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| God Bless America! #31 by Joseph Prescia What does it mean to bless or be blessed? This word is used so frequently. We are aware that being blessed is a positive thing yet the true meaning seems to escape our ability to define it. We know that America is blessed and that idol-infested countries are not. For instance, according to the United States CIA website the average life expectancy of an Afghan is only 46 years old. In the United States of America it’s as high as 77 years old. Proverbs 3:13-18 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she (wisdom) is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. (NIV) If you reject this information from the bible you will not receive its benefits. This wisdom is the result of a man or woman deciding to put the Word of God in their mind, by reading it, studying it and finally living it. Wisdom is simply knowledge in application, in practice. This section of scripture says that the man who applies wisdom is blessed. Furthermore, length of days, riches, honor, pleasantness and peace result. Afghanistan citizens die at an early age, they resort to dishonorable means for their income (drugs, etc.), they are swift to shed blood and the way of peace they do not know. The opposite of blessing biblically is to be cursed (see Genesis 12:3, Romans 12:14). Seems to me that America is the one blessed and Afghanistan is cursed. The Taliban insists that they are inspired in their actions by their god. If you are taking sides on which country has the bigger God I vote with the Christian God of America. You don’t even have to take it by faith. The FACTS speak loudly and the Word of God speaks even louder. There are several ways that this word “blessed” is used in the Bible. A partial list includes being happy, being favored by God, having God’s spiritual blessings, praising God, to wish well, physical and spiritual prosperity, etc. A Bible Concordance and reading the context would help to more fully understand it. God has and will continue to bless America as Americans continue to stand with Him and upon His Word. |
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