1. Bless

Mark 14:22  He (Jesus) took some bread he blessed it, then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples.

Gary Wilkerson states that a giving family will raise generous children.  God is a giving God and the pattern of his giving is here in this verse

Blessed

Ephesians 1:3 He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

Notice the tense here. It does not say we hope he will bless us with every spiritual blessing, but he has.

Spurgeon:

  1. We could not live without them
  2. We are beyond workhouse fare and are feasting with saints and princes
  3. He has given us more than home-spun garments; he has put upon us robes of beauty and glory even his own spotless righteousness.
  4. We are not sitting here groaning crying and fretting and worrying questioning our own salvation.
  5. A new heart is better than a new coat.
  6. To feed on Christ is better than the best earthly food.
  7. To have God as our portion is better than to have the richest acres of this earth.

All Spiritual blessings as Christ attempts to bring us up to where he is seated at the right hand of God the father.

Not apart from Christ but found in Christ.

Psalm 103:1,2 Bless the Lord Oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. Forget not all his benefits.

2. Broken life of giving.

Flesh hates giving.  We would rather receive

EXAMPLE:  books on getting what is yours in Christ.

  1. Your Best Life now
  2. You Can you will
  3. It’s Your time

A lot of them with a focus on us and our lives.

2 Corinthians mentions three areas of brokenness that are constantly working in our lives

6: 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God.  We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities.

  1. Troubles
    1. In this world you ill have afflictions John 16:33
  2. Hardships
    1. hard things we just need to do.
  3. Calamities
    1. Perplexities or things we cannot figure out.

Our prayer is to always get back to the blessing, but God has another idea

2 Corinthians 1:4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others when they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort we received.

Natural instinct is anger, sorrow, revenge, despair.BUT when abiding in Christ a different fruit comes out.

 

3. Heaven focus

We always want an answer in the now.  Now get me out of this, now heal this, now do something…anything.

Hebrews 2:8 – 10a Jesus is bringing everyone into glory.

2 Corinthians 6:10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.  We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Every spiritual gift in Jesus.

it is going to be hard the next few days, but…

John 16:22 I will see you again and your joy will be complete

What if I don’t feel anything

14. James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.