I’ll always remember a trip my leaders and I made to Israel a few years ago. One day during that trip, as planned, we made our way to Tel Dan, where the source of the River Jordan is found.

It was wintertime in Israel then, and so for stretches before we reached the river, we trudged alongside foliage made parched and colourless by the winter cold. But as we neared the river, a vastly different landscape greeted us.

Instead of more bleak and barren foliage, lush and leafy green trees suddenly appeared, standing straight, strong and tall amid the flowing waters at the river mouth. Because of the waters, a refreshing oasis of thriving, verdant and luxuriant trees had sprung up and put an end to the up-to-then lifeless and impoverished scenery. It was a most rewarding and picturesque sight, and immediately, I was reminded of a beautiful promise in the Word of God:

Jeremiah 17:7–8

7Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

What an amazing picture God gives us of a man who is blessed of the Lord! When his trust and hope are in the Lord, this blessed man is like a tree planted by the waters – like the lush, green trees we saw. Good or bad times, his leaves are always green – he’s always young, fresh and healthy. And he’s unceasingly fruitful – always prospering in all that he does!

Beloved, God did not put this beautiful picture in the Bible just to fill up space. It’s there to help you see who He wants you to be. He wants you to be this blessed man or woman. Yes, God wants you blessed every day of this year like the evergreen tree planted by the waters. Even when drought or challenges come, He doesn’t want you to fear or feel the heat. In fact, He wants you to experience UNCEASING FRUITFULNESS! What a powerful visual God has given you for this year!

If you experienced disappointing results or setbacks last year, don’t dwell on them anymore. Expect to see good success this year. See yourself as the blessed man – the evergreen, ever-fruitful tree planted by the waters. This means that if you are a parent, expect to have more favour with your children. Expect to spend more quality time with them. Expect them to excel in their studies. If you are running a business, expect more clients and customers. Expect your sales to reach new levels. And if you’ve been believing God for a child, expect to conceive this year. Begin to expect unceasing fruitfulness in every area of your life!



How Do You Become The Blessed Man?

Jeremiah 17:7 tells us clearly that the blessed man is someone who trusts and hopes in the Lord. So if you want to be the blessed man Jeremiah speaks of this year, start putting your trust and hope in the Lord.

“How do I do that, Pastor Prince?”

That’s a good question, my friend. We often hear people telling us to “trust and hope in the Lord”. But what does that mean? How do we trust and hope in the Lord practically? Do we just go around saying, “Lord, I trust You”?

I’m glad that the Bible shows us how we can trust and hope in the Lord. Look at Psalm 1:1-3:

1Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

Don’t the words sound familiar? Like the prophet Jeremiah, the psalmist paints an identical picture of the blessed man – an evergreen, ever-fruitful tree planted by the waters. And why is this man so blessed? Because “his delight is in the law of the Lord [Word of God], and in His law he meditates day and night”. That, my friend, is how you practically put your trust and hope in the Lord. You delight in and MEDITATE on His Word day and night!

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