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What are 4 things you wish were different about you or your life?

God’s blessing in 2020 would be ________.

God would prove His blessing in my life by ________.

“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.”
Luke‬ ‭6:20-23‬

Which would you rather have, your list of 4 things you wish were different about you or God’s blessing?
Can you have both?

Believers frequently ask God to bless them or their work without considering whether they are in a position to receive God’s blessing or whether they want to be placed in such a position.
- Matt Champlin

I. BLESSING AND cURSING:

I. BLESSING AND cURSING:

• All blessing comes from God.

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good....‭‭"
Genesis‬ ‭1:31‬

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
James‬ ‭1:17

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”
Ephesians‬ ‭1:3

I. BLESSING AND cURSING:

• All blessing comes from God.
• What interrupts the blessing of God is the curse of sin.

“Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden.
I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."” ‭‭
Genesis‬ ‭4:14

I. BLESSING AND cURSING:

• All blessing comes from God.
• What interrupts the blessing of God is the curse of sin.
• Blessing is conditional to relationship with God:

"I am with you."

“Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.

And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake."

They said, "We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord."”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭26:3, 24, 28-29‬

I. BLESSING AND cURSING:

• All blessing comes from God.
• What interrupts the blessing of God is the curse of sin.
• Blessing is conditional to relationship with God.
• Blessing and Cursing: there are only two options.

In the relationships around me am I a blessing or a curse?

In my attitude towards others: do I bless them when they come to mind or do I curse them?

What is my prayer that guides my day?

II. THE TWO WAYS:

You’re seeking good counsel and not buying into the council of those who are far from God.

You have not decided, habitually or otherwise, to do things that are contrary to God and His way.

You do not find your rest and security in bitterness or in cursing.

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The promise of blessing is that although life may be hard, you will be spared from more heartache and heavy burden apart from Christ.

The promise of blessing is that although the fruitfulness may not be apparent now that kingdom fruitfulness is coming in a big way and will not be able to be contained.

When you feel tired and reach the end of your strength you can find a strength and beginning of God’s enabling grace.

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God’s Blessing is Missional:

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.... in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."” ‭‭
Genesis‬ ‭12:1-3‬

'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?”
Deuteronomy‬ ‭4:5-8

“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” ‭‭
2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:11‬

“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. "So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them."” ‭‭
Numbers‬ ‭6:24-27