Inherit Blessing

1 Peter 3:8-12 

8Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Jeproks

When someone says “spoiled brat,” what comes to your mind? Do you think of entitled and wild person? Have you heard of the term “Jeproks?” Few decades ago, rock artist Mike Hanopol popularized the song “Laki sa Layaw, Jeproks.” “Jeproks” was introduced as slang term for entitled rich “spoiled brats.” Jeproks are entitled, disruptive and undesirable elements in the society. They are considered hopeless case.

Many rich parents have no time with their children. To compensate their absence and not doing their parenting responsibilities, they just give much money to their children. “Jeproks” have no financial education. They spend money extravagantly. They are prodigal and wasteful spenders and find no satisfaction in life.

Giving much money to children can spoil them or make them prodigal “Jeproks.” The Prodigal son in the Scripture illustrates exactly the kind of lifestyle of “Jeproks.”

Parents: Train your children how they could be financially smart. What biblical training should parents impart to children how they may handle finances wisely?

Give the tithes of God. You heard it right and clear! Give the tithes of God is great biblical principle that genuine believers of Christ should seriously practice.

Do you sense resistance in your mind? Yes! Naturally, we resist godly commands. Giving God’s tithes is godly command that requires godly effort. Instinctively, we resist this biblical principle of giving 10% of our income to God because this command is godly. It is a practice of faith in God to obey his commands, hence it is practice of faith to give the tithes of God. If your mind resists the idea of giving God’s tithes, pray for stronger faith.

Where do we get the tithes of God: Gross Income or Net Income? That question is legalistic practice. It’s not a practice of faith. With faith in God, we sense gladness of giving back the portion of God and not concern whether it comes from Gross Income or Net Income. God is not bothered by the amount you give him. He rewards behavior and attitude of giving his portion cheerfully. His Holy Spirit inspires giving God his tithes.

Pray for stronger faith in Christ before you decide to give or not to give the tithes of God. God loves cheerful givers. So, God loves us when we gladly give his tithes; giving his tithes practically proves also that we trust his promise to bless givers of his tithes.

The Lord Almighty says in Malachi 3:10-11, 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe.

Pests destroy plants. Likewise, bad elements of the society pester and destroy. There are pests of society that may destroy crops, livelihood or source of income.

Livelihood can be farming or office works. The Lord Almighty promised to prevent pests or bad elements from destroying the source of income of givers of his tithes.

Parents: When by faith you faithfully give God his portion from your income, you practically exemplify to your children this biblical open secret of financial stability. Can you agree? If you still sense resistance in your mind, pray seriously. Remember that it requires godly effort to obey godly commands, to give his tithes and expect his blessing.

Furthermore, genuine Christians are obliged to prepare for the future of their children and not otherwise. Apostle Paul shared his advice in 2 Corinthians 12:14: 14Children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 

One may still ask, “What if my children become financially successful and provide for my needs?” Well, you are blessed. God has given you bonus for your good parenting. Children observe and follow life examples, behavior, habit or perspectives of parents.

Parents: Your spiritual perspective may inspire children to be smart and not prodigal.

1.  Perspective

8Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 

Your perspective, outlook or point of view at how you approach and live your life including expenditures, how you spend money will certainly influence your children.

Apostle Peter advised husbands and wives to respect each other as children of God; and all of us are advised to have similar perspective – be like-minded. Respect for each other is our testimony, our calling. Respect is practically exhibited in sympathy, love, compassion and humility. Blessing is added inheritance to respectful believers.

The Scripture teaches us that husband and wife become one. Does it mean that husband and wife are required to have joint bank account? Biblically, it is advisable. But, legally, no one should be forced to have joint bank account. Respect for each other’s financial perspective is helpful to avoid regrets and unnecessary argument later.

The Lord teaches what is best for us in the Scripture. He states in Isaiah 48:17-18, 17I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. 18If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.

What is peace like a river? To watch a river flowing on certain path is refreshing view. To walk along the beach, swim and sail in the sea are moments of relaxation. Similarly, it is refreshing experience when we follow diligently what the Lord teaches.

We find peaceful rest of our soul when we follow and learn from the examples of Christ.

Respect for each other is actually a biblical mystery for peaceful and restful life. Truly, when husband and wife carefully respect each other, they have peace at home and avoid undesirable quarrel. Respect for each other gives us tranquility and peace in our soul; and we surely enjoy life as believers in Christ even with problems around us.

Have you heard someone say, “What can I get from doing such and such?” They may expect to profit from being good and kind to others. It encourages in Luke 6:32-36, 32If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

God loved both believers and those who reject him. When his grace and love overflow in our life, we also sense concern for fellow believers and also for potential believers. God is merciful; he patiently waits for everyone to seek his love.

Church Budget

Our church leaders are preparing for 2023 church budget. Certainly, we love to fellowship with fellow Christians, but pray that our church leaders will discern how God wants us to be productive. Pray that God reveals to our church leaders which particular ministries he wants us to get involved with in the advancement of the gospel of Christ.

Participation in church ministries is essential for our spiritual growth. We learn from each other; we practice our spiritual gifts. All believers receive a spiritual gift or more. What’s your spiritual gift: to lead, serve, sing, prophesy, teach, preach or give?

Pray that you may identify your spiritual gifts; pursue and regularly practice it.

We can be spiritually productive only when we actively use our spiritual gift. You may have sensed some kind of longing in your soul. You feel emptiness that you wish to be satisfied. Your innermost being is yearning for something that you cannot identify.

It teaches us in Romans 8:26-27, 26The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Pray sincerely and seriously that the Holy Spirit of Christ reveals to you practically which step to take and pursue it. Everyone will sense emptiness that only God can fill.

Until we live within the plan that God designed for us, we will yearn and long to be filled. What do we do? Pray to be filled by the Holy Spirit in pursuit of his will for you.

2.  Pursuit

10For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.

You and I want to live a good life. Of course, it’s by faith to believe that God has designed the best life we can ever have on earth. Respect for each other is biblical open secret to peace and good life. In your pursuit of good life, learn to respect other people.

They verbally say, “I respect you!” Biblically, how should we respect others to have good life? “Avoid evil and deceitful speech, do good, seek and pursue peace.”

If we refrain from offensive words and turn away from hateful cuss, if we avoid deceitful speeches or promises, if we are good to other, and if we seek and pursue peace, we also obey the Lord’s command. God blesses us when we obey him. Do you agree?

Freedom of Speech

Individuals may promote freedom of speech or fight against discrimination. Others may pressure you to join their cause. Should Christians join cause-oriented groups? If you sense pressure of participation to cause-oriented organizations, that is a warning sign that you are situated in spiritual warfare. So, make sure you are prepared.

We are encouraged to always wear the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:14-18: 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. 

All Christians will always struggle against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Respect each other and always pursue peace and you’ll enjoy good life, even when others won’t agree with you.

Always pray on all occasions to be empowered and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

3.  Prayer

12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Certainly, everyone in this world will experience problems common to mankind.

The Lord, however, wants us his children to sense peace with gladness as practical proof of his grace. Despite the difficulties of life, we trust that he is attentive to our prayer. It teaches us in 1 John 4:16-21, 16We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Have you ever seen people who abuse it when you show your love for them? What should we do when we practically show care to neighbors, but they abuse it?

Snowfall

Heavy snowfall may have caused delay and traffic. You have been forced to clear snow before you can get out of your driveway. Someone was asked how he maintained his health in his advance old age. He replied, “I cultivate plants in spring. I cut down the grass in summer. I rake leaves in fall. I shovel snow in winter.” Well, shoveling snow is free exercise indeed. It can help you perspire and sweat, even when it’s very cold.

You can even shovel snow from your neighbor, if you need more exercise; yet not all neighbors are grateful. How do you respond when your neighbor insensitively throw snow into your yard or driveway? Why does God allow neighbors to be inconsiderate?

God allows it for us to love one another, be sympathetic, be compassionate and humble, not to repay evil with evil or insult with insult. God teaches us instead to repay evil with blessing because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. Why?

Christians, listen carefully: We are mandated to witness for Christ. Our love and care for others should overflow from the love of God for us. So, when we sense that it is hard to love the unlovable, pray to be filled and inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.

There’s no fear in love. But if there is no inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we may fear that others may abuse our love and care. Pray that the Holy Spirit produces love in you. Don’t try to force the issue of loving others. Love should be spontaneous fruit of the Spirit of God so that we sense peace and gladness when we love even the unlovable.

Personally, do you have neighbor who are unlovable, inconsiderate, insensitive?

Seriously and sincerely, pray to be filled and inspired by the Holy Spirit of Christ. That is when love for unlovable will increase your inheritance of blessing from the Lord.

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