"COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: Count your blessings.” - 6-13-21

 "COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: Count your blessings.” - 6-13-21

INTRODUCTION

"Let us give thanks for our many blessings” was last weeks message.

“Count Your Many Blessings”

Video - White Christmas - “Count Your Blessings”

“Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭106:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. GOD BEARS OUR BURDENS DAILY

 

One morning R.C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. “I'm burdened this morning!” was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words.

So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, “Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?”

“Yes, but it's a wounderful burden--it's an overabundance of blessings for which I cannot find enought time or words to express my gratitude!”

Seeing the puzzled look on the face of his friend, Chapman added with a smile, “I am referring to Psalm 68:19, ‘Praise be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.’ which fully describes my condition. In that verse the Father in Heaven reminds us that He daily loads us with benefits.”

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”

‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭68:19-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  God bears our burdens.

B.  God bears our burdens daily.

C.  God saves us.

II.  GOD MEETS OUR NEEDS

Two friends met each other on the street one day. One looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What has the world done to you, my old friend?” The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you: three weeks ago, my uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars.”

“That’s a lot of money.”

“But you see, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me eighty-five thousand dollars, free and clear.”

“Sounds to me that you’ve been very blessed.”

“You don’t understand!” he interrupted. “Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million from her.”

Now the man’s friend was really confused. “Then, why do you look so glum?”

“This week—nothing!”

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭ Philippians‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  God will!

B.  God will meet all your needs.

C.  God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

III.  GOD BLESSES US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN CHRIST

The story is told of an old Navajo Indian who became rich when oil was found on his property. He took all the money and put it in a bank. His banker became familiar with the habits of this old gentleman. Every so often, the Indian would show up at the bank and say to the banker, “Grass all gone, sheep all sick, water holes all dry.”

Without a word, the banker would take the old Indian into the vault, show him several bags of silver dollars, and say, “All this is yours.” The old man would spend about an hour stacking up the dollars and counting them. Then he’d return the bags to their places, come out of the vault, and say, “Grass all green, sheep all well, water holes all full.”

It is amazing the change that comes over us when we simply review our resources and count our blessings.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonshipthrough Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.”

‭‭ Ephesians‬ ‭1:3-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  God has blessed us.

B.  God has blessed us in the heavenly realms.

C.  God has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

CONCLUSION

God bears our burdens daily.  God meets our needs.  God blesses us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

CHALLENGE

 

Write down 3 ways God bears your burdens daily.  Write down 2 needs God has met this week.  Write down 1 spiritual blessing in Christ that you cherish most.  Acknowledge God’s blessings.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.