Enjoying The Benefits Of Salvation
Prepared For Lexington For Sunday Morning, March 9th, 2003
TEXT: Psalms 68:18-20, Psalms 103:1-6, Psalms 116:12
Psalms 68:18-20 (KJV)
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.
Psalms 103:1-6 (KJV)
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
Psalms 116:12 (KJV)
12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
Introduction:
I have been struggling with this message, these thoughts for a couple of weeks or more.
I know what happens when you preach something like this, someone will feel like or accuse you of picking on them.
But I BRING THIS TO YOU today knowing that I have heard from God
And that my plans, my notes, my sermon for today is in His DIRECT WILL.
(1) You have my permission to do what ever you want to do with
this message.
(2) But I hope you will receive the instructions from it and that you
will allow it to help you, your family and your church this morning.
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There are others things that I could have entitled this message this morning;
(1) “To Be Blessed Or Not To Be Blessed”
(2) “To Be Blessed Or To Be Stressed”
QUESTION: How many of you want to walk in His Blessings?
FACT: Many of the blessings from God, The benefits of His Kingdom
Are only accessible to us by our obedience to Him, to His Word.
FACT: There are conditions that must be met.
(1) We don’t always like to hear things like that.
(2) But what I am telling you this morning is the truth.
________________________________________________________
The following definitions are not theological definitions, but they come from Mr. Webster.
BENEFACTOR - One who gives financial or other aid.
Jesus is our benefactor.
All of the benefits of salvation are accessible only
through Him.
BENEFICIARY - The recipient of a benefit, as from an insurance
policy will, or trust fund.
You and I are the beneficiaries of His Covenant.
The New Testament, The Will
BENEFIT - An advantage, An aid, Help, A payment or series of
payments to one in need.
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To be helpful or advantageous.
To derive advantage; profit
We can tap into the endless and limitless blessings of God
Through Jesus Christ as we walk in obedience to His Word.
I. Obedience Brings Blessings & Benefits
[A] Obedience to His Word and to His will is the KEY
1 Sam 15:21-23 (KJV)
21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
(1) The scriptures are very plan, if you do things your own way, you
will reap the rewards of your independence.
(2) If you do things His Way, You will reap the rewards of obedience.
(3) God cannot and will not bless a life of rebellion & stubbornness.
*Rebellion & Stubbornness is sinful.
*God does not bless of life of sin.
[B] How many of you here today want to walk in His Favor?
(1) I want God on My side or by my side in everything that I do
and in every place that I go.
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(2) I have missed the boat a few times in my life.
Enough times to know that doing things my way is brings
un-needed stress into my life.
You can do things His way and things will fall into place much
sooner and so much easier than they will doing things your way!
II. Our Relationships
[A] Did you know that your relationship with the Heavenly Father is
tied to your relationships with one another.
(1) If you are to enjoy a strong and healthy relationship with
God the Father, God The Son, and God the Holy Ghost, you
must first work on your relationships with one another.
(2) Now this is God’s Law, its not something that I have made up.
(3) I would never come up with something like this myself, because
it is as hard on me as it is you!
Romans 13:13-14 (KJV)
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Prov 28:25 (KJV)
25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
(4) Pride and self-righteousness will stir up strife.
(5) Do you see the condition, the promise made here to those who
do things God’s way?
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Heb 12:14-15 (KJV
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
[B] A broken relationship with your fellowman will come between you
and God and will hinder your prayer life.
(1) It will dam up the blessings of God from following your way.
Matt 5:23-24 (KJV)
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
(2) Jesus even brought this into the Lord’s Prayer.
Matt 6:12 (KJV)12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
(3) Our forgiveness is conditional upon our willingness to forgive.
[C] So if you desire to walk into the bright sunshine of His Presence &
Righteousness and enjoy closeness with Him, you must
demonstrate that in your earthly relationships.
(1) Give More Honor those around you more than you seek for
yourself.
Romans 12:10 (NIV) 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one
another above yourselves.
[D] Did you know that we are even suppose to treat our Enemies, our
Opponents right.
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Romans 12:14 (NKJV)14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
(1) In this, Paul is not suggesting that we do anything that Christ
did not do.
(2) Christ prayed for His accusers, He ask the Father to forgive
Those who pierced Him.
(3) Jesus set the example for us to follow.
(4) Jesus did not seek for revenge, but He reached out to them from
the cross of suffering;
*We are to follow His example;
Romans 12:17 (NKJV)17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
Romans 12:19 (NKJV)
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
(5) If you want to walk in peace with God, you must srtive to walk
in peace with your fellow man.
Romans 12:18 (NKJV)18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Matt 5:9 (KJV)9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
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III. Do You Want To Walk In Finacial Blessing?
[A] I know that we are living In the midst of an economic down turn.
(1) How many of you have been seeking God for financial matters,
financial blessings?
(2) Oh God just bless my finaces, help me strecth my financial
means.
(3) Give me more income
(4) Let my savings, my stocks, my mutual funds, my investments
multiply.
[B] Did you know that you can walk Finacial Blessing.
(1) God can put His hand on your finaces.
*To bless or to take away.
*The choice is yours
(2) It comes back to obedience.
[C] The key to walking in Finacial Blessing
(1) I am talking about having God intervene in your financial
situation and cause Divine Finacail Blessing to flow your way.
(2) The key = Obedience to His Word
(3) Tithing & Giving, Supporting the Ministry, His Ministry
(4) Helping others who are in need.
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[C] Tithing is not an option, it is a comand.
(1) It is all through the Old Testament, Jesus brought it into the
New Testament.
(2) Levites, God’s priest, Not land owners. Supported by tithes
of the other tribes sio that they may minister.
[D] Tithe = 10th, It belongs to God. It is not yours to do with as you
please.
(1) It is possible to rob or steal from God;
Mal 3:8-10 (KJV)
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
(2) You can pray over your finaces until you turn blue, but God will
not put forth His hand to bless your pocketbook until you act
in obedience to His Word.
*He cannot bless disobedience, for He would be going against His
Very nature.
(3) Tithing supports the ministry of the Church. This is God’s Church.
*It has nothing to do with wether you like the Pastor,
*It has nothing to do with wethere you agree with every program
or not.
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*It has nothing to do with your being happy and in approval with
everything that goes on.
(4) To withhold your tithes is like withholding help for the needy,
Healing for the sick, salvation for the sinners.
(5) You hurt yourself, your family much more than you hurt God,
or the Pastor, or the Church.
[E] God has a way of taking from you, when you refuse to walk in
His will.
[F] What is tithing all about?
(1) Demonstaring trust; trusting God with your fiances.
(2) It is a demonstraion of your comitment, God see it and man see
it.
[G] Bringing your life into submission to His Will, His Word and His
Authority will bring blessings your way!!
III. Walking In Confidence In Place Of Condemnation
[A] Christ came to take away the reproach of sin.
(1) He came to deliver us from sin, guilt, condemnation etc…
(2) Are you walking in peace?
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Romans 8:1-2 (KJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Heb 12:1-2 (KJV)
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Gal 5:1 (KJV)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Closing Scripture:
Phil 4:7 (KJV)
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
