How much does God have to bless you before you are blessed?
Are you fully blessed or half blessed?
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS in heavenly places in Christ… Ephesians 1:3
How does the fact that the Father has blessed you with ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS in Christ Jesus affect your life today? Does this truth impact upon your life?
Will this fact affect your thinking, your outlook, your faith?
Are you blessed?
July 19, 2012 at 8:49 pm
I hope most of us as believers have taken the time to consider how God has blessed us and how me may bless us. These are obviously two different things. When I think of how God might bless me (temporarily with things in this life) I have to question myself for often I only think I know what is best for me. I far too often only think what I request will be good for me and that at this very moment. I cannot see the many pitfalls that may come if God were to grant me whatever I might ask of Him. On the other hand, God’s spiritual blessings (what He has already given through out union with Christ) are entirely His doing and with certainty are good, acceptable and perfect. It is His will that I might have these things now (such as the blessing of forgiveness), but I still have the responsibility to ask or appropriate all of these blessings He has given to me. The latter is both a privilege and responsibility.
I truly hope that as those called and chosen by our Father, we might both discover and appropriate the all spiritual blessings of Ephesians 1 in which you reference Ian. These are far greater and far more fulfilling than anything He might grant us within the framework of our temporal physical existence. God has given all, and He is blessed as we learn to enter in to all He has given us for His name’s sake.
July 20, 2012 at 12:34 am
Thanks brother, that’s so true.
And just to add that the stewards of God never think solely in terms that they personally have been blessed by God, but rather, with whatever they have been blessed by God they see it as a stewardship to be faithful with, and not so much as personal possession.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them who are sanctified. I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, you yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
(Acts 20:32-35)
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
We see that stewardship in Paul’s life. He is never seeking blessing just for himself.
Whenever he received the provision of the Father he never thought solely in terms that, I am blessed! Or, This is for ME! (even though he was single) but rather, WE are blessed, this is for US!
I believe this is such an important distinction. When Christians think in terms of “ME” they really miss out on so much blessing in the Kingdom of God, and the blessedness of giving.
This is one reason that asceticism is not taught in the NT. Self-denial, but not asceticism. If a man is a faithful steward of God He could have millions of dollars flow thru his accounts and still be practicing self-denial and bearing His cross.
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Truly, our Father is our blessing thru the fact that His Son is the blessed One.
We are blessed after the same order in which the Son is blessed by virtue of being in the Son.
I’ve been reflecting on what it means for God to bless a person, for a person to be blessed.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
(Mat 5:3-11)
Blessed by God.
Then in Romans 4 we read about “blessedness” :
Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Comes this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
(Rom 4:6-9)
Blessed, blessing, blessedness…
July 20, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Reminds me of a thought I had about prosperity and miracle recently. The Lord dropped this into my mind that why ask for miracles/ blessings/ prosperity when the fact that you wake up daily, you breathe, you go out, you come in- In short, the fact that you live itself is a miracle/blessing itself?
Ian, I’ll get back to you on TBJ. We have a village meeting here in the office.