THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS

There are blessings for the children of God. Deuteronomy 28 and 29 spell these out in great detail. They are the words and promises of God to those that are His. They were not only for the children of Israel in those days; they are available to His children today. That includes us. On what basis?


The requirements of the Law was fulfilled on our behalf by Christ. Galatians 3 says that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law-He was made a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. Romans 8:4 says He died that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us.


Matthew Henry interprets this that, "Both our justification and in our sanctification, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us; through Christ-if we are in Christ."
God, by sending His Son in our likeness (sinful flesh, although He was without sin), Jesus condemned sin in the flesh on our behalf. So, the blessings of the Law are available to those who have the Spirit of God in them.


What are the blessings?

If we obey - listen diligently - observe and do all His commandments He will -

1. set us high above all nations of the earth
2. the blessings will come on us and overtake us
3. the fruit of our body will be blessed
4. the fruit of our field will be blessed
5. the fruit of our flocks of cattle, sheep and flock are blessed (our labors)
6. we will be blessed when we come in and when we go out
7. our basket and our storehouse will be blessed
8. any enemy that rises up against us will be smitten before our face
9 our enemy will come against us one way and flee from us seven ways
10. the LORD will command a blessing upon our storehouses and in all that we set our hands to do


He will establish us a His holy people unto Himself. He has sworn this to us if we keep His commandments and walk in His ways. What is the ultimate purpose of this, His way and promise? That all the people of the earth shall see that we are called by the Name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of us.


As we grow and mature in Him, He will make us plenteous in goods-the fruit of our body, the fruit of our cattle, the fruit of our ground in the Land He has sworn to us.
Remember, the earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof. He will open His good treasure and will give rain in His season. We will lend and not borrow. We will be the head and not the tail; we will be above only and not below. IF, IF we hearken and listen to the commandments of the LORD.


Christ said the most important commandment is to love our neighbor as our self; to treat everyone as we want to be treated. The Apostle Paul said that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us (Romans 8:4)


In the middle of blessings we still have a very real enemy. He is relentless. But, we must not faint or grow weary. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says though the outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. What does this verse infer? Our weight of glory in eternity will be determined by the affliction we endure.


How are we confident that we walk in and are in the Spirit? We will have the favor of God. Our main concern is the welfare of our soul and our concerns are for the eternal. A person is as the mind is; as you think, so are you. (Proverbs 23:7) We cannot tread in His steps unless we have His Spirit in us. Having the Spirit of Christ in us is the same as having the Spirit of God in us. There is a life of peace both in this world, which is temporal, and in the heavens, which are eternal.


Those who have His Spirit dwelling in them are meek, lowly, humble, peaceable, patient, charitable; as He was. God is our Creator, our Owner, our Ruler, and our Benefactor.


Again to the blessings that are available to us -
We must use each blessing to minister to others; the homeless, the sick, the heartbroken, the widow and the orphan. We must not waste them in selfishness on our own lust and desires. This is a constant battle.


How do we get these blessings? I think some come automatically; some must be asked for. There is nothing an earthly father loves more than to hear one of his children using words and phrases they have learned from him. The Bible is the Word of God; repeat His words back to Him in prayer. Prove that He is true!


If we are Christ's, we are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29) Remember through it all, whether in blessing or a long season of waiting; keep the mindset that we look at things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.


We will be tried during our times of blessing. Will we squander our inheritance given by Him on ourselves, as the prodigal son did in the parable Christ told? Or will we, in turn, take of what He gives us and minister to others? This is a test by Him as He checks the condition of our hearts.



He promised that He would establish us in our land to be a holy people unto Himself; He has sworn this to us if we keep His commandments and walk in His ways.


Multitudes of promises, assistance, mercy and love are ours for the taking. Precious thoughts on this Thanksgiving Day!