blessed Archives – Sonshine's Journal

September 27, 2023September 27, 2023

The Joy of the Lord is our Strength!

Nehemiah 8: “Do Not Grieve, This Day is holy”

When you hear or read God’s Word, do you grieve as these had done? The people had been weeping when they heard the words of the Law. [Neh 8:9] What is our response when the Word is read each day or each time we are with others in the church? It had been 70 years. at least that these had heard the words of the Law, and Ezra had studied and prepared his heart to read it to the people upon their request.

We fail to understand these words because we are so blessed to have the Word in our language at our fingertips. Yet, these had not only not heard it but had not understood it. It took Ezra, the Levites, and others to help the people understand, and when they did, they were pricked in their hearts. The people were admonished not to grieve but to rejoice and share this news with others.

This is our challenge: share the good news of Jesus and His resurrection, and let your joy be evident to others.

August 22, 2016

Psalm 119: 1-8 “The Deadly D of Distraction; The Cure: Focus”

psalm 119 blesseda

Dead men do not sin; Living Men Embrace Grace. [Romans 6 and 7]. As parents, we know the joy of our children’s obedience and the sadness when they step across the line into disobedience. It is not just our children but we too struggle. The psalmist reminds us that we are only truly happy when we obey and follow. Perhaps that is why he prayed “if only” I was focused on the eternal perspective. The psalmist said these are the ones who are blameless choosing to die to the Law and be alive “in” Christ.

That choice begins when we hunger and thirst for God and in return God blesses us with his marvelous gift of salvation and justification. And why does God choose to do this? It is so that He may get the glory. It is all about Him and not about us. The blessed observe His rules, and like a child wanting to mirror their father, step into his footsteps and follow Him. God has one demand: obey and keep my precepts; my mandates ordained in eternity past as my standard that I may bless you.

All of this comes with a price! The price was paid on Calvary while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. But, the psalmist reflected that he faced this dragon called the deadly d of distraction. As he did, so we lament “if I were only focused.” It is a choice to focus on His commands, statutes, precepts so that one day we will hear well done, thou good and faithful servant.

September 18, 2015

Why do I do What I do?

The world at large asks: What’s in it for me? Doesn’t this sound somewhat self-centered? I know that I find my motivation is less than worthy …and if I am honest it is most of the time. Paul takes me front and center and then begins to probe. Just as he asked the Corinthians to look beneath the façade of their work both in and outside the church, so he does to me as I sit reading his letter to them. He is really asking me to stop and ask myself this question: What is this the reason you serve Christ? WHY do you do what you do? This question began to open my eyes and mind. All of us need to be asking why do I share the gospel message?

It is as if Paul is standing before us. Here are his reasons point by point for sharing the gospel message in vs 19 to 22.

He wants to gain more people for the kingdom and free them from the wrath of God. He has the secret; “the gospel is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” [Rom 1] He is humbled that Jesus Christ blessed him with the gospel message as a free gift. Lastly, he wants to stand before Christ one day and hear “well done thou good and faithful servant.” He looks forward to receiving an imperishable crown from His hand for his service.. And it is because of these reasons that he would do whatever it took to win them for Jesus.

So what is my problem? I think I will go and get motivated.

July 17, 2015

Be a Blessing Today

As John the Baptist sat languishing in the Roman prison after he encountered and chastised Herod, Jesus took time to assure him and his followers that He was indeed “the One”, the Messiah, the Christ. Jesus said look and listen and see the evidence that I am the Christ as he recounts one miracle after another.

It is time for us as well to look and see what Christ has done when the gospel message full of grace and mercy is preached and received. Truly the blind see—that is the spiritually blind are given spiritual insight; the lame walk—those who are weak are given strength; the lepers are cleansed—those who are spiritually dead in their transgressions and sins are made alive; the deaf hear—ears are opened to hear the truth of the gospel message; the dead are raised—the spiritually dead are given new life; the poor have the good news proclaimed—and this is the message of the gospel as it goes forth. And that is why Jesus inserts this beautiful beatitude in vs 6 “blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me!”

From that point on Jesus reflects on John’s preparation for Him. This is a lesson for us that we too should bless those who have prepared the way for us. Who in our past prepared the way for us to receive Jesus? Stop and ponder. Then offer words of praise for those who were instruments of God to bring you to salvation.

Who brought you to Jesus? Bless them today for their work of faith.

June 1, 2015

“Blessed Are You!”

Paul put pen to parchment and crafted a beautiful a snail mail letter to his beloved Ephesians to encourage them to not lose their first love. Take time today to hover over each sentence anticipating what God also wants you to know through his servant Paul. It is because of your faith in the Lord Jesus you have been blessed with the blessings from eternity past. The eyes of your heart have been enlightened to the truth and you have been blessed with an inheritance that will not fade away. You are an adopted child of God with all of the rights and privileges of a natural born child. Your adoption document is irrevocable—signed, sealed and delivered with the power of the Holy Spirit. You are a child of the King and the recipient of God’s lavished love. And all of this came with a price lest you should forget and lose sight of this blessing. It came when you were redeemed with the blood sacrifice of the firstborn Son so that your trespasses might be forgiven; all accomplished by the incomparable greatness of God’s power. Beloved this was not some happenstance occurrence but God kindly intended for it in eternity past to the praise of his glory.

Cling to these words: “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.” And just think, God planned this in eternity past!

This can also be found here: https://www.facebook.com/bible.org where we are doing the NT, Ps and Prov each day. You would be right on schedule to begin Ephesians with us today.

January 3, 2014

Are you a Good Listener?

How good a listener are you? An old Turkish proverb says “if speaking is silver, then listening is gold.” Tests confirm that the majority of us today are poor listeners. Could that be a reason why God has repeatedly told us and as we read in Revelation “the one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says?” Three sets of individuals in Luke 2 were exceptional listeners and were blessed by God for their attentiveness.

Picture the Shepherds; the despised and rejected in Israeli society, yet necessary to the worship program of the temple. It was to these that God chose to send his angelic choir to announce the Lamb of God in a manger. The angelic figure began: “Listen carefully.” How good a listener were they? In vs 15 they decided to go and see “what the Lord has made known to us.” And their memories were crystallized as they recounted to Mary and Joseph and the dwellers in Bethlehem all that had been told to them.

Picture Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit who had been looking for the restoration of Israel. He had been listening so that he was ready to hear the indwelling Holy Spirit speak. He followed the directions and came to the Temple just at the time Mary and Joseph were there. Simeon said to Mary and Joseph “Listen carefully” as he recounted the future of this child, Jesus who would be the Light of the World but would be rejected.

Picture Anna the widow who listened to God as she fasted and prayed in the temple for 84 yrs! She too came at just that moment to give thanks to God and may have said to those nearby “Listen carefully” as she spoke about the child.

It matters not where you are but it does matter how good a listener you are. The shepherds listened carefully, shared what they had heard and received a blessing. God blessed them as the first to report the birth of Christ. Simeon listened carefully to the Spirit, obeyed His voice and entered the Temple right on time. He received a blessing to see his prayers answered. Anna listened carefully in her prayer time and her senses were attuned to the Spirit’s voice. Her ears were attuned to hear the voice of the Spirit and she received the blessing of seeing the Christ Child.

How good a listener are you? Is your world quiet so you can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or filled with noise that blocks His voice? The shepherds’ world was a field quiet at night with only God’s creation yet their hearts were prepared to listen. Simeon’s world was a prayer closet where he could hear God speak. Anna’s world was in the Temple, both quiet and noisy depending on the season. Her heart was quiet so she could hear God speak. They all heard the voice of the Spirit, obeyed and were blessed.

May our prayer today be as Samuel’s of long ago “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.”

July 10, 2013

The Kingdom Mindset

Long ago I thought I had learned what a mindset is but then again…we all need a refresher course once in a while. So today while gathering my thoughts for Matthew 7 I was struck with this phrase: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is wise.” It was an aha moment. It is not just being busy about the doing, I must have the mindset to hear and then to apply. I then remembered the words in Revelation these words which are repeated over and over: “blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it,” So not only will one be wise but also blessed if they hear and then obey/do.

Remember the book “Secret Garden” with its intrigue and wonderful imagery? Matthew 7 is much like a secret garden. Jesus walks us down the paths of life sharing the beauty of one whose mindset is keyed into righteous kingdom living. As Jesus teaches he uses several illustrations which would be familiar sights to the listeners to not only garner their attention but also as a visual reminder when they meet these same examples in their daily life. For example: beams of wood, doors and knocking, gates—both wide and narrow, paths that are smooth and paths that are filled with pebbles, sheep and wolves, healthy vs unhealthy trees, foundations of homes—rocks or sand, rain and wind. The point of his teaching was to show those who wish to follow Him must consider the cost and the path they want to follow. One path leads to destruction, the other to blessing…the “aha moment.” If we hear his words and do them we will be wise as opposed to those who hear but reject. The rejecters are like the fools of Proverbs.

In essence Jesus is giving us these four kingdom principles/paths:

(a) Seeing yourself first before you “open mouth-insert foot” in your criticism of another. Therefore, remove your own speck or beam before you judge another.

(b) Knowing when to share the holy gospel message and when to walk away—there will be dogs and hogs who knowingly choose to trample, bite, devour and those who enjoy wallowing in the mud rather than accept the holy message of redemption. Therefore, be discerning.

( c) Pray with a kingdom focus in mind: asking, seeking, knocking. Answers come to those who are willing step out and begin at the beginning: asking. God is the Father of Lights in whom is no variableness of turning and He gives good gifts to those who ask. Trust Him for this.

(c) Applying the Golden Rule as a basis of life—in other words have the “Law of Kingdom Choices” mentality. Dwell on whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise. [Phil 4:8] Whatever we focus on will be the guiding principle of how we respond to others and they in turn to us.

As Jesus taught this chapter the crowds were rapt with attention and so should I be. My mindset should be focused on His words and His teaching…but often my mind wanders. He is the true Messiah with the words of life and I must make the choice to listen, heed, and obey if I want to be wise and also to blessed. The beginning point for me is the asking, seeking, knocking.