Developing The Ability To Bless Series

Developing The Ability to Bless

October 28, 2012 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A Very few of us know how the inner workings of a combustible engine or a TV, but our lack of understanding doesn’t prevent us from driving cars or watching TV.

1 We may not understand the technicalities of the scriptural teachings on blessings, but is more important to practice blessing than understand blessing.

a 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Tim 3:7 (KJV)

b “Knowledge of the truth” is learning from the experiences we have through life.

aa Learn by doing.

bb IL. You don’t learn to swim on-line.

2 Although we don’t know the inner workings of a combustible engine/television, we do know how to start our car/turn on our T.V..

a If something is wrong, we tend to know that as well.

b Blessings, although we don’t understand all the minutia surrounding a eulogy, we can learn five simple laws and follow them.

aa Laws are principles written into the fabric of life that yield rewards for those who obey them/consequences for those who do not obey them.

bb Drive safely, obey laws (safety citation, lower insurance premiums, clean driving record, no fines).

cc Fail to obey the laws (ticketed, higher premiums, lose privilege)

B We live in a world of cause & effect.

1 If you want a certain effect (something good to happen), then find out & carry out the cause or causes that will bring about the effect.

a IL. It doesn’t take a youngster long to discover that if you put a quarter into a machine, a toy/candy is dispensed.

aa Take even shorter for them to learn grandparents are more likely to say “yes” for more quarters.

bb We learn early on what gets results/works; what doesn’t work.

b For blessing to be released in our lives/hearts, to release blessing in others we must know theses five laws. (Not four, six . . . five).

aa The law of the heart.

bb The law of developed sensitivity

cc The law of deliberate repetition and regularity

dd The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

ee The law of understanding who we are.

2 Pray

I The Law of the Heart

A Australian F.W. Boreham called the heart the “home of the echo.”

1 Meaning what we send out from us comes back to us.

a If we are negative (critical, glass half-empty, bitter, cynical) we tend to see others through the lens of our hearts.

aa If our heart is programed to be negative, we will see the negative in others.

bb If our heart is full of good/positive, we will see the good/positive in others.

b Much of what we see in others is due to what is already in us. (Projection)

2 IL. Older man whose grandchildren had rubbed parmesian cheese into his mustache while he was asleep. Upon awaking he complained of smelling something like dirty feet.

a He went room to room looking for the source of the stink.

aa After failing to find the source he concluded, “I think the whole world stinks!”

bb What we send out from us comes back to us.

B If we see the wrong/negative in others rather than good/positive, the condition of our hearts need to change.

1 If we don’t change, we will never be able to see the good in others consistently, naturally, and spontaneously call attention to it.

a Paul told a young Timothy our goal is to love from a pure heart!

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Tim 1:5 (NASB)

b While we cannot change our hearts ourselves, we can be changed!

aa God wants us to cooperate with Him as He works in us!

bb He delights in transforming hearts/renewing minds (Rom. 12.2).

2 And do not be conformed to this world , but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NASB)

2 The renewing of our minds is God reprogramming them with the purity of truth.

a Jesus could look at a group of uneducated and rough Galilean fishermen and saw not what they were but what they could become. (Potential)

aa He could call them “the salt of the earth” & “light of the world.”

bb Before some of us can salt/light we need a spiritual bath.

b We need our hearts reprogrammed— garbage out, truth in.

aa Only Christ can do this through His cleansing blood.

bb When we concentrate on getting/keeping a renewed heart, our heart becomes pure.