Sunday Words of Encouragement November 24, 2019

Our Sunday School teacher shared on giving Thanks --- for good times and struggles. During Service we shared Communion and then pastor continued his sermon on The Blessed Life.

Blessed is having God's supernatural power working For you.
Cursed is having supernatural power working Against you.

Our lives are better when we allow Jesus/God to take the wheel. Too often we take the wheel ourselves and even ask God to stay away from the car! We want abundant blessings, but we try to find middle ground doing what we want.

When it comes to holiday events, we hope that others will share the load; we hope that everyone will contribute. God is there to help carry the load. There are times He is prepared to actually carry you.

Is it acceptable to live your life without the blessing of God on your life?
People live without blessing. We compromise; we lower our expectations.
God rewards obedience. He allows struggles to those who are disobedient, but the curse of sin is lifted when we are obedient. And as part of that obedience, pastor asked: “are you tithing or are you cheating God?” Malachi 3:8-10.

Those who steal the first ten percent from God are under curse. The curse can be lifted immediately.

The Point: if you want to break the curse on your financial life… and everything connected to it... Challenge God by tithing.

Honor the Lord with your wealth and the best part of everything you produce and your ‘barns’ will be filled to overflowing. Proverbs 3:3-10.

God offers a solution to the curse. Malachi 3:11-12 represents promise, not compromise.

Why wouldn't you give the ten percent when you are promised abundance? Some people don't believe, don't trust, don't care or are in so deep that they can't give ten percent. Those Christ-followers who have learned the lesson know that you can’t afford NOT to tithe.**

God has a plan to prosper those who are obedient. Allow God's hands on your life.
What can you do? Take the steps necessary to Honor and even test God.

(**My husband and I learned this truth years ago. We were in debt and couldn’t even afford fast food for our children. Then we prayed and turned our belongings over to God. When we acknowledged it ALL belongs to Him and we are only stewards, He began to bless us. As we trusted Him with the first tenth of our income, he continued to bless us with abundance.)

This song fits the message for me- He Did it Again, Counting My Blessings!

Verses for Today:
Proverbs 3:9-10
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Thank you, Lord, for your abundant blessings! Help me to be a conduit to allow Your gifts to flow to others.