Worthy Devotions – Daily Christian Devotion » Blessing

Psalms 112:1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

There’s nothing we can do to earn God’s love, however if we want to experience His blessings we need to observe the qualifications that He’s given us in His Word. Psalm 112 details a whole list of blessings, but the key to receiving them is verse 1.

“Blessed is the man that fears (puts his trust, honors, in awe of His majesty) the Lord, and delights greatly in His commandments. (Takes pleasure in what God says and obeys Him).”

Adopt that attitude toward Him and be assured, blessings are on the way! Your offspring will be mighty on the earth (vs 2), wealth and riches shall be in your house (vs 3), even in darkness the light shall shine on you (vs 4), you shall not be shaken (vs 6) in the midst of evil you will have no fear of bad news because your heart is set upon Him (vs 7).

Now I don’t know about you, but I want to live in the blessings of God!

Let’s live a life that God will bless, honor the Lord with our whole heart, and delight in obeying Him!

Matthew 7:16-20 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Most people reading this passage tend to focus in on the fruit that is produced. Okay…But a closer look will reveal that the Lord is really focusing on the tree. The fruit merely demonstrates the quality of the tree. We have all encountered this: there are trees whose fruit is healthy and delicious, and there are trees whose fruit is scarcely edible, or even useless.

The fruit doesn’t make the tree – the tree makes the fruit. A tree that produces good fruit is firmly rooted in soil which provides adequate water and nourishment. Likewise, those of us whose lives are rooted in and dedicated to Yeshua produce good fruit. Others who try to produce good works for “religious” reasons, or to prove or approve of themselves, may produce fruit, but it will be much inferior. When our focus is on Yeshua (Jesus), and our lives are centered in Him, the fruit we produce will not be from self-effort, and its quality will be excellent…because it is simply the produce of a good tree.

So, stop trying to produce good works in your own strength. Just tap into the Source of your life, Yeshua, allowing the sap of His Spirit to flow through you – and then watch what GREAT FRUIT He is continually able to produce!

Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

I don’t know about you, but it seems that the tests we’re going through are getting harder and harder. Do you remember when you took tests in high school? At the time they may have seemed hard. But imagine if you had to take an elementary school test when you were in high school. You’d probably think – oh this is so simple.

So if it seems that the testing of your faith is more intense – it simply means that you’re graduating to new levels of faith! Our faith is being tested, and as we pass each “faith” test, we’re finding different means of being tested. I suppose in a few years, we’ll look back and think to ourselves – wow that was a hard test, but now it doesn’t look so difficult!

If you’re going through a tough time right now, be encouraged because it simply means that God is graduating you to new levels of faith! The harder the tests, the greater difficulty – the greater the reward, an increased blessing awaits you! Stay focused, stay alert and remember that God is trying to stretch your faith so that you can accomplish even more for His Kingdom!

Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Since 2003, we’ve added thousands of new subscribers to our daily brief, so many of you are unaware of the trials and tribulations that we’ve faced as a family here in Israel. In 2003 our first child, Elianna, was born with an extremely rare eye condition, which in effect caused her to be blind. As newly inaugurated parents, we were completely shell shocked on receiving the news from the doctors. However we soon responded to this challenge by contacting as many people as possible to pray for our daughter’s condition, and of course, started praying and fasting ourselves. After days of prayer and fasting, we had a breakthrough. On that day, as I was holding Elianna in my arms, I smiled at her. Suddenly, she smiled back. I couldn’t believe my eyes, was she really responding to my smile?! I moved my head to the left… Elianna followed it to the left! I moved to the right… she followed again! I knew God was beginning to heal her.

Throughout the years following, we continued to pray daily, believing the Lord for 20/20 vision. Each and every time we went to see her eye specialists, they would give a fantastic report. Her eyes kept improving.

Yesterday, we went to the specialist to have her examined yet again. I am delighted to report another incredible testimony. In one eye, the doctor informed us yesterday, the astigmatism has dramatically improved. In the other, the astigmatism has completely disappeared!!!!! In this eye, she has 20/20 vision! All this, with no intervention other than God’s own hand. HALLELUJAH!!

Have you been crying out to God for a miracle? Be encouraged! God is STILL in the miracle working business! He has a plan bigger than we could ever ask or think. Thank Him, praise Him, trust Him!

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

During the Feast of Sukkot, the Jewish people took part in a water drawing ceremony on the last day of the feast. They would go down to the Pool of Siloam, draw water and bring it to the Temple Mount. Then they would pour out the water and recite Isaiah 12, “and with joy you shall draw water out of the wells of salvation.” In Hebrew, the word salvation and Yeshua (Jesus, in Hebrew), are the same.

Imagine the scene at the time of Messiah’s appearance. It is likely that in the midst of this ceremony, He stood and proclaimed, “If anyone is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me as the Scripture said, “from His innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”

This promise is true for us today. Our Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever. He did not promise a sprinkling or a tiny stream. He promised rivers of living water. Claim this promise today — claim the fullness of life in Him. Draw from Him the peace that passes all understanding. Draw from Him pure love — agape love. Draw from Him the joy that makes the trees clap. Draw all that you need, but in order to draw from Him — you must go to Him. One cannot draw water from a well unless one goes to the well. Go to the well that never runs dry — go to your well of Yeshua!

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

During the feast of Tabernacles in Jesus’ day, the temple priests would set up four great lampstands with golden lampholders, which they would light with the aid of enormous ladders in the Temple courtyard. The lighting of these lamps began the celebration of the “Great Hosannah” (Hoshannah Rabbah, in Hebrew). The celebration went on in to the wee hours –with music and dancing and rejoicing, while the beautiful lights lit up the night. Jerusalem was a breathtaking, illuminated city on a hill.

The following morning the Jewish people would recite the prayer for the eighth day of the feast — “Be thou praised, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who makest light and causes darkness, who makest peace and createst all: the light of the world as the treasure of life…”

Some of us have been walking in darkness recently — maybe for a long time now. This is, by no means, God’s calling on our lives. Our Redeemer, Jesus, is the light of the world. We, who follow Him should never be walking in darkness but have the light of life! We should be set apart — a city on a hill, illuminated beautifully for all the world to see!

It’s time to get our lamps lit. No more excuses! Let’s give our hearts to Him once again today and get His victory in our lives! There’s so much work to be done!

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

Please forgive us for the length of this particular devotion, but it was sent in from some friends of the ministry in Nigeria — please take the time to read this powerful message.

An aging king woke up one day to the realization that should he drop dead, there would be no male in the royal family to take his place. He was the last male in the royal family in a culture where only a male could succeed to the throne – and he was aging. He decided that if he could not give birth to a male, he would adopt a son who then could take his place but he insisted that such an adopted son must be extraordinary in every sense of the word. So he launched a competition in his kingdom, open to all boys, no matter what their background. Ten boys made it to the very top.

There was little to separate these boys in terms of intelligence and physical attributes and capabilities. The king said to them, ‘I have one last test and whoever comes top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne.’

Then he said, ‘This kingdom depends solely on agriculture. So the king must know how to cultivate plants. So here is a seed of corn for each of you.Take it home and plant and nurture it for three weeks. At the end of three weeks, we shall see who has done the best job of cultivating the seed. That person will be my heir-apparent.’ The boys took their seeds and hurried home. They each got a flower pot and planted the seed as soon as they got home. There was much excitement in the kingdom as the people waited with bated breath to see who was destined to be their next king.

In one home, the boy and his parents were almost heartbroken when after days of intense care, the seed failed to sprout. He did not know what had gone wrong with his. He had selected the soil carefully, he had applied the right quantity and type of fertilizer, he had been very dutiful in watering it at the right intervals, he had even prayed over it day and night and yet his seed had turned out to be unproductive.

Some of his friends advised him to go and buy a seed from the market and plant that. ‘After all,’ they said, ‘how can anyone tell one seed of corn from another?’ But his parents who had always taught him the value of integrity reminded him that if the king wanted them to plant any corn, he would have asked them to go for their own seed. ‘If you take anything different from what the king gave you that would be dishonesty.’

‘Maybe we are not destined for the throne. If so, let it be, but don’t be found to have deceived the king,’ they told him. The d-day came and the boys returned to the palace each of them proudly exhibiting a very fine corn seedling. It was obvious that the other nine boys had had great success with their seeds. The king began making his way down the line of eager boys and asked each of them, ‘Is this what came out of the seed I gave you?’

And each boy responded, ‘Yes, your majesty.’ And the king would nod and move down the line.

The king finally got to the last boy in the line-up. The boy was shaking with fear. He knew that the king was going to have him thrown into prison for wasting his seed. ‘What did you do with the seed I gave you?’ the king asked. ‘I planted it and cared for it diligently, your majesty, but alas it failed to sprout.’ the boy said tearfully as the crowd booed him.

But the king raised his hands and signaled for silence. Then he said, ‘My people behold your next king.’ The people were confused. ‘Why that one?’ many asked. ‘How can he be the right choice?’ The king took his place on his throne with the boy by his side and said, ‘I gave these boys boiled seeds. This test was not for cultivating corn. It was the test of character; a test of integrity. It was the ultimate test.’

If a king must have one quality, it must be that he should be above dishonesty. Only this boy passed the test. A boiled seed cannot sprout.’ Never!!

We live in a society that has become obsessed with success and many show success at any cost. We say the end justifies the means. It is the tragedy of life. You see, failure often is an invitation to God to show that he is all powerful and does not need help to make us great or to bless us.

Romans 11:12 Now if the fall of them [Jews] be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

The parable of the Prodigal son might also serve as an illustration of the relationship between Israel and the Church.

In this perspective, both Israel and the Church have been in the position of each of the brothers, but for the purpose of this message we will look at the Church as the older brother. Since the Jewish leadership rejected the Messiah at his first coming, the Jewish people have been dispersed across the globe for nearly 2000 years, as it were, fatherless, and without a homeland. The result of this rejection has been grace to the Gentile nations as the gospel has gone out over the world, while the Jews have been persecuted, often in the name of their own Messiah, Yeshua, (Jesus).

Although the Gentile church was warned by Paul in his letter to the Romans (Chapter 11), not to become proud in their knowledge of the Messiah, but to remain humble and loving toward Israel, to make her jealous, the church has largely failed (until recently) and has, instead, adopted an attitude toward Israel almost identical to the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Those who believed that God had forsaken the Jewish people because of their disobedience, remained silent or even participated in the persecution of Jews.

Now, to the amazement of many Gentile believers, Israel’s restoration has begun, the “Prodigal” son is returning, just as the prophets foretold. And just like the older brother, much of the Gentile church has failed to comprehend the unconditional love of God and His faithfulness to Israel, and is complaining about or even opposing this restoration, which is beginning as a physical return to the ancient homeland, and will continue as a complete national spiritual rebirth. The Lord will adorn them with a robe, prepare a kingly feast and restore Israel’s position in the Millenial Kingdom.

So, now…how will we, as the “elder brother” church respond to this restoration of our “younger” brother? Will we, in self-righteous contentment and jealousy despise and oppose this grace toward Israel? Will we become angry and bitter that, after 2000 years of labor in the father’s vineyard, he hasn’t thrown a party for us, but ecstatically welcomed our undeserving “brother”?

If we do, I believe we will miss our blessing.

Charles Spurgeon stated, “I think we do not attach enough importance to the restoration of the Jews. But certainly, if there is anything promised in the Bible it is this. The day shall yet come when the Jews, who were the first apostles to the Gentiles, the first missionaries to us who were afar off, shall be gathered in again. Until that shall be, the fullness of the church’s glory can never come. Matchless benefits to the world are bound up with the restoration of Israel, their gathering shall be as life from the dead.”

A great blessing of God is bound up with His love and faithfulness to the Jewish people – a blessing for us which is closely related to our response to this returning “Prodigal Son”. Will we embrace him, join and participate in his joyful return? Will we be a responsible older brother and seek to mend and heal the wounded relationship with the Father? Or will we remain silent as Israel is confronted by all manner of opposition, including those who are calling for their annihilation? My friend – if there was ever a day when we need to be the elder son that should have been – it’s today! With so much work to be done, please remember us in your prayers, as we labor in the midst of this amazing prophetic restoration of the Lord’s beloved (for the sake of the fathers), Israel.

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers”…when the term “peacemaker” is used the initial thought is of someone who keeps the peace between two opposing parties. A “peacemaker” solves dilemmas often without the force of violence, although the threat of violence is sometimes present and to be used if necessary.

When I was growing up, I watched dozens of westerns where the sheriffs — or the good guys — were armed with the Colt 45 “peacemaker.” How ironic that one of the most famous guns of the 1800’s was named the “peacemaker”. The rationality is simply you can only have peace through strength.

When Jesus (Yeshua), the Prince of Peace (in Hebrew the “Sar Shalom”) returns again, He will usher in the Messianic age of Shalom — His strength will be on display as He rules with a “rod of iron.”

Interestingly enough, as I was studying the Hebrew New Testament, the word “peacemaker” has a completely different connotation than our understanding in English. The word peacemaker in Hebrew is the phrase “rod-fey shalom”.

Shalom has a much richer meaning than simply the word peace. It can also mean completeness, prosperity, safety, contentment, health, blessing and rest. The word “rod-fey” in Hebrew literally means to “run after” or “to chase!”

So, in Hebrew it says to “chase after shalom” — to run after God’s shalom! And one can only find God’s shalom through our “Sar Shalom” – our Prince of Peace!

Let’s strive to reach a new level of intimacy with our Lord! Let’s run after a deeper knowledge of our Lord and in doing so, we’ll experience new levels of peace, contentment, blessing and rest! With so much work to be done, isn’t it good to know this is available to us NOW through our Sar Shalom!

Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

After spending three months on the road, with an incredible wife and two kids — it’s great to be home! As you can imagine, living out of a suitcase with a 4 year old daughter and a son who is barely 6 months old now, it was quite a trip as we traveled over 11,000 miles!

As we spoke in numerous places throughout the United States, we stressed the need for our spiritual foundation to be solidified, and of how important it is right now for believers to be grounded on the rock that doesn’t move! We are entering ever so quickly into some of the most turbulent times in the history of the world, and sad to say, it seems much of the church is asleep in the light without a clue of what’s ahead and how rapidly it is approaching.

While we see these events moving toward us on the horizon, we need more than ever to guard against worry or fear. Rather, let’s embrace our God, who has promised to protect His children in the very midst of storms! In my own personal life, I have often experienced God’s faithfulness and protection most dramatically in the midst of great storms. Not only that, but when you think of it, how can a rainbow be formed without a cloud or a storm?

Now is the time to dig deep, and be firmly planted on the Rock — so that when the approaching storms do come, we will weather them through, and be there to rejoice as we see the fulfillment of God’s promises at the end of the storm!