What are Your Benefits?
Accompanying lesson video: https://youtu.be/1wUNbtfYBOg
I had the next lesson in Ecclesiastes ready to go and in my “quiet time”, I put that on the shelf until next time.
Now I want to share on “What are my Benefits” looking at Psalms 37:3-5. “Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you”.
INTRODUCTION
Maybe I need this today more than you. We hear, read, and teach many scriptures but there are those times these same scriptures “come alive” and you know these were written for you at this time. I do not know what you are facing but our Father knows, and He is telling you, “You are not forgotten even though the way may seem so messed up”. I am sure David must have felt this many times as he had the long journey from the anointing to the throne.
What are our benefits? Sometimes we seem we do the work, but we do not see many benefits or overlook His benefits. We love benefits in applying for a job. We ask, “Will I have insurance and retirement?” This could be the deciding factor if we take the job. However, in the life of service to our Lord, we want the promises and benefits but sometimes do not realize they come with a great sacrifice, a price, dedication, and commitment.
The Scriptures are filled with this truth, you have MY benefits and difficult times do not change MY benefits. Sometimes in the natural, we lose a job or change to another place and we lose our benefits. In this life of serving and working we never lose our benefits. I know many times in my life, we did not have “natural benefits” as others but we knew we were in His will and He was the true accountant! As we know and develop that relationship with our Lord, we can use our faith to know He is and will take care of us. But we must remember, how we handle these circumstances and believe is the key.
As we read and study the Psalms, we see David’s heart and even though He struggles, He knows God is in control.
1. TRUST IN THE LORD AND DO GOOD. Psalms 37:3
Passion Translation: Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in His eyes.
Perhaps, we feel we trust in the Lord but to what degree? Do we trust only when everything is going good? We keep doing but do we know He is everything in our lives? And do we know our total faith and confidence must be in Him, even though we do not understand or maybe agree with what seems to be His will. We must keep trusting and doing what He says to do.
2. DELIGHT IN THE LORD. Psalms 37:4
Passion translation: Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life.
To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his/her presence. We know that person, and delight in what they say and do. When we know about and experience His great love, this gives us reason to delight in Him. This is beautiful and brings that trust as we delight and enjoy Him.
3. COMMIT EVERYTHING (ALL) YOU DO TO THE LORD. Psalms 37:5
Passion translation: Give God the right to direct your life.
This means we entrust everything to Him, our life, future, family, job, possessions, control, and guidance. We believe He knows how to take care of these things BETTER than we can. It is a process and journey.
4. THERE ARE GREAT BENEFITS AND RESULTS.
Passion Translation: You will be secure feasting on His faithfulness. He will provide for what you desire the most.
All of us know of times when we were divinely protected but to know His ministering angels are covering us always brings such peace. We have “wholeness in all areas” and He will give us those things we desire as we do the above. I have found I must give my desires to Him, so my desires will match with His plan.
When we compare our lives with others, even those people who are evil can appear to have more benefits. These benefits will vanish and fade away. When we follow our Father, we are laying up benefits (treasures) in heaven. And God allows us to enjoy benefits on our way to Heaven.
In my life, I must take inventory in tough times. I have to go back and begin to count my blessings, his guidance in tough situations, and the plus is always more than the minus. Yes, we can desire benefits, but what He will give you will last forever! Dwell in His presence and there is Joy Everlasting.
Even this morning, I felt Him say, “I AM”, what you need, when you need it and wherever you are!! What a promise.
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