Harvest of Blessings


 

Harvest of Blessings

Jesus told the Jews to believe in the works which he did and they will know who he is.  These gifts were from the Father, for he was the Son of God.  In Isaiah 35:5 God promised the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.   Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego were bound and thrown into a burning furnace, but they were seen walking amid flames that did not harm them.  Hezekiah was sick, and about to die, when Isaiah the prophet was told by God to let him know he has heard his prayers.  God added some fifteen more years to his life.  Living abundantly in the Lord, leads to a harvest of blessings.

Joel Osteen (b. 1963), a televangelist and senior pastor of Lakewood Church, Houston, Texas, said: “When you focus on being a blessing, God makes sure that you are always blessed in abundance.”  By not being self-centered and by reaching out to others Christians freely share these blessings.  The more honor their neighbors, the more they are blessed by God. 

When offering blessings, we must not distinguish between the rich and poor.  We are all God’s children.  President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) said, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough to those who have little.”  Roosevelt was cognizant that poor people have a special place in the eyes of God.

 God’s Gifts

Abundance may not come only with material wealth.  Some might have these comforts, and may still be miserable.  The founder of Simple Abundance Charitable Fund, Sarah Breathnach (b. 1947) wrote, “Whatever we are waiting for – peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance – it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.”  Undoubtedly, we have to be in the right frame of mind to accept such gifts. 

People may make distinctions concerning their prayers.  Often, we pray when faced with setbacks and challenges.  Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), a Lebanese-born artist and writer captured this phenomenon by saying, “You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.”   Being blessed with the gifts from God’s bounty, believers ought to thank their God.

 Love Your Work

You must love what you do.  By so doing you will be happy when you spread your blessings with others.  A self-help author and motivational speaker Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) wrote, “Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.”  You don’t have to wonder about those things about which you have no interest.  Do the tasks that bring you joy, happiness, and peace of mind.  All believers are blessed with at least one gift.

In our society there are some who are blessed with material gifts.  A Spanish priest and theologian Saint Ignatius (1491–1556) said, “If God has given you the world’s goods in abundance, it is to help you gain those of Heaven and be a good example of sound teaching to your sons, servants, and relatives.”  In short, it depends on how you use your treasure.  For Saint Ignatius these gifts must be instruments for blessing people.  This is the way to live with wealth.                


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Black Portrait

Image
  A Black Portrait Why can’t the races get along? There has been a long history That explains this urgent problem Slavery was rampant in America. Blacks were abused. Jim Crow was alive and well. And for years many Blacks Lived in fear in America   There was lynching, emancipation, Followed by the suppression of the vote There was a lack of educational opportunities. A lack of jobs that permeated the Black society. Families were separated and abused. Many Blacks migrated from the South. They headed North where the opportunities Were better for them in finding jobs   For years Blacks lived separated from Whites Eventually they were integrated in the U.S. Army Civil Rights fights led to some gains Still discrimination pervaded the land As Black voices accentuated their struggles The NAACP was formed to champion their cause A lot changed in the 1960s When there were riots in the land   But change continued to be slo...
Read more

Devotions on Ailments

Image
  Devotions on Ailments Devotions on Ailments: Physical & National Ills by Erwin K Thomas is available at Amazon.com. It addresses diverse problems of everyday lives. Health issues that often spiral out of control.   There are no easy answers.   People may be unable to fix them, and can be a thorn in their side.   Yet, they are faced with these dilemmas. These matters take on new meanings, and challenges exist while they grapple with uncertainties.   They are in the very DNA of our lives at the physical, and national level.   Many experience, these disruptions of all kinds of illnesses that linger beneath the surface of their existence.   Everyone deals with their problems differently, but the main goal is to find the right solution in solving them.   What follows are examples of these calamities. Part Ⅰ – Life & Hope deals with the vicissitudes of living.   It examines society – senior coffee hour, learning in schools, LGBTQ r...
Read more

Keys of Faith

Image
  Keys of Faith Keys of Faith: Fifty-Two Meditations for Living by Erwin K Thomas is available at Amazon.com. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).   Each meditation has been carefully crafted. It was realized in Isaiah 7:9, “if you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.” Included in this text are essays of topics on the keys for living well. Life began in Genesis 2:7 when “the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”   From that time people faced challenges, trials, and tribulations. “For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).   There is hope despite these admonitions. Romans 5:21 reminded believers “just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life thr...
Read more