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One of the interesting facts of Scripture is a “rule” that the first time a word is used, we need to pay attention. For instance, the word “bless” is first seen in Genesis, when God is speaking with Abram. Abram, later known as Abraham, lived in a very pagan culture filled with idol worship. When a person comes to faith, it’s important to leave the pagan world of sin behind and serve the Lord. So, it was with Abram.
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).
God had great plans for Abram, but first Abram had to leave the pagan life behind. Things haven’t changed all that much over the years. Each of us has a calling from God, but we hinder God when we hold tightly to our sinful ways, and we miss God’s blessings. As Christians, we are to leave our worldly ways behind and live to honor God.
“But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts: and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:20-24).
“Conversation,” of course, means our way of life. Like Abram, Christians must leave the sins of the world behind in order to be blessed by God.
Abram couldn’t possibly know just how blessed he would be because of his choice to obey God. He had been comfortable with his life, but the pagan ways were all he knew, and he wasn’t able to imagine a different life for himself. He loved his father and family, and although he and his wife hadn’t been blessed with children, he loved Sarai. Idol worship wasn’t offensive to him because it was all he knew. There was nobody to show him a better way.
When he finally heard God’s voice calling him from his ungodly way of life, he was smart enough to answer the call. He still had struggles, but he was truly blessed. He fathered two sons. The first was Ishmael, who was conceived with his wife’s maid. Abram loved him, but Ishmael was conceived in a way that didn’t honor God and didn’t fulfill God’s promise. Isaac was the son who was promised by God, and he would be the one the nation of Israel would come through.
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote explaining the difference between bondage to the Law and the freedom found in Jesus. “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar” (Galatians 4:22-24).
Ishmael, born of the bondwoman Haggar, symbolizes the Old Covenant under the Law, while Isaac, born from Abraham’s wife Sarah, symbolizes freedom according to God’s promises. He is the one through whom the Messiah would ultimately be born. The entire world is blessed because of God’s promise. There are many Christians who think they need to follow Jewish Law, and by doing so, they miss out on the blessings that come from the New Covenant through Christ.
Abram was promised blessings, but he first had to leave his pagan life. When he obeyed God, he would be led to a land given to him by God, and he would become the father of a great nation. History proves this all to be true. The nation of Israel is truly a great nation, and the world has been blessed because of them. Israel has given the world some marvelous inventions, such as a way to get drinking water out of air.
The greatest way the Jewish people have blessed the world is through Jesus, the Messiah. Unfortunately, many people miss out on the blessing He offers because of a lack of faith and a blatant rejection of a Christian way of life. Most Jewish people, including their religious leaders, don’t accept their Messiah.
The United States has been very supportive of Israel lately, and I’m thankful for President Trump’s stand on Israel. Why, then, does it seem as if the blessings on America are missing? Why are prices going sky-high? Why has the weather been very severe lately, with many destructive storms? I’ve given this a lot of thought, and the verse that comes to my mind comes from the Old Testament and is actually directed at the Jewish people. Still, I see the truth found in it applies to Christians also.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
In order to be blessed by God, Abram had to leave his pagan life, but too many people today who claim to be Christians want to be blessed by God but don’t want to leave their sin behind. How many people who sit in pews want the blessings of being forgiven and plan on eternity in Heaven, but cling to their sin? Are they truly saved?
Have you turned from your wicked ways? Have you humbled yourself before the Lord? When we come to faith in Jesus, we need to understand that we are saved by faith, not by works, but true faith should change the way we live. If you’re a Christian woman who has a girlfriend, or a man who has a boyfriend, then you haven’t left your pagan ways behind.
Today’s pastors seem to be afraid to call sin, sin. They don’t want to embarrass anybody, nor do they want to judge anyone. When we use Scripture as a guide, then it’s God’s word judging actions, and we must follow God’s truth. It’s wrong to say that God doesn’t care how we behave as long as we say we are Christians. Scripture is God-breathed and is our guide in life.
The Apostle Paul spoke against sin and didn’t mince words. When he wrote to the believers in Corinth, he spoke to them as brothers and sisters in Christ, but spoke strongly against their acceptance of sin.
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
That word “reprobate” might sound harsh, but human souls are at stake. Modern translations aren’t quite so harsh as King James, but the question is whether or not, when you examine yourself as to whether or not you are living to please God, have you failed the test? Scripture, read in context, is your guide. A wise person will judge their own life against Scripture and will do whatever possible to live to please God.
Many Christians talk of revival and pray it will happen. It would be wonderful if there were a worldwide revival and a pouring out of the Holy Spirit with all the blessings promised from God. It won’t happen unless Christians lead the way and humble themselves before God, and turn from their wicked ways. We aren’t to condemn those who fall short of our own idea of perfection, but we need to welcome those who are seeking forgiveness of their sins and lead them to a blessed life in Christ.
One example of revival is described in the Old Testament. It was led by King Hezekiah. It seems as if the Jewish people had stopped honoring God and failed to celebrate Passover properly. When a nation, even Israel, doesn’t honor God, He allows them to fall into bad times. It’s interesting to me that, even though Passover was a foreshadowing of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, Christians choose to celebrate this blessing on a pagan holiday and embrace the pagan symbolism of rabbits and eggs. Then we want His blessings.
King Hezekiah was only 25 years old when he became king in Israel, but he was a very good king. “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done” (2 Chronicles 29:2).
The leader of any nation sets the standards, and Hezekiah led his people back into a stronger respect for God. Liberal ideas will always lead away from God, so when electing government leaders, vote according to which candidate has ideals that honor God. Hezekiah saw that the priests weren’t following the Law, and he told them to sanctify themselves.
I’m not the leader of anything, but I can see that many pastors have dropped the ball and don’t respect Scripture. That’s evident when they officiate at a same-sex “marriage” or aren’t bothered when members of the congregation live together in sinful relationships; very few teach line upon line from God’s word. The Apostle Paul encouraged the young pastor Timothy to stay true to God’s truth.
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2).
He wasn’t concerned about keeping the collection plate full, but was concerned about people’s souls. If we want blessings from God, we must honor Him with our lives.
King Hezekiah did bring about a revival in Israel, and God’s blessings were upon His chosen people. That same spirit of revival can happen in any nation, but Scripture must be honored. Blessing Israel will bring blessings according to the promise God gave to Abram.
America has a chance for revival now that we have a president who is standing strong with Israel. President Trump isn’t blind, like many nations, to the atrocities that have been inflicted upon Israel. Christians must stop allowing colleges to teach liberal lunacy and antisemitism; we must insist that our children aren’t indoctrinated into sinful lifestyles in government-run schools. We must realize that to receive God’s blessings, we must honor God no matter what the world dictates. The world follows Satan, but Christians belong to God.
Once again, we can turn to the Old Testament and get a lesson in following God. Joshua was a man who trusted God when others crumbled in fear. It was Joshua and Caleb whom God used to clear the Promised Land of the evil Nephilim and the pagan ways found there. Joshua stood strong on God’s truth, and before the whole congregation of Israel, he declared:
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 25:15).
Men, where are you? Are you leading your family closer to God? I urge you to take your God-ordained role of leadership and lead your family to a strong faith in God and honor Him.
God’s blessings are waiting for all of us, but we need to honor Him with our lives. We need to turn from our wicked ways and humbly serve Jesus. We can’t do that when we live with one foot in the world.
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
Recommended prophecy sites:
www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com
All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.
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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).
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