How we can know God cares about us
“Praise the LORD!
(Psalm 113: 1-4 NAS)
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
Praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
From this time forth and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
The name of the LORD is to be praised.
The LORD is high above all nations;
His glory is above the heavens.”
Oh how we are to praise the LORD!
- How can we know God cares about us?
- How does the LORD bless us?
When the LORD allowed for His servant Job to lose his family, his health, and all his possessions, Job was devastated (to say the least). Yet as we study this man’s demise, we also see his rise. In seeing all that Job lost, we are able to see ALL that Job actually received, to see how his life was truly blessed. In studying the Bible, I find it quite miraculous how the Spirit of God chose to place The Book of Job adjacent to The Psalms. When everything was accomplished—
“The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends,
(The Book of Job 42: 10 & 12a & 16-17 NAS)
and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold.
. . .
The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning;
. . .
After this, Job lived 140 years,
and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations.
And Job died,
an old man and full of days.”
Oh how we are to praise the LORD!
How can we know God cares about us?
The LORD blesses us in so many ways.
The prophet Joel has much to say about the topic of the LORD’S amazing blessings.
- Let us read seven ways Joel recorded. &
- Let us be reminded of how the LORD blesses.
The LORD blesses us with a double portion.
“The early and latter rains as before.” (The Book of Joel 2: 23b NAS)
The LORD blesses us with abundance.
“The threshing floors will be full of grain,
And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.” (The Book of Joel 2: 24 NAS)
The LORD blesses us with restoration.
“My great army which I sent among you.” (The Book of Joel 2: 25b NAS)
The LORD blesses us in miraculous ways.
“You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied
And praise the name of the LORD your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
Then My people will never be put to shame.” (The Book of Joel 2: 26 NAS)
The LORD blesses us with His presence.
“Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the LORD your God,
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame.” (The Book of Joel 2: 27 NAS)
The LORD blesses us by pouring blessings on our families.
“It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.” (The Book of Joel 2: 28 NAS)
&
The LORD blesses us through His deliverance.
“And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Will be delivered; . . .” (The Book of Joel 2: 32a NAS)
In God’s authority, Jesus came to earth, took on human form, and lived among men. Jesus was fully God and fully man. He came to save humanity. He who receives Christ, receives His message & receives the salvation of God.
We know this to be the ultimate blessing of God, for Jesus Himself tells us so.
“He who receives you receives Me,
(The Gospel According to Matthew 10: 40 NAS)
and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
So, the question becomes: How do we honor Christ Jesus?
- We can focus upon the LORD.
- We can read the Bible, His Holy Word.
- We can pray, lifting others, asking Him to meet our needs, & laying our burdens at His feet.
As we do, we continually praise Him. He wants us to continually praise Him; He desires to help us; and He wants us to see His mighty presence in our lives.
The apostle Peter responded to the LORD’S question, reminding us.
“And it happened that while He was praying alone,
(The Gospel According to Luke 9: 18-20 NAS)
the disciples were with Him,
and He questioned them, saying,
“Who do the people say that I am?”
They answered and said,
“John the Baptist,
and others say Elijah;
but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.”
And He said to them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
And Peter answered and said,
”The Christ of God.”
Therefore,
- We can know God cares about us.
- We know by the answer to the question Jesus asks each one of us.
GOD SENT HIS SON JESUS TO PAY OUR SIN DEBT WE COULD NEVER PAY!
“Blessed be the name of the LORD
(Psalm 113: 2 NAS)
From this time forth and forever.”