Title: Seeds of Blessing
Contents
Title: Seeds of Blessing
Bible: Ephesians 5:20
If a person wants to reap any fruit, he must sow the seed. It is foolish to plant nothing or to plant the wrong seed and expect it to produce the desired fruit. Just as beans must be planted to reap beans, those who want to reap the fruit of blessing in their fields of life must plant seeds of blessing.
The Bible says Gal 6:7 Do not deceive yourself, for God is not despised, for whatever a man sows he will also reap... 8 He who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but whoever sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit will reap eternal life
Gratitude is the seed of blessing. The attitude of gratitude in everything is precious to God.
1. The thanksgiving of those who know the grace of the Lord (Ephesians 2:5)
“We, who were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)
1) The grace that redeemed life
Gal 3:10 Cursed are all those who are of the works of the law, for it is written, Cursed is anyone who does not always do all the things that are written in the book of the law.
② He set us free from our sins Revelation 1:5 Grace and peace to you through Jesus Christ, who loved us and freed us from our sins by his blood.
(3) To save us from the evil world Galatians 1:4 Christ gave himself for our sins to deliver us from this evil age, according to the will of God and our Father.
Those who know that grace will be grateful in some way. We are indebted to the Lord of the great grace of the redemption of life.
As Paul testified, we who died in our trespasses have been saved by God's grace. It is a wonderful grace and blessing. Many show no particular interest in the redemption of life. Because they do not know the value of this.
Humans have developed science and have created many tools that make life easier. We live in the midst of an era where many things that previous generations could not have even imagined have materialized.
However, one area that has not been accessed is the redemption of life. This is entirely within the realm of God, and is possible only by grace. Having received such a great blessing, it is very natural to be grateful.
2) The grace that cares for your needs
◎Help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18)
“Because he suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
② He looked after his people (Luke 7:16)
“Everyone was afraid, and gave glory to God, saying, A great prophet has risen among us, and that God has visited his people.
③To make life great (Isaiah 58:11)
“I, the LORD, will guide you always, satisfy your soul in dry places, and strengthen your bones; you will be like a watered garden, like a spring that never fails.
God has not only redeemed our lives, but He also cares for our daily needs. Just as a father cares for the needs of his beloved children, so Jesus is so deeply involved and gracious to us in our daily life that we should be thankful. He knows and supplies our needs.
Whether we need spiritual or material needs, our source is God. It is amazing that the Lord cares for us, from our daily lives and problems to eating, clothing, and drinking. The Lord takes our cares.
He bears the burden of our worries, dissatisfaction, and tensions. Such a fact is sufficient for us to thank him.
2. The thanks of those who acknowledge the Lord in everything (Proverbs 3:6)
“Acknowledge him in everything, and he will direct you in your way.”
① The Lord is our only Mediator and Savior
Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
②The Lord is our only source of truth (John 6:14)
“Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.
To acknowledge the Lord in all things is to acknowledge the Lord's absolute sovereignty, and this is the seed for reaping blessings. The Lord is the only one who works according to the will of his heart. The Lord does not need our opinion in the choice of the worker or in setting the time.
No public hearings are held, and no plans are made to gather public opinion. We must be careful not to view all progress in history from a human point of view. Just as the Lord created the universe and all things, the Lord is in control of the great and small events of history.
Therefore, those who acknowledge the Lord in all things change their view of history and develop awe for history. It is not against God's will for a sparrow to fall to the ground.
2) Trust in the Lord's guidance
① Guide to rest (Psalm 23:2)
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters... I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
③ Guidance until death (Psalm 48:14)
“This God is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us to death.
Recognizing the Lord in all things is an attitude of trusting in the Lord's guidance. As we can see in the song of Habakkuk, those who trust in the Lord's guidance can be thankful even when the surrounding conditions are very poor and they are in a state of sin. The attitude of trusting in the Lord's guidance is never found among the majority of believers today.
This tells us two things.
The first is that the basis of faith is wrong. It should be a neo-capitalist faith centered on God, but since we have a humanistic faith centered on people or ourselves, it has no choice but to do so.
The second is the lack of knowledge of God. We do not trust God because we do not know the way God is interested in us or how He works.
3. Thanks to those who are determined to obey the Lord (1 Samuel 15:22)
“Samuel said to him, “Does the LORD take delight in burnt offerings and other sacrifices, as does the obedience of his voice?
② Christ who set the example of obedience (Hebrews 5:8)
“Even though he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered,
9 Having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.
③ Blessings follow those who obey (James 1:25)
“He who is looking into the perfect law of liberty is not the one who hears it and forgets it, but the one who puts it into practice, and this man will be blessed in what he does.
1) Obedience better than sacrifice
Deciding to obey the Lord is not an easy task for anyone in any circumstance, but it is a seed for blessings. Those who want to reap the fruit of blessing in their lives must diligently sow. God is more pleased with obedience than sacrifice.
Isaiah did not rebuke the people because they neglected to sacrifice or because they did not have enough offerings. It was because they did not listen to the voice of God and asked for the rod (Isaiah 1:5).
“They have forsaken the LORD, and have neglected the Holy One of Israel, and have turned away from them...
No matter how many sacrifices you make to the Lord, if you are not obedient, you are not pleased. It was not because of ignorance of the Bible or any religious ceremonies that the leaders of the Jewish religion were rebuked by the Lord. However, they were rebuked for not having an attitude of obedience to the Lord and a sincere life (Matthew 23).
2) Disobedience is punished
① God's wrath follows (Ephesians 5:6)
“Let no one deceive you with vain words, for because of this the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
② You cannot enjoy eternal life (John 3:36)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son will not see eternal life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
③ Punishment according to what you have done (Hebrews 2:2)
“When the word spoken by the angels has been confirmed, and all transgression and disobedience have received justice,
It is the eternal law of God that you reap what you sow. No one can break this law. It is impossible to be an outsider of this law, even for a chosen person endowed with special abilities.
The Bible teaches that even Moses, the man of God, could not enter the Promised Land because of disobedience.
Numbers 27:12 "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain of Abarim, and see the land I gave to the children of Israel... 13 And when you see it, you will return to your fathers, just as Aaron your brother returned.
14 For when the congregation was divided in the wilderness of Sin, you disobeyed my command and did not show my holiness before their eyes by the waters. This is the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Sin.
Disobedience inevitably leads to punishment, so we should try to avoid it.
The fact that Saul was abandoned and destroyed is a warning sign to all who disobey the Lord across time and space. If you want to reap the fruits of blessing in the field of your life, you need to be on the lookout for disobedience.
Success in life is not determined by the reactions of those around you. We must keep in mind that the final approval authority and evaluator are God.
Blessings are the fruits that only those who sow the seeds for this in the field can reap. A life of gratitude and a heart overflowing with gratitude are the seeds of blessing. God fills the lives of those who are grateful for everything. I bless you in the name of the Lord that you may become a person who trusts and appreciates the Lord's sovereignty and guidance.
Prayer
God of love and grace, thank you for letting us know the seeds for blessings. Forgive me for my sins of wanting to reap good things but being stingy in sowing seeds. Help me to remember and be grateful for the unfathomable grace I have received from you. Make every effort to obey You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.