Membership Benefits

When we join a club, we expect to receive the benefits of club membership. However, if we never make ourselves aware of the benefits or if we forget about them, then we are not taking full advantage of our rights as members. When we trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we become members of God’s family as adopted sons and daughters. God provides the most amazing benefits to His children. We take full advantage of these benefits when we remember to praise and thank God for them.

Psalm 103:2-3 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” As King David wrote this song, he encouraged himself to praise and thank God for all that God had done for him. He begins a long list of blessings that he received by naming God’s forgiveness, healings, redemption, steadfast love, and mercy. Remembering to praise and thank God for blessings that we have received, improves our attitude in our current circumstances and encourages our faith to move forward.

Inherited Traits

It may be rewarding or frustrating to observe the personal traits that we have passed onto our children and grandchildren. We blessed when we see them acting in faith and righteousness. But we may be embarrassed when we observe them acting in the same anger that we display at times.

II Timothy 1:5-6 says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” If we have been blessed by God, giving us parents who passed on to us the good things that they received from God, then we should ensure that these blessings are magnified and paid forward to others.

Study for Life

To learn more about a subject or to more proficient in a task, we know that we must study and work at our goals. And yet, there are many areas of life that we don’t exercise these types of efforts. Even more is lack of effort into knowing God and experiencing the life He designed for us.

Ezra 7:9-10 says, “for the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” When our hearts are set on Jesus Christ and God’s Word, then the good hand of our gracious God will bless us and bear fruit for God in the lives of others. Let us, therefore, seek wholeheartedly to study God’s Word, to do what God teaches us, and to teach others also.

Refreshment

After a long day working in the hot sun, we look forward to our favorite recliner in our air conditioned home and a large cold drink. In this environment, our bodies and minds are refreshed and healed from the exhaustion.

Proverbs 3:5, 8 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” Trusting in the LORD brings a multitude of blessings. Among these blessings is restoration and renewal of mind, soul, spirit, and heart. How do we trust Him? By not leaning on our own understanding, but looking to Him in everything that we do and then following in the paths in which He leads.

Proper Request

If you have ever tried to work with a government office to get something you need, you know that it can be a difficult and frustrating process. You have to fill out the paperwork correctly and provide the appropriate backup documentation. Often, government also applies a time frame for the request and requirements for approvals during the process. All this is to say that we must bring our requests in the proper manner.

Luke 11:9-10 says, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Jesus gives us 3 keys to prayer in these verses. First we must seek God and His righteousness. Then, we come before God’s throne, knocking on the His door, granted access by the blood of Jesus Christ. Then, we are prepared to petition God, trusting that He will give to us according to His will and our needs.