Bible – B Is for Blessed!

What’s the Good Word?

“This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life,” Psalm 119:50 NKJV

God’s Word resurrects us. It combats fear and despair. His Word provides hope for tomorrow. It fuels our faith. The Word of God is our defense against the cruelties of this world. It allows us to endure. We can exist without God’s Word but we will be void of His comfort, peace and joy, not at all as God intended.

Spring blooms are beautiful but short-lived. The blossoms are often celebrated. Yet, it is actually the leaves that are vital for the growth of the tree. The leaves provide nourishment and rejuvenate the tree long after the blooms are gone. God’s Word sustains us and allows us to flourish even as the “beauty” fades away!

Achievements and promotions herald our personal seasons of “spring.” We can make gains toward reaching a goal or realizing a dream. Our accomplishments are like “blossoms” in our lives adding beauty and joy.

However, promotion and blessings can bring with them new tests and even temptations. The Word of God offers wisdom, stability and direction. His Word promotes humility, love and charity. God’s Word combats pride, arrogance and greed.

I’m looking forward to spring in my life. I don’t doubt it may bring a few challenges as well. Yet, when I immerse myself in God’s Word, I am confident I can pass those tests that will eventually leave me blessed!

What about you?

But He said, “More than that, blessed [are] those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28 NKJV

But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” Luke 4:4 NKJV

Burning Bush!

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush [was] not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Exodus 3:2-4 NKJV

“Here I am.”

God called Moses by name and revealed Himself. God does the same for us. We may not experience anything quite as spectacular as a burning bush yet God calls us just the same.

God knows our names. We were born for a purpose. We can choose to obey the call He places on us or we can turn a deaf ear and go about our way.

We may feel ill-equipped or unsure of God’s plans. Moses had doubts even as God clearly gave him instructions.

“Who am I that I should go?” was Moses’ response to God’s command.

Now, if Moses can doubt his abilities hearing God clearly, is there no wonder we tend to feel overcome as well?

We can over think and reason to death why we can’t possibly do the things God prompts us to do, especially when the task looks daunting if not impossible

Unlike Moses, God lives within us. We have the Holy Spirit to prompt us and guide us.

We don’t have to go to God. God dwells in us.

It is up to us to tune out distractions (always plenty of those) and “mental noise” that keeps us from hearing God.

When doubt rises up, we need only remember Moses wasn’t perfect. He had flaws just like us.

Moses felt inadequate because he was “slow of speech and slow of tongue.” His excuses angered God. Still, God equipped Moses for the task set before him. God made Aaron available to help Moses.

Furthermore, God declared “And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do,” Exodus 4:15 NKJV

God is glorified using flawed people (Moses, David, Noah, Rahab to name a few) for His purposes. We are all flawed. We don’t have to be perfect, just willing.

When Moses asked, “Who am I?” God’s response was “I will certainly be with you.”

God is with us as well. No burning bush required.

New Life!

“This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life,” Psalm 119:50 NKJV

The Word of God is essential for an abundant life. It allows us to grow and not stay where we are. You can exist without God’s Word but you won’t truly live as He intended.

God’s Word brings forth new life in us. It combats fear and despair. The Word provides a hope for tomorrow. It fuels our faith. The Word of God is our defense against the hard cruelties that we must endure in this world.

The blossoms on this pear are beautiful but short-lived. The blossoms are often celebrated, but it is actually the leaves that are vital for the growth of the tree. The leaves provide nourishment and rejuvenate the tree after the long cold winter. The leaves are the sustenance for new life just as God’s Word is for us.

Most people celebrate the beauty that comes with spring and new growth. Achievements and promotions can herald our own season of “spring.” We can make gains toward reaching a goal or realize a dream. These things are often “blossoms” in our lives adding beauty and joy. Yet, it is God’s Word that sustains us and allows us to flourish.

Promotion and blessings come with new challenges, tests and even temptations. The Word of God offers wisdom, stability and direction. The Word promotes humility, love and charity. The Word combats pride, arrogance and greed. Obedience to The Word prevents your blessings from overtaking you!

In this season of Lent, I have committed to spend more time in The Word. I am hopeful that my heightened awareness will continue far beyond the Easter season. I want to become so dependent on God’s Word that I can’t function without it. I want to read it until I breathe it. I want to be transformed into someone new.

God’s Word has the power to make that happen. He is faithful to me and I want to be faithful too!

“Then I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh,” Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV

But He said, “More than that, blessed [are] those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28 NKJV

But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” Luke 4:4 NKJV