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Blessing of Blessings, The Introduction: This time of year we often focus on our blessings. Most of us appreciate our blessings and want more of them. In our prayers we often ask God to keep on blessing us. There are different views about our blessings. Some believe every good thing we received is premeditated and provided by God. Others leave God out of the picture.
There is scriptural evidence that proves God blessed men in times past: Abraham, Job, etc. We also read Bible passages that says God still blesses us, James 1.17; Acts 14.17. Let us consider the blessings from God; we will look at material blessings, spiritual blessings, and the blessing of blessings.
I)_ Material/Physical Blessings A) God provides for the material needs of man. 1. Rain and sunshine, Matthew 5.45. 2. So are "the seed for the sower" and "the bread for food, 2 Corinthians 9.10 B) God supplies opportunity for all lives to sustain in our world. 1. Do to a lot of false-teaching regarding God's blessings us with great fortune and success, some automatically look for "great gain." a. Where is my new home, car, etc. b. Some think of physical blessings in one small area that is materialism. 2. There are greater things in life; other than money and materialism. C) The greatest material blessings are opportunities! 1. Time is a blessing, Ecc. 12.13 a. Time to find salvation, 2 Corinthians 6.2 b. To grow in knowledge 2 Timothy 2.15; 3.16-17 c. Time to develop wisdom (James 1.5-8) wisdom is earned by survival d. Time to use our talents, 1Corithians 12.14-27, e. etc. 2 Peter 3.18 2. Guidance along the difficult pathway of life, Matthew 7.13-14. D) Our success in life is determined by how we use our blessings 1. Are you going to use you time selfishly or selflessly? 2. Are you going to seek God's will or live in rebellion to God? II) Spiritual Blessings A) Does God provide spiritual blessings? 1. Man's greatest need is returning from our self-inflicted separation from God, Romans 3.23. 2. God has provided for our souls, the spiritual man, by way of: a. A Savior (Soul a Savior Thou Art Needing), Romans 5.6-10. b. A plan whereas man could be saved, John 3.16 c. A way man could learn about God's plan of salvation, Romans 1.16; Acts 2.38-39 d. The promise of heaven, John 14.1-6 B) The greatest spiritual blessings are opportunities 1. The opportunity to discover God and obey His plan, Mark 16.15-16 2. The opportunity to receive the cleansing blood of Christ, Colossians 1.19-23 a. The opportunity to enter into Christ and know all the blessings of Eph. 1. b. To become holy and without blame before God, v. 4. c. To be adopted as children to the Father, v. 5 d. To be accepted in His beloved Son, v. 6 e. To receive the redemption through His blood, v. 7 f. The forgiveness of our sins, v. 7 g. To receive the knowledge of His will, the word, v. 9 h. To look forward to our inheritance with Christ, v. 11 i. To prepare for and look forward to the final redemption, v. 14. C) What we do with our spiritual blessings makes all the difference 1. Our spiritual blessings are for one main goal, to be united with God in heaven. 2. How we use our spiritual blessings now will determine where we spend eternity, Galatians 5.22-25. III) The Blessing of Blessings A) Fact 1. God wants His children to be like Him, Matthew 5.48 2. To be like Jesus is to be like the Father, John 14.9-11 3. Our Father in heaven is a giver of blessings, therefore, B) We need to be able to bless others. 1. WE bless God by giving back to Him, 1 Corinthians 16.1,2; 2 Corinthians 9.6-10. 2. We bless others when we can share what we have with them, Acts 4.32-37. 3. We bless others when we share the truth with them, Acts 10.24 C) What we do with our blessings makes all the difference 1. To God who is praised, 2 Corinthians 9.12b. 2. To those who are helped, 2 Corinthians 9.12a. 3. To those who are saved. Conclusion: How about you today? What are you doing with your blessings? Are you using them to store up treasures in heaven? The hope of Jesus is offered to you right now. Will you seek Him hope, His plan, His salvation, and His blessings? (Adapted from an article and sermon by Sean Sullivan.) |