Tag Archives: The life God blesses

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The Life God Blesses

Pull Out All The Stops If You've Lost It

PREVIEW: The tides of an increasingly nasty culture and the natural drift of our own fallenness will make living out life of true integrity extremely difficult. We will have to fight opposite currents every day, if not every moment of our lives. But such a well-lived life will be worth it along the way and at the end of our journey. A life of true integrity is the only way to live! As the psalmist said, “He who does these things will never be shaken.” (Psalm 15:5)

The Life God Blesses

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 15:1

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?”

What is the life God blesses? David couldn’t have spelled it out any clearer than in Psalm 15: It is the life of integrity!

The person of complete integrity, which I realize, in the truest sense is redundant — spiritual, relational, financial, moral, intellectual, physical integrity — is the one upon whom God’s favor, power and provision will rest.

Now integrity is a word that gets thrown around a great deal these days — and that’s part of the problem: It gets thrown around instead of lived out.

So, just what is integrity? I think the simplest and best definition I know is this: The congruence of what you believe with how you behave. For the Christian, it is the marriage of Biblical values, principles, and world-view with our moment-by-moment attitudes and actions. In short, it is to practice what we preach at all times and under every circumstance.

David provides some very specific areas of integrity that are absolutely critical to living under the blessing of God:

  • Moral Purity—Verse 2: “He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous.”
  • Compassionate Honesty—Verse 2: “who speaks the truth from his heart.”
  • Rejection of Destructive Opinion—Verse 3: “and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.”
  • Revulsion of Evil People—Verse 4: “who despises a vile man.”
  • Promotion of Good People—Verse 4: “but honors those who fear the LORD.”
  • Ruthless Trustworthiness—Verse 4: “who keeps his oath when it hurts.”
  • Risky Generosity—Verse 5: “who lends his money without usury.”
  • Rigid Honor—Verse 5: “and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.”

Any person who lives organically, unbendingly, and consistently this way will themselves live, as verse 5 concludes, in the stability and security of the palm of the Heavenly Father’s hand:

He who does these things will never be shaken. (Psalm 15:5)

The tides of an increasingly nasty culture and the natural drift of our own fallenness will make living out this kind integrity extremely difficult. We will have to fight opposite currents every day, if not every moment, of our lives. But such a well-lived life will be worth it along the way and at the end of our journey.

A life of true integrity is the only way to live!

My Offering of Worship: A life of integrity, from beginning to end, is no small matter. You cannot achieve it apart from God’s daily help. So, ask God today, and ask him every day, to equip and empower you to live a life of complete integrity.

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Giving To Get In Order To Give

God Is Able To Bless You Abundantly

SYNOPSIS: What are the conditions of God’s amazing promise to abundantly bless you? 1) You are to give authentically. In other words, you are to decide; no one should coerce, guilt, or manipulate you into generosity. 2) You are to give eagerly. Give because you want to demonstrate your love with a tangible expression of devotion. 3) You are to give delightfully. Why? “For God loves a cheerful giver.” 4) You are to give expectantly. It is a God-pleasing expression of faith to expect great things of Him that prompts His generosity to you. So, when you get giving right, God takes it upon himself to make sure “that in ALL things at all times, having ALL that you need, you will abound in EVERY good work.” And remember, “People are never honored for what they received. They are honored for what they gave.” (Calvin Coolidge)

Project 52—Memorize:
2 Corinthians 9:8

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

As is usually the case with some of the great “promise verses” in the Bible, there are surrounding verses that set the conditions for fulfillment of God’s committed favor.  Such is the case here, where we are told that God will bless us at all times in every way with everything we need for life, joy, and success.

What are the conditions of such an amazing promise?  Paul has been teaching the Corinthian Christians for two whole chapters now about the ministry of giving.  Of course, God gave to us first, so our giving to him doesn’t initiate his giving.  Our giving is simply a thankful response to what he has already done, yet our liberality is also a catalyst for a continued, if not even greater flow of divine favor into our lives. Here is how Paul says it:

“Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”  (II Corinthians 9:7-8)

Paul gives some pretty clear guidelines as to how God desires for you to give in order to bless you with greater abundance:

First, you are to give authentically.  No one should tell you how to give or how much to give—not even the preacher. “You are to decide” about giving, Paul says. You need to dig way down deep and come to grips with the ministry of giving until it is a value that drives your stewardship.

Second, you are to give eagerly. Give because you really love God and want to demonstrate your love with a tangible expression of your devotion to him. Don’t do it because it will make you feel better, ease your guilt or make you look good. Don’t do it just because you feel pressured to give, “not repulsively or under convulsions,” as the little boy who misquoted the verse said. Rather, “each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give.” You are to give because it’s just the right thing to do. Give because it is the nature of love to give. Give because it is consistent with Christian character. Give from a convinced heart. If your gift doesn’t send the message of genuine desire, it won’t count as love.

Third, you are to give delightfully. Why? “For God loves a cheerful giver.”  Truly authentic and heartfelt givers will enjoy giving the gift. They don’t think of giving as a loss or a requirement or a burden, rather they think of the joy it brings and the love it communicates to the recipient. That’s what Hebrews 12:2 says about Jesus, our example of joyful generosity: “For the joy set before him, he endured the cross.” Now that was the ultimate act of joyful giving!

Fourth, you are to give expectantly. Paul teaches that when you give in a way that is pleasing to the Lord—authentically, altruistically, joyfully—God will make sure that you will always have plenty to give away:  “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”  As someone has wisely pointed out,

“Give according to your income, lest God make your income according to your giving.”

What a privilege it is to give back to God.  When we get giving right, God takes it upon himself to make sure that we will abound in every good work.

“Since much wealth too often proves a snare and an encumbrance in the Christian’s race, let him lighten the weight by ‘dispersing abroad and giving to the poor’, whereby he will both soften the pilgrimage of his fellow travelers, and speed his own way the faster.”  ~Augustus Toplady

Reflect and Apply: Offer this prayer to your Heavenly Father: “Lord, you are the Supreme Giver.  You gave your best, you gave your all, you gave yourself.  From the depth of my heart, I thank you. It is now my honor and joy to give back to you. May the sacrifice of my offerings be acceptable worship pleasing to you.”

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Giving To Get In Order To Give

Reflect:
II Corinthians 9:81

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

As is usually the case with some of the great “promise verses” in the Bible, there are surrounding verses that set the conditions for fulfillment of God’s committed favor. Such is the case here, where we are told that God will bless us at all times in every way with every thing we need for life, joy and success.

What are the conditions of such an amazing promise? Paul has been teaching the Corinthian Christians for two whole chapters now about the ministry of giving. Of course, God gave to us first, so our giving to him doesn’t initiate his giving. Our giving is simply a thankful response to what he has already done, yet our liberality is also a catalyst for a continued, if not even greater flow of divine favor into our lives. Here is how Paul says it:

“Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (II Corinthians 9:7-8)

Paul gives some pretty clear guidelines as to how God desires for you to give in order to bless you with greater abundance:

First, you are to give authentically. No one should tell you how to give or how much to give—not even the preacher. “You are to decide” about giving, Paul says. You need to dig way down deep and come to grips with the ministry of giving, until it is a value that drives your stewardship.

Second, you are to give eagerly. Give because you really love God and want to demonstrate your love with a tangible expression of your devotion to him. Don’t do it because it will make you feel better, ease your guilt or make you look good. Don’t do it just because you feel pressured to give, “not repulsively or under convulsions,” as the little boy who misquoted the verse said. Rather, “each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give.” You are to give because it’s just the right thing to do. Give because it is the nature of love to give. Give because it is consistent with Christian character. Give from a convinced heart. If your gift doesn’t send the message of genuine desire, it won’t count as love.

Third, you are to give delightfully. Why? “For God loves a cheerful giver.” Truly authentic and heartfelt givers will enjoy giving the gift. They don’t think giving as a loss or a requirement or a burden, rather they think of the joy it brings and the love it communicates to the recipient. That’s what Hebrews 12:2 says about Jesus, our example of joyful generosity: “For the joy set before him, he endured the cross.” Now that was the ultimate act of joyful giving!

Fourth, you are to give expectantly. Paul teaches that when you give in a way that is pleasing to the Lord—authentically, altruistically, joyfully—God will make sure that you will always have plenty to give away: “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” As someone has wisely pointed out,

“Give according to your income, lest God make your income according to your giving.”

What a privilege it is to give back to God. When we get giving right, God takes it upon himself to makes sure that we will abound in every good work.

“Since much wealth too often proves a snare and an encumbrance in the Christian’s race, let him lighten the weight by ‘dispersing abroad and giving to the poor’, whereby he will both soften the pilgrimage of his fellow travelers, and speed his own way the faster.” ~Augustus Toplady

Reflect and Apply: Offer this prayer to your Heavenly Father: “Lord, you are the Supreme Giver. You gave your best, you gave your all, you gave yourself. From the depth of my heart, I thank you. It is now my honor and joy to give back to you. May the sacrifice of my offerings be acceptable worship pleasing to you.”

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Blessable

Read Psalm 15

Featured Verse: Psalm 15:1

“LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?”

What is it that makes us blessable?  We utter the phrase, “God bless you” without much thought to what makes us blessable, so just what is the life God blesses? Are the blessings of God automatic, or are they conditional?  Seriously, how do we get into the blessing zone of God’s overflowing and generous favor?

David couldn’t have spelled it out any clearer than in Psalm 15:  It is the life of integrity!  The person of complete integrity, which I realize, in the truest sense is redundant—spiritual, relational, financial, moral, intellectual, physical integrity—is the one upon whom God’s favor, power and provision will rest.

Now integrity is a word that gets thrown around a great deal these days—and that’s part of the problem:  It get’s thrown around instead of lived out.  So just what is integrity?  I think the simplest and best definition I know is this: The congruence of what you believe with how you behave.  For the Christian, it is the marriage of Biblical values, principles and world-view with our moment-by-moment attitudes and actions.  In short, it is to practice what we preach at all times and under every circumstance.

David provides some very specific areas of integrity that are absolutely critical to living under the blessing of God:

Moral Purity:  “He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous.” (Psalm 15:2)

Compassionate Honesty:  “…who speaks the truth from his heart.” (Psalm 15:2)

Rejection of Destructive Opinion:  “…and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.” (Psalm 15:3)

Revulsion of Evil People:  “…who despises a vile man.” (Psalm 15:4)

Promotion of Good People:  “…but honors those who fear the LORD.” (Psalm 15:4)

Ruthless Trustworthiness:  “…who keeps his oath when it hurts.” (Psalm 15:4)

Risky Generosity:  “…who lends his money without usury.” (Psalm 15:5)

Rigid Honor:  “…and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.” (Psalm 15:5)

Any person who lives organically, unbendingly and consistently this way will find themselves living, as Psalm 15:5 concludes, in the stability and security of the palm of the Heavenly Father’s hand:  “He who does these things will never be shaken.”

The tides of an increasingly nasty culture and the natural drift of our own falleness will make living out this kind integrity extremely difficult.  We will have to fight opposite currents every day, if not every moment of our lives.  But such a well-lived life will be worth it along the way and at the end of our journey.  It is the only way to live—because it is the life God blesses!

“Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.”  ~Oswald Chambers