The Blessing

For the last few weeks and for the next few weeks I have been preaching a series of messages I've entitled, "Living Under the Blessing." Most seem to have enjoyed it thus far. A few have gotten their feathers ruffled because I preached against the lie of Satan that crept into the church that basically said that poverty equaled holiness. God's plan from the first chapter of Genesis on was and is to BLESS his people. For this series I've used a working definition of "Blessed" which is; "The beneficial endue-ment of the power of God to produce well-being in every area of your life." There are four things related to this blessing that I've discussed"
1) Salvation for your soul
2) Healing for your body
3) Well being for you and your family
4) Prosperity for you... spiritually AND financially

Some folks really have a hard time with that financial prosperity thing... but it is in the Word of God. Every time God pronounced a blessing on someone, they prospered financially. Check it out in the Word.

Like I said, some are hung up on that end, but I've dealt with a few people the past couple of weeks who questioned why they see others blessed, but they are not... at least not continually. In each and every case, without exception, I asked these people who were asking me the questions, "Do you faithfully tithe?" and every single one of them either said that they don't or "they tried" but were not consistent in their giving.
That is not tithing!
You don't try to obey... you obey!

Notice the words in Deut. 28:1-2 where it says "If you fully obey the LORD your God by keeping all the commands I am giving you today, the LORD your God exalt you above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the LORD your God."

Everyone wants the blessing, but note the condition! "If you fully obey!"

IF you "diligently" listen to and act upon the commands of God... That's a condition!
If, THEN blessings shall come upon you and overtake you!

In fact, later in this same chapter, there is a lengthy dialogue about how we are totally, completely cursed (by God!) if we do not obey!

Not one of us is entitled to the blessing until we obey!

As I have gone through my sermon series, I have shown how God blessed Adam and Eve, but that they blew it... How? By disobeying God's commands.
Noah was favored and blessed by God, and God spoke the same blessing over him and his family that he had pronounced over Adam and Eve... but Noah and humanity blew it... by disobedience.

Disobedience nullifies the blessing!
If you want to be Blessed... You've got to uphold your end of the agreement.
The big difference is that now, our end of the agreement is upheld by putting our trust completely in Christ!