Focus: I'm Blessed

Text: Gen.49:28

"All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; EVERY ONE ACCORDING to HIS BLESSING he blessed them."

Jacob's dying moment was close, and so, he decided to perform his final function of blessing his children and foretelling their future. In doing that, he made sure to bless them individually and tribally. According to Moses, Jacob blessed each person "according to his blessing." Everyone received a unique blessing, so that no one was bereft of a blessing or a destiny. The twelve houses of Israel had each a peculiar blessing to be found in them. I want you to spend time reading Genesis 49 and see how the blessings varied from house to house. On the corporate level, the individual blessings were given for the good of all Israel. Whatever was missing in one house could be found in another, making them interdependent with each other, not dependent, nor independent. It was blessing so well spread out or shared that each tribe had something to contribute for the corporate or public good of all Israel. Each tribe would need all the other tribes. All the tribes would celebrate their oneness from the standpoint of their uniqueness. You could describe it as 'unity in diversity and diversity in unity.' The membership of the church is designed to function in this way.

*Acknowledge your blessing

Child of God, you are not bereft of a blessing from God. The church is a place where Christ has gifted all of us to function for the good of all. We are all blessed in one way or another, materially or spiritually.

Paul, writing about the gifts of the Spirit, says that "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal…" I love the way the Message Bible paraphrases it. It says, "Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people!" God blesses us individually for the good of the whole body of Christ. No one person has a monopoly on God's material blessings or spiritual endowments. No one is empty of a blessing. 

*Know your area of blessedness

Find out your blessing, your strength, your uniqueness. Spot your gift and allow God to use you. I am talking about physical, material and spiritual blessings.

God's blessing upon your life is not for personal consumption but for service in the kingdom of God and in the church of Jesus Christ. Abraham's blessing was for all. Isaiah declares, "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him ALONE, and BLESSED HIM, and INCREASED HIM" (Isa.51:2). God has personally blessed you and wants you to grow in His blessing. God has given you something to do that is of benefit to all of us.

*Stand in your place

The body is lacking without your contribution. The battle will not be fought and won if you are not in your position. Concerning the army of Gideon, the Scripture says, "And THEY STOOD EVERY MAN IN HIS PLACE round about the camp…" (Judg.7:21). Be in your place!

*Face your calling

What has God called you to do? Face it squarely. Do it! Whatever Jesus tells you to do, do it. Paul says, "Let EVERY MAN abide in the same calling wherein HE WAS CALLED" (1Cor.7:20). Stand in your place and do what God has called you to do.

*See a need and meet it

When the sons of the prophets saw the need to expand the work of God under Elisha, they said to him, "Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence EVERY MAN A BEAM, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye" (2Kgs.6:2). You can bring a 'beam' to extend the frontiers of the kingdom of God in the earth. A beam from you will go a long way in achieving God's purpose.

*Focus on fulfilling your task

Focus on doing your bit for Christ. Avoid unnecessary distractions and vain fascinations. Don't be like Peter, who was focusing on John instead of being concerned about doing his own bit. John reports, "Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me" (Jh.21:21,22). Following Christ and fulfilling His mandate upon our lives requires personal consecration and determination, and very importantly, it requires minding your business. Also, let it be known to you, that what God has given you, in terms of blessing and gifting, is for the good of all of us. It calls for participation, contribution, and complimenting each other, not for competition or self-assertiveness with one another.

*Think less of fame

Finally, not all the works we do for God are for the stage. A lot of it is done behind the scenes, but one thing is sure, our God who sees in secret will reward us openly. The Lord Jesus Christ will reward us according to the weight of our work, not according to public opinion or applause. Just let God use you. Bring forth your blessing for all to benefit from it. You have a blessing, and you are blessed to be a blessing.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter