|
Blessed To Be a Blessing Most of us, if not all of us will be blessed this Thanksgiving season among all peoples of the earth … as we visit family and or friends to sit down to a meal fit for a king. We are truly a blessed people. That’s what I want you to think about today … being blessed. Blessing: something promoting or contributing to the happiness, well being, or prosperity; a boon (a timely blessing or benefit). Have you been “boon-ed” lately? Has there recently been a “timely” blessing (boon) that has come when least expected? Consider the life of Abram/Abraham to pull out a few thoughts on a blessed life. Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Abram stands as a blessed example of a life that was blessed to be a blessing. Through the blessing of God, he would become an agent (are you?) to bless others. 1. Who Has blessed You and How? The “who” always connects with the “how.” God makes the blessing connection with Abram. God sought Abram out to bless him, and he seeks you out to bless you.
The blessings in Abram’s life would come from God … showing and making him into a blessing. Take notice that Abram being the recipient of God’s blessings would be based upon his obedience to “get out.” Could Abram leave all (let go) and go along with God? Could Abram stay where he was and receive the blessings of God? What if, he decided, “I like my home, house, neighbors and I really don’t want to go and get out.” Does God bless disobedience? No, no, no! God wants to take you deeper than where you’ve ever been with Him. Will you go? Genesis 49:25 From the God of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Could it be that the deeper blessings of God await you when you move out of your contentment and security of the things of your life? “We are, all of us, wrapped up in the things and folk around us, and not many can make the leap of faith required to see them as good and lovely, but as by no means the most vital part of life.” - Matthew Henry Commentary The greatest expressions of blessings received are from the hand of God. 2. What Do Your Blessings Look Like? Do you miss the blessings of God because you fail to recognize them? Can you not see what God wants to “show you?” Do you associate the blessings of this life in the “tangible” only … the monetary things received? Do you allow the blessings of this life to move into the realm of the unseen and untouched? Those blessing that are deep and beneath us. A pastor was visiting with a mother whose daughter was having test run at the hospital, she expressed that there could easily be a lot of worries in her life, as she and her husband prepare for the mission field. She stated that they are constantly asked how can they leave their oldest daughter behind and take their children into a tribal setting. Her reply was …
There
in those words … untouchable and unseen God unwrapped a disguised
blessing into my heart. You see I have been wrestling as father whose oldest
son has signed up for the D.E.P (delayed entry program) of the Marine Corp. I
have already been to Can you see the blessings of God in the not-so-good experiences of life? Isn’t it interesting that when bad times come upon people, they have the tendency to speak “curses” (not cussing). Curses (not cussing) sound like, “I hate this!” “This is unfair!” “I quit!” and so forth. It could be that the very hardship you find yourself going through is God’s “showing you” and “making you” a blessing. Are you cursing (not cussing) what God is trying to do in your life? “How many blessing words do we know?” If you really believe Romans 8:28 … And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (NLT) … then you ought to look for and see the blessings of God being given even in the hardships of our lives. Numbers 6:24-26 "The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace."' What do your blessings look like? Identify and be blessed! 3. Why Have You Been Blessed? Why was Abram chosen and blessed as the recipient of God’s blessings? Was it because he was a good guy … a lucky guy where God put His hand over His eyes and just pointed and it happened to Abram? Was it because he already had something going for himself? No, actually there was nothing Abram had done … it was God’s grace at work in his life. There is nothing you have done to deserve the blessings of God … it is His grace at work in you. Genesis 12:2b-3 … And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Abram went from the “I wills” of God’s blessings to the “you will” … of being a blessing. God has a purpose in blessing you ... for you to bless others. Even
in the face of what might appear as a cursing … let God handle it …
you be a blessing! God told Abram that those who curse him … God would
curse. Abram would only have one job … be a blessing from that which he
had been blessed by God. Jesus says … “bless those who curse you.” Wow! Now that is cross cultural living! Even in the face of being cursed … bless! The greatest blessings we can receive and give is to take what God has blessed us with and use it to be a blessing to others. That is why you have been blessed … to be a blessing to others! How could you be more of a blessing to others? Make Me Like Joe Joe was a drunk, miraculously converted in a street outreach mission. Before his conversion he’d gained a reputation as a derelict and dirty wino for whom there was no hope. But following his conversion to Christ, everything changed. Joe became the most caring person at the mission. He spent his days there, doing whatever needed to be done. There was never anything he was asked to do that he considered beneath him. Whether it was cleaning up vomit left by some sick alcoholic, or scrubbing toilets after men had left them filthy. Joe did it all with a heart of gratitude. He could be counted on to feed any man who wandered in off the streets, undress and tuck him into bed, when he was too out-of-it to take care of himself. One evening, after the mission director delivered his evangelistic message to the usual crowd of sullen men with dropped heads, one of them looked up, came down to the altar and kneeled to pray, crying out for God to help him change. The repentant drunk kept shouting, “Oh God, make me like Joe! Make me like Joe! Make me like Joe!” The director leaned over and said, “Son, wouldn’t it better if you prayed “make me like Jesus?” After thinking about it for a few moments, the man looked up with an inquisitive _expression_ and asked, “Is he like Joe?” Be a blessing wherever you go … and in whatever to do and to whomever you come into contact with. Be a blessing … for you are blessed to be a blessing! |
_______________________________________________ Sndbox mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net
