Five Blessings to Ask God for That Will Change Your Life Forever

Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.

-Psalm 112: 1-10 (NLT)

A voice in my life, Pastor Larry Stockstill, recently encouraged all graduates of Pastors University, his training institute for ministers to believe God for the promised blessings of Psalm 112 to be made manifest in their lives in 2022.

As I took his instruction and prayed through the passage, not only did his counsel ring true but, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I also received some personal insights from the text. What follows is a conglomeration of Pastor Larry’s revelation intermingled with my thoughts – his insight being the better and more prominent portion of this post.

Five blessings to ask and seek God for in 2022!

1) A Blessing Upon Your CHILDREN

Many challenges can arise when raising children. As a result, bringing your kids up in the right way requires some type of blueprint. It won’t happen by accident. For example, when it’s time to build a house, no one brings all the construction materials, throws them down in a pile, and lets people do whatever they want with the two-by-fours, sheetrock, or trusses. Instead, there is always a process and a plan – a blueprint and a vision – for the outcome. This principle is the same for our children because the Bible gives us an incredible promise, raise your child in the way they should go, and in the end, they shall not depart from it!

Do you have a blueprint for your family? It is essential to pray and ask God for dreams, visions, and clarity for how to raise your children. Then, you can be a part of putting that child on the right path, at the right place, at the right time, and with the right people! But this requires the right plan.

If you are not yet a parent and you're reading this, know that it’s never too early to start praying over your future children. If your kids are already grown, it’s never too late to start praying for them or too early to begin praying blessings upon your future grandchildren.

Their children will be successful everywhere… - Psalm 112:2

We are believing for a blessing upon our children in 2022! Our kids will be raised and trained in the way that they shall go. No weapon formed against them will prosper because they will be successful everywhere. Not just because you are a great parent, but because you introduced them to a great God who will place a hedge of protection around them. As parents, we should be praying God’s favor over their lives. I challenge you to lay your hand upon your children and pray the blessing of God over them every day.

Pray that they will be blessed in the city and the field. Pray that they will be blessed coming and going. Pray that they are the head and not the tail. Pray that any enemy that raises his hand against them will be smitten by the Lord our God. Pray blessing upon your children!

2) A Blessing Upon Your FINANCES

They themselves will be wealthy… -Psalm 112:3

You can believe God for a blessing upon your finances. Our God does not know lack, and you are made in His image. God’s vision for you is not that you would always be pressed down and overwhelmed, but instead that you would reach a place in your life where you could be a blessing to others. Many people never get blessed financially because God knows they only want more for themselves; a bigger house, a nicer car, more of this, and more of that. They have no intention of being a blessing to other people.

Contentment does not reside in THINGS. Therefore, there is only one way to experience contentment, and that is knowing your God has all that you need, and all of your needs will be supplied according to His riches and glory.

“The man who had God for his treasure has all things in one.”

- A.W. Tozer

Here are three types of generosity you must make sure you are living out in your life if you want God to bless your finances:

• Tithing: The first 10% of your income goes to God and is released to your local church for the work of ministry. (Ref. Malachi 3:8-10)

• Offerings: Something you purpose in your heart as you respond cheerfully to God’s direction. This type of gift is to be submitted for the work of public ministry, and God loves it! In fact, he promises the more you give offerings, the more He will provide for you so that He can provide through you. (Ref. Malachi 3:8-10, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

• Alms: Give to the poor and the needy generously. And, don’t tell anybody what, when, where, or how you gave. When it comes to this form of generosity, according to Jesus, don’t even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing – just help people in need with no desire for public recognition or strings attached. The result is riches in Heaven! (Ref. Matthew 6:3-4)

When you walk out these three types of giving, the enemy will never be able to attack your finances successfully. You will always live a blessed life. It is a three-fold cord that can not easily be broken!

If any of that sounds like too great of a commitment, you are welcome to embrace the practice of Acts 2:42-47, where the early Church Christians went above and beyond, tithes, offerings, and the giving of alms as they literally sold possessions to meet needs.

3) A Blessing Upon Your RELATIONSHIPS

They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. - Psalm 112:4

It’s doubtful the Lord will bless you financially without blessing you relationally, because according to John Maxwell’s evaluation of the Stanford Research Institute’s 1996 assessment, the money made in any endeavor is determined only 12.5% by knowledge, and 87.5% by your ability to deal with people. In other words, you’re only as good financially as you are relationally!

If you see the relationships in your life in turmoil, maybe it’s a good time to do a self-evaluation and see if you are living generously, compassionately, and righteously so God can take your relationships to a new level and bring more people into your network.

4) A Blessing Upon Your EMOTIONS

They are confident and fearless… -Psalm 112:8

There’s a great deal of fear in our world today. But when you confidently place your trust in the Lord to bless your emotions, you become fearless and confident – to the point you don’t even fear bad news.

The toxic emotions of the world are not the emotions God intended you to have or live by. He wants to put a blessing upon your emotions so that you can stand next to the gates of Hell and decree Hell shall not prevail against me. I am confident, and I am fearless, not because of my might but because of the Spirit of God available in the name of Jesus!

5) A Blessing Upon Your INFLUENCE

They will have influence and honor. -Psalm 112:9

You may not feel like you have a lot of influence, but when you start inviting God to bless your influence, you might be surprised how God uses you to bring His purpose to pass. You might have more influence in your community, workplace, or small group than you think, especially if you ask for this blessing and have a desire to bring real change to the world. But, never forget, a drip can start a flood.

Believe God to bless your children. Believe God to bless your finances. Believe God to bless your relationships. Believe God to bless your emotions. And believe God to bless your influence. So let 2022 be the year that you ask & seek God for these blessings in your life because these blessings lead to a life of meaning and purpose!

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/FcrRhAeDqPY

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.
   

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.
   

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin
   

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

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The Deliverance Dilemma

Has God ever brought you out of something, but not fully delivered you to the next thing? Many of us consider this the waiting period, but Caleb Southern, our youth coordinator, refers to it as the deliverance dilemma- a time when you're waiting for God to bring you into something new. We’ve all been there.

The Israelites know all about the deliverance dilemma.

As a nation of people enslaved by the Egyptians, they were treated horrifically as slave laborers for many years. Moses, following the commandment of God, comes to their rescue, setting them free from the Egyptians, and delivers them to The Promised Land, otherwise known as The Land of Milk and Honey. God brought them out of bondage and into something new and wonderful!

Caleb, however, points out that 40 years elapsed from the moment the Israelites leave Egypt and when they arrive at The Promised Land. For 40 years they were wandering around in the wilderness tired and starving. In this period of waiting they start to reminisce about what they used to have, even though they were slaves- they were still well fed. Comfort and familiarity can keep us enslaved, even when we know we're choosing the wrong path.

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” - Exodus 16:2 (ESV)

The Israelites had been delivered out of Egypt but had not yet been delivered into The Promised Land. They were experiencing the deliverance dilemma.

They had followed God, but they were still experiencing issues. Can you relate? You gave your life to Jesus and you’re trying to be obedient, but you're still struggling in different areas of your life. Maybe with anger, temptation, depression, anxiety, and/or addiction? God is bringing you out of sin, but you're not fully delivered from it.

Here are four key takeaways from Caleb’s message, The Deliverance Dilemma, that I think will help you navigate your season of waiting.

1) Don’t choose to grumble over being grateful:

The Israelites only focused on what they did not have- meat and bread- and chose to grumble and complain. They should have been focused on the promises God had for them and all He had already done for them.

We must always focus on what we do have, choosing gratitude over grumbling and complaining.

2) Remember that God will provide:

Even though the Israelites chose to grumble and complain, God gave them grace and provided them food to eat. They didn’t deserve it, and they didn’t pray for it, but God gave it to them.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

-Exodus 16:4 (ESV)

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. - Exodus 16:13 (ESV)

God will provide all that we need too. His provision may not look exactly like you would think, but He will provide.

3) Keep coming back for what God has for you:

God only gave the Israelites enough bread for one day at a time. They were not to store it up, but they had to keep coming back for more. God only gave them exactly what they needed for that day. We have to keep coming back to God every day for His blessings. We have to keep showing up at church, keep giving our time, talents, and treasures, keep reading the Word and praying prayers and God will keep blessing us.

And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. -Exodus 16:19-21 ESV

4) What you do today matters to the generations that come after you:

The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. -Exodus 16:35

Two generations of Israelites continued to feast on the blessings that God gave.

Have you decided to follow Christ? Have you decided to put God in the center of the generations that come after you? Will your kids and your grandchildren inherit a generational blessing or a generational curse? You get to decide if Jesus is the center of your life and your home, and that decision directly affects more than just you!

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. - John 6:35

Just like the Israelites needed bread, we do too. Jesus is the bread of life. Step into a generational blessing.

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link:

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

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How the Gifts of the Wise Men Are Significant to Our Lives Today

Earlier this week, we talked about the wise men and the barriers they had to overcome to worship Jesus. The wise men made it through every barrier they faced, and when they got to Jesus, they fell and worshiped Him! They also gave Him the three gifts they had brought for Him. These gifts aren't just any gifts! They each had great significance and honored prophetic unction.

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. -Matthew 2:9-11

Do you know the significance behind the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Let's look at what each give signifies and what it means for our relationship with Jesus Christ today.

1) Gold: A gift fit for a true king. It showed that the wise men truly believed that Jesus was a King.

GOLD signifies His DOMINION.

When was the last time you went before God and let Him know that He has dominion over your life? When was the last time you declared that Jesus is the King of your life? The wise men did this by bringing Jesus their wealth, a symbol of treasure. When we give Jesus our offerings and tithes today, we are blessing Him and aligning ourselves with actions of wise worship, just as the wise men exemplified. This action has great significance! Don't allow the barriers of discouragement, disappointment, distraction, or dismay to stop you from giving God dominion in your life.

2) FRANKINCENSE: The Old Testament reveals that God desires a sweet scent during worship.

Frankincense signifies His DEITY.

Through the gift of gold, the wise men said Jesus is King, but through the gift of frankincense, the wise men declared that Jesus is a God, and He is to be worshiped.

3) MYRRH: This gift is nothing like the other two. It conveys death, not life.

Myrrh signifies His DEATH.

The Gold signified we should give Jesus our wealth; the frankincense signified we should give Jesus our worship. But, the myrrh illustrated what Jesus would give for us -- His life!

You can't understand the cross without understanding the cradle. You can't appreciate Easter if you don't have a revelation of Christmas. The wise men had to overcome their barriers, but we also overcome modern-day obstacles. Maybe you are so discouraged that it's been a long time since you lifted your hands to worship Jesus. Perhaps you are so distracted that you can't remember opening your Bible last time. Maybe you're so dismayed by everything going on in the world that you've stopped honoring God with your treasure. I don't know what your barrier is, but it's time for you to start following the actions of wise men!

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/WSQtN6GI4iU

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.
   

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.
   

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin
   

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES