Blessings coming from God to us, are intended for our benefit, but our response to His mercies often can change the blessing into something other than that which was originally intended. That’s why our response to His kindnesses can either preserve the blessing or reverse it. In fact, most of the problems currently affecting the human family, started out as blessings, but our inattention to God’s instructions caused the blessing to become injurious. Marriage started out as a blessing, but by the introduction of divergent views on the sacred institution, it is now breeding “Worms”. Let’s read:
Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you. 25 And the land is defiled: therefore, I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
Food also started out as a blessing, but because we have thrown out God’s wise instructions pertaining to what should or should not be eaten, very adverse results have followed in the wake of our disregard of dietary laws. Most of the common killers such as heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke, clogged arteries, and diabetes, can be traced back to what we eat, or how we eat, and thus, what was given to be a great blessing, has now become public enemy number one, because of our response. Let’s read:
Leviticus 7:22 And the Lord spake saying,
23 Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.
24 Ye shall in no wise eat of it.
Leviticus 7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Global warming, and very much of its adverse side effects, such as deadly hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods, are the result of man’s doing, for when God created the earth, with the firmament, and the clean air, He declared them to be very good. But as it is with so many other blessings, we have turned it into a curse, by the wanton disregard of agricultural laws, coupled together with rampant deforestation. Thus, we’re facing radical climate change, and we’re now stuck with almost 90% GMO’s.
2016 was the hottest year on record. And the 12 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998. But the Sabbatical rest God had instituted for the earth, was designed to prevent its overplanting, and would have given it ample rest for rejuvenation. But because of our choices, the earth is becoming quite stubborn, as far as production is concerned, and needs more, and more coaxing to supply the worlds teeming multitudes with food. Let’s read:
Leviticus 25:1 And the Lord spake saying,
2 When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord.
3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;
4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.
Talents of music, and singing are given as blessings from God, with the intent that they would be used in glorifying God, and uplifting humanity; but these gifts can also turn sour, when put to a wrong use. In many instances, those who were blessed with the gift of music, have died prematurely, because what God gave was not preserved, through obedience to His instructions. Cases in point are Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Prince, all of whom were the recipients of God’s blessings, but who died too early because of bad choices made.
Therefore, our disposition to obey, or disobey sets the stage for a blessing to be preserved as such, or for a blessing to become a curse. This leads us to a well-documented history of the Hebrews. As they travelled through the wilderness, God decided to bless them with manna, which was intended for the nutrition, health, and rejuvenation of the people. It was given with the specific instruction that it should not be kept over-night, otherwise it would stink and
breed worms.
As we observe the blessing, and the instructions given along with it, we should pay attention to the variables, because our response to God’s blessings can make all the difference. Very much of what God is often blamed for, is actually seated in the way we respond to His laws, pertaining to the various issues in question. Let’s read:
Exodus 16: 16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, take every man for them which are in his tents.
19 Let no man leave of it till the morning.
20 Notwithstanding, some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank.
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man.
23 And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
28 And the Lord said, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
The manna that fell on each day of the week was exactly the same, in quality, in consistency, and in ingredients. The only two variables were obedience, and the Sabbath, nothing else. Thus, as it pertains to the blessings of God, obedience or disobedience is what makes all the difference. The blessings God gives to us, can either nourish, and sustain, and be preserved by obedience, or through disobedience, the very same blessings can breed worms.
However, the greatest gift God has given us is to be found in Jesus Christ, who came to offer us eternal life, and abundant living, but as was stated before, what we do with the gift, and our response to Him will make all the difference. Just as it is with gifts of food, marriage, music, and wealth, obedience to His instructions paves the way for preserving the gift. On the contrary, disobedience will cause what was originally intended for our good to become adverse. Therefore, our response makes all the difference. Let’s read:
Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
These passages reveal to us unmistakably, that the original intent of God in sending Jesus to our world was for our benefit and upliftment, and it is true, that those who respond to God’s gracious Gift, will be granted eternal life, if we continue in obedience to His instructions. In other words, we can preserve the blessing only by obeying His every word. Let’s read:
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
1st John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
However, any disregard of God’s laws will put the human agent at odds with the very same Jesus who came to save us. We could celebrate His birth from now until thy kingdom come, and we may decorate trees with lights, in memory of His great gift; but if obedience does not follow, the gift will breed those proverbial worms we read about earlier, when the manna was given for the good of the Hebrews, yet bred worms through their disobedience. Let’s read:
Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
This last verse should be understood in the context of God’s original good purposes towards the human family, for no human being ought to find himself, or herself in the fires of hell, especially since God has amply provided salvation, and eternal life for all who will believe, and obey.
About two weeks ago we had a cold snap by Florida standards, and sometimes during the winter, it may go down to the low forties, or even thirties, on rare occasions. During those cold spells I may light up my proverbial chimney, so that my family could be kept warm. This is a good purpose, and is the only reason in firing up the chimney, to keep the family warm.
But I have never encouraged, instructed, or advised Santa to come down my chimney with his rein deer, so if that were to take place, and anyone was to get burned, no one can blame me, because the fault is not mine, for my original intention was good. God, also has a chimney prepared for the specific intent of destroying satan, and his angels, and therefore, no human being has any right to come down that chimney through disobedience. Which leads us to a quote coming from the pen of inspiration, dealing with the same issue. Let’s read:
[C.O.L pp 84>85] God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself. Everyone who stifles the admonitions of conscience is sowing the seeds of unbelief, and these will produce a sure harvest. By rejecting the first warning from God, Pharaoh of old sowed the seeds of obstinacy, and he reaped obstinacy. God did not compel him to disbelieve. The seed of unbelief which he sowed produced a harvest of its kind.
In closing it is important for us to keep in mind, that we hold the keys to our own destiny, through our response to God’s gracious overtures in Christ. Let us therefore choose wisely because the blessing can only be preserved through obedience, nothing else. This leads us to our final passage. Let’s read:
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
God bless!