BLESSED BY: REV. ALLEN FARLEY

BLESSED

Rev. Allen Farley

Sunday, October 11, 2020

The Lord desires that we become complete ___ in all areas ___ body, soul, and spirit ___ to be successful in His sight ___ in short, to be blessed.  It is time to stop being dominated by one circumstance then the next, but to live above it.  The time is at hand to accelerate into the “whole person” that he designed us to be ___ the person He needs us to be in order to usher in His kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.  How do we do this?  Jesus gave the answer in one short, powerful verse.

Luke 11:28:  Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.  “Blessed” in the Greek means:  Long in duration ___ supremely happy (not a short-lived emotion, but a state of joy from knowing and living in the unchanging truth) ___ well off (renewed; in right standing with the Lord; in close and constant relationship with Him; prayers answered; bearing much fruit for the Kingdom; protected; all needs met; family covered; continually at peace).  “Blessed’ means nothing missing and nothing broken in our lives!

And what do we need to do to be blessed?  Two things:  Hear the Word of God and Keep it.  “HEAR”:   Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  Without faith, it is impossible to please God.  “Hearing” replaces negative feelings with truth.  Truth lasts.  Current facts and circumstances will change.  “Keep” means:  To obey and to practice the Word. 

Obey God.  His commandments are motivated by, and work by, love.  Jesus (who is Lord) said in John 14:15: If you [really] love Me, you will keep [obey] My commandments. Jesus when challenged by a lawyer from the Pharisees (Matthew 22: 35-40) responded: YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND ALL YOUR MIND.  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.  Jesus further explained the second commandment in Matthew 7:12:  DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU. And how do we want others to treat us?  __ With respect __ kindness __ understanding __ support.

How does this love commandment behave?   READ 1 Corinthians 13:1-8.  Love never fails because God is love!  When we love ___ when we put it to work, we release Him into the situation.  Love is the greatest power in the universe.  It is not passive (just not hating anyone or having a warm feeling).  It is active __ doing something for others.

What prevents us from fully obeying the love commandments?  The flesh ___ our carnal mind!  Why?  The “men” Jesus is talking about here are not limited to just those who love us. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others (Matthew 5:46-47).  Jesus said: But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:44-45).   Jesus said:  I am the vine, you are the branch.  Without Me, you can do nothing.  That is why Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit.  

What will enable us to overcome the flesh and love others?  THE BIG KEY:  The Holy Spirit.  Galatians 5:16 is one of the most important verses in the Bible:  Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.  The Word says that we have the mind of Christ.  How did Jesus use His mind?  He did only what the Father said to do and said only what the Father told Him to say.  He expects us to do the same.  Jesus said (in John 14:15-17 Amp. Bible):  If you really love Me, you will keep My commands.  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever ___ The Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him.  But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you constantly and will be in you.  John 16:13:  But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth).  For He will not speak His own message (on His own authority); but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him), and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come (that will happen in the future).

And remember these truths:  We will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-10). Give the best ___ expect the best (2 Corinthians 9:6). God provides the means for us to bless others (2 Corinthians 9:8-12). Do not grow weary in well doing (Galatians 6); God promises a harvest (Luke 6:37, 38) (Hosea 10:12).  Let’s go to the Galatians 5:16-24 and the “How to Walk in The Spirit” attachments.  The second attachment is a very abbreviated version of Rev. Keith Moore’s study from several years back.

Love must become a lifestyle ___ giving of self for others’ benefit as directed by the Holy Spirit. It requires yielding to and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit ___ continually asking Him:  Who needs me and what do they need? He will then guide us in how to pray, to counsel, to provide comfort and assistance, and give the greatest gift of all ___ a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

REPEAT THIS:  I LOVE THE LORD MY GOD.  I WILL OBEY HIS COMMANDMENT TO LOVE.  I BELIEVE HIS WORD THAT SAYS, “LOVE NEVER FAILS”.  I WILL DAILY SUBMIT TO THE CONTROL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT I MAY LOVE OTHERS.  BY HIS POWER, I WILL TREAT OTHER PEOPLE AS I WOULD WANT THEM TO TREAT ME.

LOVE NEVER FAILS!  LOVE NEVER FAILS!