The Blessing

Q: What does the Bible say about blessings?

The Bible indicates that blessings come from God and are integral to the lives of believers, emphasizing the importance of seeking God's favor. The concept of blessings in the Bible is closely associated with God's choice and favor. In Psalm 65, we find that 'Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee.' This highlights the notion that blessings are not something we can earn but are given by God's divine grace. Furthermore, Psalm 32 states, 'Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven,' reinforcing the spiritual blessings associated with forgiveness and divine acceptance. God's blessings are often linked to our relationship with Him, signifying that true satisfaction and fulfillment are found through His grace.

Q: How do we know that God chooses some people for blessing?

God's choice for blessing is demonstrated through Scripture, particularly in passages that affirm His sovereignty in salvation. God's selection of individuals for blessing is fundamentally rooted in His sovereign will. Ephesians 1:4-5 notes that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, suggesting a preordained purpose. This divine election is not based on our merit but solely on God's grace. In Psalm 65:4, being chosen to approach God signifies a privileged position, one that indicates His mercy and the relational blessing bestowed upon believers. Hence, we understand that God's choice for blessing brings us close to Him, ensuring that those chosen receive access to His grace and love.

Q: Why is seeking the right things important for Christians?

Christians must seek the right things, particularly spiritual blessings and closeness to God, to avoid missing out on essential aspects of faith. The importance of seeking the right things is underscored in the narrative of Esau and Jacob, where Esau, distracted by worldly pursuits, failed to prioritize the blessing of God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God; thus, seeking after spiritual truths—such as grace, mercy, and God’s presence—ensures we remain aligned with His will. The blessings derived from such pursuits are not just temporal but eternal, affecting our relationship with God and our satisfaction in life. In seeking first the kingdom of God, we cultivate a heart that is fervently attentive to the real blessings that flow from a devoted life in Christ.

Q: What is the significance of being forgiven according to Scripture?

Being forgiven is central to the Christian faith, as it signifies the removal of sin and restoration of the believer's relationship with God. Forgiveness is a profound blessing that alters the believer's standing before God. Psalm 32 opens with, 'Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven,' which emphasizes the joy and relief found within the assurance of pardon. The New Testament consistently highlights that forgiveness is made possible through Christ's sacrificial death, whereby our sins are imputed to Him and His righteousness is credited to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, the significance of being forgiven goes beyond mere alleviation from guilt; it restores fellowship and intimacy with God. Those who understand this blessing can live in the freedom and joy that come from knowing they are accepted in Christ.

Q: How does trust in God relate to experiencing His blessings?

Trusting in God is fundamental to experiencing His blessings, as it reflects our dependence on Him for all good things. Trust in God is portrayed as a condition for receiving His blessings throughout the Scriptures. Psalm 34:7 states, 'Blessed is the man that trusteth in him,' indicating that those who place their confidence in God are assured of His protection and provision. Trust signifies more than just belief; it involves a deep reliance on God’s character and promises. When we trust God, we acknowledge our limitations and His unlimited power, allowing us to experience His peace and joy. This trust leads to a relationship where His blessings flow into our lives, reinforcing that true contentment and satisfaction are found only in complete dependence on Him.

Now, I don't propose to attempt to add anything
to what Brother Bob has said. He did it so effectively and
tenderly and just exactly what I wanted him to tell you about
the meetings down there. Thank you, Bob. That was a blessing
to me. the trip while you were talking.
There's one thing I think I should add. The people down there were
getting together some money to pad their little church pews. They've got a nice little building
and they were going to put the foam rubber and some pads on
the pews. They're working on that project.
Unknown to me, Danny came in the study where I was sitting
yesterday morning. They had taken up an offering
to help Bob and I with the expenses down there. You know, the church
takes care of my expenses. But these people had taken up
an offering, and he came in and laid $500 on that desk. hundred dollars. I was stunned
and it just doesn't happen. Gary's been in the mission field
and it just doesn't happen. And I said, Danny, 13th Street
sends me and the men wherever we want to go to preach. He said
they wanted to do it. I said, well, You convey to them
my deepest, heartfelt appreciation and take that money and put it
on those pews. That's what 13th Street would
want to do. They don't know it yet. He'll
tell them tonight, I guess. But they've already got $500
on their new padded pews. You could have gone on and on
about the week that we had. It was profitable. We're glad
to have Gary Shepherd and Betty here tonight. He walked in this
evening at the house, and I was glad to see him. That's an understatement. My message tonight is entitled,
The Blessing. The Blessing. And I want to begin
with a scripture found in Genesis 27. preparing to preach down at Tortola
a few nights ago, preparing the message in the afternoon, and
I read the scripture. And I think it's one of the saddest,
saddest stories I've ever read. I asked Bob, he was studying
at a table in the next room. We had two rooms where we could
study. He was in there. I called him
to come by the desk and read that passage of scripture. It just hit me with such a thud,
and I decided to preach on it tonight. Genesis 27, beginning
with verse 30. Genesis 27, verse 30. And it
came to pass, as soon as Esau had made an end of blessing Jacob,
And Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Esau,
his father. He had just left. But Esau, his
brother, came in from his hunting. Esau came in from his hunting.
And he also had made savory meat and brought it to his father
and said to his father Isaac, Let my father arise and eat of
his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. Bless me. And Isaac, his father, said to
him, Who art thou? You see, he thought Jacob was
Esau, remember? Who art thou? And he said, I
am thy son, thy firstborn son, Isaac. And Isaac trembled very
exceedingly and said, Who? Who is he that hath taken venison
and brought it to me? And I have eaten of all before
thou camest, and I have blessed him. I blessed him. Yea, and he shall always be blessed. I've already blessed him. And it's going to stay that way.
And what he says is unchangeable. When Esau heard the words of
his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry. You
just don't know what this encompasses. I don't either. The blessing. was on another. The blessing,
the presence of the Lord, the head of the household, the priesthood
of the home, the recognition of leading the people, it's gone. It's gone. The presence of God,
gone. And when Esau heard the words
of his father, he cried with exceeding, great exceeding bitter
cry, and he said to his father, Bless me, even me also, my father,
bless me. And he said, Thy brother came
with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing. It's irretrievable. It's gone, Esau. You know what
he said? And he said, Is not he rightly
named Jacob, supplanter? For he hath supplanted me these
two times. He took away my birthright, and
behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast
thou not reserved a blessing for me? Have you no blessing
for me? And Isaac answered and said to
Esau, Behold, I have made him thy Lord. And all his brethren have I given
to him for servants, and with corn and their wine have I sustained
him. What shall I do now unto thee,
my son? It's gone. I've given it all to him, and
he shall be blessed." Remember the scripture where it said,
he saw salt repentance and found it not, salt it with tears. And Esau said to his father,
Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also,
O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice
and wept, and found it not. Now poor Esau, so near and yet
so far. Poor Esau, so informed he knew
about the blessing, and yet so ignorant. I say ignorant because he would
not have let it out of his grasp if he had not been ignorant.
Poor Esau, so related to the blesser and to the one blessed, and yet
rejected. Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. Boy, Esau, so concerned now about
the blessing. Look at verse 30 again. He wasn't
concerned before, but it's gone now. And he lifted up his voice and
cried, Hast thou not one blessing, not even one blessing, my father? Even the last one. Oh my father. And too late. He lifted up his
voice and went. It's gone. It's gone. What a fool. What a fool I've
been. It's gone. And aren't the scriptures just
full of warnings about this? Just full of warnings. Our Lord
said, how shall we escape? if we neglect the blessing. So great salvation. Do not our
Lord say many will stand without and cry open unto us when once
the master of the house has risen to and shut the door? It means something now. It meant
something. He said it was gone. It meant
something that he saw and then thought. Don't you just have
one blessing? It's gone. Did not our Lord say,
many a soul of men that day, Lord wait now, we did certain
things, I never knew you. He said they shall cry for the
rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face
of him that sitteth on the throne. But verse 30 holds a key. Look
at it again. It came to pass as soon as Isaac
had made an end of blessing Jacob, where was Esau all this time? And Jacob was scarce gone out
of the presence of Isaac his father, and Esau's brother came
in from his hunting. Oh, he had other pursuits that were
more important to him. Now, Jacob didn't deserve the
blessing. Jacob didn't deserve the blessing, and Jacob by nature
was not in line for the blessing. But Jacob wanted the blessing. He wanted it from way back. His
mama talked to him a whole lot about this blessing, and he wanted
it. He coveted it. He sought it. He sought it. And he received
it. Never mind how he got it. He
got it. Isn't that right? But Esau, who assumed, don't
you think that he would get the blessing? After all, he's the
firstborn. Why should he put forth any effort?
Isn't that what God's thought? Isn't that the proper order? He assumed that he'd get the
blessing. He really felt he deserved it.
After all, he's the, I'm your firstborn, he said. You heard
that, didn't you? Isaac said, who are you? He said,
I'm your firstborn. That carried a lot of weight.
It does with a lot of people. But there's only one firstborn,
first begotten, who carries weight with the Father. He's only begotten. And so assuming that he'd get
the blessing and feeling he deserved the blessing, he carried on for
the blessing. But his concern and interest
was always in other things. And I read that. I looked at
it over and over. Here Jacob was seeking the blessing. Jacob coveted the blessing. The blessing. He keeps on talking
about the blessing and went after it. Something in the Bible about
People take the kingdom of God with violence. Isn't that what
it says? Strive to enter in. Many will seek to enter in and
shall not be able. I can't explain that. That's
what it says. And while Jacob was seeking the
blessing, the blessing, coveting the blessing and receiving the
blessing, it says, and after it was all over, Esau came in
from his hunting. I see two things here. Hunting
is not hunting, seeking, searching, seeking. I see two things. Seeking the
wrong things. Esau was concerned and busy about
the wrong things. And how foolish it is for men
to give their time and lives and effort and their life's blood,
straining to the point of a heart attack, to gain all that this
old world That's the offer. That's Esau out on the hills,
always out on the hills, always hunting something, hunting something,
seeking something, searching. And how foolish that is. He one
day had to come in from his hunting. But when he came in, the blessing
was gone. And I see another thing. Not only seeking the wrong things
is foolish, but seeking the right thing in the wrong places is
foolish. You see, joy, and Esau sought
joy in his home. Peace, happiness, these are right
things, aren't they? To seek joy, peace, joy, peace
be multiplied, the scripture says, grace, mercy, and peace,
happiness. But these things are all in Christ.
And to seek them somewhere else is just as foolish as the man
who gives himself to seeking the wrong thing. Seeking the
right things in the wrong places is just as foolish as seeking
the wrong things. In him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead body. God has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in Christ Jesus in the heavenly places. Of him are
you in Christ who is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. Oh, think! I thought about this
today when I was looking over and working on this message.
Think! Oh, just think what Esau could have learned sitting at
the feet of his father, Isaac. Isaac, Abraham's son. Isaac was
with Abraham, God's friend, when he looked him in the eye. Isaac was the one whom Abraham
laid on the altar, whose life was spared and saved by the death
of another. Isaac was the one to whom Abraham
preached about God, Jehovah-Jireh. Jehovah said, But Esau would rather hunt. Isaac,
the one of whom it said, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Think,
Bob, what he could have learned if he'd been interested. He's now interested, but the
blessing's gone. He's now interested. How shall we escape if we neglect,
think what could be? Someday we'll think what could
have been. But what is this blessing? Where
is this blessing? Well, let's look at the four
scriptures I'm going to give you tonight. First of all, in
Psalm 65. This to me is the blessing. And O how I and you I know do
covet this blessing, the blessing. And I'll pray God I'll not come
in from my hunting and find out it's gone. But may my pursuit, seeking,
searching, and hunting be for the blessing. Psalm 65 forward. Blessing is the main thing. Oh,
here it is. Blessed is the man, 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." Mr. Spurgeon said, here is a
body of divinity in miniature. First of all, there's election.
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, chosen in Christ before
the foundation of the world. Oh, what a blessing. David says,
when I consider the heavens, what is man that art mindful
of him? David said, who am I and what
is my house that you should show such mercy? Oh, blessed is the
man whom God chooses. And then you have the effectual
cause. The effectual cause. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causest to approach. Why did you approach God? He
caused you to approach. He called you. He called you. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. No man can approach coming to
me except my Father which sent me, draw him. when you have divine
access to God. Oh, blessed, happy is the man
whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee. Paul wrote in Hebrews, let us
come boldly into the holiest before the throne of grace. My
God, can it be that a sinner like me shall ascend and stand
in thy presence. That's what it says here. That's
the blessing. God chooses you and causes you
to approach unto him. And then there's acceptance,
that he may dwell in thy courts. That he may dwell in thy courts.
We, as assailant, The Scripture says the servant of God is not
in the house forever, but the Son does, to dwell in thy courts. Like David said to Mephibosheth,
you're going to sit at the king's table and be one of the king's
sons. Behold what manner of love God
hath bestowed on us that we should be called sons of God, dwellers
in the house of God, in God's courts. and his perseverance,
and we shall be satisfied, satisfied with the goodness of
thy house, nothing wanting, every need met, satisfied. Now, I know I'll be satisfied
when I awake with his likeness, but there's a sense in which
I'm very well satisfied. with the grace and mercy of God,
with the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the doing
and dying of my Lord, I'm satisfied. I knew a preacher about three
or four years ago that left the gospel, left his wife, left his
children. And he made this statement, a
man about 45 years old. He said, Here I am, 45 years
old. My life more than hath gone, and I've never been happy, and
I've never been content." A man who's never been happy,
never been content, never met Christ. That's right. Paul talked about, he talked
about our sorrow over our sins and these things, We have a joy
that's unexplainable, rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full
of glory. Aren't you happy tonight? Happy
in Christ? That's the blessed man. Let me
show you that in Psalm 32. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest, and causeth to approach unto thee, that he may dwell
in thy courts, and he be satisfied. with thy goodness. Oh, boy. That
is Psalm 32. Here's the blessing. Blessed
is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed
is the man, there's the blessing, under whom the Lord impedeth
not iniquity, in whose spirit there is no guile. Let's take these one at a time.
Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven. He's now blessed. What did Isaac
say to Esau? He's blessed, and he shall be
blessed. This doesn't change. Jesus Christ,
same yesterday, today, and forever. God's gifts and calling are without
change, so his sins are forgiven, are being forgiven, and will
be forgiven. He's blessed. That's over. That's finished. Be he ever so
poor, as some of our friends down there, be he ever so sick,
or lonely, or weary, or old, or even dying, he's blessed. Because sins forgiven is the
most prized possession that a holy God can bestow upon any sinner. Sins forgiven. Thy sins are forgiven
thee. My, my, thank God. Blessed is the man whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Covered. The forgiveness of sins
is not in word only. Christ said, which is easy, to
say thy sins be forgiven thee, or take up thy bed and walk.
But that you may know that the Son of God hath power to forgive
sins, I say unto the sick of the palsy, take up your bed and
walk. But this promise to the blessed man that his sins are
forgiven is not in word only, it's in truth. His sins are covered! That's how they can be forgiven. How can anything be that powerful
to cover sins so that even God can't see them? The blood of
Christ is. I'm as covered with the blood
as Noah was with the ark, delivered from judgment. I'm as covered
with the blood as God's hand covered Moses in the cleft of
the rock to keep his presence from killing him. And God, literally,
Tom walked right by Moses, covered. All of the Shekinah glory of
God Almighty I'm as covered with the blood
as the mercy seat covered the ark and the broken law. Look at the next line. Blessed
is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. Imputeth not iniquity. Notice
the three words that are so often used in the scripture to denote
our disobedience. Transgression. Sin. iniquity. Somebody called it
a three-headed monster. And yet none of God's people,
none of those who have the blessing, are charged, reckoned, or accountable
for sin. Because our sins were imputed
to that blessed Redeemer. And we have a substitute who
is born at all. And he was made sin for us. that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. He died just for the unjust to
bring us to God. Look at the last line. And in
whose spirit there is no guile, this man whose transgressions
are forgiven, whose sin is covered, to whom God will not reckon a
charge of sin, is a man who is pardoned in Christ And he has
in every case been taught of the Spirit of God to deal honestly
with three things. In whose spirit there is no hypocrisy. In whose spirit there is no guile.
Three things that he deals honestly with. One, with himself. Oh, wretched man that I am. Number
two, with his sins. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark
iniquity, who shall stand? Thirdly, with his God. You know,
Isaiah, when it comes to those three things, there is absolutely,
in the believing heart, no doubt. I know who I am. I know what
sin deserves. And I know who he is, in his
grace and mercy. Well, let's look at another one,
Psalm 34. Psalm 34, I won't keep you much longer. The blessing. I don't want to come in after
this is gone, do you? Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest. Blessed is the man to whom thou
will not charge sin. And then thirdly, Psalm 34, verse
7. The angel of the Lord encampeth. round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord
is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth
in him." Blessed is the man who trusteth
in him. Mr. Spurgeon said in The Treasure,
David, what is the true test of faith? One word, trust. That's it. Blessed are they who put their
trust in him, David said. Psalm 2 verse 12, kiss the son
lest he be angry. Blessed is the man. Blessed are
they who put their trust in him. Trust in his son, my Lord and
my God. Trust in his word. I'm persuaded
that all that he promised, he's able to do. Trust in his grace,
not in our works. Trust. And you know what it says
about this man or this woman that trusteth in him? Verse 7. Watch it carefully now. The angel
of the Lord encampeth round about him. You talk about a blessing. The angel of the Lord. You know
who that is? I know who that is. I see some
green and some opals know who that angel of the Lord is, the
angel of the covenant. That's the Lord Jesus. That's
the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's not only the Lord Jesus
Christ, but it's the literal, actual angels of the Lord. He
shall give his angels charge over thee. They're sent to be
ministers and servants to the heirs of salvation. And what
do the angels do? They camp around him. The Lord
Jesus and all the hosts of heaven camp around and after him and
deliver them. Our Lord delivered us from the
curse of sin, from the condemnation of sin, from the penalty of sin.
And God's ministering angels deliver us from the dangers of
this world. I know that. We got down to San Juan, Puerto
Rico last Wednesday night, and we had to sit there in the airport
from five o'clock to nine o'clock waiting on a plane for Tortola,
the island, just a forty-minute flight. But they had so many
passengers. At that particular time of the
year, this plane made a flight over and came back empty, and
made a flight over and came back empty, and we were on that third
flight. I didn't know whether he'd run
out of gas or not. I didn't see anybody with a gas truck, and
it looked like one you flew, Cecil. 1917, I started to say,
but that was 1943. Well, Cecil was a major in the
Air Force. He flew a B-17. I'd rather have
flown a B-17 the other day than this thing. It was an old orange
airplane one, and the propellers were painted like a barber pole,
black and white, black and white. And he'd sit there and wait on
it and start it, and it'd go bum-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba- I really believe I'm immortal
until God sees fit. Don't you, Ed? I believe that. No problem at all. None whatsoever. Oh, sir. Then look down here. Look down here at verse 9. Oh,
fear the Lord, ye his saints. There's no want to them that
fear him either. No want. The young lions do like and suffer
hunger, but they will seek the Lord and not want for any, here's
the key, good thing. There are a whole lot of things
I want that aren't good, but I'm not going to want for any
good thing. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall
not want. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. He leadeth me beside the still
water. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in prayers of righteousness
for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through this
valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil. Thou art with
me. I want for nothing. One more. Bless the blessing. Blessed is the man whom the Lord
chooseth. Blessed is the man to whom God will not impute sin.
And blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord. That's a blessing.
To know the Lord in whom we trust. And to have that God-given faith,
that trust, isn't that right? That's the blessing. And then
fourthly, Psalm 41, verse 1. Blessed is he, here's the blessing. Blessed is he that considereth
the poor. The Lord will deliver him in
time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him. The
Lord will keep him alive. He'll be blessed right here on
this earth, and thou wilt deliver him from where of his enemies.
Now hold on to your seat a minute. Blessed is he that considereth
the poor. First, this is our Lord Jesus
Christ. I'm not stretching a point, please.
I had to find this out too. But the poor here is Christ.
As Christ suffered for us, and as Christ, through his poverty,
made us rich, we consider him. Blessed is that person who considers
him who was rich and became poor for our sakes. Now, I'll tell
you why I'm not stretching that. This is a Messianic psalm. And
if you look down at verse 9, this psalm, Christ is speaking
of himself. He's the poor. Verse 9 says,
"...and my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did
eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me." Now,
you hold that right there and turn to John 13 now. This is
necessary. John 13. John 13. Now, turn over there for a moment.
John 13, 18. Remember that verse I just read? "...and my own familiar friend,
in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, and lifted up
his heel against me. I loved speaking in John 13 after
he had washed the disciples' feet. And he said in verse 17,
John 13, 17, if you know by experience these things, happier are you
if you do them. But I speak not of you all, I know whom I have
chosen, but that the scripture might be fulfilled, he that eateth
bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me." Talking
about Judas. Isn't that right, Gary? This
is a Messianic psalm. So blessed is that man, now watch
it, that considereth Christ Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith. But now wait a minute, I'm not through. But as Christ
considered our state of poverty and himself became poor for our
sakes that we might be rich, so ought we not only to consider
him but to consider his work and to consider others who are
poor and needy, weak and in need that we can help. That's right. Scripture is bifocal. Isn't that
right, Jim? It's got that primary meaning.
Blessed is the man who considers the poor, Christ our Lord, who
was rich, and yet for our sakes became poor, that through his
poverty we might be made rich. But that man also considers the
poor about him. And let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus, who thought it not robbery to
be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation. took upon himself
the habit of a servant, became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted
him." So, blessed is that man. He is blessed and will be blessed
who considers the poor. And Mr. Spurgeon said this, often
God measures to us with our own bushel. Doris went out to the farmer's
market this past summer and bought a bushel of beans. And she brought
them in. I'm not too knowledgeable about
measuring devices and so forth, but I know a bushel when I see
one. And I looked at that and I said, that's a bushel? She
said, that's his bushel. I paid him for a bushel. measure out to you his blessings
according to your bushel. See what he's saying? With what
measure you meet, he'll measure to you. Blessed is he that considereth
the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble as he's
helped others in their time of trouble. God will deliver him
in his time Isn't that right? This is what he's saying. The
Lord also will preserve him and keep him alive. One old writer said this, the
miser... Listen, this is good. I thought
this was so good. The miser shares with no one
until he's dead. Then let him die so someone can
receive a blessing. It'd be better if he's dead.
He won't share it with anybody while he lives, and he leaves
it all to somebody when he's dead, then let him die. But the righteous man, like the
old plow horse, no one profits by the death of a plow horse,
but there's a whole lot of folks profit by his service while he
lives. Then let him live. The miser shares with no one
till he's dead. They let him die. But the righteous,
like the plow horse, serves only while he lives. They let him
live. The Lord will preserve him and
keep him alive. There's a reason for keeping
him alive. There's a reason for keeping
him alive. And he'll be blessed right here
on this earth. He'll be blessed right here on
this earth. There was a man, and some people thought him mad,
the more he gave away, the more he had. There was a man, and some thought
him mad, but the more he gave away, the more he had. God said,
I'll bless him right here on this earth, and I'll deliver
him. I will not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Now
in the case of our Lord, for a while he was delivered into
the hands of his enemies, but then God said, sit on my right
hand and I'll make your enemies your footstool. But in our case,
never. I will not deliver him into the
hands of his enemies. Thou preparest a table before
me in the presence of my enemies. My cup runneth over. And listen
to verse 3. The Lord will strengthen him
upon the bed of languishing, and thou will make all his bed,
thou will turn all his bed's word in his sickness. Now who
are we talking about here? We're talking about the man who
considers the poor. He considers Christ, and in the light of Christ's
love and mercy and example, he considers the poor. And all these
things God said he'd do for him, and then he said, on his bed
of languishing. What is the word languishing?
Well, I urge you to get your concordance and look, I looked
it up and it said this, it's sickness and sorrow, but particularly
sorrow. Languishing is sorrow. And it
says the Lord will strengthen him in time of sorrow. And that
word sickness is what it is, it's sickness. Sickness yearning
to death. But either way, it's on a bed.
He talks about the bed of sorrow and the bed of sickness. But
somebody says, I lie down in sorrow. I wet my pillow with
my tears, and then I lie down in sickness. But the Lord said,
I'll strengthen him in sorrow and sickness. God may smite with one hand,
but he'll comfort with the other. Only a Christian knows what I'm
talking about. But I tell you this, I learned this when studying
this, no bed is soft if the heart's not right with God. And if the heart is content and
in harmony through Christ with God, then the bed matters little. Now think about that a moment,
and you lie down on the most comfortable, downy, Smooth, wonderful
bed. It ain't right here. And no sleep tonight. But yet
if it's right here, lie down right here on this floor in peace
and go to sleep. And no pillar is downy if the
head is full of doubt. But if the head is at peace with
God through Christ, I can lie down on a rock like Jacob. And be happy. That's right. You
see, God doesn't prepare the bed for the person. He prepares
the person for the bed. Isn't that right? Think about it again. God doesn't
prepare the bed for the person. He prepares the person. And in
whatever bed he's placed to stand. You can lie down on that in comfort. So those who consider Christ
will consider others. And those who love Christ will
love others. And those who freely receive, freely give. James 1.25, let me read that
and I'll try to quit. James 1.25, listen. Blessed is the man. who considereth
the poor. James 1.25, but whoso looketh
into the perfect law of liberty, you know what that is, Christ
set us free from the law of sin and death, and continueth to
look therein. He being not a forgetful hero,
but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his doing. He'll be blessed in his doing.

The Blessing

What does the Bible say about blessings?

How do we know that God chooses some people for blessing?

Why is seeking the right things important for Christians?

What is the significance of being forgiven according to Scripture?

How does trust in God relate to experiencing His blessings?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

Joshua

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

The Blessing

What does the Bible say about blessings?

How do we know that God chooses some people for blessing?

Why is seeking the right things important for Christians?

What is the significance of being forgiven according to Scripture?

How does trust in God relate to experiencing His blessings?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

More from Henry Mahan

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Henry Mahan

Books by Henry Mahan

Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book