The Blessings of Loving God

The Blessings of God:

God is a great giver of blessings. Even before His six days of creating all that we see and beyond, God knew what He would do… and what we would choose. Yet, He still created the earth, the universe, everything in and in-between them. Then, in one of His greatest acts of love—His greatest blessings—He not only made us in His image, but He put all the earth, every creature, under our care. He gave us an inheritance, a family, an identity.

However, His blessings did not stop there. Not even after we—Adam and Eve—chose to disobey God… creating a chain of ungodly events and behaviors that only His mercy and grace could save us from. He did not destroy us—though we deserved it. He did not even turn His face wholly from us—though our sin created a level of separation only God could remove.

Instead of treating us as we deserved, He had compassion on us. Not once, but time and time again. From not wholly destroying the earth with the flood. To bringing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into covenant with Him—giving them and those to come an inheritance after we gave up so much of our original inheritance. To, of course, sending His Son, Jesus to earth to teach us more of who God is. Further still, allowing Him to die on the cross, expunging our sins through His death and resurrection; rending the veil in two and allowing us to be restored to Him by the Blood!

God’s blessings of forgiveness, mercy, and love are great indeed.

He never runs out of them. He is a God of abundance!

Further still, He gives us many other blessings, such as:

• Peace
• Health
• Wealth
• Protection
• Direction
• Prosperity
• His glory
• Holiness
• The Holy Spirit
• Grace
• Structure
• Freedom
• Purpose
• Inheritance
• Belonging
• Hope
• Family
• Closeness
• Worth
• And so many others!

Yet, we can choose not to accept God’s gifts—despite it being His desire to bless and prosper us.

We can even unknowingly ignore His gifts…

This is tragic in many ways, for often these gifts can be ours if we simply accept them. If we simply open ourselves up to God, listening to Him, obeying His voice and His Word through one key component… love.

Loving God…

While there are many ways we can disallow God’s blessings or reject them, there is one thing at the heart of all others that can cause this…

Not loving God.

Now, this may seem an unlikely reason; after all, we DO love God.

Surely we do? We have accepted the truth of God’s existence and have chosen to accept Him into our lives… is that not love?

It is; yet, let us ask ourselves a few questions:

• Do we love ourselves?
• Do we give our tithes and offerings with joy?
• Do we always turn to God first?
• Do we do our upmost to set aside time each day to talk to Him, read His Word, etc.?
• Do we see ourselves as God does?
• Do we believe He desires good for us?
• Do we believe we are worthy of His love?
• Do we believe that God desires to give wealth?
• Do we believe we can overcome anything through Him?
• Do we believe we are more than overcomers?

Maybe you answered yes to all of these questions. Maybe only to a few. Yet, either way it is important to look closely…

To remember that we are made in the image of God!

Because of this, if we do not love ourselves, the very image of God, then how do we wholly love Him? If we believe that even after we come to Him, in the Courts of Heaven, or before Him to have our sins expunged by Yeshua’s blood, that somehow we are still fallen… then how fully do we believe in His redeeming power? How can we wholly love what we do not trust?

God created us to be blessed! To be more than overcomers! Yet, sometimes the hardest thing we face is finding the wholeness of His love… loving ourselves and believing He can do remarkable things for US.

To love Him is to love all creation; ourselves included.

To love Him is to be like Him. Walking in forgiveness, mercy, grace. Even to walk in power and authority! And we are supposed to do it NOW, not waiting until He returns to start.

Yes, while we wait, we WILL sin at times; because as Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  But that should not stop us… because none of us are perfect, because God knows this and prepared the way before us.

God’s love. His Blood. They are the perfect remedy for a fallen world; the perfect way for us to rise up and be more like Him! Our Abba—our Father.

Because of the Blood at any point in our day we can turn to God and change our ways. How wonderful is that? Knowing that we can stop what we are doing, ask Him to cover us in His blood, and guide us on a better path; knowing that He will!

We can choose love.

Blessings of Loving God…

Loving God makes everything easier…

For instance, when we love God, obeying Him comes easier, because, the greater our love, the more we want to do His will.

It raises our faith.

And, just as with loving the Lord, obeying Him comes with blessings; faith comes with blessings.

Love is the basis of all blessing.

Why?

Because, “…God is love.” (see 1 John 4:8).

Because, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” (see James 1:17).

“…as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” —1 Corinthians 2:9

God wants to bless us, and loving Him, loving like Him, is the best place to start… it is the most important commandment:

“Jesus said… ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’”—Matthew 22:37-40

Indeed, there are many scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments that speak of the importance of loving God, and of course, His desire to bless us:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”—Deuteronomy 6:5

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?”—Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (emphasis added)

“One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you. Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God.”—Joshua 23:10-11

“Blessed be… God… who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing… just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption… according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”—Ephesians 1:3-6 (emphasis added)

At Curt Landry Ministries our goal is to do everything in love. Loving our Father, our Beloved, the Holy Spirit, and of course, ourselves and all of God’s creation.

The way God has called us to fulfill that love has often been through blessing the people of Israel; preparing the people and land for the return of the King of kings—our Savior. Yet, it is only through people like YOU that this is possible…

Through your continued support, we are healing the broken-hearted, restoring the land, raising up the next generation, and caring for our elders. It is a blessing to take care of those God has called us to, and an honor to share it with you!

Let us join together as we answer the call of Matthew 25:34-40:

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer… ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer… ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”