By Royce Frederick

“God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8, 16). Love gives. The living God who made all things is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Jas. 1:17). His blessings come to people in several different ways.

GENERAL BLESSINGS for ALL PEOPLE

To all people — even those who hate Him — God gives wonderful gifts, such as life, air to breathe, sunshine, and rain. “...He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). “...He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17); “...in Him we live and move and have our being...” (Acts 17:28).

When a person receives wonderful blessings, it does not prove that God accepts his behavior, or that he has been saved from his sins. God’s goodness proves His love toward us, not our love toward Him (Rom. 5:6-8).

His goodness should lead us to repentance (Rom. 2:4). Seeing His love, we should listen to His gospel, believe it, repent of our sins, confess our faith in Christ, and be baptized in water for the forgiveness of our sins (Rom. 10:17; Acts 17:30; Rom. 10:10; Acts 8:35-39; 2:38; 22:16).

God wants to give more blessings to every person, including forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He is “...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). But He allows us to choose whether to love Him and receive eternal blessings, or reject Him.

SPECIAL BLESSINGS for HIS CHILDREN

God enjoys doing good things for His people. Moses reminded the Israelites, “...the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you...” (Deut. 28:63). He gives many more blessings of greater value to people who love Him and obey His will.

This does not mean that righteous people will always have plenty of money and never have problems. Job, Joseph, Moses, and Paul lived godly lives. They suffered, but they also received abundant blessings.

God takes special care of His faithful children, providing the things they need. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).

Also, every spiritual blessing is “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3), and a sinner enters “into Christ” at baptism (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:26-27). In Christ, we have the privilege of being heard by God the Father when we speak to Him in prayer as His children (Jn. 15:7; 16:23-24; Jas. 5:16; 1 Jn. 3:22). In Christ, we have a loving fellowship with all others who have become God’s children (Acts 2:42; 1 Jn. 1:3). In Christ, we have hope, joy, and peace which the world cannot understand (Rom. 5:2-5; Eph. 2:12; 4:4; Jn. 15:11; 16:22; 14:27; Rom. 5:1; Phil. 4:7). In Him, we receive forgiveness of our sins and eternal life, so that we can live with God and Christ in heaven forever (Eph. 1:7; Jn. 3:3-5; Mk. 10:29-30; Rom. 6:23; 1 Jn. 5:11).

NATURAL BLESSINGS from GOOD ACTIONS

Many of God’s blessings come as a natural result of following His instructions about how to live. For example, obeying His teachings about being honest and kind toward other people will often motivate them to be honest and kind toward us.

The Bible contains marvelous guidance to help our lives in every way. God teaches us valuable lessons about: working diligently, using money but not loving it, marriage and family relationships, the harm of drunkenness, showing respect toward all people, obeying the laws of the government, controlling our tongue, overcoming anger and worry, forgiving people who hurt us, and many other important matters.

Many people throughout the world recognize the practical value of God’s teachings for daily living. In fact, many people who are not Christians follow some of these teachings and gain some benefits. But they miss the best blessings of all.

Other people reject all of God’s will and try to find happiness without Him — sometimes deliberately choosing immorality and other actions which He warns against. How tragic it is to see people desperately chasing empty pleasures and never finding real happiness, peace, and joy. If they do not return to God and His will before their life on earth is finished, they will miss the best life on earth and eternal life in heaven.

You can receive the greatest benefits and blessings now and forever by surrendering to the will of God, becoming a Christian, and serving Him faithfully from your heart. With God’s help, you can live a godly life and enjoy abundant blessings here on earth and in heaven. 1 Timothy 4:8 tells us that “...godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come”!

Verses for FURTHER STUDY on the topic, “To Do You Good”:

“...Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” (Deut. 10:12-13).

[God] “...who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end...” (Deut. 8:16).

“There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin” (Psa. 38:3).

“...fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones” (Prov. 3:7-8).

“The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health” (Prov. 11:17-18).

“...give attention to my words...they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4:20-23).

“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (Prov. 16: 24).

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones” (Prov. 17:22).

“...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over...” (Luke 6:38).

“...glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 2:10).

“...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

“...‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:21-22).

“Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison” (Matt. 5:25-26).

“...whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two...love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matt. 5:41, 44).

“So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph. 5:28).

“‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:20-21).

“Be anxious for nothing...let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus...whatever things are true...noble...just...pure...lovely...of good report...meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:6-8).