What Brings Blessings

Background picture of a farmer in KS reaping his wheat harvest by Fran Meservy 1993. Definitions from Marion Webster Dictionary on line. http://www.merriam-webster.com/

What Brings Blessings by Fran Meservy

Isaiah 58: 6-11

In the Christian world people tend to think that God created everyone the same. Fact is he created us all different so all things could be taken care of otherwise there would be no one to work certain jobs.

To "gift project" is to yoke someone else with what God has called us to do. Each man has his own gift to help him do whatever God calls him/her to do.

Christians have also divided themselves up into different groups called denominations. "Birds of a feather flock together" is a good saying here.

The Baptist seem to be mostly the gift of evangelism; the Catholic seem to be made up of mostly the gift of giving; the Pentecostal seem to be made up mostly by the gift of tongues and prophecy; etc. There are all the gifts in all the churches but because some were "gift projecting," different sects were started.

We need to toss out the "this is a Christian cookie cutters" and accept the fact that we should be helping each other and not putting heavy burdens (yokes) on our fellow Christians.

We should be yoked to Jesus only. His burden is easy & light because he gives us the abilities to do whatever He wants us (individually) to do. Since we are yoked to Him, He is also always with us to help us no matter what.

If it is not easy to do whatever another person wants us to do, more than likely God did not call us to do that job.

Share your bread - If you see someone hungry, share your food with him/her. Do not give them the only piece of bread you have. As a nation we feed the hungry in other countries - even our enemies.

Take in the homeless - If you see a homeless person, take them home with you or to a shelter. As a nation we take in people who are homeless in other lands - immigrants.

Share your clothing - If you see someone who needs clothing, share what you have. IE if you have two coats, give one to someone who needs it. Don't give away your only coat.

Do not hide yourself from your own flesh - Do not say you can't feed your children because you have to tithe. Do not say you can't help your needy parents because the money belongs to God. Take care of your family. If you don't, they will think God is cruel and will have nothing to do with Him.

Don't point the finger - Do not falsely accuse anyone of anything. Do not gossip.

Extend your soul - Have compassion on people. Show mercy (forgive). Cry with them or laugh with them.

Satisfy the afflicted soul - Encourage them by showing them promises in scripture that fits their problem. Sometimes they just need a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on - they rarely if ever need a sermon.

Open your hand wide - Give generously. If someone needs $10, give them $20, etc.

If we do all these things,

1. We will be a shinning example to the world.

2. God will heal us

3 The Holy Spirit will go before us and declare us righteous before we arrive.

4. God's glory will protect us so no one can attack us from the rear (secretly).

5. When we pray, God will answer.

6. We will be known once again as a Christian Nation.

7. The Lord will guide us continually.

8. God will satisfy our souls.

9. God will strengthen our bones.

10. God will shower His Holy Spirit on us so we can have power to do what He calls us to do and His Spirit will flow through us so we will be fruitful in all our ways.

To be blessed is to be without worry. If we see that the poor among us have whatever he needs, we will receive certain blessings from God. The special blessings from God for doing his will are:

1. We will not borrow from other nations. We will lend to many nations.

2. Another nation will not reign over us. We will reign over many nations.

If we honor God by observing the Sabbath by not doing our own thing, seeking our own pleasure or speaking our own words,

1. He will lift us up and carry us.

2. The Holy Spirit will feed (teach) us all that we need to know.

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Wickedness - the quality or state of being wicked; something wicked; holding a grudge; spite; getting even; argumentative; constant accusing; ; unforgiveness; desire to cause pain or distress; intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse (Eph 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.)

Basically all we have to do to release the bands of wickedness is to forgive a person because if you truly forgive them, you will do nothing to harm them. At the same time bring about Justice by putting the crooks in jail and don't put their rights over the rights of the innocent victims.

burdens - obligatory tasks, conduct, service, functions that arise from one's position; taxes; depend on anyone other than self to obtain the necessities of life/food, shelter, clothing, etc. (2 Th 3:7-9 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.)

Oppressed - to burden spiritually or mentally; weigh heavily upon; slavery; to order to do something that is impossible; an act that inflicts undeserved hurt; applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights; Moses' Law; bondage; slavery; to order to do something that is impossible (<letter to Gentiles> Acts 15:28-29 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.)

Yoke - a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together b: an arched device formerly laid on the neck of a defeated person c: a frame fitted to a person's shoulders to carry a load in two equal portions d: a bar by which the end of the tongue of a wagon or carriage is suspended from the collars of the harness; a crosspiece on the head of a boat's rudder; an airplane control operating the elevators and ailerons; a frame from which a bell is hung; a clamp or similar piece that embraces two parts to hold or unite them in position; an oppressive agency; servitude; bondage; tie; link; (<Paul's argument against putting Moses' law on Gentiles> Gal 4:31-5:1 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Mat 11:29-30 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.")

Deu 15:6-9 "For the LORD your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. "If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, "but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. "Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, 'The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,' and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you.

Isa 58:6-11, 13-14 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Exo 16:29-30 "See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." So the people rested on the seventh day.

Exo 20:8-11 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.