Make Ready For God’s Blessings
2 Chronicles 7: 12-14
Often we tell ourselves we want God’s Blessing!
We want to be Excited!
We want to see God’s Blessings.
But let me ask, what are you doing in your life to make ready for God’s Blessings?
We hold the key of possibility
A. We have the most original response when Jesus says “Follow me.”
Luke 14:16-20
16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
1.I need to go see the land I just bought
2.Just bought 5 yoke of oxen and I need to see if they are any good.
3.I can’t I’m married.
B. I believe we hold back the blessings that God has prepared for us.
I. Would you check for Rain?
I Kings !8:42-45
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
A. OK I looked and nothing.
B. You want me to do this how many times?
C. Surly there must be a better way.
D. OK I will do what you said. VS. 45
II. Would you Dig A Ditch?
II Kings 3:16-17, 20a
16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
20a. And it came to pass in the morning,
A.Following direction is not always what we want to do but it is what God wants.
B.Obedience is not seeing the outcome but willing to do it anyway.
III. Would You Borrow a Few Pots?
1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. 2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. 3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. 4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. 6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
A. We look for advice and when we get it we often do not follow.
B. The oil stopped when the pots were full.
1. If I would have only known
2. Why didn’t we get more pots?
C. Knowing and Doing is our problem.
We want to handle it our way!
IV. Make Ready
Malachi 3:10
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.
A. We are holding back as to God’s direction.
B. What could be for those who chose to obey
Conclusion:
Getting ready means not doing what man says is right, but rather what God wants.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Don’t let strife be the cause of a missed blessing.
Proverbs 13: 10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Note: I make no claim of originality. I just want to be a blessing to others. All Scripture in KJV.
Use this as you wish.
