| Back to Home Page | Back to
Book Index |
God’s
Blessings
Blessings
When you think about the
blessings of God
remember one child’s description of an elevator: “I got into
this little room and the upstairs came down.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
A
GOLDEN CHAIN OF BLESSING.
“ Bless the Lord
O my soul
and
forget not all His benefits; Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth
all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee
with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good
things; so that youth is renewed like the eagle’s” ( Psalm 103:1-5). Notice seven things in these
verses that the Psalmist blesses God for;--
Ⅰ.
Forgiveness. All
not some of
the past sins forgiven
and not only so
but
forgotten. In the eleventh of Hebrews
where we have recorded what faith has
done
there is not a single word about the failures of these Old Testament
saints. Why is this? Because
in the tenth chapter
God had said
“ Your sins
and iniquities I will remember no more.”
Ⅱ.
Healing. It is the privilege of the child of God to know
that He can
if He
wills
heal us of all our bodily as well as spiritual diseases.
Ⅲ.
Redemption. Not only past sins forgiven
but deliverance from the power of sin
and soon from its presence.
Ⅳ.
Lovingkindness. Some people will do a kindness out of mere benevolence
but
there is no love with it; not so with our Father. Recently
we saw an
advertisement of a certain paper
which said it was the brightest
biggest
and
best
Whether that is so or not
it is not for us to say; but we do know this
that our Heavenly Father gives the brightest
biggest
and the very best He has
to give to us. Hence
in speaking
we have to get all the adjectives we can to
express in some measure what He gives. His love is great love; His kindness is
lovingkindness; His mercy is tender
great
plenteous
and everlasting.
Ⅴ.
Tender Mercies. Not doles of charity
but mercies given out of His loving
Fatherly heart
by virtue of His Son’s work
and enjoyed in the Spirit.
Ⅵ.
Satisfaction. One of the Puritans has said that “ man’s heart is a triangle
so
that if the whole world were in it
there would be still three corners left
unfilled.” But the believer has the work of Christ to satisfy his conscience
the word of the Father to assure his mind
and the presence of the Holy Spirit
to fill his heart
so that there is not a single corner unoccupied.
Ⅶ.
Renewing. I remember a friend saying once
when going to a place to hold
special meetings
“ We are looking for a revival;” and I replied that it showed
they were in a had state
as the Christian should live in a revival. Our inward
man is
or should be
renewed day by day
not only when an evangelist is
holding special meetings.
──
F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》
BLESSING.
The blessing of
existence is good
but the best of all blessing is to have the Embodiment of
all blessing
even Christ.
Ⅰ. The source of blessing is
the FATHER (Eph.1:3).
Ⅱ. The channel of blessing
us Christ ( Luke 24:30).
Ⅲ. The power of blessing is
the Holy Spirit (Gal.3:14).
Ⅳ. The promise of blessing
is in the Scriptures ( Heb.6:14).
Ⅴ. The reception of blessing
is by faith (Gal.3:9).
Ⅵ. The path of blessing is
obedience (Matt.5:3-11).
Ⅶ. The character of blessing
is spiritual (Eph.1:3).
Ⅷ. The outcome of blessing
is separation (Acts 3:26).
Ⅸ. The consummation of
blessing is at Christ’s return. (Titus 2:13).
──
F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》
CIRCLE
OF BLESSING.
Satan said that
the Lord had put a hedge about Job on every side (Job 1:10)
so that he could not touch him. The Lord has put a hedge of blessing around the
believer
so that he can say—
Ⅰ. Isaiah 44:22
is the Pledge of my forgiveness.
Ⅱ. Gal.2:20
is the Confession of my faith.
Ⅲ. John 5:24
is the Assurance of my salvation.
Ⅳ. Isaiah 41:10
is the Comfort of my life.
Ⅴ. Psalm 55:22
is the Joy of my unceasing privilege.
Ⅵ. Luke 19:13
is the Burden of my present responsibility.
Ⅶ. Phil.3:20
21
is the Outlook of my constant expectation.
── F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》
CONFESSION
THE FORERUNNER OF BLESSING.
Confession is
the forerunner of blessing.
Ⅰ. Abraham said
“ I am dust and ashes” ( Gen.18:27)
and got all he asked for.
Ⅱ. Isaiah
“ I am unclean
” and got cleansed (Isa.6:5).
Ⅲ. Job
“ I am vile
” and got blessing (Job 40:4).
Ⅳ. David
Born in sin
and got covered (Ps.51:5;
31:1).
Ⅴ. Peter
“ I am a sinful man
” and received the keys of the kingdom
(Luke 5:8; Matt
16:19).
Ⅵ. Publican
“ the sinner
” and went home justified (Luke 18:13
R.V.
m.).
Ⅶ. The prodigal
“ I am not worthy
” and was feasted (Luke 15:21).
── F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》
ETERNAL
BLESSINGS OF THE BELIEVER.
Ⅰ. We possess eternal Life.
“ Whosoever believeth in Him……have eternal life” (John 3:15).
Ⅱ. We are secured in an
eternal Covenant. “ Through the blood of the everlasting Covenant” (Heb.13:20)/
Ⅲ. We are saved with an
eternal Salvation. “ He became the Author of eternal salvation” (Heb.5:9).
Ⅳ. We are liberated by an
eternal Redemption. “ Having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Heb.9:12).
Ⅴ. We have an eternal House.
“A house not made with hands
eternal in the heavens” (11. Cor.5:1).
Ⅵ. We are called to eternal
Glory. “ Who hath called us unto His eternal glory” (1.Peter 5:10).
Ⅶ. We are kept for an
eternal Inheritance. “ Might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance”
(Heb.9:15).
Ⅷ. We are cheered by eternal
Comfort. “ Hath given us everlasting consolation” (11.Thess.2:16).
Ⅸ. We know there is an
eternal Weight of glory in the future. “ Worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory” (11.Cor.4:17).
Ⅹ. We shall dwell in eternal
Tabernacles. “ Receive you into everlasting habitations” (Luke 16:9).
Ⅺ. We are aiming to have an
abundant entrance into the eternal Kingdom. “ An entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly……everlasting kingdom” ( 11.Peter.1:11).
── F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》
PLACES
OF BLESSING.
Ⅰ. On His shoulders. The place of
strength. “ He layeth it on His shoulders” (Luke 15:5).
Ⅱ. On His bosom. The place of confidence.
“ He then lying on Jesus’ breast
saith unto Him
Lord
who is it? ” (John
13:25).
Ⅲ. On His heart. The place of affection. “
And they shall be upon Aaron’s heart” (Ex.28；15-30)。
Ⅳ. On His hands. The place of remembrance.
“ I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands” (Isaiah 49:16)
Ⅴ. On His forehead. The place of thought.
“And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead” (Ex.28:38).
Ⅵ. On His wings. The place of power. “
They shall mount up with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).
Ⅶ. In His arms. The place of support.
“Underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut.33:27).
Ⅷ. At His feet. The place of blessing. “ Mary
which
also sat at Jesus’ feet
and heard His word” (Luke 10:39).
Ⅸ. In His hand. The place of use. “ I the
Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee
fear not…thou shalt
thresh the mountains” (Isa. 41:13-15).
── F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》