What Does It Mean To Be Blessed?

What Does It Mean To Be Blessed?

Dr. Angelo R Moe

Greetings! This week's devotion will challenge our concept of what being blessed is. Take a moment, read the devotion, then ask yourself if you are truly blessed.

I'M TRULY BLESSED

Psalm 1:1-2
1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Today's devotional brings us to question the idea of being truly blessed. We've all heard the phrase, "Be blessed!" or "Have a blessed day!" at the close of countless answering machine greetings. When we ask, "How are you doing today?" we often get ever-popular, "I'm blessed" as a reply. Not to mention we've all seen the "Blessed" license plates and bumper stickers. The question or ideas that I want to raise to the believer is, "Are we truly blessed?"

So often we have suggested that being blessed is indicative of having good health, a great job, money in the bank, good family and other relationships that are healthy. While all of these are in fact true, the identity of being blessed is pleasing God.

As a believer, my only goal in life should be to please God. Our lesson text gives us a true account of what a blessed person is. It is the person that meditates day and night on our Lord and Savior, the Christ. If we look at the first two verses of the Psalm, the writer is saying I am blessed if I don't hang with the ungodly. So now I ask you the question-who are you hanging out with? The people that you and I should associate ourselves with should be those of the same mind and spirit.

Another translation of Psalm 1 suggests that the advice we get should only come from spiritually-minded people. The writer goes on to say that we should not stand where sin is taking place, that we should move away or separate ourselves from them that practice sin or those who have riot accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life. To paraphrase, the writer then goes on to say, "Don't you dare sit in the seat of the scornful or one that is contemptuous.

Being blessed comes from a constant diet of spending time with God. I am to meditate on Him day and night. As a result of doing this entirely, the things which we deem as signs of being blessed really become a reality!I trust that these devotionals have been a blessing to you.

The Faithfulness God

No Matter What Comes Your Way, Remember That "He Is Faithful"

Greetings! I trust that this week's devotional finds you in great spirit, health and prosperity! As our society goes through social, political and economic uncertainties, it's comforting to know that our God is faithful! 

HE IS FAITHFUL

Lamentations 3: 21-23
21. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22. It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23. They are new every morning great is his faithfulness.


"Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!" That is the familiar refrain to the hymn that you and I have sung for so many years in worship services. This anthem has been the morning hymn for the Christian Church for decades. The question we need to ask ourselves, do we understand that Christ is the only one who is truly faithful?

I grew up in a Christian home and we were taught never to forget Christ. My parents made sure, just like I'm sure yours did, to instill in us that Christ was the center of everything and that there was nothing that we could do or shouldn't do without Him. I am amazed at the fact that as I have grown to be a man, my parents and others that played a part in molding me were so right-you can't do anything without Him!

In the Book of Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah penned a thought that should remind us all,  how faithful Christ is. While remembering all the places he had been and the things he had gone through. Jeremiah realized that his faith had gone to another level. As Christians, we need to have the same voice, the same faith and the same blessed assurance that if God did it once, He can do it again.

Jeremiah also lets us know that if it had not been for the mercy of the Lord, we would have all been consumed, destroyed and washed up. He reminds us that God's compassions or His never- ending love for us is what has sustained us. But the good news is that His mercies are new every day! Glory!

Take the time to today to think about the "what ifs" in your life. What if "that" happened in that situation or if this happened in this situation? I promise-you will have to stop and give God praise for His faithfulness.

Be sure of this: people will fail you, but God never fails, for He is faithful.

Message on the go!!

Angelo Moe 

#restoremenow 

angelomoe@gmail.com 

Say What You Would Like

Speak Boldly As You "Say What You Would Like!"

Dr Angelo R Moe

Greetings! I am excited to share with you the first Restore Me Now devotional for 2009. This will be a great year and I am eager to see all that God will do in our lives. This week, we will discuss perseverance and asking in faith. Be blessed!

SAY WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE

Mark 11: 24
24. Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

A story was told by a great preacher about not giving up. In the sermon, the preacher quoted former President Nixon, who said, "A man is not defeated when he loses, he is only defeated when he quits." This great preacher let us know that quitting is not an option. Boy, I am grateful for that wonderful word.

Today, I am clearly reminded of that sermon. So I'm going to share with you my thoughts on perseverance but I also want to let you know that you have to say what it is you would like. The Bible clearly lets us know that the power of life and death lies in the tongue. Speak only life.

There are so many believers that speak not only blessings over their life but they speak curses as well. Words like, "I'm sick," "I'm broke," I'm so crazy," or "I'm not going to get that job." What negative things are you speaking over your life? From now on, only speak those things that you would like for your life. For instance, declare to yourself, "I'm healed," "I'm blessed," "I'm rich," "My family will be saved," "I have the job" or "I have a sound mind." It is important that you be clear and concise when you say what it is you want.

In a very familiar Bible story, Jesus and his disciples were traveling back to Bethany. The Bible tells us that Jesus was hungry and he saw a fig tree in the distance. When He and the disciples came near the tree, they discovered the tree had no figs on it. The Bible says that Jesus cursed the tree. Jesus spoke it. The next day, as they traveled from Bethany, they passed by the same fig tree again and Peter alerted Jesus, saying, "Master, behold the tree you have cursed has now withered away". Jesus responded, "Have faith in God". In essence,

Jesus quickly reminds his disciples that if you speak something in faith, it shall be done.

What is it that you believe God for? What is it that you desire God to do in your life? I want to encourage you to say what it is you want and believe that God has the power to deliver it for you. Hebrews 11:1 declares, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Say it!

Pure Presentation

Pure Presentation

Dr Angelo R Moe

Psalms 19:14
14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength, and my redeemer.

There is not one area in our lives where a presentation of some sort is not made. Growing up, we made presentations in school, on our jobs, to our children, in the church and ironically enough, to ourselves. There is a need to always present things, whether they are good or bad. What will people say about your life's presentation? In every aspect, we must always make sure we make a pure presentation.

In Psalm 19, David says something that questions the character of the believer. In other words, David is saying, "Lord, I want you to examine everything that I say and what I meditate on, that it might be approved by You." How many of us our guilty of letting the wrong things come out of our mouth, or meditating on sinful things? In essence, this means that we have desires that don't line up with God's word. I believe at some point in all our lives, we all have been guilty.

A pure presentation to God means that everything that I say and feel will be honest, wholesome and clean. It means that I display good character and integrity. This idea is hard for us because so many times we fail to honor God with our mouth and our heart, and we satisfy the flesh.

As believers, we should be glad for the latter part of this Psalm that reads, "Oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer." My Christian friend, God is your strength. He will give you the strength to overcome anything and everything in your life, if you allow Him to. He is also our redeemer. Praise the Lord! The Lord saved you and me from the hand of the enemy (devil). I am so glad for the redemptive power of the blood of Jesus Christ!

A pure presentation to Christ is possible. The challenge you and I face on a day to day basis is choosing to die to the desires of the flesh. As a believer, you can make a pure presentation.

Fire Fear

II Timothy 1:7

7. For Christ has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.

As one writer puts it, you either have "faith or fear." If I operate in faith, should I fear? If I fear, am I operating in faith? I believe that sometimes we move in faith with fear. But, does that discredit our faith? The answer to that is "no." There will be times in your life where you have to move by faith but the element of fear is there. The Bible declares that "Faith without works is dead." The question I want to raise is "Can my works be without fear?" The answer to that is "yes." Now, as a believer, are you willing to fire fear?

Our scripture lesson gives the real answer to fear. Paul is writing to Brother Timothy to let him know that he appreciates seeing his acts of faith in ministry. Paul reminds Timothy of how he first saw the unfeigned faith in his grandmother Lois and secondly in his mother Eunice. He acknowledged that this was that same faith he possessed. Paul then begins to speak to Brother Timothy about stirring up the gift that is in him.

This scripture lesson is about the assignment God has given Timothy. However, there lies in it the truth, by which you and I must live. As a believer, you and I should live life with the absence of fear. Fear is the element that questions God's ability to do what it is you are asking Him to do. The writer of Hebrews states that, "We walk by faith and not by sight". If we are going to trust God for anything, we must take the element of fear out it. Put fear on a starvation diet.

There are three things that God has given us instead of fear. One, He has given us power, which replaces weakness. The second thing is love which gives us the sense of peace. The third thing is a sound mind which reassures us of what God's word says.

I understand there are things you and I face every day, things that might cause us to operate in fear. Firing fear can only happen when there is a constant diet of the Word of God being applied in our lives. If we stay in His presence and in His word, fear gets a pink slip.

Remembering Why

Enjoy our latest devotional, "Remembering Why!"
Dr. Angelo R Moe

Greetings! We are underway with our weekly series of devotionals and I pray that you will take a moment out of your busy schedule to read our second edition, titled "Remembering Why." God really blessed me as I wrote this and I pray that these quick thoughts will be a blessing to your life as well.

REMEMBERING WHY

Ephesians 2: 1-2
1. And you hath he quickened, who where dead in trespasses and sins;
2. Wherein in time pass you walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince and power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

In one of the most beautiful songs that have been song all over the world, Amazing Grace, we find the stanza that says, "I once was lost but now I am found was blind but now I see". Wow, what powerful words, that depict the true identity of a believer. A person that was on their way to an eternal damnation now has an eternal place in Glory. The question that needs to be raised is, "do you remember why?"

As a believer, there have been times that you and I have lost sight on why we got saved. There have been times that we have been caught up in the glamour and the flesh-fulfilling acts of sin that we fail to remember why God saved us. I declare to you that now is the time to stop and look back.

Paul reminds us both, that it was me that was dead in trespasses in sins; it was you who was dead in trespasses and sins. He reminds us of how it used to be in our life. It was that same spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. Paul clearly lets us know that we must remember. However, we must not just remember but acknowledge that there is now a demand on our life to live holy.

If we as believers would take the time to evaluate or spiritual walk on a daily basis, there would be no time left in the day to stray away. I believe that the problem of spiritual failure or the problem of living holy is due to the lack of spending quality time with God. Stay in God's presence. God has given us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth.

Taking the time to remember where God has brought us from should also remind us of a place that we no longer be or ever go back to. I have been guilty of going back to places and times in my life from which God has saved me. I challenge you today to remember and let it be a praise report of what God can and will do in the life of a believer. "It is not by power nor by might but by His spirit", says the Lord.