Title New Year's Blessing (Proverbs 3:1-10)
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We celebrated the first week of the new year. 1 Timothy 4:4 says, "Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving." 1999 is the year of our church. I believe it will be your year.
The Bible says (Hebrews 11:6), "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
I am convinced that God the Father is the only one who will bless myself, my family and the church this year, and I believe that many good things will happen if I diligently seek God, worship Him, listen to His Word and pray. We pray for the following blessings to our members in the new year.
First, I hope you receive the blessing of peace (verses 1-2).
A person's happiness lies in peace. Even if you have money and a good house, if you don't have peace, it's hell. Above all, I wish you all peace this year. For this kind of peace, we must keep the "law of God."
Although the law binds people to some extent, the law requires that there be no indulgence, order is maintained and peace is maintained. Just as traffic rules are maintained and accidents are less likely to occur when traffic laws are obeyed, it is quiet and peaceful in places where laws are well obeyed. In a society where lawlessness and immorality are prevalent, it is noisy and accidents do not stop.
God gave the law so that the saints could lead a peaceful life. This law is the law of justice and love. If you keep this law, you will be rewarded with peace and long life and many harms. “Great peace are with those who love your law, and there will be no obstacle for them” (Psalm 119:165). “The effect of righteousness is peace, and the result of righteousness is eternal peace and security” (Isaiah 32:17).
It is often said that if you live more than 100 years, you will live long. Longevity and peace do not end only in this land. To be resurrected and never die, to live in the kingdom of peace with the Lord forever. Those who keep the law of the Lord live with the Lord and enjoy the peace of the Lord forever. I hope this year will be filled with peace
Second, I hope you will receive grace and esteem in the sight of God and man (verses 3-4).
It is truly a blessing for a person to live a lifetime of being valued and valued by people. Having a lot of money doesn't mean being valued. Just because you have power doesn't mean you're valued. Not everyone who has learned a lot is respected. On the contrary, there are people who live with the respect of all people even though they have not learned anything and have no wealth or authority.
It is a blessing to be valued in front of people like this, but how blessed is it to receive grace from God? Let's see Daniel. He was a man respected by all. The king also respected him. Even those who oppose him are destroyed. Not only that, was it not said that the angel sent by God was a person who received much favor from him (Dan. 10:11).
Then, who would be so favored by God and valued by others? God said, "Do not let kindness and truth depart from you, tie it around your neck, and write it on the tablets of your heart." Kindness and truth are the dispositions of our God. In other words, believe in the Lord's mercy and live according to His truthfulness. Paul exhorts us to "be kind to one another, have compassion, forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).
This kind of life is a life that thoroughly resembles the Lord. How pleased will the Lord be if we put on His character and become more like Him? Let's look at Daniel again. His life was a life in which mercy and truth always coexist. Although he was in a high position, he did not forget his people who suffered. Not only that, he didn't stand up to those who hated him. On the other hand, how genuinely he lived his life: "The prime ministers and princes tried to get an opportunity to accuse Daniel about the affairs of the state, but they were able to find no chance or any fault, because he was faithful, and there was no wrongdoing and no fault. was” (Daniel 6:4). So how can the Lord not grant him grace? Wouldn't these people be respected by the people?
Third, may God direct your path (vv. 5-6).
Even though people seem very smart, they don't know how stupid and lacking they are. Just as when the Israelites left Egypt and marched toward Canaan, we do not know exactly which way we are going. Moreover, they do not know what dangers lurk along the way, nor do they have the ability to deal with them. Therefore, we can be safe only with God's protection and guidance.
So, what kind of people does God guide? (Proverbs 3:5) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” He is a person who acknowledges God in all things. It is not just acknowledging that God exists. Today's successful life is always acknowledging in front of people that it was because of God's guidance, and always following him in life.
Let's think about it. If you helped a friend, and the friend who helped him hides this fact from others because of his pride and tells as if he had accomplished it on his own, would you want to continue helping that friend? However, if I introduce a friend who helped me at every opportunity and admit that I would not be where I am today without this person, wouldn't the person who helped me feel very rewarded and always help me?
So let's acknowledge God at every opportunity. Let's brag about who we are today because of God's help. Rather than pretending to be smart and boasting about our abilities, let us boast about the goodness and greatness of God. If you do, the Lord will guide you along the way.
Fourth, I hope you receive the blessing of health (verses 7-8).
If there is one most important blessing we can receive on this earth, it will be health. Even if you lose everything, you can recover as long as you are healthy. But even if you have it all, it is meaningless if you don't have health. It is true that without money, fame, family, and health, everything becomes a nuisance.
So, when it comes to health, people don't even choose anything bizarre. But physical health is God.
is the blessing of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said that it was best for anyone to rely on his own natural healing powers to cure his illness. This means that God will heal you naturally. There is a Latin saying, "All diseases are cured by God, and the doctor receives the money."
Then, to whom does God bless health? In verses 7-8, he says, "Do not be wise in yourselves; fear the Lord and turn away from evil, for this will be good for your body and nourish your marrow." If the body lives according to the Word of God, all diseases can be prevented and health can be maintained. You can make beautiful heavenly water. The secret to maintaining good health is to look at God with your eyes, hear the word of God with your ears, and speak the words that please God with your mouth.
Fifth, I hope you receive the blessings of material abundance (verse 10).
When we say that we are blessed, we first speak of material blessings. Believers and non-believers alike want to become rich and live in abundance. People with little faith are not the only ones who want wealth. Of course, the purpose of the saints is different, but in any case, even people with good faith want the blessing of wealth. Living an excessively luxurious life with wealth is a problem, but living in poverty is not the only virtue. It would be shameful if, like Solomon, we focus on living luxuriously without using God-given wealth for the sake of the Lord or the people. But did David not have all this for God's work, even though he had acquired such a fortune?
Then to whom did He promise to fill the barns and overflow with blessings? (verse 9) "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of your produce, and your barns will be full, and your presses will overflow with new wine." said The blessings of the kingdom of God are so clear. He said that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6). “He who gives seed to the sower and bread for food will give what you sow, and will increase it and increase the fruit of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10).
One of the hardest things people do is give up money. God cannot know this. That is why God tells us to give money to receive financial blessings.
God commands us to honor the Lord with material things in order to give us material blessings. The world's way teaches that wealth increases only when you hold on to money, but God's law says that when you use it to honor the Lord, you will always have everything you need, and will give you an abundance to contribute to every good work. If you fully understand and practice God's law of sowing and reaping, you will be blessed with wealth.
conclude the word
God is not the one who gives blessings in vain. God repays you according to what you have done. You have to do what you deserve to be blessed. If you sow a purebred, you will reap blessings. If you want to prosper wherever you go, you have to "observe all the words of God and do not turn to the left or to the right, then...". If you want to have a smooth road ahead and not fail, you need to rely on the Lord instead of relying on your abilities and understanding. In order to obtain the blessings of health and wealth, we need to turn away from evil and live according to God.
Do you want to be blessed in the new year? Then keep the word and do it, turn from evil, trust in the Lord,
Serving Jehovah With Riches