Wonderful Jesus!

Isaiah 50:4- “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…”
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    • Planted By Rivers of Waters

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 9, 2020

      Psalm 1:3 – “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” NKJV

      planted-by-rivers-of-waters.mp3

      When I saw this picture, it certainly reminded me of our text for today! Waters flowing, greenery on both sides of the river, and a call to the soul of anyone who loves the great outdoors! Unfortunately, that isn’t me! I can enjoy a beautiful scenery like this, or in a movie; but when it comes to this type of nature, let’s just say, I’ll pass! Having said that, I can see the imagery that the psalmist was painting when he said that a blessed man shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.

      I pick up with verse 3 today, but I must revisit verse 2. We’ve already discussed that a blessed man loves God’s law. In our case, that would be the Bible. A godly man, who loves the Word, is a man who is planted, rooted and grounded in the Word. He draws his spiritual strength and nourishment from God’s word, much as a tree draws water and nutrients from a river, which is necessary for sustaining life and growth!

      The prophet Jeremiah, used similar words to describe the man who is blessed:

      Jeremiah 17:7-8 – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord . For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” NKJV

      Jeremiah confirms that a man who is blessed, is a man with roots! Roots are important to the tree, but they are also important to the soil. Roots give stability to the tree and provide it with nutrients, but it also keeps the soil from eroding. Stable people have a way of keeping those around them, from falling apart. Their strength is easily transferable to those who may be in need, being a blessing because they are blessed.

      The psalmist tells us three important things about this tree that is planted, which we understand symbolizes a blessed man:

      First, it brings forth its fruit in its season. This sounds a lot like dependability. As a kid I ate a lot of fruit from the trees in the neighborhood: pears, plums, and figs, to name a few. We knew in the summer that we would be able to play outside all day without the need to go in for lunch, because we were surrounded by fruit bearing trees. Some neighbors would ask us to help them harvest the trees and would allow us to have access to them when we wanted them. And honestly, sometimes we would just go and take what we wanted! We depended on those trees in the summer time. When Jesus went to the fig tree and found no fruit, I can well imagine His disappointment in that tree! A godly man is expected to have good fruit in his season, just as we expect fruit to be on fruit bearing trees in their season!

      But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

      This blessed man, is an attractive man. I already shared my husband’s way with our girls, but let me tell you, I’m his number one girl. When we met, I saw the fruit of the spirit in his life, and was drawn to him. Are you looking for a husband? Make sure he is bearing fruit of godliness and not just talking it. Talk is real cheap, when you are thinking of committing yourself in a marital relationship! Look for the real deal!

      Second, its leaf shall not wither. Jeremiah helps us to understand this a little better. He writes that the leaf will be green and will not be anxious in a drought. He’s planted by waters. Photosynthesis is always happening within a tree that is well watered and filled with nutrients from that water. Therefore, the leaves are healthy, vibrant, and green. Even in a drought, because it doesn’t affect the tree by the waters. Blessed people are not concerned in times of famine or drought because they are planted near the flow of life; a river whose stream makes glad! The Word is a great source of nourishment in a drought. This pandemic has created a drought for many, but those planted in the Word, are still flourishing! Their leaves are still green and healthy! Does that mean that they don’t experience hardship? Not at all! But when things settle down, the blessed will be found standing!

      Lastly, whatever he does shall prosper. That’s what God told Joshua!

      Joshua 1:8 – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” NKJV

      The word of God causes us to prosper and to have good success! God said it several times and in several ways. The blessed man will be successful and prosperous! It doesn’t get any plainer than that! If you are a carpenter, then God will cause your carpentry to prosper and to be successful. If you are a teacher, like I am, then God can cause you to be successful and to prosper. What ever the arena, wherever you go, your way will prosper and you will have good success!

      Let me stop here and say what Jesus said many times, “Be it done to you according to your faith!” If you believe this is only about your spiritual well-being, then that’s where you will prosper and have good success. If you believer this applies to your finances and life, again, that’s what you will have. But if you believe it applies to everything that God has for you, including, “every spiritual blessing”, and every natural benefit, yep, that’s what you will receive.

      I just sensed that sometimes, we don’t feel like we are blessed because of a lack material things, or the trials we go through, or the fact that we are still single, or childless, or jobless. These things can mark the blessed person’s life. But what I wanted to help you to understand, is what God has helped me to understand: the most blessed person in the world, is the person who is living their life with God by His standards! And when you get these other things, they won’t pull you off because you know they are the benefits of you being blessed and not the things that make you blessed! Hope that makes sense! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in blessings, God’s Blessings, Psalms, the Word of God | 0 Comments | Tagged blessings, encouragement, fruit of the spirit, God, hard times, pandemic, planted, psalm, relationships, waters, word of God
    • Blessed People Love the Word!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 7, 2020

      Psalm 1:2 – “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. NKJV

      blessed-people-love-the-word_.mp3

      If you read my previous blog, you will remember that I have already looked at the first verse of this psalm that refers to the things that a blessed man shouldn’t be associated with. In this blog, I want to continue looking at the qualities of a blessed man.

      Verse two is a continuation of the thought from verse one. The psalmist told us that a blessed man doesn’t seek counsel from the ungodly, doesn’t hinder the sinner, and doesn’t look at people with contempt. In this verse, the psalmist basically compares the godly to the ungodly! Now, we want to look at what the psalmist has to say that the blessed man will do!

      First, his delight is in the law of the Lord. To delight in the law is to be happy about it, to get excited about it; whether you are reading, studying, or hearing someone expound on it! This scripture let’s us know that when you delight in the law, God calls you blessed! Blessed people, fulfilled people, delight in the word of God!

      I’ve been reading the Word of God for decades. I wish I could say to you that as a daily reader of the Word, I have memorized the Bible; but I cannot, because I have not! However, I love God’s word! There are times when I approach it with more excitement than other times, but I hold it in high esteem. The New Testament is my favorite part of the Bible, but I have learned to truly love the Old Testament! I’m still working on the books with all of the tribes, laws, and rituals; yet the more I read them, the more I am able to see some special things about God.

      For example, during the earlier part of the pandemic, I read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, in about three months. During that reading, I was just amazed at the God who thinks in such detail. When I read about the tabernacle and how the tribes were to surround the tabernacle at rest, I saw some things I hadn’t seen before. God thinks of everything! He is such a detail oriented God, that it should bring us great peace to realize He knows the details of our life! Sometimes it takes us a while to appreciate certain portions of the word, but stick with it, because it will begin to open up to you!

      In Psalm 119, the Word is mentioned frequently by many terms: statues, commandments, law, testimonies, precepts, and judgments. The psalmist obviously loved the word, as this psalm is the longest chapter in the Bible, and it is about the word!

      I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. Psalm 119:14 – NKJV

      Can you imagine being more excited about God’s word than about riches? Somebody is probably saying, “I haven’t got there yet!” When I have to teach or preach, I have to tell the Holy Spirit that I need to go to sleep. The Word can have me so excited that I have difficulty settling down. Scriptures are floating through my mind, as the Spirit brings points, thoughts, and illustrations that will help me to make the word plain!

      I can spend hours studying the word, and I can honestly say that I delight in the Word! There are other times, when I read something in the word, and I have to talk about it to everyone who will listen! That’s why blogging is so perfect for me. I get to talk about the word, and share what the Holy Spirit says to me, without apology!

      I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:16 – NKJV

      I heard that Jewish boys are taught the Law, verbatim. I’m impressed! My secret prayer to the Lord has been that I would be given a photographic memory that I might know the word. Years ago, someone said to me that they could quote more of the Word than I could. My response was, but can you live it? I’m not going to tell you about how much of the Word you should put to your memory, just that memorizing scripture is important. As a matter of fact, I think the psalmist is saying that he delights in the Word, and as he goes about his day, he won’t forget what the word said! Which may have nothing to do with memorizing scripture! I think it more accurately means that when you delight in the word, there’s no forgetting it. It becomes so important to you that you find yourself thinking about it at “odd” times, because you enjoy it so much!

      This leads us to the next point! Not only does the blessed man delights in the Word of God, but he meditates in it day and night! I wish the psalmist hadn’t said day and night! I wish he had said day or night, because the night time is my favorite time to get in the Word.

      God told Joshua:

      This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 – NKJV

      I believe Joshua followed God’s command to him! And here’s the thing that I want to point out to you: meditating on the word of God, is really meditating on God! As we think about Him day and night, and night and day, we can’t help but be blessed!

      I think of all the years I wasted worrying over the fear of backsliding. Once I asked the Lord if so-and-so backslid, how could I make it? He said the devil seeks whom he can to devour, just don’t be the one! As I began to meditate on God, the fear of backsliding left me. Am I perfect? Certainly not! However, my meditation is on the Word, on God, and not on failing! I think that is an important key!

      When we think of being blessed, we think in terms of material things. And that’s okay! However, it is an absolute blessing to know God, and delighting in His word, means you are delighting in Him. Meditating on His Word, means you are meditating on Him! This is an amazing opportunity for every believer to be blessed. It is something that we can all do! You don’t need an invitation, a degree, or even the right connections! All you need is a copy of the Word of God and a desire!

      I encourage you today, to see the word differently. I challenge you to ask God to open His word to you, and to help you to delight in it! You won’t be sorry! He’s worth the time, and so is His Word! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in blessings, Psalms, the Word of God | 3 Comments | Tagged blessed man, blessings, God, laws, meditating on the word, memorizing scripture, precepts, Psalm 119, statues, testimonies, word of God
    • You May Not be Blessed!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 5, 2020

      Psalm 1:1-2 – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. NKJV

      you-may-not-be-blessed_.mp3

      Sometimes we get a little confused about God’s idea of a blessed person. I have always loved the psalms, as most of us probably do, and Psalm chapter 1 is no exception! What is your idea of being blessed? Is it having a lot of money? Is it having favor with the people around you? Or is it when you are feeling good and everything is going well? Today, I want to look at what God’s word has to say about being blessed!

      The psalmist wrote, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly”. God called us blessed when we don’t seek ungodly advice. When you are having issues with your spouse, don’t ask an unsaved person what to do. It’s not that they can’t give good advice, but we are to seek godly advice, and not just good advice. Chances are, if you ask an ungodly person for advice in your marriage, you could end up divorced. I was talking with a young lady, new in the Lord, who was also newly married. Her husband had cheated on her, and her ungodly friends told her the best way to handle it was to get back at him, by doing the same thing. Seriously? That’s not advice for repairing a marriage, or handling a problem; that’s advice for sure destruction of a marriage! God said that we are blessed when we don’t seek the counsel of the world.

      There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. Proverbs 19:21 -NKJV

      Your unsaved friends and family members, don’t know how God operate, and can’t give you godly advice. Only a person who loves God and understands the importance of His word can share His heart! Their advice is bound to get you off God’s path for your life, and that is why you won’t be blessed!

      The psalmist also wrote that blessed is the man who stands not in the way of sinners. God forbid that we are hindering people from knowing the Lord because of our lifestyle. It should be disturbing, but not unforgivable, when we see a brother or sister in the Lord who is talking the talk, they are not walking! Sinners don’t need a lot of things to discourage them from getting saved. The devil gives them plenty of reasons to resist the Holy Spirit’s tugging at their hearts. But when we participate in the hindering process, the word let’s us know that we are not blessed! Blessed people understand, recognize, and realize that their lives are to reflect the One who blessed them, and as such, they want to draw the sinner to Christ, not hinder them in coming to Him. Can I keep it real? Most sinners are looking for every opportunity to find fault with a believer, and I understand that! Just don’t give them anything that will seal their doubt!

      Blessed is the person who doesn’t sit in the seat of the scornful! This one I will elaborate a little more on. Scorn is the feeling or belief that someone or something is worthless or despicable; contempt. Now, we’re probably not seeing ourselves in this seat, but let’s look at it. God’s word states that when we don’t look down on people, thinking them to be worthless, or holding contempt for them, we are blessed. That leads us to believe, that if we are looking down on people, we are not blessed.

      I once heard a well known pastor call the Democrats, evil Democrats. Really? Now we have become so politically embittered with one another that we are grouping all Democrats and all Republicans in the same boat? That’s contempt! That’s looking down on people! News flash! There are bad people in both political parties, and in the independents. There are good people, also. And even more shocking to some, there are godly people in both parties, irrespective to what we see. God isn’t pleased with us looking at His creation with scorn. He died for the whole world! You can be as passionate about politics as you feel you need to be, but sitting in the seat of the scornful applies to you, me, and every other believer!

      I like what one pastor said, not so long ago! There is only one race of people. The human race. Therefore, we shouldn’t be looking down on anybody because of their skin color! We come in different colors, sizes, and two genders, but we are all a part of the same race. Looking down on an individual because of their color, their nationality, their gender, or their profession, is equally out of order. You may call yourself “blessed by the Best”, but He doesn’t validate scorn on any level.

      One day, I went to visit a woman in the neighborhood who I thought was a friend. She was actually having a birthday party for her child. When I got there, she introduced all of her friends with their “titles”: Attorney This, and Doctor That! And then she turned to me and said, “Oh, and this is Martie!” Was that supposed to be a dig? I do believe it was! I realized she thought that she and her “professional” friends were better than me! You can well imagine that relationship was a bust! When you are the object of scorn, it doesn’t take you long to realize how hurtful that can be!

      Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34 -NKJV

      How about that? God scorns, looks down on and finds contemptible, the scornful! I’ll take yours over His!

      Receiving ungodly counsel, causing sinners to be hindered, or looking down our nose at others, are not godly characteristics. They are of the devil! We can quote Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but if these things are a part of our lives, then we are not blessed! Not by God’s standards! And you know what, only what He thinks about us is what truly matters. Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in blessings, God’s Blessings, Psalms | 5 Comments | Tagged Attitude, blessed, blessings, counsel, Psalm 1, scornful, Sin, sinners, ungodly
    • Happy Are the People!

      Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 2, 2020

      Psalm 144:15 – “Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” NKJV

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      Happy people are blessed people, and blessed people are happy people! I woke up with this passage of scripture on my heart and just thought I would share it!

      We are happy when our children are doing well! David wrote the following about children:

      • That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth! In today’s vernacular this means, that our sons are doing well. They are physically healthy, they are growing into fine young men. They are morally upright and are demonstrating a sense of responsibility.
      • That our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in palace style. No figure heads for our daughters. But still applicable in the sense that we want daughters of grace and inner beauty. Young women who are confident, vibrant, and of course, morally upright and responsible.

      We are happy when we have money in the bank, the bills are paid, and we can enjoy life and giving:

      • That our barns may be full, supplying all kinds of produce.
      • That our sheep may bring forth thousands in our fields. Increase in our labors. Much fruit in our jobs!
      • That our oxen may be well laden;
      • That there be no breaking in our going out- I left all of these together because they speak of prosperity. Yes, prosperity. Our finances, our business, our homes, our possessions, growing, flourishing, and overflowing to the point of being a blessing to others. That they are protected from the thief and from waste.

      We are happy when we feel safe and secure where we live:

      • That there be no outcry in our streets. We are living in such a way, that there are no protests in the streets over injustice, lack, or unfair treatment. We can go back and forth in the city without fear of being hurt, harmed, or in danger!

      How can this be? David was praying that this would be the state of the people whose God is the Lord! When we are in the kingdom of God, we should expect that every area of our lives will be touched by His goodness, filled with His blessings! Our family, our livelihood, our cities! Nothing missing, nothing lacking! That’s actually what blessings are all about! And when we are blessed by God like this, aren’t we happy?

      Somebody is saying, just one area Lord, and I’ll be happy! That may be true, but trust Him to move in all areas; expand your heart to receive more from God! He’s not having an economic crisis, and He’s not rationing out blessings!

      I just thought I’d share what I woke up to! I pray blessings over your family, your home, your livelihood, your city, your country! As David did! So the next time someone say to you, “Be blessed,” think of all these ways in which David, and I prayed for you to be blessed! Because happy is the people whose God is the Lord! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in blessings, God’s Blessings | 1 Comment | Tagged Attitude, blessings, children, David, goodness, material blessings, provision, psalm
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