The Blessing Pipe

The Blessing Pipe

According to scriptures, the key relationship in the Bible is forgiveness. It is God’s will that all people be forgiven. 2 Peter 3:9…"not wishing that any should perish but all come to repentance."

In Matthew 6:15, we have a very interesting passage. "But if you do not forgive men their sins, neither will your father forgive your sins." There are several interpretations of this passage but the general gist is unforgiveness blocks God's blessing in our life.

If you have unforgiveness in your life, God cannot bless you. It is like a pipe that is blocked. God wants to pour out His manifold blessings on you but you're unforgiveness blocks the pipe of blessing.

Sometimes confessing resentment, grudges, and hatred will not only restore your relationship with God (and others) but can restore your physical body. 

A famous quote fits so well here, "Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other dies."

Only YOU can remove the blockage in your blessing pipe! 

Do You Need To Forgive God?

 

Let's be honest, some of us need to forgiven God. When something bad has happened in our lives or something did not happen the way we expected, it's easy to ask, "How could God let this happen?

But God is not your enemy. His actions toward you are always good. God is only good and His mercy endures forever. Psalm 118:29 The devil wants you to believe that "bad stuff" is God's fault or that He allowed it. The devil knows that if you are mad at God, he's got you separated from your help.

I amazed that many times, Christ-followers will quit going to church when they go through difficult times. This is no time to let go of God!!! Corrie Ten Boom once said, " When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."

There is an easy way to tell if something came from God or the devil. In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

That’s pretty plain, isn’t it? If there is stealing, killing, or destroying happening, it is the devil’s doing, not God’s.

Supernatural Help To Forgiveness

I remember reading an article that stated a large percentage (could not locate the number) of people in mental institutions could be released if they only knew they were forgiven. People can be set free from guilt if they knew they were forgiven. They could overcome all sorts of harmful emotions, if they knew they were forgiven.

Forgiveness brings healing to damaged relationships. It is a fact of life that all of us have been sinned against. All of us have suffered wrong from the hands of others. But the other side of the coin is we have all hurt others ourselves. Romans 3:23 But forgiveness is critical in every relationship.

Think about it. God made us alive together with him by forgiving us! Forgiveness is God’s recipe for fresh starts. After all, it’s how he started you and me over again. He made us new in Christ, where old things passed away and all things became new 2 Cor. 5:17 He transformed us into brand new, born-again, righteous beings by forgiving us.

In fact, God’s way of dealing with mankind is forgiveness. It’s his go-to reaction with human beings and his very nature! In Isaiah 43:25, he says, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.” God never has unforgiveness in his relationship with you. Never.

The good news is that as born-again Christians, we have God’s very nature inside of us, so we’ve not only been forgiven, but have the capacity to forgive. We just need God’s supernatural help to do it! As we soak our spirits in God’s Word, it gives us the strength we need to do things God’s way.

But even though we have supernatural help, forgiveness is our choice. God has created us with our own will and freedom to choose. In Deuteronomy, he says, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (30:19). He does give us a clue when he says, “Choose life!” But it’s always our choice.

Later, we see Joshua exercising his own right to choose: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

God won’t ever make you forgive; it’s your choice. The good news is that he’s standing by, ready to help. He just wants you to want to forgive. When you ask for his help, he’s right there to supernaturally put you over.

Is God Pleased With You?

 I have read Matthew Chapter Three numerous times and have totally overlooked a very important  phrase. By way of introduction allow me to preface my thoughts with an observation that many may have overlooked in our culture. We are a 'performance based' society. We think people will love us more by how well we perform. I am not saying people should not be rewarded and honored for diligent work and achievement but we should not value people just on the basis of performance.

For example. a parent may say, "Daddy loves you when you make straight A's on your report card!" The child may conclude that Daddy will not love me if I don't make straight A's. Hopefully that is that his intent. Their child should be congratulated for academic excellence but no matter what his grades are, he needs to be assured on his parents unconditional love. 

In Matthew 3, Jesus has just been baptized by John the Baptist and as Jesus is coming out of the Jordan River, a voice from heaven says, " This is my beloved Son, with whom I will be pleased." (Vs.17) Remember this is just the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry.

He has yet to perform His first miracle. He has not healed the man with leprosy. He has not raised Lazarus from the dead. He hasn't preached to the multitudes.  He has not done anything 'miraculous.'  Yet, God the Father says He was pleased with His Son.

In my opinion, I believe God's approval is found in the phrase preceding that statement. "This is my beloved Son..." God was pleased with the Son on the basis of their relationship. Jesus did not have to do anything to bring pleasure to His Father, God  found pleasure in their relationship.

God is pleased with you on the basis of your relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.

3:17 Or my Son, my (or the) Belovedwith whom I am well pleased.” 

What Do You Love Most?

If you could only have one thing in life, what would it be? What do you love most? What would you give up everything for? Would you believe that your heavenly Father's answer to those questions is you? It's true! 

The Creator of the universe loves you most! Would you believe He would give up everything to have a relationship with you? Genesis 2 reveals to us that God's greatest desire is relationship with us. After God created Adam in His own image, He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him a helper fit for him." God puts Adam to sleep and forms a woman out of his rib. vs 21-22 How did God know Adam would want a woman as a helper? How did God know she would be the desire of his heart? God knew Adam most longed for a bride because Adam was made in God's image and God's greatest desire is for relationship with us, whom the Bible calls His Bride. 

Out of everything else God has created or could have created, He most desires relationship with you. And He so longed for you to know Him fully that He sent Jesus to die to make restored relationship possible. John 3:16 God calls us to Himself daily with His love. 

Once we truly understand the depth of God's desire for us, the only true response is to give up everything for Him. 

Does My Life Matter?

 People often ask a common question when it looks like their time on earth is drawing to a close - "Did my life matter?" Have you ever wondered that? I have. We all dream of being a great success. Children playing football dream of making it pro. Musicians dream of themselves on a massive stage in front of thousands of scream fans. We all have a desire to make an impact in this world. We all desire to make a difference to the degree that we will be remembered when we are gone.

Success is solely defined by God and solely achieved by your faithfulness to whatever He has called you to. The Bible clearly defines success as being faithful to what God has spoken. Matthew 25:21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’  Your desire to make an will only be satisfied by living in obedience to God's will for you.

Choose to live a life of significance for eternity today. You have a chance today to lead people into eternal life. You have a chance today to store up your treasure in heaven. Matthew 6:19-20 Allow God to define your identity and purpose. Experience the joy that can only be found in communion with youtr heavenly Father.

Times of Injustice

We have all felt the emotion of injustice. It may have experienced the pain of abandonment, the shock of being cut out of an inheritance, you may have worked harder than anyone else only to have someone else get promoted ahead of you. Getting a raw deal can be emotionally disturbing. The unfairness eats away at us. 

I remember being madly in love as a 15-year-old and having the "love of my life" leave me. I thought my life had ended. How many parents have heard their children say, "But that's not fair!"  Of course, the parents usual response is, "Life is not fair!" Which probably did not change their child's attitude! The fact is, life is not fair.  

The Levite Asaph voiced the same attitude in Psalm 73:3 "I saw that wicked people were successful and I became jealous of those proud."  Asaph was complaining to God life was not fair.  How many times have WE complained to God that we were trying to do what God says is right, yet not more problems and frustrations as a Christian than I remember having before. 

Jesus did not come to make us comfortable and shield us from hardship. 2 Timothy 3:12 

Worship of the God who is above all will ultimately unravel our sense of injustice. God WILL right every wrong but it may not be in our lifetime! 

Integrity In Voting

 Many thoughts have gone through my mind since election day but I will not use this blog to vent my frustration. But As I was driving today, I a verse came to my mind. Proverbs 11:1 says, "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight." ESV  "The Lord hates it when people use scales to cheat others. But he is delighted when people use honest weights." NIRV

This verse speaks of honesty in the market place but I think that God hates all manner of dishonesty, especially when it takes advantage of others. I do not think I am stretching this principle in regard to the Presidential Election. 

I am not talking about a particular person or a certain political party but the principle of honesty. There have been too many irregularities and improper procedures. As I pray, I pray that ALL dishonesty and ALL deception will be exposed. I believe that praying in this manner honors God. 

Dressed For Success

In 1975 John T. Molloy wrote a best selling book called Dressed For Success. He explained the effect of clothing had on a person's success in business and personal life.

The Bible tells us how we are to dress for spiritual 'success.' If you desire to overcome the snares of the devil and live a happy victorious life; consider the articles you must put on every day. These are found in Ephesians 6.

Unlike the clothing we wear in our daily lives; our spiritual clothing consists of body armor. Many Christ-followers forget that we are in a battle. Our enemy, Satan, hates us and wants to destroy us.   John 10:10 but God has provided us everything we need for protection.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11

The first item we are to put on is 

1. The belt of truth verse 14 Every other piece of the full armor of God is attached to the belt of truth. If you don’t begin with truth, you’ll never defeat the enemy, for he is the father of lies. John 8:44

2. The breastplate of righteousness vs. 14 The enemy tempts with all kinds of sinful entanglements, but righteousness protects our hearts.

3. Your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Verse 15 Ephesians repeatedly reminds us to “stand” and “stand firm.” One of the easiest ways for the enemy to succeed in shaking us loose from standing firm is to tempt us with worry. When we carry anxiousness and worry with us, we are robbed of peace. But the gospel of peace keeps our feet anchored and standing firm.

4. The shield of faith verse 16 When Paul wrote this passage, Roman soldiers carried shields that were covered with heavy animal hide. Before a battle, they would dip their shields into the water so that when fiery darts hit them, the wet hide would extinguish the darts.

5. The helmet of salvation verse 16

The battlefield of our mind is the primary place spiritual battle is fought. The Lord works His freeing truth into our perspectives while the enemy fights for strongholds to bind us. 

If you have trouble remembering each article every morning, remember you find each piece of armor in Jesus Christ. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ...Romans 13:14

• He is truth John 14:6
• He is righteousness 1 Cor. 1:30
• He is our foundation in which we stand firm 1 Cor. 1:30 
• He is our source of faith Galatians 2:16 
• He is our salvation Acts 4:12