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The word of God foresees, foretells and forth tells; and may it be your life transforming experience as we continue to dwell upon His blessed promise the Lord bless you from Zion. May you see the peace of Jerusalem all the days of your life. [Psalm 128:5] It is by shining the light of His face upon you, enlightening you by the knowledge of Him in the face of Jesus Christ, who is in you, and is the true light that enlightens you that God blesses you. And the prayer of the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians is that God may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Him, so that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened to know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints. [Ephesians 1: 17,18] For, it is the calling of God that connects you to His blessing, as seen in the call of the patriarch Abraham. [Isaiah 51:2] And the blessing of God is more than just a transaction, or receiving from His hand, but fixing your eyes upon Him, to know Him more and more, that you may inherit His blessing of being transformed increasingly into His likeness that takes place in a relationship with Him. [2 Peter 1: 3,4]
It begins to work out in your life, as sharing in a heavenly calling, you consider Jesus, who is faithful to bless you, as the writer to the Hebrews makes clear. [Hebrews 3:1] And the importance of it needs to be highlighted for even as Paul writes to the Thessalonians, not all have faith. But he goes on to stress the vital difference of knowing and being blessed by the God who remains faithful, even when we are faithless, for He cannot deny Himself. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you, and guard you against the evil one. [2 Thessalonians 3:3] And it all boils down to two very different approaches to your life’s decisions, what is godly, and what is worldly.
There are absolutes in God’s kingdom; a right and a wrong, concerning the matters of life. And as a child of God to live by the scriptures, doing what is right is your holy calling that leads to His blessing upon you, and in your life. But to the people of the world, whether it would be profitable or beneficial, to do something would be the deciding factor. And if being faithful, does not result in any gain, and is not profitable, it would not be what they choose to do or live by. It is why your mind needs to be renewed by God’s word, as you ‘consider Jesus;. that you may become more and more like Him. His death on the Cross was an act of selfless, sacrificial love.And it is why the apostle Paul was able to confidently declare that he counted everything that he had erstwhile counted to be of great gain as loss because of the surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. [Philippians 3:8]
God is forever faithful. But people around you could be unfaithful, due to many reasons. And the one who betrays you, could be your familiar friend, your christian friend may be, who fellowships with you, making your hurt incredibly more painful. But, it need not make you paranoid. For, the unfaithfulness of people could fill you with fear, but the faithfulness of God will give you the confidence that overcomes it, to taste and experience His goodness and love through it all. And the psalmist himself having been through such an experience describes it all in painful detail – the friend whose words were smooth as butter, who eventually turned out to be his enemy, trouble from close and unexpected quarters. [Psalms 55:13,14,20,21]
History down through the ages has grimly recorded how great men have been brought down not by big wars but by small betrayals. Also portrayed in the bible is the life of Judas, a disciple of the Lord, who had seen Him in all His glory for three and a half years, and yet, even as satan entered into him, could end up betraying the Son of God with a kiss! And it was for a mere thirty pieces of silver, blood money, that ended up being a land where none desired even to be buried.
But the unfaithfulness of man is not the end of the story, for, God is always faithful. Therefore, whatever side of the equation you find yourself in your life’s circumstance, the offending party or the one who has at the receiving end of an offense, you can find help and be strengthened and healed by the faithfulness of God. It comes as you pay heed to the counsel of God in the very same psalm, that bids you to – Cast your care on the Lord; He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved. [vs 22] Hand over your problem into His faithful hands, and know that He will take care of it all, and begin to thank Him for having done it. And you will find your problem steadily losing it’s sting. He will sustain you, and you will not be shaken. When you fix your eyes on Jesus, you can rest in the blessed assurance that you are looking in the right direction!
And the apostle Paul was able to do it, as he encountered the unfaithfulness of people in his own life, to be able to say Alexander the copper-smith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. [2 Timothy 4: 14] It was the blessing of knowing the faithfulness of God, that empowered Paul to make the above declaration, to leave it all in the hands of God. For, though to the world, revenge maybe sweet, to the child of the Heavenly Father, the truth is that, ‘He will avenge, or, He will repay’. From Him comes your vindication; and when you are related to Him, you do not retaliate. You can trust instead, even as Paul did, that the Lord will accomplish everything concerning you. It begins to happen in you even as you are shaped by the scriptures, that says to you – Do not repay evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary bless, for it is for that you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. [1 Peter 3:9] And you are a blessed person, for the Almighty God is your Father, and no curse can work against you.,for the blessing of God is more powerful than any curse or words of evil that men may speak against you.
Paul faced much opposition, as he goes on to warn Timothy, and to also encourage him by sharing his own experience of having God standing by him, to strengthen him, even when every one else that he counted upon to support him, deserted him. [2 Timothy 4: 16,17] The maturity and faith that comes with knowing that you are related to a faithful God, was what Paul was able to display, instead of becoming angry with others, or sorrowful within himself. It was the attitude of Christ who on the Cross was able to unconditionally forgive His enemies. And it was what was seen in Stephen, as he was being stoned to death. [Acts 7:60] The greatest blessing in your life and mine is being transformed into His likeness, becoming more and more like Him, in ever increasing glory. And the ever abiding truth is that in the midst of it all the faithful God is always by your side. You are never alone.
Gideon, was discouraged and disillusioned with his life’s events, but was called to be a mighty warrior, And when he had to fight against enemies, he had an army that was streamlined by God Himself. In the same manner, sometimes people may be taken away from you, but as He was with Gideon, He is always by your side. He is never out of the picture. And His favor upon you accomplishes what nothing else can.
Therefore the psalmist’s confident declaration can be yours They surrounded me like bees; In the Name of the Lord, I cut them off. I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, But the Lord helped me. [Psalms 118:12,13] He is with you, holding your hand, as your Savior, faithful Friend, lifting you up, to take you to a place of fruitfulness, and maturity, your divine destiny. Though your friends forsake you, He will take you in His arms, to shield you, grant you solace and protection. Therefore , you will not die ,but you will live; and recount the deeds of the Lord. [Psalms 118:17] May the God who loves you with an everlasting love, who remains ever faithful, transform you, heal every wound and hurt in you, restore you, and may your latter days be greater than your former, that He may be glorified. In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
