The Simple Way to Get a Blessing
Contents
A simple way to be blessed
1 Peter 4:7-11
This is the last time. Look at verse 7 of the text. “The end of all things is near...” If the end was near about 2,000 years ago, it is closer now. That's why we use the expression 'the end of the last days' to mean 'the end of the end times'. What kind of life do the saints living in the last days need the most?
1. A life of prayer
Look at verse 7 of the text. “The end of all things is near; therefore, be sober and sober, and pray.” Peter exhorts the life of prayer as the first of the principles of life in the last days. The phrase “Calm down!” in this verse means, if you think about it backwards, that the end times will be an era of speed that people will not be able to come to their senses.
This is a time when so much has changed and there is so much to do. In times like these, what we need the most is prayer. When we pray, we realize how to live, what to do first, and what God's will is for us. When people pray, they usually pray for problem solving, but in fact, the more important reason for prayer is to discover the purpose of life and God's will rather than to solve problems. Therefore, prayer is necessary in difficult times, but also necessary in busy times.
Some people say they are busy and don't have time to pray. But when you are busy, you need to pray more. Because when you are busy, you need more wisdom to prioritize tasks and the ability to do things efficiently in a short amount of time. Martin Luther said, “I am so busy! I need to pray more.” I thought and increased my prayer time in the morning from 2 hours to 3 hours. The busier you are, the more time you need to spend in prayer.
2. Love life
Look at verse 8 of the text. “Above all, love one another zealously, for love covers a multitude of sins.” In this verse, Peter tells us to pray first for the life we need in the last days, and then immediately says, “Above all things, love fervently!” He emphasizes love more than prayer. It tells us that in the end times, the most necessary thing is love.
In particular, in this verse, the word ‘zealous’ refers to the figure of a runner running with a desperate heart toward a goal. You should set a goal for love like that and never give up on love. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love is patient.” Sometimes we use discipline, a whip, and shunning for true love, but we must not give up on our love.
Romans 13:8 says this. “Do not owe anyone except to love one another. He who loves others has fulfilled the law.” God hates the saints in debt. Therefore, you must live within the limits of earning a large and diligent amount so as not to be in debt. But it's okay to take on a lot of love. Love is the fulfillment of the law. What is love?
1) Not seeing sins and faults
In the second half of verse 8 “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Love is to see through a telescope, and hate is to see through a microscope. Even things that look fine on the outside are teeming with bacteria when viewed under a microscope. If you look at it under a microscope like that, you can only see flaws. But even if you have a large spot on your face, you can't see it through a telescope.
When I was studying, I had a friend who was tall, handsome, kind and kind.
I fell in love, but when I first saw her, I was surprised.
The face was completely square, and the eyes were shirt buttonholes. He was only about 145 centimeters tall. But my friend was about 185 centimeters.
It was so strange that I asked another friend. Does that woman have a handsome face in your opinion?” The friend replied that he was on the handsome side.
Hearing that, I was momentarily confused. “How am I supposed to understand this?” But there's no need to get confused.
For some reason, I think it's because of love. If you love, you become a holy blind person.
So when they go, people always look at them with strange eyes, but they stick around regardless. If you love like that, your faults will not be visible.
All people are lacking. I am not particularly upright and particularly proud of others. They are all people who make mistakes. Also, a person needs to have some shortcomings and faults to feel like a human being. Acknowledge that fact and cover the sins and faults of others without revealing them. If we expose our faults, we will be unhappy with each other, but if we cover our faults, we will be happy for each other.
2) not remembering the wounds
Love covers many sins, but it also makes it easy to forget the wounds of the past. The saints should remember the things they are grateful for well for a long time and forget the things they grumble about quickly. However, when you love, the memory of the things you are grateful for decreases, and the memory of the things you are grateful for, miraculously, improves. The better you forget past misfortunes and wounds, the greater the probability of success and happiness. The better you remember past misfortunes and wounds, the greater the probability of failure and unhappiness.
Being tied to the bad things of the past is tying yourself up in chains.
Then the body and mind become tired. Stop dwelling on past wounds and remember only the good.
For that, you must love hard above all else. When you love, you forget the bad and remember the good.
3) Treating each other and serving each other
In verse 9 of the text. “Let us treat each other without grumbling.” In this verse, it says that love is not simply 'treating', but 'serving without grumbling'. To treat people without resentment, above all, you must be humble and unselfish. If you treat yourself with pride and self-respect, resentment and complaints will surely come out later.
God hates pride the most. Not all success is good.
If you succeed and become proud, you have failed. On the other hand, if you gain humility through failure, you are actually successful. If you experience miracles and mistakenly believe that you are more spiritual than others and that only you are receiving special love from God, you have failed. The more you know, the more you learn, and the more you receive grace, the more humble you are.
In verse 10 of the text. “As each has received a gift, serve one another as good stewards of the various graces of God.” When God has given you grace and gifts, it means to serve more.
Therefore, no matter how great the service is, you should think that it is not done by your own strength, but by God. Without such an attitude, quarrels, conflicts, and wounds will never cease.
How do you defeat the devil? As in the first half of verse 11, when you speak, you do it as if you were speaking the word of God, and when you serve, you just have to do it with the power God gives you. When you do that, if you look at the second half of verse 11, God is glorified.
A simple way to be blessed
The best way to glorify God is to love and dedicate ourselves. Such love and devotion will surely bear fruit. There is the simplest way to be blessed. It is to love and dedicate. If you try to be treated, hurt and misfortune will come, but if you try to be treated, reward and happiness will come. Therefore, if you want a truly blessed life, you must cast away greed and self-centeredness and always live with a heart of love and hospitality.
When you are in the ministry, you are well aware of your own shortcomings and faults before others even tell you.
When we serve and receive service, God also gives us more grace.
If you serve your neighbor with that kind of attitude of service, how much will God be pleased with your heart?
When you serve others, you become a loved one. Then the door of blessing will open automatically.
If you try to receive it, it becomes a burden to others, but if you give it, it becomes a joy to others. If you just put a burden on others, the door of blessing will close, and if you give joy to others, the door of blessing will open wide. Now, let's energize us to treat each other diligently.
You don't have to be impressed by serving something big. Even small things can impress you.
Therefore, if you want to live a truly blessed life, you must first try to love, dedicate, and treat yourself without self-interest.
Through a life of sharing, serving, and hospitality, the door of blessing will open even if people are satisfied with it. If we are satisfied with God through such a life, wouldn't the door of blessing be opened?
The way to be blessed is so simple. Love and dedication.
Now, become a holy blind man, cover the faults of others, treat others more, and diligently participate in missions. So, I hope that you will become the joy of the Lord and receive great blessings in the end times.