Blessings and Curses

Tonight I was enjoying an unexpected discussion regarding blessings and curses and was challenged to look more into the topic. I recalled a scripture mentioning that the curses were limited to the 3rd or 4th generation but the blessings went much farther. I wanted to say for 1000 generations but that sounded like such a LONG time and I wasn't sure. The conversation led to seeking the scripture out for ourselves to glean more. (All scripture is from the Amplified translation.)

When I arrived home I opened my Bible and began the search. I found many scriptures discussing blessings and curses and finally landed on the one I was thinking of. Exodus 20:4-6 "You shall not make yourself any graven image {to worship it} or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down yourself to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, But showing mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments."

Then I read this note: 'Idols on our heart block worship; idols are there because we believe in lies.' So, anything we believe and live by that is opposed to God's truth is an idol. Any idol we bow down to (ie buy into the lie) produces a curse in our lives. Interesting, I love aha moments! As I was reading and flipping through my Bible I saw the following scriptures jump out at me:

John 8:32 "And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free."
John 8: 36 "So if the Son liberates you, then you are really and unquestionably free."
John 8:43 "Why do you misunderstand what I say? It is because you are unable to hear what I am saying. {You cannot bear to listen to My message; your ears are shut to My teaching.}
John 8:47 "Whoever is of God listens to God. {Those who belong to God hear the words of God.} This is the reason you do not listen {to those words, to Me}: because you do not belong to God and are not of God or in harmony with Him."

So, if we choose to look at, or base our perspective off of, something that is opposed to God's word then we are buying into a lie. The lie produces an idol that blocks us from receiving further truth. But if we welcome His Truth then the Truth will set us free and we are free without doubt! We must choose to seek THE Truth and not be found looking for our truth to be confirmed. If we desire to see Him and what He sees, then we will accept His truth with open arms. His truth can only produce life in our lives. But we do have the choice to truly hear The Truth or reject it.

Here is an example of rejecting the truth before their eyes: In these scriptures, the Pharisees did not see Jesus for who He Was but as a sinner. Jesus had just healed the blind man and they were questioning "who is this fellow?". Can't you just hear the tone in that question?!

John 9: 29-30 "We know for certain that God spoke with Moses, but as for this Fellow, we know nothing about where He hails from. The man replied, Well, this is astonishing! Here a Man has opened my eyes and yet you do not know where He comes from."

John 9:39 "Then Jesus said, I came into this world for judgment {as a Separator, in order that there may be separation between those who believe on Me and those who reject Me}, to make the sightless see and to make those who see become blind."

John 9:41 "Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but because you now claim to have sight, your sin remains. {If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but because you insist, We do see clearly, you are unable to escape your guilt.}"

John 10:10 "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

So the blind man didn't sin, he was blind. Being blind is not a sin. The Pharisees thought they knew it all and were convinced that they knew the real truth and they were looking to judge and condemn Christ because He didn't fit into their perfect little box. Their confidence in their own sight was their sin, they were not open to The Truth that stood before them. They boldly and confidently rejected what was obvious - the Truth! Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy - to rob us of any and all Truth. The more distorted truth we base our lives off of is a distraction from THE Truth. To live by a distorted truth is to make an idol - to say "I can depend on me - no one else" is a distorted truth and THE Truth is "Blessed is the man who trusts in You {leaning and believing on you, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving}!" Psalm 84:12

John 10:24 - 30 "So the Jews surrounded Him and began asking Him, How long are You going to keep us in doubt and suspense? If You are really the Christ (the Messiah), tell us so plainly and openly. Jesus answered them, I have told you so, yet you do not believe Me {you do not trust Me and rely on Me}. The very works that I do by the power of My Father and in My Father's name bear witness concerning Me {they are My credentials and evidence in support of Me}. But you do not believe and trust and rely on Me because you do not belong to My fold {you are not sheep of Mine}. The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. {To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.} And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all {else}; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are One."

Having a preconceived idea of how things will be or should be does alter our ability to truly trust and see what God wants us to see. The Jews expected Christ to be more royal and grand - this ordinary Christ was not what they were looking for, and that is why many missed Him. They had a picture of Him before He came. He didn't fit their plan for Christ and so they were blinded to Him when He was performing the miraculous all around them. A curse can be as simple as not having eyes to see Him and ears to hear Him. The good news is that all that is required to break this curse is to see Him as He IS in your situation and accept Him. Then you are under the umbrella of 1000 generations (not years) of blessings. How? You open the door of hearing and seeing to your household in every area that you choose to see Him in. You must be open to Him and ask to see Him, He wants You to seek Him and you will find Him. He loves you and wants you to love Him. If you ask Him to show you what He wants you to see in the situation at hand, He will show you and you will find the Truth has set you free! Free Indeed!