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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Blessed With The Excellent And The Plenty

Deuteronomy 28:4 - “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
Would u want 2 buy a chair that Jesus made? I would, even if it cost US$1,000 bcoz it would be of superb quality. Whatever Jesus did, He did it with perfect excellence. 

And bcoz Christ is in u, the things which u produce will be of exceptional quality too. That includes your children, who will be champions. Deuteronomy 28:4 says, “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks”. 

God was using terms that the Israelites understood since they were farmers and shepherds. Today, “your ground” is the place of your work. This means that “the produce” of your work shall be of excellent quality.

That is not all. God promises that quantity will always follow quality bcoz Deuteronomy 28:11 says that the Lord will “grant u plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body,” which means that u will have plenty of children, “in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground,” which means that your business will flourish and u will be a leading producer in the area of your specialty.

My friend, your excellence and plenty do not come by your efforts. They come by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who paid 4 your prosperity — “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that u through His poverty might become rich”. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Jesus was made destitute of all material things at the cross. He had nothing! As He hung on the cross, He watched the Roman soldiers gamble 4 His robe. His last possession on earth was gambled away. He became poor, so that u could be blessed with the excellent and the plenty!

Don’t Put Your Faith In Diets and Exercise


Psalm 118:8 -  It is better 2 trust in the Lord than 2 put confidence in man.

Alot of people think that the way 2 get health is 2 watch what they eat. For example, many people say that the Mediterranean diet is a very healthy one. I agree, generally. But do u know that the people whom Jesus healed were also on a Mediterranean diet? They did not eat pork and prawns, for example, bcoz they were Jews and these things are not kosher for them.

I know that u want 2 walk in divine health. But God does not want your focus 2b on food — what 2 eat, what not 2 eat — or even exercise — how 2 exercise, when 2 exercise. All these are natural means which the people of the world trust in. It is better 2 trust in the Lord and His finished work, than 2 put your confidence in the latest man-made diet plans and exercise regimes.

At the cross, Jesus took your sicknesses and carried your pains, and by His stripes u were healed. (Isaiah 53:4–5) The Bible even tells us how 2 escape sickness and premature death — by discerning the Lord’s body when we partake of the Lord’s Supper. (1 Corinthians 11:29–30) But instead of focusing on these truths, many of us prefer 2 focus on dieting and exercising.

Now, I am not against eating well or exercising. I myself exercise and I do watch what I eat. For example, I don’t like 2 eat oily stuff bcoz it makes me feel uncomfortable. And when I have 2 preach, I do my best not 2 eat foods that make me burp!

But I eat generally healthy stuff not bcoz I trust dieting 2 make me healthy. I exercise not bcoz I trust exercising 2 make me healthy. No, I trust the finished work of Christ 2 make me healthy. I eat well bcoz I like 2 feel good and I exercise bcoz I enjoy the rush, the sweat!

God wants u 2b free when it comes 2 eating and exercising. Don’t make laws for eating and exercising, and then trust these laws 2 give u “divine” health. Trust in the finished work of Christ. Discern His body when u partake of the Holy Communion. And just enjoy your food and workout!

Use Your Double Portion Of Speaking Power


God calls us “a royal priesthood”. This means that we are kings as well as priests under the king-priesthood of Jesus Christ. This has never happened b4 in the history of God’s people. In the Old Testament, kings and priests were two distinct groups of people. You were either a king or priest, but not both at the same time.

Today, bcoz we are in Christ, we are king-priests — a royal priesthood.
This means that we have a double portion of speaking power bcoz as kings, “Where the word of a king is, there is power” (Ecclesiastes 8:4), and as priests, “by their word every controversy and every assault shall be settled”. (Deuteronomy 21:5)

So if u are a Christian businessman, u will have an edge over worldly businessmen. What u say about your business deals will come 2 pass. And if u are falsely accused, know that by your very word, every controversy and every assault will be settled!

And as a king-priest parent, when u bless your children, your words have the power 2 set in motion supernatural events which will bring them into God’s prosperous abundance and super abounding grace. And there will be such a courage and resilience about them that it will empower them 2 win the fights of life!

When the devil comes 2 u and says that u will die young bcoz your father and grandfather died young, or that u will never be successful bcoz u are not well-educated, u must remember that the devil is neither a king nor a priest. There is no power in his words. But there is power in yours bcoz u are a king-priest in Christ!

So instead of agreeing with him, believe and declare, “I will not die young. With long life He will satisfy me and show me His salvation!” Say, “The Lord will make my way prosperous and give me good success!” Use your double portion of speaking power and see these blessings come 2 pass!