July 3, 2009 The Blessing Of God
Today’s Bible Reading: Isaiah 6,7; 2 Chronicles 26,27; Philemon
Scripture Focus:
2 Chronicles 26:5,16 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
2 Chronicles 27:6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
Observation:
These verses attribute prosperity and might to the fact that Uzziah, and later his son Jotham, followed God. Specifically the Bible says of Uzziah that he “sought” the Lord, and of Jothan that he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.
It is possible, however, to follow God and be blessed by him and still get our priorities out of wack, as did King Uzziah in his latter years.
Application:
I don’t adhere to the “prosperity” gospel where God is a celestial vending machine—I put my quarter in and God is obligated to bless me—but I DO believe, (and these verses back me up) that God loves to prosper his people when we seek after him and set our hearts to follow him.
When God blesses, though, I must be on the watch that my heart does not become proud, as though I had accomplished something on my own.
Prayer:
Father God, I have set my heart to seek you and your ways today. I ask for your blessing upon everything I do, and I will be sure to give you the thanks and honor and glory for what you accomplish through me!
