Listen…Do You Want God’s Blessing?

Prayer – Lord, I want Your blessing on my life. At meal time my family and friends always thank you and ask for your blessing on our food. Health and good decisions are priorities as well. I’m listening to You—I hear You speak through Your Word. I hear You say…”the time is near.” 

God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. Revelation 1:3

 

Meditate. Consider God’s timing and blessings.

 

Do you want God’s blessing on your life? Do you expect Him to bless you because of what you’ve done for Him…because you go to church or take food to the homeless?

Listen and obey. How many times do we hear that? There are at least 22 verses in the New Living Translation that address listening and obeying in the Old and New Testaments. It’s a pretty important command. God expected His chosen people to listen and obey…from the time of Moses. He promised them that they would be blessed if they obeyed and cursed if they didn’t. That should have been great motivation. Do you hear that message?

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the LORD your God: ... But if you refuse to listen to the LORD your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you….The LORD himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do, until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and abandoning me. Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 15, 20

The list of curses is long—go read it for yourself. I wouldn’t want any of those curses, confusion, or frustration. Life is full of trials and tribulations enough without being cursed by the Lord Himself. I personally choose to listen and obey…but not to be legalistic. Trying to follow the Ten Commandments and other directive to the letter is just what the Pharisees were doing—and yet they were not considered obedient. Jesus had particularly strong criticism of them.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Matthew 23:27

They did not receive a blessing. Their choice of not believing in Jesus sealed their fate. What is your choice for yourself today? Listen and obey?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]. 1Thessalonians 4:1 AMP

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

When the Israelites returned to the Promised Land from their exile in Babylon, they rebuilt the wall around the city and the Temple. Then Ezra brought out the Law and read it to the people, most of whom had never heard it.  

And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” Nehemiah 8:10

What did they feast on? Rich foods and sweet drinks. This is a time for feasting with healthy foods—in giving thanks for the bountiful harvest. That was the roots of Thanksgiving. What’s on your menu for Thanksgiving Day? Most people traditionally serve turkey, which is a healthy meat. Here’s the menu I’m considering for that special day coming up in almost three weeks. Let me know what you are thinking and planning for this Holiday.

 

Gobble - Gobble
No Turkey - Hurrah!

Holiday Menu for Two

Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Grilled Salmon with a fresh cranberry sauce

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Waldorf Salad

Homemade Sour Dough Whole Wheat Rolls (maybe)

Pumpkin Pie

Sweet Herbal Tea & Expresso

Thank God - Gratefully

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP)

Copyright ©2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. lockman.org

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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