64 Sermon Illustrations on Blessings

Incredible as it sounds, Alexander Whortley lived in a mini-trailer 3 feet wide, 4 feet long, and 5 feet high until he died at the age of 80. It was made of wood, had a metal roof, and it housed him and all his meager belongings. No matter where he worked, Whortley chose to spend his life in that cramped space, even though larger quarters were always available.

I can’t imagine why anyone would choose to live in a box - certainly not if housing with far more elbow room were available. But are we allowing ourselves to be squeezed into narrow boxes of a different sort? Are we hemmed in by selfishness, an unforgiving spirit, bitterness, or sinful habits? Are we boxed in by unbelief with its coffin-like narrowness of vision, seeing only this little world and this brief lifetime as the hope-suffocating sum of our existence?

God wants us to live in the expansive joy of His strength, realizing the security of His protection and the blessing of His favor (Psalm 84:11). He lovingly urges us to dwell in the spacious mansion of faith and freedom in Jesus Christ. But to do this, we must, in obedience to the Lord, move out of our spiritual boxes and abandon the doubt, the guilt, and the fear that constrict our souls. -VCG

The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. — Psalm 84:11

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy

Like the wideness of the sea;

There’s a kindness in His justice,

Which is more than liberty. — Faber

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #4698]

Some years ago, I attended a service conducted by my friend, Rabbi Leonid Feldman of Palm Beach, Florida. Before it began, he asked if anyone in the congregation had good news that had occurred over the preceding week which he or she wished to share with others. People stood up and announced engagements, anniversaries, the first words spoken by a child or grandchild, a book's publication, a visit by a family member or friend whom they hadn't seen in many years, the completion of a degree, and more.

I was moved. The question, "What good thing happened to you this week?" motivated people to remember the good things that were going on in their lives, and not just their problems.

My wife decided to bring this ritual into our home. At the beginning of each Friday night Sabbath meal, she asks family members and guests to share something good or memorable that happened to them during the week. Usually, everyone, even those who have had difficult weeks, can think of at least one pleasurable moment that occurred. In the rare instance someone cannot summon up even one positive recollection, family members or friends generally remember something good that the other person has forgotten. Even during hard times, we all have experiences or interactions for which we are grateful. It's important to focus on these happy memories even -- perhaps particularly -- during hard times. How fitting, therefore, to start today by asking and answering the question my friend posed before his congregation: "What good thing happened to you this week?"

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many

months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and

knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he

wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his

father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation,

his father called him into his private study. His father told him how

proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him.

He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and

found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in

gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.

He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was

very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him

since that graduation day.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling

him his father had passed away, and willed all of his

possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care

of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret

filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers

and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago.

With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father

had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know

how to give good gifts to your children,how much more shall your Heavenly

Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the

Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the

sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and

the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because we can't see past

our own desires???????

A certified public accountant did something that maybe all of us

should do. He decided to open a journal with God. He wanted to write

everything that God gave him and everything that he gave to God. He started keeping a debit and credit book with God.

If someone did him a favor, he put it down as God's gift to him. He

credited God with the sun, his food, his health, his friends and

relatives, and a thousand other benefits he received.

On the other hand, he put down what he did for God. Finally he gave

up saying, "It is impossible for me to balance the books. I find that

God is indeed my creditor and what I have done for Him is next to

nothing."

- PULPIT HELPS, July, 1991

A farmer near London wrote to the Scripture Gift Mission enclosing

a five-shilling ($1.25) offering. In his letter he requested prayer

that no bombs should drop on his small farm. His harvest had not been

good, and his farm was very dry, with no water, and he had to buy

water. The secretary of the Mission wrote back and said he could not

ask that, but instead would pray that God's will might be done.

Soon afterwards Hitler's biggest bomb came down on this man's farm.

It broke all his windows, but no one was hurt. It was so big that it

went down very deep and unearthed a spring. The spring not only

watered his farm well, but it enabled him to let others have water

too. Last year, therefore, he had a very good harvest, and he sent a

fifty-pound check as a thanksgiving offering. The Lord had done

"exceeding abundantly above all" he asked or thought. How good and how

wise is our God in all His ways!

William Moses Tidwell, "Pointed Illustrations."

There once was a KING who had an only son. One night this son had a

dream in which he was warned that his son would be killed by a lion.

Afraid the dream should prove true, he built for his son a pleasant

palace and adorned its walls for his amusement with all kinds of

life-sized animals, among which was the picture of a lion. When the

young Prince saw this, his grief at being thus confined burst out

afresh, and, standing near the lion, he said: "O you most detestable

of animals! through a lying dream of my father's, which he saw in his

sleep, I am shut up on your account in this palace as if I had been a

girl: what shall I now do to you?' With these words he stretched out

his hands toward a thorn-tree, meaning to cut a stick from its

branches so that he might beat the lion. But one of the tree's

prickles pierced his finger and caused great pain and inflammation, so

that the young Prince fell down in a fainting fit. A violent fever

suddenly set in, from which he died not many days later.

We had better bear our troubles bravely than try to escape them.

Indeed, sometimes God will place certain obstacles in the life of a

Christian to prevent sin or harm. However, if we try to remove these

obstacles, we will ultimately come to regret it.

THE LION wearied Jupiter with his frequent complaints. "It is true,

O Jupiter!" he said, "that I am gigantic in strength, handsome in

shape, and powerful in attack. I have jaws well provided with teeth,

and feet furnished with claws, and I lord it over all the beasts of

the forest, and what a disgrace it is, that being such as I am, I

should be frightened by the crowing of a cock." Jupiter replied, "Why

do you blame me without a cause? I have given you all the attributes

which I possess myself, and your courage never fails you except in

this one instance." On hearing this the Lion groaned and lamented

very much and, reproaching himself with his cowardice, wished that he

might die. As these thoughts passed through his mind, he met an

Elephant and came close to hold a conversation with him. After a time

he observed that the Elephant shook his ears very often, and he

inquired what was the matter and why his ears moved with such a tremor

every now and then. Just at that moment a Gnat settled on the head of

the Elephant, and he replied, "Do you see that little buzzing insect?

If it enters my ear, my fate is sealed. I should die presently." The

Lion said, "Well, since so huge a beast is afraid of a tiny gnat, I

will no more complain, nor wish myself dead. I find myself, even as I

am, better off than the Elephant."

We must remember that no matter how difficult our tribulations may

seem to us, there are always others who are in a worse situation than

us!

Gifts

Lord, give me a blessing,

You know I need a blessing…

But, be careful not to touch

Any of my precious things…

Won’t you Lord?

I really want a blessing,

Only, well, it won’t be painful

Will it, Lord?

You know how very sensitive I am…

So, be careful when you grant me my blessing,

Not to tread on anything…

Won’t you, Lord?

Lord, give me this mountain,

I’ve always wanted a mountain,

As you know, Lord.

Yes, I really want a mountain…

Only will you go up there first, Lord,

And smooth it out for me?

Some of those rocks look rather sharp…

Could you clear them out of my path

And, maybe, level some of it off a bit…

If you don’t mind, Lord?

Only, You know I was never much of a climber,

But, I’ve always wanted a mountain

As you know, Lord.

Lord, give me your likeness,

Only please go carefully

With the one I’ve got.

I’m quite attached to it, really;

After all, I’ve had it a long time now…

But, You know what I really want

Is to be like You…

So, give me your likeness, Lord…

If it isn’t too much trouble

For either of us, Lord.

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #9588]

Joseph was one of the youngest of the twelve sons of Jacob who also was known as Israel. The family lived in the countryside and took care of sheep, goats and cattle.

Joseph's father Israel loved Joseph best of all of his twelve sons. He made for Joseph a beautiful coat that had many colors. This made the other brothers angry and jealous of Joseph because it showed everybody that Joseph was the favorite son.

One day Joseph said to his brothers, “Last night I had a dream. All of us were binding sheaves of grain in the fields. Then my sheaf arose and stood upright while your sheaves bowed down before my sheaf.”

The brothers hated him because of the dream and replied, “Do you think that you are going to rule over us?”

Then Joseph dreamed that the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down before him When he told the dream to his family his father Israel chided him, “Do you really think that your mother and father and your brothers will bow down to earth before you?'

A few days later the eleven brothers were taking care of their father's sheep several miles away. Israel said to Joseph, “Go find your brothers and see if they are doing well. Then return and tell me how they are.”

Joseph put on his coat of many colors and searched for his brothers. The brothers saw him coming from far away and knew who he was because they recognized his beautiful coat. “Let's kill him,” said one of the brothers. “He things he is so important!”

“No, let's not kill him. Let's capture him and sell him for money,” replied one of the brothers named Reuben.

So the brothers captured Joseph, took off his coat and threw him into a dry well. Soon they saw a band of men on camels making their way back to Egypt. They sold Joseph to the band of men who carried him with them to Egypt where he was made a slave to serve in the house of a rich man called Potipher.

The brothers killed a goat and smeared its blood over Joseph's coat of many colors. They took the bloody coat back to Israel and said to him. “See, we found this bloody coat of many colors in the wilderness. Some wild animal has killed your son Joseph.”

Israel was greatly saddened at the news that his favorite son Joseph had been killed and he wept bitterly.

Joseph was an intelligent, honest and hard-working young man. He worked hard and gained the respect of his master Potipher who put Joseph in charge of his household while he was gone.

Potipher's beautiful wife noticed how handsome and strong Joseph was and kept asking him to sleep with her. Joseph always refused, saying, “Potipher has been kind to me and has left me in charge of his household during his absence. I will not dishonor him by sleeping with his wife. That would be a grievious wrong”

One day when everyone was away from the house Ptotipher's wife took hold of Joseph's garment and demanded again that he sleep with her. Refusing once again Joseph tore himself from her, leaving his garment in her hands.

Angry at Joseph's refusal to betray Potipher, the wife cried out loudly and accused Joseph of trying to force her to sleep with him, and that he had run away when she screamed. Potipher was angry to think that Joseph would dishonor his wife. Potipher had Joseph thrown into prison where he stayed for years.

Also in the prison with Joseph were the butler and chief baker of the king who was called Pharaoh. The butler and baker each had dreams that Joseph interpreted to mean that the baker would be killed and the butler returned back into Pharaoh's service. Joseph asked the butler to remember him and to speak well of him to Pharaoh.

Just as Joseph had predicted, the baker was hanged and the butler was sent back to Pharaoh's household. Nevertheless the butler forgot to mention Joseph to Pharaoh until Pharaoh had two dreams two years later. Pharaoh asked people to interpret the dream. At this time the butler remembered Joseph and said, “There is a young man in your prison who can interpret your dream.”

Pharaoh sent for Joseph who correctly told the meaning of the dreams, “The dreams are alike, meaning the same thing. There will be seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt followed by seven years of famine without rain. Pharaoh should set a wise man over the land of Egypt to collect and store one-fifth of the grain throughout the land of Egypt during the years of abundant harvest so that there will be food during the years of famine.”

Pharaoh was so impressed that he set Joseph over the land of Egypt to rule second in command under Pharaoh and to collect the grain into graneries for storage until the years of famine. Joseph was now thirty years old and he had great power throughout all the land of Egypt. He collected so much grain for storage that no one could count how much grain was being stored in the storage bins. During that time Joseph got married to one of the Egyptian princesses and they had two sons, Manassas and Ephraim.

Just as Joseph had predicted seven years of abundant harvest were followed by seven years without any rain, and there was great famine throughout all of the land of Egypt and in all of the countries nearby. The land where Israel and Joseph's eleven brothers lived also had no rain and great famine until there was nothing left to eat.

Joseph sold grain to the people of Egypt until they had no more money to buy grain. Then the people sold through Joseph to Pharaoh all of their lands so that they could have grain to eat. Then the people sold themselves and their children as slaves to Pharaoh so that they could eat. Finally Pharaoh owned all of the money, land and people in Egypt except for the money and lands of the Egyptian priests who always received free food from Pharaoh according to their previous agreement.

Israel and his sons were about to starve, so Israel said to his sons, “I have heard that there is plenty of grain in Egypt. Take money and buy grain to bring back so that our families may not die.”

When ten of the brothers arrived in Egypt to buy grain Joseph heard about them. He ordered that they should receive sacks of grain before all of the other people who are standing in line for their turn to buy. Joseph ordered the brothers to come before him. The brothers did not recognize Joseph in his fine clothers and expensive jewelry. “Where is your home?” Joseph inquired.

“We live with our father and our families north of here in the land of Canaan,” one brother answered.

“How many brothers are there in your family?” Joseph asked.

“We used to be twelve brothers, but one has died. The youngest, Benjamin, remains with our father in Canaan.”

“So that I may know that you are not spies sent down to Egypt to see if you can overtake us, leave one of you here in my prison while the rest of you return with grain to your father,” Joseph said.

The brothers did not want to leave one of them in prison, but Simeon finally volunteered to remain so that their families would not die of starvation.

“When you return for Simeon you must bring your youngest brother with you or else I will not sell you more grain “ Joseph ordered..

The brother named Simeon remained in prison while the others loaded their donkeys with sacks of grain and returned to Canaan. On their way home they opened the sacks and found on top of the grain the money they had paid for the wheat. This made them greatly disturbed. “The Eqyptians will say that we have stolen the money,” they exclaimed in fear.

Returning home they ate the wheat until it was gone. Then Israel said, “Take the money that was in the mouth of the sacks along with more money and return to Egypt, paying double for the grain. We do not want the Egyptians to think that we are thieves. As much as I would be grief-stricken if Benjamin does not return, we must have more wheat or else we all shall die.”

The ten brothers returned to Egypt for more sacks of grain. When they got there Joseph ordered them to eat lunch in his house. When he saw Benjamin he was so taken with emotion that he had to leave the dining room because he started to cry. Still the brothers did not guess who Joseph was.

After the brothers loaded sacks of grain onto their donkeys they left Egypt for Canaan. Shortly after leaving, soldiers from Egypt chased after them saying, “One of you has taken Joseph's favorite silver cup with you. How could you repay his generosity with thievery?”

“We have not taken the silver cup. We are honest people,” protested the brothers. “Search our bags, and in whomever's bag you find that silver cup, let that one die.”

The soldiers found the silver cup in Banjamin's bag. They forced all the brothers with their grain to return to Joseph's house. Joseph was still there.

“How could you repay my generosity with this crime?” demanded Joseph.

“If you take our brother Benjamin our father Israel will die of grief,” replied Judah. “Please take my life instead of the lad Benjamin and let him return to our father lest he die.”

Joseph could no longer restrain himself and replied, “I am Joseph, your brother. Do not be angry with yourselves because of what you did to me. God has used all of these circumstances so that all of us and our families may be preserved. The famine has only lasted two years so far. There are five more years of famine to come. Go home to our father and bring him and all of your families back with you to Egypt. You can live here with plenty of food throughout the famine. I am a Lord of Egypt, and I will see to it that you and your families all prosper here.”

The brothers were overcome with repentence for what they had done, but they also were joyous that their families would be preserved during the great famine that still had many years to run. They went back to Canaan, packed up their families, their flocks of sheep and goats and herds of cattle. They brought them all back to Egypt where they settled in the land of Goshen. Pharaoh was pleased to have them live in Egypt and gave them all responsible jobs. They prospered there for many years in the land of Goshen which is a rich and productive part of Egypt.

Key Concepts

1. Jealousy is an evil emotion that can lead to terrible consequences.

2. When God wishes to prosper someone, nothing can stop this blessing as long as that person remains true to the teachings of God, no matter what seems to be happening.

3. Brothers and sisters should love each other and do only good things to each other.

4. When we do something wrong we should be sorry, confess our wrongs and ask for forgiveness.

5. When others who have wronged us repent and ask for forgiveness we should forgive them quickly and show them love and kindness.

A young intern came into our hospital ward one evening, shaking his

head. "There's an old man out there by the vending machines," he

said, "and he's putting dollar bills into the money changer. Every

time he gets his quarters, he yells, 'Jackpot!' and dances around."

The other nurses and I chuckled and soon forgot about it.

In a few hours, on our way for a coffee break, we saw a repairman

in front of one of the vending machines. We asked him why he was

working so late.

"I have to get this money changer fixed," he said. "It's been

giving $1.50 in quarters every time someone puts in a dollar bill."1

The same is true about the blessings of God. The more that we do

in Christ's name the more blessings will bestowed our way.

-- Matt Neace

1. Dolores J. Craig, {Reader's Digest,} April 1990, p. 17.

Blessedness is the state of God indwelling man through the miracle

of the new birth, when man goes to Jesus Christ for salvation. This

going to Christ by the sinner is described by the Lord in the Fourth

Beatitude as hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

- Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, {Pulpit Helps, }March 1996

\reference{Matthew 5:6}{Matthew 5:6}

The nursing aides for the 89-year-old man planned a surprise party for him. This active and alert retired doctor had his leg amputated two years ago. It had been a struggle to adjust to living his life with only one leg, spending most of his time in a wheelchair.

Family, friends and volunteers filled the brightly decorated room. He looked at the group and signaled a sweet six-year-old girl, the grandchild of one of his aides, to come over to him. He reached out and put his arm around her. He introduced her and announced, “She is my mascot!” He went on to tell the group assembled that he would never forget the first time she visited. She came in, looked at him and his folded up pants leg in the wheelchair, and in her charming voice asked, “Where is your prosthesis?” He was astounded she knew the word. She showed him her prosthesis and told him her story. When she was three years old, a man broke into her home, killed her 17-month-old brother and, with a machete, cut off her leg.

He said this young girl taught him not to complain and to be grateful for the 88 years during which he had two legs. They share a very special bond. She feels proud that she was able to help a very old man. He has a very special smile for the young girl who walks with joyful and energetic steps, the prosthesis removing all barriers from her path.

By Hedy J. Dalin from A Cup of Chicken Soup for the Soul

Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Barry Spilchuk

COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS

Many years ago a Kentucky grandmother gave a new bride the following recipe for washing clothes....

1. Bilt fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.

2. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.

3. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in bilin water.

4. Sort things, make 3 piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags.

5. To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with bilin water.

6. Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and then bile. Rub colored, don't bile, just rinch and starch.

7. Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then rinch, and starch.

8. Hang old rags on fence.

9. Spread tea towels on grass.

10. Pore rinch water in flower bed.

11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.

12. Turn tubs upside down.

13. Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.

Hang this above your Automatic Washer, and when things look bleak, read it again, and count YOUR blessings!

1. There’s a river of life flowing out through me,

He made the lame to walk and the blind to see;

Opened prison doors, set the captives free,

There’s a river of life flowing out through me.

Chorus

Spring up, O well, within my soul,

Spring up, O well, and make me whole;

Spring up, O well, and give to me

That life abundantly.

2. There’s a fountain flowing from the Saviour’s side,

And all my sin’s forgiven in that precious tide;

Jesus paid the price, when for me He died,

There’s a fountain flowing from the Saviour’s side.

3. There’s a risen Saviour at the Father’s throne,

Who’s ever interceding for His very own;

Pouring down the blessings that are His alone,

There’s a risen Saviour at the Father’s throne.

4. There’s a Holy Comforter Who’s sent from heaven

All the glorious gifts are His, and have been given

More of Jesus show us ‘til the veil is riven,

There’s a Holy Comforter Who’s sent from heaven.

*

So often the psalmist says, “Blessed is the man” or “Blessed is the family.” But in verse 12 he says, “Blessed is the nation.” Does God bless nations? Yes. He blessed the nation of Israel. He endowed the Israelites with some special blessings and gave them special tasks. They failed, however, in some of the things He gave them to do. But eventually God brought His Word and His Son through the people of Israel. Christ was born of the tribe of Judah in the family of David.

Are you the kind of person God can use to be a blessing to your nation? Believers were chosen by God, in Christ, before the foundation of the world. We are His own inheritance. God looks down on us with favor and grace. And the Bible tells us that God wants us to be the right kind of citizens.

God is watching us. “The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men” (v. 13). And He made us. “He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works” (v. 15). Here we are, the people of God in a wicked and dark nation. What should we do? Remember, He is watching us. He made us and He’s protecting us. “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him” (v. 18). We don’t have to be afraid.

Be the best citizen you can be. Do so by obeying the Lord, by letting your light shine for Him, by praying for your nation, by sharing His Word with others and by exercising the privileges you have as a citizen of your nation.

God uses people to bless nations. Christians are to be good citizens, the kind of people He can use to strengthen a nation. Pray for your country and its leaders. Do your part to exercise the freedom you have to share the Word of God and be a witness for Him.

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings – name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Chorus:

Count your blessings – name them one by one;

Count your blessings – see what God hath done;

Count your many blessings – name them one by one,

Count your blessings – see what God hath done;

2. Are you every burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings – ev’ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings – money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven and your home on high.

4. So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged – God is over all;

Count your many blessings – angels will attend

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

You are the Author of everything I enjoy, everything I hope for.

You have taught me that nothing can penetrate my sin heart,

Not the evils of this world; not my past failures;

Not the rebukes of my friends;

But only Your grace can pierce my sinful heart if You are faithful to give it.

You have revealed to me that holiness in my spirit is far superior to health in my body, though a healthy body does profits a little.

Often my greatest spiritual blessings come when my physical well-being is the lowest.

You have put music in my heart and mouth to remind me of Your grace;

Prepare me to sing that new song about Jesus before Your throne along with the Elect and the might Angels.

I praise you for soothing my hurts with just the right amount of joy;

Too many hurts could weigh me down;

A life without hurts could tempt me not to lean to You for care.

Only the all-wise God would know to give me a taste of both.

I love You O God…

For blessing me in times of spiritual dryness;

For giving me drink in times of spiritual thirst;

For letting me taste of Your goodness.

Apart from You I would quickly shrivel up and die;

Apart from You my soul would starve to death;

Apart from You I would shrink, weak and weary.

But You are all I need, O Great God

Let me never stop standing on Your promise that You will never leave me, nor forsake me.

Contemplation: Are you blessed by God? Or does self-focus blind you to them?

Application: No matter how “bad” our life might be, it is but a light and insignificant thing when compared to all that God has truly blessed us with. If you have a hard time understanding what that means, then find yourself a truly joyful and grateful mature Christian and ask them..

The notion of gratitude is hot these days. Search the Internet, and you'll find more than a million sites about thankfulness.

For example, university psychologists recently conducted a research project on gratitude and thanksgiving. They divided participants into three groups. People in the first group practiced daily exercises like writing in a gratitude journal. They reported higher levels of alertness, determination, optimism, energy, and less depression and stress than the control group. Unsurprisingly, they were also a lot happier than the participants who were told to keep an account of all the bad things that happened each day.

One of the psychologists concluded that though a practice of gratitude is a key to most religions, its benefits extend to the general population, regardless of faith or no faith. He suggested that anyone can increase his sense of well-being just from counting his blessings.

As my colleague Ellen Vaughn writes in her new book, RADICAL GRATITUDE, no one is going to disagree that gratitude is a virtue. But, Ellen says, counting our blessings and conjuring an attitude of to-whom-it-may-concern gratitude, Pollyanna-style is not enough.

What do we do when cancer strikes — I have two children battling it right now — or when loved ones die, when we find ourselves in the midst of brokenness and real suffering? That, she says, is where gratitude gets radical.

While they often mingle together in the life of a follower of Christ, there are actually two types of thankfulness. One is secondary, the other primary.

The secondary sort is thankfulness for blessings received. Life, health, home, family, freedom, a tall, cold lemonade on a summer day — it's a mindset of active appreciation for all good gifts.

The great preacher and once president of Princeton University, Jonathan Edwards, called thanks for such blessings “natural gratitude.” It's a good thing, but this gratitude doesn't come naturally — if at all — when things go badly. It can't buoy us in difficult times. Nor, by itself, does it truly please God. And, to paraphrase Jesus, even pagans can give thanks when things are going well.

Edwards calls the deeper, primary form of thankfulness “gracious gratitude.” It gives thanks not for goods received, but for who God is: for His character — His goodness, love, power, excellencies — regardless of favors received. And it's real evidence of the Holy Spirit working in a person's life.

This gracious gratitude for who God is also goes to the heart of who we are in Christ. It is relational, rather than conditional. Though our world may shatter, we are secure in Him. We can have peace in times of pain. The fount of our joy, the love of the God who made us and saved us, cannot be quenched by any power that exists (Romans 8:28-39). People who are filled with such radical gratitude are unstoppable, irrepressible, overflowing with what C. S. Lewis called “the good infection” — the supernatural, refreshing love of God that draws others to Him.

And that, more than any words we might utter, is a powerful witness to our neighbors that God's power is real — and His presence very relevant — even in a world full of brokenness as well as blessings.

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Copyright (c) 2005 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

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Christians get confused when trying to discern the meaning of life’s events. Most of us carry a deeply ingrained assumption that there is a direct cause and effect relationship between our behavior and God’s blessing. One extreme example is the statement sometimes made when a person hits a great golf shot, or hits a home run in a softball game. His or her friends will say, “You must be living right!” As if the accuracy of their swing was the result of divine intervention, dispensed as a reward for outstanding virtue. If this is how it works, then I’m in trouble. My golf scores would tell any observer that I’m obviously NOT living right.

Of course, life is never that simple. Circumstances are a misleading way of judging whether God is pleased with us or not. It may seem obvious, but it’s amazing how quickly we forget. You and I can be living the way God wants us to live, and be doing the things God wants us to do, and still face terrible trials and suffering.

It’s hard to interpret the events of our lives. It’s hard to discern if God is blessing us or not, because we only see things from a limited perspective. Our perception is like a snapshot of a short span of time, but life is a full-length movie. Something might look like a blessing from God at one moment in time, but then we find out later that it was more like a curse. That supposed “blessing” caused all kinds of problems.

An old Chinese fable demonstrates this truth. One day a farmer discovered that a black stallion had showed up on his farm. Somehow this beautiful, valuable horse just walked in from the wilderness, and the farmer started training it for work on the farm. A neighbor came over and said, “My friend you are fortunate! What a blessing that horse is!” The farmer said, “It could be a blessing or a curse ... who knows?”

A few days later, the farmer's son was riding the horse. He had a bad fall and broke his collarbone. Now this son, who was the farmer's best worker, would be unable to work for a long stretch of time. In addition to the son’s physical pain, this event would create a hardship for the family. The farmer’s neighbor came over to express his sympathy. He said, “What bad news this is about your son being hurt! What a terrible thing to happen!” The farmer said, “It could be a blessing or a curse ... who knows?”

A few days later, a group of soldiers came through the village, forcing all the young men to go with them and join the king in a war with a neighboring country (a war, by the way, that no one in the village supported or wanted to fight). All the young men were forced to march off to this war ... except the farmer's son. Because of his broken collarbone, the young man wasn’t able to travel, so he wasn’t taken.

Meanwhile, the neighbor’s son, who was healthy, was forced to go off to war. The neighbor came over to the farmer’s house and said “My friend, what good fortune that accident turned out to be for your son! It looks like it will keep him out of this terrible war! You are truly blessed!”

And the farmer said the same thing. “It could be a blessing or a curse ... who knows?”

And the story goes on like that, with ups and downs, going back and forth, with each turn of events seeming to be either an obvious blessing or curse, but leading to something else.

That's how life works. We just can't tell. Sometimes when bad things happen to us who believe, we get discouraged because we think that God has abandoned us. We expect the faith we have in God to somehow deliver us from hardship, and it doesn't work that way. The way to discern one’s standing with God is by looking at our lives through the lens of the Bible, not by trying to analyze our circumstances. These events could be blessings or curses, who knows?

The heavens declare the glory of God ; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. —PSALM 19:1

Love is the only

Atmosphere

In which creation sings;

When love abounds

Contentment reigns

And God can do great things. — CHARLES RICHARD HOLBERT (Neenah, Wisconsin)

There is a story told of Alexander the Great. A general in the army, being a great favorite with him, was told to draw anything from the treasury that he wanted. The general accordingly presented a draft to Alexander’s treasurer. It was for such an enormous amount that the treasurer was astonished, and refused to allow it.

The general went rushing back to Alexander and told him what had happened. The emperor thereupon summoned his treasurer and said to him, “Didn’t I tell you to honor the draft of the general?”

“Yes,” replied the treasurer, “but do you understand its amount ?”

“Never mind what it is,” replied Alexander, “he honors me and my empire by making such a great draft.”

So we honor God by asking for Grace in abundance. I tell you, my friends, it is a pity there are so many half-starved, mean Christians around when God says, “Come and get all you want.” — DWIGHT L. MOODY

To God be the glory great things he hath done,

So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,

Who yielded his life an atonement for sin,

And opened the Life-gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear his voice;

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice.

O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,

And give him the glory great things he hath done. — FANNY JANE CROSBY © W. H. Doane

The Lamb shall overcome them : for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings : and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. — REVELATION 17:14

His Grace is sufficient. What comfort to place My weakness in Jesus! What strength in his face! What mighty resources Have those who embrace His gift: free, redeeming, Unmerited Grace! — DIANA MARTIN (Wellington, New Zealand)

O Heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty: Open, we beseech Thee, our eyes to behold Thy gracious hand in all Thy works; that, rejoicing in Thy whole creation, we may learn to serve Thee with gladness; for the sake of him by whom all things were made, Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — BOOK OF COMMON WORSHIP

We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so. — Romans 5:2, 3.

In the name of Jesus there is not only life, but abundant life; not only forgiveness, but the fulness of the Spirit of God; not only certain prospect of future life in Heaven, but sufficient power for present life on earth: power for active service and fruitfulness, power to do a man’s part in the Kingdom into which that Name is already your passport. Plead you His Name, my fellow-believer! Claim your inheritance. Take your deliverance. In the Name of Jesus Christ, stop grovelling and grousing and advertising your spiritual deficiency. Rise, walk, and follow Him in the way!

An heir to a kingdom, and promised a crown:

With God thy Protector — oh, why be cast down?

Oh, think of the triumphs of faith thou hast heard;

Be not unbelieving; take God at His word. — Mary D. James.

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)

I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt.5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8:1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31- 34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor. 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom. 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15:1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2:10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship(Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil 1:5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child(Eph

1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

who you are?!

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The movie character Forrest Gump became famous for saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” That statement is profound in both its simplicity and its accuracy.

Like trying the various fillings and flavors in a box of chocolates, we don’t know what each day of our lives will hold. But as believers in Jesus Christ, we have an assurance that He is with us, and we know that all that is good comes from Him. The Bible says that He opens His hand and satisfies His children with good things (Psalm 104:28).

John 1:16 drives this home with an unusual phrase: “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” When you read that verse the first time, it sounds as though some words are missing. But the actual Greek phrase is grace “anti” grace. The word anti is a Greek preposition that can have several meanings. The New King James Version translates it “for,” but most linguists prefer using the word “upon.” Out of the fullness of His own grace, Jesus gives us grace upon grace, grace on top of grace.

Think of the ocean surf -- one wave coming after another in endless succession. In his commentary on John, the late scholar F.F. Bruce said those who follow Christ draw from the ocean of divine fullness grace upon grace -- one wave of grace being constantly replaced by a fresh one. “There is no limit to the supply of grace which God has placed at His people’s disposal in Christ,” Bruce observed.

It’s like the clouds of Noah’s day that kept pouring out rain; the granaries in Joseph’s day that held endless reserves of grain; the rock in the wilderness that kept pouring out the water; the cruise of oil in Elijah’s time that kept issuing oil; the cup in Psalm 23 that kept overflowing.

Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates can’t compare with that!

The New International Version simply says: “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.”

Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Psalm 68:19 says similarly, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits.”

Shame on us if we mope around all day like desolate wanderers in the bleak woods or barren moors. We can’t always be happy, but a rod of joy should run down the backbone of our attitudes. Though life has its share of burdens, God has an endless variety of ways to bless us.

We’re blessed, for example, with friendly people. Yes, there are plenty of grouches around in just about every setting, but someone is smiling right now not far from you. It might be at the corner market, in the softball bleachers, at a church function, or across the counter at Starbucks. But if you’ll look for a smile, you’ll find one pretty easily. And if you’ll smile yourself (it happens when you tell the corners of your mouth to relax and twist upward), you’ll discover a good many more smiling people.

We’re blessed with natural beauty around us. Lift your eyes from this article and glance out a window. See the clouds or sunshine -- or if it’s evening, the moon and stars. The wonder of God’s creation is there for us to consider and appreciate. If there’s a houseplant nearby, take a moment to study its leaves -- perhaps you will note for the first time how each one is uniquely designed for a specific purpose. Listen for a bird’s song or look for flowers along the walkways as you go about your day. They were created for you to enjoy.

This is my Father’s world,

the birds their carols raise,

the morning light, the lily white,

declare their Maker’s praise.

We also see God’s goodness in His providential alignment of life’s circumstances. How wonderfully He weaves together the good and bad -- the sad and glad -- into a tapestry of praise. Look back over your life and notice how seemingly bad events have worked for your good.

Let’s savor the moments we are given and thank Him for providing us with all things richly to enjoy.

Are you “blessed”?

There are many Christians, myself included, who would suggest that by the sheer nature of our Salvation in Jesus Christ, we are, indeed, a blessed people.

But if you asked a room full of people what it means to be “blessed,” I suspect you’d get a wide array of answers.

For some, to be blessed means to have health, wealth and a good family.

To others, to be blessed means to travel the world or climb a mountain.

And then there are those of us who acknowledge that God blesses us even through a trial by showing us His faithfulness and love. Or how He blesses us with His comfort after the death of a child, or with food to eat after the loss of a job.

The Bible refers to being blessed in a variety of contexts, perhaps most notably in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12).

Of course, in that scene, Jesus suggests that to be truly blessed may look nothing like the usual things that come to mind when we consider the word.

Recently, the subject of being “blessed” has even been addressed by secular media outlets.

What’s prompted the attention?

The “#blessed” hashtag has been used so often on social media that one particular critic in The New York Times is suggesting that it’s become “the go-to term for those who want to boast about an accomplishment while pretending to be humble, fish for a compliment, acknowledge a success (without sounding too conceited), or purposely elicit envy.”

How can a word that is supposed to mean “endowed with divine favor and protection” take on such an opposing use?

Yet a quick look at Facebook, Twitter or Instagram shows just how popular the hashtag has become – and that prevalence inevitably lends itself to misuse.

Does it matter?

Some Christians have responded by not using it any longer.

For example, a former missionary even called blessed “The One Thing Christians Should Stop Saying,” asserting that “calling myself blessed because of material good fortune is just plain wrong.”

This author certainly does seem to have a point in light of the Beatitudes and Jesus’ complete lack of reference to material comforts in that teaching.

And yet, we also see that the Bible does use the word in places to describe safety and provision. We read in James 1:17 that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.”

So perhaps the answer isn’t in avoiding the word, but expanding it to its full meaning.

Many of us have found in our Christian walk that blessings can take many forms.

Speaking very personally, I would never suggest that losing my mom to cancer at 9, or my dad to alcoholism at 12, was a “blessing” – but years later, I can certainly appreciate and understand the truth of Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.”

I like what C.S. Lewis once suggested: “When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place.”

C. S. Lewis wrote in Perelandra, “Whatever you do, [God] will make good of it. But not the good he had prepared for you if you had obeyed him.”