“Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.” (Psalms 67:6)
This psalm is a prayer that King David wrote. He prays that people in every nation would praise God, in that way the earth would prosper, and God would bless us. Bible scholars have given this psalm a prophetic meaning about the church. In verses 2-4 of this psalm, David makes references to all nations. We know that all nations in that day did not know God. They had their gods, but not the One True God Who dwells in the heavenlies. “so that the whole world may know Your will; so that all nations may know Your salvation. May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You! May the nations be glad and sing for joy, because You judge the peoples with justice and guide every nation on earth. May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You!” (Psalms 67:2-5) We know now in hindsight that it’s the church that will universally have knowledge of God.
When all nations will praise God, there will be abundance on the earth. We know from God’s Word that this will occur in the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus. Until then, nations continue to war and most certainly over religion which is a curse and ravages the earth. In Deuteronomy, God’s Word begins the list of curses for those who disobey God. “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee:” (Deuteronomy 28:15) Then in verse 25 of Deuteronomy we find the reference to war. “The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 28:25)
And David in his psalm makes it clear that it’s God Who blesses us. God’s Word tells us that He not only can bless us, but wants to bless us. “"So do not start worrying: 'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?' (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what He requires of you, and He will provide you with all these other things.” (Matthew 6:31-33)
James tells us that we don’t have because we don’t ask. And when we do ask, our motives are ungodly, for vain and selfish motives which are not pleasing to God. “You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures.” (James 4:2-3) God does not want His children to be beggars. What kind of Father withholds what his child needs. God the Father is a Good God. He gives liberally and abundantly to His children. (James 1:5) “I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the LORD or their children begging for food.” (Psalms 37:25)
God wants His children strong, victorious, healthy and with every need met. But we don’t ask. And when we ask, our motives are wrong. Our motives don’t exalt the Lord, but ourselves. “"Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock.” (Matthew 7:7-8) There is provision from our Lord God Who is our Provider, Jehovah Jireh.
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