From Curse to Blessing: Return to the Cross

Devotional

Day 1: The Promise That Shook Nations

Abraham stood barefoot before flaming torches as God swore an oath. Stars stretched overhead while Yahweh pledged descendants, land, and global blessing. The aging nomad held no heir, no territory—just raw trust in the Voice splitting the night. Covenant blood spilled as God alone passed through severed animals, binding Himself to keep promises no mortal could fulfill. [05:36]

This moment redefined blessing forever. God didn’t reward Abraham’s resume but initiated grace. The blessing flowed from divine initiative, not human qualification. Jesus later fulfilled this oath by becoming the cursed sacrifice so Gentiles like us could inherit Abraham’s promise through faith alone.

You face decisions requiring trust beyond visible security. Will you fixate on barren circumstances or the God who names stars? When has clinging to control starved your spirit more than stepping into unknown obedience?

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country...to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation...and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’”
(Genesis 12:1-3, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to expose areas where you’ve substituted self-made security for radical trust in His covenant faithfulness.

Challenge: Write down one practical step of obedience you’ve delayed—take it within 24 hours.

Day 2: When Wolves Wear Wool

Paul’s letter scorched Galatian ears: “Who bewitched you?” These believers traded gospel freedom for rule-keeping after smooth-talking Judaizers infiltrated their gatherings. The influencers seemed spiritual—quoting Scripture, demanding sacrifice—but their fruit reeked of control, not Christ. [11:32]

Deception often wears holy disguises. The serpent didn’t hiss heresy but twisted half-truths. Jesus warned of wolves mimicking sheepskins—leaders using God-talk to enslave rather than liberate. True spiritual authority points people back to Christ’s finished work, not their own performance.

Scan your inner circle. Do mentors amplify Jesus’ sufficiency or your striving? What podcasts/books feed performance anxiety versus gospel rest? When did you last evaluate your teachers’ fruit against Scripture rather than their charisma?

“You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you?...Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by hearing with faith?”
(Galatians 3:1-2, NASB)

Prayer: Confess any pride that makes you susceptible to performance-based teaching.

Challenge: List three primary spiritual influences—note if their teachings align with Galatians 2:21.

Day 3: From Curse to Chasm-Crosser

Roman nails pinned more than flesh to timber—they transferred the law’s curse onto sinless shoulders. Jesus absorbed the rejection, wrath, and separation we deserved. His “Eli Eli” cry echoed Abraham’s knife-raised moment, but no ram appeared. He became the ram. [21:59]

The cross wasn’t a metaphor but a legal transaction. Blessing and curse collided as God’s justice and mercy embraced. When we grasp this exchange, we stop negotiating with God. Either Jesus bore it all, or we bear it alone—no middle ground.

Where are you still laboring under self-imposed curses? Striving for approval? Hiding shame? Name one area to stop negotiating and start receiving. What makes fully trusting this exchange feel risky?

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’”
(Galatians 3:13, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus specifically for absorbing a consequence you rightfully deserved.

Challenge: Physically touch a cross (necklace, artwork) while declaring “My curse became Yours” aloud.

Day 4: Faces Shining Like Dawn

Aaron’s calloused hands lifted over Israel, speaking words not his own: “The Lord make His face shine upon you.” For desert wanderers, this meant God’s smile outshining the scorching sun. His gaze meant favor, protection, peace—not because they earned it, but because He chose them. [24:54]

God’s face shining signifies intimate presence, not generic luck. The blessing isn’t karma but kinship. When Jesus cried “forsaken,” He endured the curse’s greatest agony—losing the Father’s face—so we could forever bask in its light.

You’ve known both abandonment and presence. Where do you currently sense God’s face shining versus feeling like He’s turned away? How might the cross redefine your interpretation of His gaze?

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
(Numbers 6:24-26, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to make you aware of His face shining upon you in a specific struggle today.

Challenge: Text someone: “God’s face is shining on you in [situation]” before sunset.

Day 5: Broken Bread, Unbroken Blessing

Fractured matzo passed hand to hand in the upper room. Jesus redefined Passover’s bread: “This is My body broken for you.” Hours later, Roman whips fulfilled His words—but the blessing remained unbroken. His crushing secured our wholeness. [32:53]

Communion isn’t ritual but remembrance. Each crumb proclaims “The curse stopped here.” When we eat, we affirm that no failure, pain, or sin can revoke our blessed status. The cross sealed what our fickle hearts doubt.

What shame or failure makes you question your blessedness? How would receiving the bread today shift your focus from performance to permanence?

“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread...and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’”
(1 Corinthians 11:23-24, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for one specific way His brokenness healed your brokenness.

Challenge: Take communion today—use any bread/juice—and say “The curse ends here” as you eat.

Sermon Summary

Richard Taylor Harris traces the biblical meaning of blessing and curse through Galatians 3 and the Genesis promise to Abraham. The teaching stresses that the blessing promised to Abraham transfers from ethnic descent to spiritual descent by faith in Christ. Paul reframes the Abrahamic gift as an inclusive promise granted through faith rather than through adherence to the law. The argument contrasts the life of blessing, marked by God’s presence, protection, favor, and observable fruit, with the curse that withdraws those very goods.

The Galatians’ drift toward legalism illustrates how outside influence can undo gospel fruit. Legalistic teachers sought to reimpose the law as a means of justification, and the result left believers bewitched, confused, and vulnerable to separation from God’s blessing. The content urges a careful audit of influences, insisting that proximity to godly people and Scripture produces discernible fruit while unhealthy media and partisan content can distort faith. Technology and sensational commentary do not substitute for community shaped by observable character and biblical depth.

The cross functions as the decisive hinge. Christ bore the curse pronounced by the law so that believers might inherit Abraham’s blessing by faith. That great exchange removes the chasm sin creates and anchors righteousness in grace rather than human effort. The call to return repeatedly to the cross combats self-righteousness and secures a life of sanctification that flows from the Spirit, not from human striving.

The practice of communion, public invitation to repentance, and corporate prayer for healing underscores the practical outworking of doctrine. Blessing shows itself in tangible ways: travel, work, family, provision, and peace. Conversely, the curse yields suffering, condemnation, and separation. The material invites decisive faith, communal care, and reliance on Christ’s finished work as the only reliable defense against the curse and the enacted path into blessing.

Key Takeaways

1. Blessing equals God’s nearness and favor When Scripture speaks of blessing it names God’s active presence, protection, and approval in every domain of life. Blessing manifests as observable provision and peace so that neighbors and enemies alike can see God’s hand. The promise to Abraham emphasizes relational proximity more than material gain. [24:29]
2. Blessing comes through faith not law Paul insists that Abraham’s blessing arrives by trust in God’s promise rather than by human obedience to the law. Righteousness received by faith preserves the cross as meaningful and prevents returning to a performance-based religion. Reliance on law for justification places one back under the curse. [07:26]
3. Take inventory of your influences Spiritual formation depends on who and what shapes daily thinking and habits. Proximity to people who bear biblical fruit and teach Scripture sustains gospel clarity, while sensational media and toxic commentary can produce confusion and division. Recalibrating influence often protects faith more than raw information. [11:32]
4. Return to the cross again and again The cross erased the curse and secured Abraham’s blessing for believers, so remembrance must be ongoing. Repeatedly centering on Christ combats self-righteousness and fuels sanctification as the Spirit works, not as human striving. Communion and confession renew that dependence and keep grace central. [21:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:23] - Church trends and Christianese
[04:59] - Defining blessed and cursed
[07:26] - Paul redefines Abraham’s blessing
[11:32] - Guardrail one take inventory of influences
[21:13] - Guardrail two come back to the cross
[29:58] - Communion invitation and prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Galatians 3:13-14 (ESV)
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."

Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV)
"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"

Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

Observation Questions

In Galatians 3:13-14, what two outcomes does Paul say Christ’s sacrifice accomplished for believers?
According to Genesis 12:3, how does God’s promise to Abraham extend beyond his own family?
The sermon emphasized that blessing is marked by God’s presence, favor, and observable fruit. What specific examples of "observable fruit" were mentioned as evidence of living under blessing? [24:29]
How does Paul contrast faith and law in Galatians 3:5-6?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul use the term “bewitched” to describe the Galatians’ drift toward legalism (Galatians 3:1)? What does this imply about the danger of external influences? [11:32]
The Numbers 6 blessing emphasizes God’s face “shining” on someone. What does this imagery reveal about the relational nature of blessing?
How does the cross act as a “hinge” between the curse and blessing, according to Galatians 3:13-14? Why is repeated remembrance of the cross necessary? [21:13]
The sermon contrasts blessing (God’s nearness) and curse (God’s withdrawal). How might this framework reshape our understanding of suffering or hardship in daily life?

Application Questions

The sermon warns that “proximity to godly people and Scripture produces discernible fruit.” What practical steps could you take this week to intentionally surround yourself with influences that point you to Christ? [20:46]
Reflect on an area of life (work, family, finances) where you’ve tried to “earn” God’s favor through performance. How would daily remembrance of the cross shift your approach in that area? [28:55]
The blessing of Abraham includes being “a blessing to others.” What is one tangible way you could intentionally reflect God’s favor to someone who feels distant from Him this week?
The sermon urges believers to “take inventory” of media and content influences. What is one source of input (social media, podcasts, etc.) you need to reevaluate, and how could you replace it with something life-giving? [17:30]
How might regularly practicing communion or confession help combat self-reliance and keep grace central in your walk with God?
The Numbers 6 blessing includes peace. What does “peace” look like in your current season, and where do you need to actively trust God’s presence instead of striving for control?

Sermon Clips

``Because a lot of the way that we use it in church, and in fact, the way that much of the world uses it, when we say I'm blessed, it's like we're saying, oh, I'm I'm happy and grateful. And those are great things to be. I I wish you all of the happiness and gratefulness in the world, but I have to ask myself, is that really all that it means to be blessed? Is there is there more to it than that in the word of God? We're we're gonna look at the Bible today, and by the end of our time, we're gonna attempt to define this word a little bit more clearly. [00:04:39] (32 seconds) #RethinkBlessed