Blessed to Be a Blessing

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘As soon as I realize that something is too wonderful for me, that I am not worthy to receive it, and that it is not meant for a human being at all, I must pour it out “to the Lord.” Then these very things that have come to me will be poured out as “rivers of living water” all around me (John 7:38). And until I pour these things out to God, they actually endanger those I love, as well as myself, because they will be turned into lust. Yes, we can be lustful in things that are not sordid and vile. Even love must be transformed by being poured out “to the Lord.”  If you have become bitter and sour, it is because when God gave you a blessing you hoarded it. Yet if you had poured it out to Him, you would have been the sweetest person on earth. If you are always keeping blessings to yourself and never learning to pour out anything “to the Lord,” other people will never have their vision of God expanded through you.’ CHAMBERS

Everything is God’s and we are stewards of those things.  We tend to think of “things” in terms of ownership.  I earn my wages .. they are mine … I bought that car, it is mine.  I sired those children, they are mine.  But everything is still God’s, no matter what we might think or believe.  In Luke 12, there was a man who was building bigger barns because he had much more than he could use.  The purpose of the excess was to bless others, but he chose to keep what was ‘his’ for himself. God called him a fool.

 

The Bible says in Matthew 12:34, ‘out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks’.  Have you ever heard someone complain that all the preacher talks about is money?  Any guesses about what that person holds dear?  Then there are those who would cloak their greed in a form of godliness.  They give because they believe they will get more if they do.  Their purpose is to benefit themselves.  Rather than see their giving as ministry to others, they see giving as an investment in their own well-being.

 

And yet ....  I know many who are so open handed with what God has given them to steward.  They eagerly respond to opportunities to bless others .. sacrificially .. they understand that God is the provider and He will sustain them. The reason they have … is to give …. They are blessed to be a blessing … They understand that God has chosen to use others to help others. God has given them the ministry of giving …..

 

But it not just about money … it might be time … it might be spiritual giftings … whatever it is that God has blessed you with  … He intends for you to use it for His purpose.  It might even be a hurt.  Rick Warren says “God never wastes a hurt”.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ’  Even our hurts can be turned into blessing to others as we minister to them in the midst of their troubles.

 

What has God been saying to you?  Has He prompted you to do something that you have balked at.  The Bible says to know what you should do and then not do it is sin .. James 4:17.. In other words, you miss God … you tell God “No”.

 

Say yes to God and let your light shine ….

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)