Impacting Your Community (Part II)
(Prov 11:11 MSG) When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.
This message flows in the same vein as yesterday’s where I told you that part of your responsibility, as a believer, is to serve your community; making a positive impact on your sphere of influence daily.
In this verse Solomon contrasts the affect the righteous and the unrighteous can have on their communities. For clarity’s sake, let’s look at this verse from two other translations. The New International Version says, “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.” The New Living Translation says, “Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.”
I believe the Lord, through Solomon, is explicitly clear. He expects us, as believers, to walk in His Blessing; and His Blessing should make a positive impact everywhere we go. The Blessing is traced back to Abraham (the father of faith) where Jehovah told Abraham (then called Abram) that he would be blessed TO BE a blessing.
Jehovah told Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him (Gen 12:2). All nationalities, all ethnicities, all races, both genders – all people, period – would be blessed through The Blessing on Abraham and his descendants.
Now, you may be thinking, “But wait a minute I am not a Jew. I know Solomon was a descendant of Abraham, but I am not.” Well, yes and no. You may not be of Jewish descent by birth, but in Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia he said, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you” (3:28,29).
The Blessing of Abraham is now on us – along with the Blessing of Jesus – and we are supposed to make a positive difference everywhere we go. Notice that God did not say that all churches of the world would be blessed.
No, Jesus came to establish His Kingdom and His Kingdom is not limited to the church – the place where we meet at on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. When we are ‘Kingdom minded’ we realize that we are blessed to make a difference everywhere the Lord blesses us to be. Solomon said, “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted.”
You and I must believe that we are Blessed TO BE a blessing – and this blessing is NOT limited to church activities. Your city should be blessed, because you live there. Your office should be blessed, because you work there. Your home should be blessed, because you sleep there. Your superiors should be blessed, because you work for them. Your subordinates should be blessed, because they work for you. I hope you get the point.
So what does this mean? It means that if you are a Born-Again believer, then the Blessing of Abraham and the Blessing of Jesus are both on you. You must have confidence in the fact that God has blessed you TO BE a blessing. Trust the fact that He walks with You and allow Him to use you to positively influence your environment daily.
Take the time to mentor someone. Take the time to speak life to someone who is down. Take the time lend a listening ear to someone who needs to vent. Take the time to do your job well, so that the Father would be glorified. The point is that The Blessing on your life is not just for Sundays and Wednesdays; it’s for every day. Be Kingdom minded today and believe that you are where you are to make a difference!
Father, I thank You for placing Your Blessing on me. I believe Your Word and I confidently say that I am Blessed TO BE a blessing. You bless me to have a positive influence on my environment. Use me Father, to make a difference today – for Your glory. I know that Jesus did not come just to establish His church alone, He came to establish His Kingdom and Your Kingdom is here to influence all the kingdoms of this world. I am in Your Kingdom and I will make a difference in my city and beyond! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Prov 11:11 MSG) When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.
This message flows in the same vein as yesterday’s where I told you that part of your responsibility, as a believer, is to serve your community; making a positive impact on your sphere of influence daily.
In this verse Solomon contrasts the affect the righteous and the unrighteous can have on their communities. For clarity’s sake, let’s look at this verse from two other translations. The New International Version says, “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.” The New Living Translation says, “Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.”
I believe the Lord, through Solomon, is explicitly clear. He expects us, as believers, to walk in His Blessing; and His Blessing should make a positive impact everywhere we go. The Blessing is traced back to Abraham (the father of faith) where Jehovah told Abraham (then called Abram) that he would be blessed TO BE a blessing.
Jehovah told Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him (Gen 12:2). All nationalities, all ethnicities, all races, both genders – all people, period – would be blessed through The Blessing on Abraham and his descendants.
Now, you may be thinking, “But wait a minute I am not a Jew. I know Solomon was a descendant of Abraham, but I am not.” Well, yes and no. You may not be of Jewish descent by birth, but in Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia he said, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you” (3:28,29).
The Blessing of Abraham is now on us – along with the Blessing of Jesus – and we are supposed to make a positive difference everywhere we go. Notice that God did not say that all churches of the world would be blessed.
No, Jesus came to establish His Kingdom and His Kingdom is not limited to the church – the place where we meet at on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. When we are ‘Kingdom minded’ we realize that we are blessed to make a difference everywhere the Lord blesses us to be. Solomon said, “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted.”
You and I must believe that we are Blessed TO BE a blessing – and this blessing is NOT limited to church activities. Your city should be blessed, because you live there. Your office should be blessed, because you work there. Your home should be blessed, because you sleep there. Your superiors should be blessed, because you work for them. Your subordinates should be blessed, because they work for you. I hope you get the point.
So what does this mean? It means that if you are a Born-Again believer, then the Blessing of Abraham and the Blessing of Jesus are both on you. You must have confidence in the fact that God has blessed you TO BE a blessing. Trust the fact that He walks with You and allow Him to use you to positively influence your environment daily.
Take the time to mentor someone. Take the time to speak life to someone who is down. Take the time lend a listening ear to someone who needs to vent. Take the time to do your job well, so that the Father would be glorified. The point is that The Blessing on your life is not just for Sundays and Wednesdays; it’s for every day. Be Kingdom minded today and believe that you are where you are to make a difference!
Father, I thank You for placing Your Blessing on me. I believe Your Word and I confidently say that I am Blessed TO BE a blessing. You bless me to have a positive influence on my environment. Use me Father, to make a difference today – for Your glory. I know that Jesus did not come just to establish His church alone, He came to establish His Kingdom and Your Kingdom is here to influence all the kingdoms of this world. I am in Your Kingdom and I will make a difference in my city and beyond! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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