Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This Week’s Devotional Topic
BLESS AND NOT CURSE
Blessing and Cursing are both very powerful proclamations. It is plain in scripture that each one can have an effective and measurable effect. With that in mind, be careful how you use them. May God give us wisdom and help us to learn by looking into the perfect law of the LORD.
Please look with me at a “blessing”. A good place to begin is in the book of beginnings…
Genesis 12:1-3 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
Psalms 115:9-15 O Israel, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. All you who fear the LORD, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. The LORD remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the LORD, both great and lowly. May the LORD richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Matthew 5:43-45a “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven…”
I hope you caught the reality of the fact that we have the ability and encouragement to proclaim a ‘blessing’ on others.
Jesus Christ described the reality of a blessed life in the Beatitudes…
Matthew 5:3-12 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Now let’s consider the effect of a curse…
Under the law we see a punishment for using a curse…
Leviticus 20:9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Galatians 3:10-14 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Jesus curses the fig tree….
Matthew 21:18,19 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, He was hungry, and He noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then He said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.
It is a privilege for us as Christians to pronounce a blessing on others. Many of you have prayed a blessing over your children or other Christians or that God would bless particular ministries. And when you hear someone sneeze Don’t take those opportunities lightly. For example: it is reported that one of the symptoms of the plague was sneezing, and it is believed that Pope Gregory I suggested saying “God bless you” after a person sneezed in hopes that this prayer would protect them from illness. Of course there are many who see that as just superstition. On the other hand, if you are sincere in pronouncing a blessing on someone who sneezed, wouldn’t that be a good thing? And we have the example of Christ as he blessed the food.
In closing, let’s be very careful what we say. Look for opportunities to BLESS and not CURSE.
James 3:1-10 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. in the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
This week’s Scripture:
Genesis 12:1-3; Psalms 115:9-15; Matthew 5:3-12,43-45a; Galations 3:10-14; Leviticus 20:9; Matthew 21:18,19 and James 3:1-10
See this week’s playlist
