Blessings

Psalm 112

 ¹ Praise the LORD.   Blessed are those who fear the LORD,
   who find great delight in his commands.
 ² Their children will be mighty in the land;
   the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches are in their houses,
   and their righteousness endures forever.
⁴ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
   for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
⁵ Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
   who conduct their affairs with justice.
 ⁶ Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
   they will be remembered forever.
⁷ They will have no fear of bad news;
   their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
⁸ Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
   in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
⁹ They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
   their righteousness endures forever;
   their horn will be lifted high in honor.
 ¹⁰ The wicked will see and be vexed,
   they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
   the longings of the wicked will come to nothing. 

It's so easy to focus on the negative, our weaknesses, or the areas that we know we just screw up all of the time isn't it?  It's an unfortunate part of the Christian culture.  I know that when I preach or even blog, quite often the first thoughts that come to mind lean more towards fixing negative things rather then focusing on the incredible blessings that God has actually promised to us.

Is it wrong to be aware of areas we need to grow in and actively seek to take care of the problem?  Absolutely not.  Are there times where you have to call things out in a more "in your face" manner?  Sure.

But that can't be the norm.

I don't think we talk about the blessings that God has promised us enough.  As we read through Psalm 112 look at what is being described:

* vs 2 - blessings work through generation after generation
* vs 3 - real wealth and riches flow through the house (yes, it could be money...but it may not be)
* vs 4 - even in the rough moments of life, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel
* vs 5 - no better way to live then being generous
* vs 6 - strong foundation, not rattled by the meaningless things of life
* vs 7 - strong faith & endurance
* vs 8 - insecurity will go away
* vs 9 - generosity extends beyond our life time
* vs 10 - live lives  opposite of those who choose to deny God

How does all of this happen.  Go back to verse 1 and read that again.  This kind of blessed life goes hand in hand with following the commands of God.  This isn't a type of submission where you hate to do it, but an understanding that there is no greater, more fulfilling life then one that is lived by following Christ.

There is hope.  There is peace.  There is security.  There is purpose.

Live and love like those statements are true and I guarantee people will see Jesus through you and want more of Him.  

What about you?  Do you focus on the blessings that God has for you, or the negative that continues to weigh you down?

Peace,
Wags