with Bob Condly
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self

Showers of Blessings

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During this crazy season of contagions and quarantines, how might we ask God to bless us? What should we seek from Him? I assume that protection and healing top the list! Is there anything else?

The Bible shows us the Lord has a full range of blessings for His people. He wants to shower us with His blessings! What’s included in this outpouring and when can we look forward to receiving His bounties?

The answers depend in part on our theology. Our reflections on Jesus and the Christian life will affect what we hope for and pray about.

Charismatics

For example, Christians of the Spirit-filled and word of faith persuasions insist that the Lord wants to bless believers here and now in every way imaginable. The gifts of God vary from the infilling of the Holy Spirit and victory over evil forces to financial prosperity and physical healing.

“Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits– 3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” – Psalm 103:2-5

“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” – 3 John 2 (NASB)

No need to wonder or wait! God’s Word declares His intention to bless us.

Evangelicals

Churches within the evangelical camp emphasize salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the chief blessing from which every divine favor derives.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” – Ephesians 1:3

Nothing compares with the finished work of Christ on Calvary. His suffering for us, and our identification with Him, transcend worldly benefits. While we can ask God to meet our material needs, we should focus our prayers on salvation. We do so by thanking God for saving us and interceding for others. Everything else will fade away.

“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:17

Traditional Protestants and Catholics

Many within mainline Protestant denominations and Catholicism emphasize social justice. In their understanding, blessings mean little unless everyone enjoys them.

And there’s biblical warrant for this stance.

“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.” – Acts 4:32-35

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” – 1 Corinthians 12:26

These verses remind us that we’re not alone; we belong to a wider fellowship. Our well-being, though important to God, must not take precedence over the welfare of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2:3-4

This perspective relativizes the self-orientation which too often governs our souls. It even refutes that mindset. Our prosperity matters to God but not at the expense of how we learn to value and love others.

Application

Why choose? Each of the positions outlined above find justification in Scripture. This means that God is challenging us to adopt all these areas. As we do, we will grow in the selfless life of Jesus. God will bless us as we minister with the attitude of a servant.

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” – Deuteronomy 15:10

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” – Job 42:10

Sometimes we experience God’s rewards soon after we serve. Other times, we see no blessing in this life. But that’s okay because Jesus told us in advance this would happen.

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” – Luke 14:13-14

If we’re willing to imitate Jesus and lay down our lives for others, we will insure their blessing. This is how the apostle Paul conducted himself and we can do the same.

“So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.” – 2 Corinthians 4:12

“Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:9

“Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” – 2 Timothy 2:10

The cost is high, but the rewards are worth it!

“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

What’s the ultimate aim of God’s blessings in our lives? That we might nurture others to maturity in Christ. Everything the Lord gives us serves that end.

Learning to Say No

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Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, says no a lot. An article in Money magazine asserts that this is how Buffett claims you can become successful. You have to say no much more than you say yes.

The article consists of the responses of several wealthy business leaders to Buffett’s admonition. Most of these individuals agree with him that it’s easy for entrepreneurs to get distracted by good ideas and opportunities. Success in business boils down to saying yes to your priorities and no to anything else. You can’t do everything, so focus on what you value and let everything else go.

How does this advice pertain to a life of discipleship?

World

God calls Christians to decline the demands of society. To the extent that they conflict with our loyalty to Jesus, we must reject the temptations of this world.

“But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!’” – Acts 4:19

Great question, isn’t it? The apostles Peter and John were under arrest for creating a disturbance in the temple. I guess it was against the law to preach the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to heal a lame man by a miracle! Forbidden by the Jewish rulers from continuing their ministry, these two had a choice. They could say no to Jesus or to the officials. Aligning themselves with the will of God required that Peter and John turn down the edict of the leaders. For the apostles, nothing would supersede the priority of the gospel.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17

The world comes at us with negative pressure, as it did with Peter and John. But it also tempts us with things that look good or appeal to our desires. If we elevate anything above God the Father, the world has done its job. We’re defeated whether we realize it or not.

Recognizing that the world and its values will fade away helps us keep on track. God is everlasting–this truth is basic to our faith. But so are we, yet only those aspects of ourselves that fulfill the Father’s will. What we waste time on will not endure. As we step into eternity, God will purge our lives of these empty elements. And we will lose the fruit of what we could have accomplished in Christ.

Self

To deal with the pressures of the world, Christians must go deeper and deny themselves.

“Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” – Luke 9:23

Self-denial defines discipleship; it’s basic to following Jesus. But take note–the Lord isn’t asking us to do something that He avoids. Although sinless, Christ carried His cross and suffered an unjust death. The good news? Through this sacrifice, He freed us from the penalty and power of sin. We’re now invited to take part in the relationship with God that Jesus enjoys–free, total, and complete. By answering His invitation and taking up our cross, we learn how to love.

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’” – Romans 15:1-3

As we grow in Christ, our spiritual vitality develops and matures. But this doesn’t entitle us to bully others; that’s not how love thinks. When we take up our cross and deny ourselves, we find the ability to affirm others. Even at a cost to ourselves, we esteem the spiritual well-being of our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Like Jesus did for us, we take upon ourselves their burdens and problems. We reflect the attitude of a servant.

Application

As Warren Buffett stresses, success in business depends on getting no and yes right. We say no as many times as necessary to maintain our commitment to what is most important. It is to these that we say yes with a whole heart.

So also in the Christian life. Disciples of Jesus deny the siren calls of this world and negate the power of our impulses. Instead, we invest ourselves in the eternal. In doing so, we learn more about God’s kingdom and where we fit within His order. And as we persist, God rewards us with success and significance that never fades away.

with Bob Condly

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