Title: Prospering to Spread the Word / Topic: Blessing & Evangelism

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 48; Jeremiah 49; Psalm 67; 1 John 1

Scripture: Psalm 67:1-2, 7
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

7 God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Observation: There is a clear connection made in these verses between the people of God being blessed by God and all the ends of the earth coming to know Him. I've never noticed this connection so clearly before. The psalmist is praying for God's blessing so that others will know God, His ways, and salvation. I take this to mean that we all have a responsibility to seek God's blessing as a means of evangelizing the world. It makes sense. Who would be attracted to people who were miserable and always suffering? The Word makes it clear that we will suffer, but we are supposed to press through it to victory with the Lord's help. Who wouldn't be attracted to a people who are obviously blessed and who, even when trials come, have a great positive attitude about it because of their trust in God?

Application: It's not wrong to seek to be blessed by God in every way; in fact we owe it to others to be blessed so that they will seek Him. If I'm not being blessed, I need to stop and ask myself why. Am I holding on to attitudes that are defeating me? Am I continuing in sin when I know I need to repent? Am I not worshipping God and thanking Him for His blessings? I must seek to be blessed by praying for it, by worshipping God and by obeying and submitting to Him. Others need me to be prospered by God so that they will seek His face.

Prayer: Bless me Lord! Pour out Your favor on me and on all the people who serve You. May we all have more than we need materially so that we may bless others. May Your anointing flow through us when we minister in prayer so that others are miraculously healed. May the fullness of Your gifts flow through us so that words of wisdom, knowledge, and discerning of spirits let all who don't know You come to fear You as Lord and submit their lives to You. Bless us so that we cannot possibly contain it all and it spills over for the benefit of the world.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.