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Godly blessings come to you in godly ways, as grace takes you from where you are to where God wants you to be. And, rejecting a compromise with evil, but lifting up your hand to the Prince of peace, to God the Possessor of heaven and earth, is an integral part of the process. Therefore, He, who would love life to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do what is good; let him seek peace and pursue it. [1 Peter 3:10,11]
And, peace which is wholeness, is having all that you need to prosper in life, in order to do what He has called you to do. It is the nature of the true the blessing of God upon you. And, pursuing it is not a long tedious journey, to a place far away, but becoming aware that the God of peace is with you always, and to walk continually in the awareness of it. It is the knowledge of the truth that He is a God of order and peace, and not of disorder and confusion that takes away your peace. [1 Corinthians 15:33] And, faith is the key that makes it all possible; for it is by faith that you can offer unto God, a sacrifice that is pleasing to Him, even as Abel did. And, it is by faith that you receive from God, all what He wants you to have, and has already made available, through the finished work of the Savior on the Cross.
It is your faith that overcomes the world, giving you victory over the evil one, the devil. And, the Lord is the author and finisher of your faith. All you need to do, therefore, is to keep God first in your life, and your eyes fixed, your focus upon Christ and His word. Abraham is called the father of faith; and in his life, in his encounter with Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, and the King of Salem, or the King of peace, there are valuable lessons to be learnt. He gave unto God an offering, as a response to a revelation truth that He received through the words of blessing that Melchizedek spoke. And, by faith he received it, to make it his confession, before the king of Sodom. He also received in faith from Melchizedek, the bread and wine, which was of singular and invaluable significance. On that day, it pointed prophetically to the Cross; but today it has become a reality in the world, to split history into two ! And, as a Christian, it is the truth that you proclaim, as you celebrate the Lord’s Supper, remembering His death on the Cross, where sin and death was overcome, and the devil became a defeated foe.
Today, the Holy Communion is the expression of your relationship with Christ, where all that is His becomes yours, and all that is yours becomes His. In the divine exchange, He has taken away all that is wrong in you, to give you His righteousness, and all His goodness. It is the true blessing of God, one that you receive by grace through faith, in your being, in your doing, and in you having all that you need, in order to do the will of God for your life. It is a blessing that results in a wondrous transformation in you; one that is a progressive journey, as by faith you receive and walk in the power, the provision, and the new heart, where God Himself has written His word, to accomplish the will of God that He has made known to you.
And, in Abraham’s life, almost immediately there came a challenge in which he needed to respond, to make a choice and a commitment that would authenticate his faith. The king of Sodom came offering Abraham the plunder of the war that had taken place earlier; one in which Abraham had emerged victorious, very miraculously, when all the odds were stacked high against him. But, the God Most High being the One, who had defeated his enemies, was the revelation truth that Abraham had received through the words of blessing that Melchizedek had pronounced. And, trusting in the word of God, he was able to make a confident proclamation in response; one which inspires you and I, to stand in this position of trust and faith too.
Not a thread or a sandal strap…’!:
‘I have lifted up my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’. [Genesis 14:22,23] The background and context of it needs to be understood in order to receive the truth of Abraham’s statement, that you may be empowered too, as a child of the very same God, to whom Abraham ascribes his allegiance and faith. There was no standing army those days, in order to safeguard one’s borders. And, in the constant struggles that cropped up between the various kings who reigned over various territories, it was the accepted system that was in operation then, that the victorious king had the right to plunder and take away the loot of the defeated king, his people and all their possessions.
It was the system of the world then, and it was why the king of Sodom made such an offer to Abraham. [Genesis 14:21] But Abraham’s response, made a very powerful statement, saying in essence, ‘I do not want the world system; all I want is the Savior, and what He gives to me. And therefore, I will not stretch forth my hand to take from you, but I lift my hands to my God, the Possessor of all things’!
The reason behind Abraham’s act :
Why Abraham denied the king of Sodom’s offer was because, though it may have been legally right on his part to have done so in the circumstances that prevailed then, it was not morally right, according to what God has defined it to be. Rather, it was man redefining it, in order to satisfy his sinful pleasures. And, Abraham refused to go along with the world’s system, for his mind had been renewed by the revelation truth of the blessing that Melchizedek had spoken over him; one that had made him give a tenth of everything as an offering unto God.
Abraham knew that God, and only God, can make a person rich. It is the unchanging truth that is applicable even today in all of life’s circumstances, in your life and mine. In a fallen world, the majority in society, can maybe come together for wrong purposes, and succeed in making what is morally wrong in the sight of God, accepted and right legally. Marriage relationship thus, has dwindled from being a covenant made in the Lord’s sight, to merely a legal contract that ensures some financial rights and social standing for the children who are then born to them. In your work, you may become wealthy financially, employing such tactics. But, there will be no peace or wholeness in your life, and the end of it all would be vanity and strife.
For, it is when the blessing of the Lord makes you rich, that He adds no sorrow or pain to it. [Proverbs 10:22] What God blesses you with is something more powerful and greater than a rest from work; it is a rest in work, a fruitful productivity, which gives you fulfillment. It is what the grace of God can do in your life, making everything that you do, no longer a painful labor, but a pleasurable and good work, that is in line with God’s purpose for your life. It was the truth that shone through King Melchizedek, as he came on the scene, ahead of the world system, personified by the king of Sodom. God is always on the scene, and He never leaves you helpless ! For the two kings, represent the two systems that operate even now, in every sphere of life.
Two kings & two systems :
Knowledge of the two systems, together with their mode of operation, and their end result, is vital in order to face the issues and challenges of life. For, the two systems are very different, and making the right choice is very important, that you may enjoy the blessing of God, for it comes only in His ways. There is the world, which with the entrance of sin, lies under the sway of the evil one, as the apostle expresses it. [1 John 5:19] Here, he refers to a system that is in operation in the world, the world system. It is not what he refers to as ‘the world’ in John 3:16, where it is about the people of the world, that God so loved that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
The world system, on the other hand, is one that is dominated by sin, which is the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. It operates therefore in the principles of lust and fear; buying and selling is its modus operandi, and so money and the use of it, takes center stage, influencing each and every decision that a person makes. It is magnified to such an extent, that it becomes your master, controlling your thoughts and actions, to ultimately take you away from God and His ways. No man can serve two masters, are the Lord’s words, as He teaches the multitudes about what needs to be a person’s priority in life. [ Mathew 6:24]
God is to be worshipped, and money is to be used for the glory of God. It is the foundation of God’s system, where everything operates on the principle of sowing and reaping, and giving and receiving. Moreover, the usage of money stems from the premise of everything being by the grace of God. Love is the overriding principle, the banner, in God’s system – loving God, and loving your neighbor as yourself. And, everything that God wants to give, you receive by grace and through faith. Often people get it wrong though, to end up using God, and worshipping money or their possessions. And, it is where the act of Abraham, delineates God’s way of seeing His blessings come to you. Therefore, you and I need to do what he did, to stand as Abraham, with hands lifted to the Possessor of heaven and earth, the God Most High, and reject any compromise with the system of the world, however alluring and attractive its offer may be.
How is it all possible ?
It is after the lessons are taught to them by the teacher, that our children face examinations in school. And, going through them successfully takes them higher. They are promoted ! In much the same manner, before the king of Sodom came to tempt Abraham with what was not from God, God sent Melchizedek. And, it was through His blessing, which was a revelation truth from God Most High that Abraham was equipped to face it and also win. God never tests you, before He teaches you; and it is why hearing the word in season, continually, is so very important. For then, you will never be clueless when a challenge comes your way, to divert you from the godly way of receiving godly blessings. For, when you are tempted to align with the world system, the Holy Spirit, the Counselor and Teacher, will remind you of what the Lord has taught you concerning it in His word, so that you may overcome and be a blessing to many.
Lifting up your hand – the significance :
It reveals your obedience and submission to the word that God has spoken to you in your challenging situation, where you have to make a choice. Abraham spoke forth the very word that God had given to him, acknowledging that it was the Possessor of heaven and earth, unto whom he had lifted up his hand. And, it was how he was able to overcome the challenge of trust and faith that came to him, through the king of Sodom. The promise of God came, before the challenge; and so it will be in your life too. And, forewarned is forearmed, the saying goes! Worshipping together with the saints, hearing the word of God in worship and word, meditating upon it in quietness and prayer saying, ‘Speak Lord, your servant is listening’ all form part of the process, the godly way in which His blessings come to you.
Sometimes, God can speak to you even through the words of a song, when you remain sensitive to the tender whisper of the Spirit within you. The words of the song ‘The Lord is my Healer’, which you had offered unto God in worship and praise, can resound in your heart much later, during a time of sickness, when you find yourself in the hospital, to bring you out of your sickness, as you enjoy the blessing of well being that is from God! There can be a thousand problems coming your way, through the tactics that the devil employs to keep you locked up, and unable to fulfill God’s will for your life. But,V the Lord has a promise in His word, for each and every problem. And, when you receive it by faith, it is the key that will unlock it, that you may come out and see all that He has prepared for you, to say, ‘The Lord has prepared a table for me, in the presence of my enemies; my cup overflows with His blessings; and goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life’.
There is the need therefore, even in a church setting, as you hear the word of God, to pay heed to it, to know the specific truth and promise that God has spoken to you concerning the issues of your life through it, and receive it by faith, to apply it in your life’s situation. For, man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God that comes forth from the mouth of God. [Deuteronomy 8:3] And, the Son of God Himself established the veracity of it, as He overcame the tempter in the wilderness.
Tempted – 1. Concerning use of power & authority :
And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now, when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If you are the Son of God, command that these stones may become bread’. But He answered and said, ‘It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’. [Mathew 4:3,4] The gospel writers describe with clarity, how Christ overcame the challenges of the devil. [Mathew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13] And today, as you lift your hand to Christ, you too will be victorious in Him, whether the circumstances are favorable to you or not. The first Adam failed and succumbed to temptation in the most favorable of circumstances, while the last Adam, Lord Jesus the Redeemer, overcame the devil’s temptation in the most unfavorable of circumstances! The first temptation was all about power, and the position and authority that come with it, which can so easily be misused or misappropriated. And, facing a temptation is not sin. It happens to one and all, at some point or the other; even Elijah and Abraham faced challenges. It is yielding to temptation that is a sin. And it can happen when, both the desire, and the opportunity to do what is against God’s will and His word are present.
‘If you are the Son of God…’:
At that point, after fasting for forty days and forty nights, the Lord’s immediate felt need was physical hunger. And, it was the opportunity that the devil attempted to exploit, for the Lord knew that He was the Son of God, and that He had the power to turn the stones into bread ! But, it was then that He did not yield to the temptation, as He confessed the written word that declares, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone…’ For, if He had done that, and turned stones into bread, He would not be a miracle worker, but a magician! And, where does the difference lie ? Magic is what a man does, anytime and anywhere he wants to. It is not so with a miracle, for it is the display of God’s power. The timing of it is solely in the hands of God; and, when it happens, a sinner is turned into a saint ! It is why when He stood before Herod, arrested to be crucified, the Lord did not say a word, in response to all his taunting and curious questions. He certainly was not an entertainer, to indulge in magical tricks according to the whims and fancies of any man !In your life and mine, it may not be magic or miracles, but having money in some ways, can be power, for it gives a person more options in life. Your options are limited when your finances are limited.
And, the devil can very easily increase your money supply, and expand your options in life, if only you embrace his ungodly ways, and accept what he gives you. And, it is where the challenge and temptation lies, for what you compromise with in order to rise up in life, will control you once you are at the top ! If a few people joined together to put you in a high position, you would be constrained to listen to their every word, whether good or bad, in order to maintain your position. For otherwise, the same people will conspire against you, to make you fall ! But, you do not have to stoop to the devil’s level ! You are a child of the Most High God, and when He raises you up, no one can bring you down. You will stand your ground, stand upright and declare, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’! And, oh what power it can be !
Forty years – the old testament parallel :
The Israelites went around in circles, traveling for forty years, to learn that one lesson, which was that man lives by the word from God. [Deuteronomy 8:3] The righteous live by faith, and faith comes by hearing the word. But, what took them forty years to learn was, the same word, with which the Lord overcame the devil, after forty days in the wilderness, when the evil one tried to tempt Him. And today, you can determine, whether it is forty years, or forty minutes, of hearing the word of God in worship that you need, in order to understand the truth. For, it can then lead you to proclaim, as you stand on the Lord’s victory, that you will lift up your hand only unto the Possessor of heaven and earth, from whom all blessings flow !
Tempted – 2. Concerning possessions and worship :
The devil showed the Lord, all the kingdoms of the world that had become his, because of Adam’s sin, and said All this authority and their glory I will give you, for they have been delivered to me, and I give it to and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if you will worship before me, all will be yours. And Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Get behind me satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’. [Luke 4:6–8] The bargain that the devil tried to make with the Lord, the Redeemer, was to avoid all the searing agony of the Cross, and the path to it, by bowing down to him in worship instead, to make all the kingdoms of the world and their glory His! Satan’s tactic remains the same, even this day. God’s way may involve time, faith and patience, and the devil may offer shortcuts to amass wealth. But if you choose once, to bow down at his feet, in order to gain perishable worldly riches, he will keep his foot on your head, and see to it that you never rise up again !
Worship and service :
Worship in the sight of God is always connected to serving Him. And, it was why Lord Jesus refuted the devil’s offer, pointing out God’s primary commandment, that man ought not to have any other god, but worship and serve Him only. Worshipping another god is idolatry; and an idol need not be a physical image that you bow down to; for, anti – Christ, is anything that comes in the place of Christ in your life, to occupy the first place that only He deserves. It is how idolatry is connected to possessions, as the devil offers to give you all that you desire, if only you would bow down in worship to him.Lord Jesus Christ overcame the temptation of the devil, by refusing to vouch for the world’s system. He chose to stand and proclaim God’s truth, and His word instead, that He would serve God and will worship only Him, who provides all things out of His glorious riches.
Godly blessings come in godly ways :
It is the truth that many people find difficult to swallow and are tempted to take up the devil’s offer of quick money. ‘Just once’ they think, as they bow down to his ungodly ways and means. But, it is not the truth, and never the answer. For, the ways of God, involve an understanding and application of His word. It may take time, as you believe and wait with patience and perseverance, but what you receive from God, will have ‘blessing’ written all over it ! Challenges will come, as the devil tries to make you take the shortcuts to quickly gain wealth and possessions, but you need to persist in the godly ways of God, to worship and serve Him only. Your hands lifted up in worship on a Sunday, need to be hands that are stretched forth in service on a Monday, as you do it all for the glory of God, serving Him and not the world system. For, you have a God, who blesses the work of your hands, to enrich and prosper you as you walk in His ways, meditating upon His word.
Again there is a challenge, when it concerns possessions. Prioritization needs to be there too, when possessions come to you, for sometimes they can seem greater to you than God Himself. The book of Acts, talks about Simon the sorcerer, who even after repentance and baptism, came to Peter offering money, to buy the gift of the laying on of hands, through which people received the Holy Spirit. And, ‘may your money perish with you’ was the stinging rebuke that he earned from the apostle who saw the underlying bitterness and iniquity in the man’s heart. [Acts 7:14-23] When possessions are given a wrong priority in your life, it can become worship that is idolatry, as seen above, and it will always lead to immorality, and the end of such a person would be destruction.
It is why you need to lift up your hand to the Possessor of heaven and earth, and turn away from the system of the world. God will surely meet your need, and sometimes it may take some time, for God is preparing you, changing your heart to receive it with the right attitude. He never delays in fulfilling His promises, and what He provides for you is not need based or greed based, but grace based, according to His glorious riches! And, those who wait for Him will gain new strength, to soar on eagle’s wings, to be led by the Spirit, to run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint. It is why you need to lift up your hands unto God, and He will provide in ways and sources that are right, for you to be blessed and abound. A child may desire a car, but in order to drive it, he or she needs to grow up ! Similarly all that you need, will come to you at the right time, and in the right way, and nothing will go wrong, or be wasted, for it all belongs to God ! He is the Possessor of heaven and earth.
Tempted – 3. Concerning popularity :
It is the desire in the fallen nature of man; and, the devil exploits it, to tempt you into doing something foolish or vain, just to attract attention. And in today’s internet era dominated by the social media, it can be something as small as a ridiculous ‘selfie’ that can go viral, and get the attention of the whole world ! For the Lord though, it was something as huge as the redemption of the fallen world that the devil tried to derail, as he tried to tempt Him into committing what would have been an act of presumption and not faith. To prove that He was the Son of God, the Cross was not really necessary, was the thrust of satan’s suggestion, as he took Him to the holy city, and the pinnacle of the temple, to say ..
‘Throw yourself down…’!:
If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you ….’ [Mathew 4:6] And, the Savior overcame, as He rebuked the tempter for testing God , Jesus said to him, ‘It is also written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test’. [Mathew 4:7] The Lord was not interested in exalting Himself, as the writer to the Hebrews explains, So also Christ did not exalt Himself to be made a High Priest, but was appointed by Him, who said to Him, You are my Son, today I have begotten You. [Hebrews 5:5]It can be the same with you too, when you have a good, good Father ! Therefore, do not fall for the cheap gimmicks that the devil offers, to lift you up in life. Wait instead for the Lord to do it in His way, and in His time. He will lift you up at the proper time, when your heart has been fully prepared and made ready, for what He has already prepared for you. And, you will be able to declare that it is all the Lord’s doing; one that is marvelous in your eyes. It is what happened in the life of Joseph, as God lifted him up from the prison to the throne.
‘Not I, but God …’ :
Joseph realized the truth, as the word of God refined him while he was in the prison. And, he acknowledged the work of God in his life, to give credit where credit was due, as he stood before the pharoah, to interpret his dreams, saying, ‘It is not in me, God will give pharaoh a favorable answer’. [Genesis 41:16] God, in His time, not only brought Joseph out of the prison, He went on to make him the ruler of the land ! In your life too, as you reject the cheap offers of the devil, God will lift you up in His way, to a place that is much higher. Do not play into the hand of the devil therefore, succumbing to his lies and deceit, but lift up your hand instead, unto the God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth. If you depend on your own self effort to lift yourself up, you have to sustain yourself too, in your own effort. But, when God lifts you up, the Hand of the Almighty God will also sustain you and keep you strong.
And, how do you stand ?
About the trials and temptations that come against you, the apostle Paul has this to say, both as a warning and as an encouragement ,Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you, except such as is common to man; but God is faithful; who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. [1 Corinthians 10:12,13] The God who is faithful, will make it possible for you to resist without yielding, and overcome any challenge with joy, by giving you the strength and wisdom that you need. And, the very next verse goes on to exhort you to flee from idolatry; to move away from ungodly ways, and to lift up your hand, unto the only God who can make you prosperous, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, His Name is Jesus !
Let your focus be upon Him therefore, that His blessing may be upon you, as you lift up your hand unto Him; unto the Lord, who no matter what the challenge, will show you a way of escape, and the strength when you need to endure and overcome it. It is His hand that has provided all that you need in life; His mercies are new every morning, and great is His faithfulness. As you offer thanks unto the Father, lifting up your hands unto the Savior, from whom all blessings flow, may you appropriate and receive every provision that comes from Him to be used for the glory and honor of His Name, as His blessing is declared upon you, now and forevermore.
In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
