Present, the

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

Haggai 1:13 See also Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Kings 8:57

Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, delivered the message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.

The blessing of Jesus Christ's presence now

Matthew 1:23 See also Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 8:8, Isaiah 8:10; Matthew 18:20, Matthew 28:20; John 14:18; Acts 18:10

“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” ( which means, “God with us”).

The blessing of the Spirit's presence now

John 14:16–17 See also John 14:25–27, John 16:7, John 16:13–16

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.

Other blessings given in the present

Mark 10:29–30 parallels Matthew 19:29, Luke 18:29–30 See also Exodus 23:25; 1 Kings 3:13 parallel 2 Chronicles 1:12; Psalm 121:3–8; Matthew 6:33; 1 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 1:9

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions — and in the age to come, eternal life.

Future blessings are partially fulfilled in the present

Ephesians 1:13–14 See also Romans 8:23, Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:3; Hebrews 12:22–24

And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth — the gospel of your salvation — you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.

Prayer for present provision and blessing

Luke 11:3 parallel Matthew 6:11 Genesis 28:20; Proverbs 30:8; Matthew 6:13 parallel Luke 11:4 prayers for spiritual provision

Give us each day our daily bread.

The secret of contentment in the present

Philippians 4:10–13 See also 1 Timothy 6:6–8

Now I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

The dangers of living for the present

Ecclesiastes 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; Luke 12:15–20 See also Ecclesiastes 2:24, Ecclesiastes 5:18, Ecclesiastes 8:15, Ecclesiastes 9:7, Ecclesiastes 9:9; Isaiah 22:13; 1 Corinthians 15:32; Philippians 3:19; 1 Timothy 6:9–10; James 4:13–17; 1 Timothy 6:17

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor — this is the gift of God.

And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods. Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

The challenge of the present

The challenge to respond to God now

2 Corinthians 6:2 See also Deuteronomy 4:39–40, Deuteronomy 5:1, Deuteronomy 7:11, Deuteronomy 10:13, Deuteronomy 30:15–16; Psalm 95:7–8; Isaiah 55:6; Hosea 10:12; Hebrews 3:7

For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!

The challenge to serve God now

Ephesians 5:15–16 See also Galatians 6:10; Colossians 4:5

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.