Blessed to be a Blessing | Sun 21 Aug | 2022 Year of Abundant Harvest

Indeed, a beautiful day it is. Why? Because God has made this.

I have a question for you today. How many of you want to be blessed? If your answer is yes, then ask God, and He will bless you. And today’s topic is on the same line as we call it, “Blessed to be a blessing!“

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 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. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God made choice of Abram, and singled him out from among his fellow-idolaters, that he might reserve a people for himself, among whom his true worship might be maintained till the coming of Christ. From henceforward Abram and his seed are almost the only subject of the history in the Bible. Abram was tried whether he loved God better than all, and whether he could willingly leave all to go with God. His kindred and his father’s house were a constant temptation to him, he could not continue among them without danger of being infected by them. Those who leave their sins, and turn to God, will be unspeakable gainers by the change. The command God gave to Abram, is much the same with the gospel call, for natural affection must give way to Divine grace. Sin, and all the occasions of it, must be forsaken; particularly bad company. Here are many great and precious promises. All God’s precepts are attended with promises to the obedient.

– I will make of thee a great nation. When God took Abram from his own people, he promised to make him the head of another people.

– I will bless thee. Obedient believers shall be sure to inherit the blessing.

– I will make thy name great. The name of obedient believers shall certainly be made great.

– Thou shalt be a blessing. Good men are the blessings of their country.

– I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee. God will take care that none are losers, by any service done for his people.

– In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Jesus Christ is the great blessing of the world, the greatest that ever the world possessed. All the true blessedness the world is now, or ever shall be possessed of, is owing to Abram and his posterity. Through them we have a Bible, a Saviour, and a gospel. They are the stock on which the Christian church is grafted.

And in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.

There are high declarations of God’s favour to Abraham in this confirmation of the covenant with him, exceeding any he had yet been blessed with. Those that are willing to part with any thing for God, shall have it made up to them with unspeakable advantage. The promise, ver. 18, doubtless points at the Messiah, and the grace of the gospel. Hereby we know the loving-kindness of God our Saviour towards sinful man, in that he hath not withheld his Son, his only Son, from us. Hereby we perceive the love of Christ, in that he gave himself a sacrifice for our sins. Yet he lives, and calls to sinners to come to him, and partake of his blood-bought salvation. He calls to his redeemed people to rejoice in him, and to glorify him. What then shall we render for all his benefits? Let his love constrain us to live not to ourselves, but to Him who died for us, and rose again. Admiring and adoring His grace, let us devote our all to his service, who laid down his life for our salvation. Whatever is dearest to us upon earth is our Isaac. And the only way for us to find comfort in an earthly thing, is to give it by faith into the hands of God. Yet remember that Abraham was not justified by his readiness to obey, but by the infinitely more noble obedience of Jesus Christ; his faith receiving this, relying on this, rejoicing in this, disposed and made him able for such wonderful self-denial and duty.

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

If you want our nation to be blessed, seek blessing for yourself. Once you are blessed, our nation will be blessed.

Who is holding the key of blessings for our nation? It is God’s people and in today’s date, it is the body of Christ.

When the people were in captivity, what should they have done?

See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

God wanted the people of Israel; He chose people of Israel to bless the nations. Eventhough people talk about Israel, but we are the new Israel.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

People of God, remember, God loves you. God has chosen you and I so that we can represent Him. The word of God says that Jesus also chose 12 disciples.

How many among you believe that God has called you to bless your nation? God has called you for a purpose and that greater purpose is by God.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

God has blessed several people at several places.

 •  Genesis 1 God blessed Adam and Eve told them to be fruitful and subsequently they were blessed with children.

 •  Genesis 24:35 Abraham Servant told Laban that God has blessed his master with silver and gold.

 • Genesis 26:3 God blessed Issac and he received the land as a blessing.

 • Genesis 27 Isaac blessed Jacob and gave him inheritance.

 • Genesis 39:5 The Egyptian crop were blessed because Joseph was with them.

 • Numbers 23 Israel was blessed with military victory and all enemies could not come against them.

 • Deuteronomy 15:10 God said that he will bless the works of their hands.

We must remember all the blessings we have because they are from God. If the Church of God is not on fire, the church of God is then a dead church. Fire has to burn, 24/7 it has to burn and this is fire is the power of Holy Spirit.

Today in this world, when someone is punished, we become happy. However, it is not the same in Heaven. There is no happiness when someone is punished. However, when someone turned away from sin, Heaven is happy and rejoices.

Trust in God. He will make a way for us. He will take us to places that we never imagined. For spiritual blessings, we hold the key because the word of God is at our hand. And the word of God is going to bring the transformation in our lives.

Because says very clearly that you are blessed because you have heard ‘My Voice.’

And in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.

Do you want our nation be blessed? Then you need to pray for our nation fervently. In the kingdom of God, everyone is chosen one. In heaven, everyone runs and wins the race.

Maybe you are looking at your present situation and thinking whether or not you fit in. Remember, God has chosen you for a plan and a purpose and you will fulfil that purpose.

We thank you for joining us today and we look forward to see you next Sunday. God bless!