothing to worry about. What a blessing being full of peace, trust and joy.

As our Lord shows us mercy and gives us His blessing it should motivate us. Motivate us to have and to show mercy to all of those in our world. When we help those less fortunate it makes our Father so proud and pleased. When we please Him His blessings flow all of the more:

• *Psalms 41:1 says, “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.”

This word poor was translated from the Hebrew word “dal” meaning dangling. God Almighty showed us mercy and we are now His children. Kind after kind, born of His incorruptible seed showing forth mercy like Him to all those around us.

There are people around us who are “dangling” by a thread. Satan is standing there with the scissors ready to snip away at them. It’s our responsibility to reach out with God’s love and mercy to them. When we do this mercy it shows we’re a child of God.

Getting back to the verse here, did you notice the qualifier? We can claim this promise of having God’s deliverance “if” we consider (help) those dangling. God will deliver us out of all of our trouble (maybe not the way we would have chosen).

Q. Why?

A. Because we reap what we sow in our lives. When we sow God’s Word of Truth in our lives we reap His promises of blessings! See the following verses that show documentation:

• Gal. 6:7-10 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10: As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Let’s continue our thought in Psalms 41 and go on to the next verse.

• *Psalms 41:2 says, “The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.”

Trouble may come hard but it will not defeat us because our God will preserve us. The word preserve was translated from the Hebrew word “shamar” meaning to hedge about as with thorns. When our flesh tries to tell us how bad things are, remember God is still on the throne.

We’re not going to die forever because God will keep us alive through our Risen Savior! When our enemy comes against us have faith and don’t worry he is defeated. Jesus Christ defeated Satan on the Cross-! The blessings just keep coming as we do our part:

• *Ps 41:3 says, “The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.”

This word strengthen was translated from the Hebrew word “ca ad” meaning to support, fig. to comfort, establish and to hold up.

Our God will support us when our world comes crashing down around us. Here is another blessing we need to hide in our hearts and be able to claim for ourselves. Our bed of turmoil will be turned over by our Maker! You have heard that old adage: “you made your bed now go and lie in it, or you’ve got to sleep in it”. But praise be to God we have sowed a bed of righteousness and that is what we will reap from God. Satan would like to steal this truth from us. Why & how? Our faith comes by hearing the Word and hiding it in our hearts. If he can create doubt then he’s successful.

• *Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

It takes our faith in order for God to be pleased with us. When we move to God by faith that opens His blessings and He rewards us. We we’re created to please Him, bring Him pleasure, see:

• *Rev. 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

When you and I understand Satan’s m.o. (method of operation) then we can prepare for it. We’re blessed because of our faith in God’s grace. You see our actions, our words, our motives are either of doubt or of faith. There is no in between, it’s one or the other. The last part of Romans 14:23 says for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. What we must understand is that doubt is fear. If we fear our enemy then we are giving him respect. We only fear, reverence God not the enemy. Go back to Psalms:

• *Psalms 112:1 says, “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.”

The word feareth was translated from the Hebrew word yare meaning to fear, mor. to revere, to give reverence.

The person that is blessed has a feeling of deep respect, love even awe concerning God Almighty. We want to “hear” what He has to say, it important to us. WE delight from the Hebrew to incline, to bend to His Word. As we take into our hearts the Word of God with reverence we become pliable. The Word helps us to bend from our own ways to His ways. The Word of God is likened to “living water” see:

• *John 7:37-38 says, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38: He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

In these verses of scripture we have Jesus Christ as the Water of Life Who is the Word made flesh, see:

• *John 1:1, 14 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Speaking of this water please keep in mind we’re made from clay (see Gen. 2:7). A potter keeps water in the clay as he shapes the clay into his creation.

Q. Sound familiar?

A. Go to Isaiah please:

• *Is. 64:8 says, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”

Let’s continue the thought of the water in our lives as we get deeper in our Lord’s blessings. Once again go back to the great book of Psalms.

• *Psalms 1:1-3 says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

With God’s blessing comes complete joy into our lives. To gain those blessings we must take instruction from the Master. We don’t go by this world’s standard, we go by thus saith our Lord now! We learn how to follow our Lord by meditating (feeding) on His Word. Just as a cow eats the grass and then later on at night “chews the cud” we bring back up the Word in our minds. The cow gets all it can out of what it’s eaten.

Q. Have we? Do we get all we can from the Word?

A. That’s how we grow in our Lord from infancy and mature to bear fruit for the Kingdom. He is the Vine and we are the branches. Turn to the Gospel of John.

• *John 15:1-8 says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3: Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6: If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

The branches feed on what the Vine supplies and then are able to bear fruit. There in verse 2 we see just how important it is to bear fruit. We’ve done established that the  food and water we need to be fruitful is thus saith the Lord God Almighty. Let’s see what Jesus Christ said about that turn to the Gospel of Luke.

• *Luke 11:27-28 says, “27  And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28: But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

When we hear with obedience the Word and keep it we become blessed. If we want blessings cooking in our lives the Bible is the recipe book sort of speak. The word keep here was translated from the Greek word phulasso meaning to watch.  The Word opens our eyes so we can watch, so we can see the truth. If the Word opens our eyes then we will not go to sleep spiritually. Turn over to the next chapter here in Luke for more:

• *Luke 12:37-40 says, “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38: And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39: And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 38: Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

Here once again following our title’s text “Blessed Ones” we see we are to serve the Lord watching. These ties together perfectly with what we read in chapter 11 of Luke. To be blessed the first qualifier here is to be a servant. Not just any servant; but a practicing servant that is watching and looking for His Lord.

Q. How are we to be serving as the blessing flow? In other words, in what way are we to be serving?

A. You and I are to serve our Lord in the Great Commission (see Matt. 28:18-20). As we fulfill that command we’re blessed once again, we’re “blessed ones”.

• *Is. 32:20 says, “Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.”

This word sow was translated from the Hebrew word zara and it means to sow, fig to scatter seed or to bear fruit. We know that waters means people here. So if we want to be blessed then we must sow God’s Word as Christ commanded in His Great Commission. This is how we stay hooked into the Vine and bear fruit from John chapter 15 we looked at earlier. We are blessed when we work in our Lord’s harvest field.

Each one of us is faithful to our part. You can’t do it all and I can’t do it all. There are certain things you can do that I can’t, and vice versa. We must all work together using the talents God has given us then we’re blessed and fruitful. Study 1 Cor. 3:6-9 in your home study time for more. WE sow the seed and someone else waters but only God can give the increase, meaning make the seed sprout.

The more we do for our Lord the more of an enemy we will become to Satan. It’s not going to be a bed of roses as some would tell you. Satan will attack you in many different ways but the joy of the Lord will take you through it. With what Satan means for evil our Father will turn for our good (see Romans 8:28).

Be prepared in your heart to know that trials and temptations will come but look at our blessing after we’ve come through them faithfully. Turn to the book of James.

• *James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

If we want to be blessed when we go through these trials then we must endure. The word endureth was translated from the Greek word hupomeno meaning to stay under or behind. We must stay behind our Lord and His teachings. If we stay under His authority then we’ll pass the test and be blessed. All of this takes action on our part in order to succeed. With the passing of the test more blessings flow, a Crown of Life.

Receive from the Greek means to take. God will bless us and help us as we help ourselves. We must work at this crown of life; which is eternal life with our Lord. Let’s look at the start of the time of that eternal life as we finish this study. What a blessing to be called unto the supper of our great God. Turn to the great book of Revelation.

• *Rev. 19:7-9 says, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8: And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9: And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

Q. Are you making yourself ready daily?

Q. Do you know what this fine linen consists of?

A. This fine linen of the wedding garment is made by you everyday; as you work your faith and do the qualifiers for God’s blessings. You don’t want to end up like the person in Matt. 22:11-14 who was not dressed properly. The word righteousness was translated from the Greek word dikaioma meaning equitable deed. When we are faithful to where we are with our Lord working according to our knowledge then the robe is made and the blessings flow.

What blessing we have through our Lord Jesus Christ! I know this has been a simple study. The whole point of this study was to uplift you with instruction to gain blessings. As we walk daily in obedience we truly are the “BLESSED ONES”!

GAP Ministries

 

“REMEMBER GOD’S WORD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!”