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God’s blessings are available now and are to be received in faith and contentment. It is dangerous to live only for current blessings and pleasures.

Blessings promised for the present

The blessing of God’s presence now Hag 1:13 See also Dt 31:6; 1Ki 8:57

The blessing of Jesus Christ’s presence now Mt 1:23 See also Isa 7:14; Isa 8:8,10; Mt 18:20; Mt 28:20; Jn 14:18; Ac 18:10

The blessing of the Spirit’s presence now Jn 14:16-17 See also Jn 14:25-27; Jn 16:7,13-16

Other blessings given in the present Mk 10:29-30 pp Mt 19:29 pp Lk 18:29-30 See also Ex 23:25; 1Ki 3:13 pp 2Ch 1:12; Ps 121:3-8; Mt 6:33; 1Ti 4:8; 1Pe 1:9

Future blessings are partially fulfilled in the present

Eph 1:13-14 See also Ro 8:23,30; 2Co 1:22; 2Co 5:5; Eph 1:3; Heb 12:22-24

Prayer for present provision and blessing

Lk 11:3 pp Mt 6:11 Prayers for physical provision: Ge 28:20; Pr 30:8
Mt 6:13 pp Lk 11:4 prayers for spiritual provision

The secret of contentment in the present

Php 4:10-13 See also 1Ti 6:6-8

The dangers of living for the present

Ecc 3:12-13 Ecclesiastes in particular reflects upon the emptiness of life without God. Though the good things of the present life are a gift from God and to be valued as such, they cannot bring ultimate fulfilment; Lk 12:15-20 See also Ecc 2:24; Ecc 5:18; Ecc 8:15; Ecc 9:7,9; Isa 22:13; 1Co 15:32; Php 3:19; 1Ti 6:9-10; Jas 4:13-17; 1Ti 6:17

The challenge of the present

The challenge to respond to God now 2Co 6:2 See also Dt 4:39-40; Dt 5:1; Dt 7:11; Dt 10:13; Dt 30:15-16; Ps 95:7-8; Isa 55:6; Hos 10:12; Heb 3:7

The challenge to serve God now Eph 5:15-16 See also Gal 6:10; Col 4:5

See also