Blessed to be a Blessing

Genesis 39:5 (NIV)
  From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. 

Think on these words for a moment. The LORD blessed the household...because of Joseph. Joseph's integrity and love for God caused even those around him to benefit.  Much more than benefit, they prospered and thrived. Because of Joseph's positive behavior everything and everyone around him profited. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 

How did Joseph keep his faith with all he endured? His siblings rejected him and even tried to harm him. The very ones who should have died trying to keep him safe threw him away as so much
garbage. How do we keep our faith when we are rejected and hurt by those we love?

During seasons of despair, God is there for us. This is easy to say and difficult to embrace, but true. Even Jesus experienced a time of despair when His closest companions couldn't stay awake for a few hours to pray. These same loved ones rejected Him, denied His friendship and ran away!

Consider a time in your life when all seemed lost. Remember that time and bring to mind how God loved you through it. Are you still in that season of loss?  Are you still feeling the pain of rejection? Perhaps your spouse left you, or your business partner cheated you, or your best friend betrayed a confidence.

"The more challenging your day, the more of My Power I place at your disposal." - Jesus Calling (November 12)

The takeaway from today's scripture is the blessing of the LORD will be on us when we follow Him.

Genesis 39:1-10

Conduits without clogs

“As [the women] danced, they sang, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.’  Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him.  ‘They have credited David with tens of thousands,’ he thought, ‘but me with only thousands.  What more can he get but the kingdom?’”  1 Samuel 18:7-8

How many times have we seen this scenario?  A young person finds fame, usually from acting, music or athletics ... with it comes applause, adulation and wealth, all in staggering amounts and at lightning-fast speed ... followed by an outlandish lifestyle of free-flowing drugs, alcohol, promiscuity and cash ... and right on cue come the addictions, the neuroses, the divorces, the troubled children and financial struggles.  Though rich in talent, the “stars” among us yet lack the ability to handle the acclaim that follows.  After all, they’re only people.  Gifted, yes, but only people.

It’s not just celebrities.  Our scenarios may not play out on as grand a scale or to such extremes, but we, too, struggle with praise – be it too much, too little, or not worded quite right.  I think the reason is this: We weren’t built to be the end-point of praise, rather, we are designed as conduits through whom praise flows on its rightful way to God.  Every blessing comes from him and all praise is due him.

Saul didn’t see it that way.  Had he glorified God in his heart for his battlefield successes, he would have worshipped him, also, for David’s.  To Saul, however, adulation stopped at the person and success was measured by comparison.  And by comparison, he lost 10 to 1.  Joy gave way to jealousy.

But David’s response to victory?  Pure praise.  Listen to his battle hymn ...

“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.... He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.  You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great....  You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet.  You made my enemies turn their backs in flight and I destroyed my foes.” Psalm 18:32, 34-35, 39-40

God’s blessings to David flowed through him to others ... and the victories for which the people praised David, he ascribed, in turn, to God.

The same is true for us when we live as conduits without clogs: his blessings flow out through us and his rightful praises flow up from us.

In 1674, another hymn writer, Thomas Ken, beautifully captured this flow of blessings and praise in a single verse.  And he inserted it as the final verse into two separate hymns, written for morning and evening worship at Winchester College: “Awake, my soul, and with the sun” and “Glory to thee, my God, this night.”

We know it today simply as “The Doxology” and with it, we praise the God who first blesses us.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen!

[Read today's text, 1 Samuel 18:1-9, in the NIV, or The Message.]

Rebuild for Remnants and Nations - Amos 9:11-15

Life is very tough, don't you agree?  Some days or some seasons are filled with pain, indecision and disappointment.  Recently I was experiencing doubt and wondered if I was really where God wanted me to be.  I felt alone, bored, and without purpose.  These feelings were probably a result of my having been so busy in my previous life that I did not know how to experience "retirement".

I called upon God and all the promises He had made during my years of praying and journaling and seeking His Word for me.  Just that quickly, God found a number of projects I could be working on; things I enjoy and know are not just busy work.

Have you ever noticed how many promises God makes?  His Word is filled with assurances of His faithfulness and His love.  When He promises something you can count on it and trust it will be just what is needed.  The Amos text as read in the Message I found to be very exciting, counting off the promises God made to His people and how they were going to be fulfilled.  Like this from Amos 9:13: "Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won't be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings!

I can testify to the 'everywhere you look, blessings' part of the verses.  When I feel low and lost in my memories of what was and what should be now, God has provided me a special blessing.Without fail I was see a deer or a number of them cross my path, stand in the road looking at me or just grazing alongside the woods.  I see numerous deer each and every day.  Many of them in my own yard.  I know, those who live in the north woods of WI might consider this just a normal part of life, but I know it is God saying, "There you go my child, I am with you always."

Read the Amos 9:11-15 text here.
Note: This picture was taken last night just outside my door.

Blessings Abound Joel 2:28-33

Today we are continuing in the book of Joel. This week we have seen God send trials to the people of Israel in order to get their attention. We discussed how through mourning our sin, abstaining from things that distract us from God, and prayer God can restore us and remove the trials he delivered.

I hope you understand that not all trials are from God. Some are from our own decisions and others are from Satan. In our passage this week we see that sometimes God does disrupt the flow of our lives when we stray from His path. We have also seen how when we repent, God is faithful to hear our prayer and remove the trial. Today’s verse shows us something else unique about God.

Not only has He restored the land to its once productive state, blessing the people of Israel once more, we also see that God sent a Spiritual blessing,

“Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants—men and women alike.”

Isn’t that just like God? We mess up and he draws us back to himself and instead of just leaving us where we were before we sinned he goes an extra step and blesses us further. We serve an amazing God.

Read today's passage at Biblegateway Joel 2:28-33

Angel Speaks to Mary - Luke 1:26-38

Do you ever feel like God just threw you a curve ball? Recently I was scheduled to share a talk with a MOPS group, when my husband became ill. I ended up taking him to the ER. They admitted him and began running tests. This major distraction was not part of my plans.

The Scripture verses from Luke came to mind, "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:31-33)

Talk about a curve ball, Mary was engaged to be married, her future looked good. How was she to handle this dilemma? We can be sure this was not part of her plans. I thought about this and came to realize that perhaps the plans I have for my life, the plans for my future, and even my plans for the talks I share are different from the plans God has. I have learned that God’s plan and God’s timing are always better – not necessarily welcomed warmly at the time – but definitely better.

The greatest blessings in our lives come as intrusions requiring our surrender.

To read  the text for today click here.