FBCWest 707 | Blessed
Recorded On: 04/12/2026
Bulletin
Hymn # 33 “To God Be the Glory”
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 24:7 - 10
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“God Really Loves Us”
“Your Promises”
“Praise You Anywhere”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Blessed”
“Who You Say I Am”
Sermon Notes
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be God who blessed us with every spiritual blessing
Ephesians 1:4 - 14 Positional blessings – holy & blameless, redemption, made known the mystery of His will, an inheritance, and seal by the Holy Spirit as a pledge as God’s own possession
Matthew 5:3 – 12 Character and Circumstance blessings – the kingdom of heaven, comfort, inheriting the earth, to be satisfied, receive mercy, seeing God, called sons of God, the kingdom of heaven and great reward
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
All of us have a tendency at times to concentrate on what we don't have to. The scriptures tell us that we ought to be thankful for everything. Believers are not just lucky or fortunate.
We are blessed. Hems and contemporary Christian music tells us that we should count our blessings, and even them named them one by one, but we have a tendency to assume the blessings. Today's message is going to talk about how we are blessed, and the various ways we are blessed, so that we could appreciate it and count those blessings. When you're walking out among people, and you see there's so many of you know or somebody you don't know, oftentimes be friendly with say how you're doing.
We'll hear back, fine, maybe even great. The one response that always kind of causes me to think is when they say blessed. When they say blessed, I begin to think one day understand that they are. Perhaps and probably they're a believer. So just their answer kind of tells me something about them, that they aren't just thinking that life is fortunate or lucky for them, but they have been blessed. And that is a way, so we're going to take a look at what the scriptures say about being blessed. We're told, oftentimes I can in music and whatever, there's no harm to say, count your blessings, name them one by one.
And unfortunately when we count our blessings, we tend to on the spiritual. I have a job or I have some place to lay down or my kids are good or whatever. And we're thinking about the temporary. I want us to take a look at the spiritual blessings that we have. And the first group of blessings is significant. And so if you have your Bibles and you should turn to Ephesians chapter 1, we're going to start with verse 3. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 6 says this, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to stop there.
The statement, because when I think about my poor person, how can I bless God? And yet it tells us here, blessed be the God of our Father. And the psalm tells us, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all bless his holy name. So we're told to render blessings unto God.
So that's a message for another time about how we can bless God. We're going to talk about how God blesses us. And so who has blessed us with every spirit in the heavenly places in Christ. So notice first off, he doesn't with hope. It's not like, okay, I'm going to give you some spiritual blessings.
I'll give you some spiritual blessings. And the other ones will go there. Each and every one of us who are believers, who are following Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He has us with every spiritual blessing. He isn't stingy about the spiritual blessings.
And he doesn't limit it to the people that we think are spiritual or not. Every believer has been blessed by God with spiritual blessings. That's simply because of who we are, our position and being His. And so now he's told us, okay, every spiritual blessing. Now you can just leave it there, but he's going to start giving us some examples so that we can then count them. As we go along.
Yes, as he chose us and him before the foundation of the world. So first off, the spiritual blessing, he chose us. That is an awesome spiritual blessing. Now I want to compare like in life. Back many of you when you were younger and you would want to play sports in some type of team situation. It was like a pickup game.
And so usually there would be a bunch of kids involved. And what you would do is the two best athletes. You'd always put them on separate teams because you wanted to at least have competition. And then each one would choose somebody on their team. The last thing you wanted, well, the second to the last thing you wanted, was to be chosen last.
Because that told you you weren't a good athlete and probably nobody liked you. Sometimes you got chosen even if you weren't a good athlete because just people liked you. And so it gets really a little dicey as you're maybe standing there going, I don't want to be last. I don't want to be last. Or the worst situation is they throw you into the other team. We don't care uneven. You can be on the other team because you're so bad. You're not going to harm us even if there's six of you and only four of us.
It's okay. You can be on that team. But God says, I want you on my team. I chose you. And we're talking about not a game. But life and eternal life and God chose you.
So when you hear Satan whisper in your ear, you're not worthy. That's right. But God chose me anyway. Take it up with him. I'm on his team and we're never going to lose. And I only do the chose us. But he chose us to be holy and blameless before him.
So we're going to be holy. He's being separated. We are separated from this world to his purpose, to his being. We are chosen to be separated. And that is what God does. All you got to do is look back in Genesis 1.1. What does God do?
He separates the light from the darkness. Holiness. He separates the land from the waters.
That's holiness. He separates the firmament from the firmament. That's holiness. God, even in creation, separates things.
That's what he does. And he separated us so that we are for his purpose and blameless. I don't care, in essence, I try not to care what you think. But as far as God thinks, I am blameless before him.
I have done no wrong. I'm his. Gozen. I'm holy and I'm blameless. In love, he predestined us to adoptions as sons to Jesus Christ, to himself, according to the kind intentions of his will.
So again, he has, we should be adopted as sons. Now, you don't get saved by being adopted. You get saved by being born again. The adoption that Paul is referring to is the body. Our body will be adopted into a new body that will be like his. But he's going to adopt a, legally, if you will, so that we might be sons, that we might be children of his. When good or bad things happen to other people as a human being, you're happier, whatever. But when it happens to your children or your grandchildren, it's personal because they're yours.
And God saying, your are my children. It's personal to me. You're special to me. I love the world. But because he chose me to be blameless and holy in him, I am now his child. There was a song that Libby liked that said, on my best days, I'm a child of God, I'm a worst.
I'm a child of God. Even when you don't think you're worthy of it, your his. To the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed us in the beloved.
Again, these spiritual blessings aren't coming from a miser. He is free on us through Jesus Christ. In him, we have the redemption through his blood. We have been redeemed. That is a spiritual blessing that we cannot discount.
Well, what is redemption? Means that you've been sold into slave bondage and you were purchased from that. We were slaves to sin. And God purchased us through the blood of Jesus that we might be his.
We have been redeemed. Taken out of the darkness. It was like out of slavery into freedom. He has done these things. He has redeemed us. Notice this work is not ours. It's his.
He redeemed us through his blood. The forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. God forgives us. And it's amazing for those of us who have been a child of God for a number of years. Now, sometimes we will repeat the same sin or trespass.
And we might wonder how could anybody forgive us? Well, how many times should we forgive somebody? Seven times? Jesus, you're not even close when you say seven times seven. God forgives because he's rich in his grace. He's not rich in his meter of how many times do you get to mess up? Now, in my personal situation, I look at it and I go, if I love you a lot, I'll forgive you a lot. I'll forgive you a little.
Jesus, I love you so much. There is no limit to my forgiveness because of the riches of his grace. So again, a spiritual blessing is this repeated forgiveness that we have. Not when we first came to him, but every day thereafter, which he lavished on us. Again, God is not with what he does and what he gives.
In both his spiritual giving and his spiritual blessings and his forgiveness. Now, wisdom and insight, he may known to us the mystery of his will. We know we have eternal life because we believe in Jesus.
Because God has given us eyes to see and ears to hear. Many people say, well, wait a minute. They can't be. You got to do something, right? You got to life. And we're saying no.
It's faith in Christ alone that is salvation. Because we understand the mystery of God because he's revealed it to us. So when you're talking to people and you see people who have no clue what's happening. You say, thank God that he is given. I've been blessed because I understand that his plan for salvation is faith in Christ. Because of his kind intention and what he purposed with a view of the administration suitable to the fullness of times that things in Christ, things in heavens and things on the earth. And in him also we have obtained an inheritance. And inheritance.
Now, I've shared this before and I'll continue to it is not an expectancy. If you have a rich parents or whatever and they're still alive. You're hoping that someday you may inherit it. Now, if you love your parents, you're hoping that's the long day away.
But you know, that there's a sense of when they pass, I will get what they have. But a couple of things they've got to happen first. They're going to have something left at the end of their life. Assuming they do, then they've got to left it in their will or something that says you get it. Until then, it's an expectancy.
You're hoping to receive it. But when your parents or your grandparents die and they've left it to you, it is now an inheritance. They can't take it away from you. Because it's transferred to you. And we have obtained an inheritance. Jesus wrote his will on the cross.
And it's these spiritual blessings to you as an inheritance. It's not an expectancy. It's concrete.
According to his purpose, who works all things after the council of his will, God is the one who determined it. And God is the one who did it. The end that we who are the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of his glory. Part of that blessing, God, is that we are the praise of his glory. Because God's saying, you want to know how merciful I am?
Look at Joe. Forgive. Look at Joe. You want to see how lavish I do on my grace and my goodness. Look at Joe. Because he doesn't deserve any of it. Because of who God is.
Here's Joe. Of his glory. And him.
You also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Another spiritual blessing. You don't have to be afraid of all these spiritual blessings away. Because not only has he promised you, and the scripture says, that there's one thing that's impossible for God. We're always talking about all things are possible with God. There's one thing that is impossible for God to lie. God can.
So once God makes up promise, that's even over and above. Like my father used to say, yes, and no, or we'll see. For God, it should be yes or no.
We don't need promises because he can't lie. God makes promises. And then not only does he make promises, he says, I'm going to seal it so that it can't be changed.
I'll give you the Holy Spirit as a pledge of my promise of the guarantee of these spiritual blessings that are permanent. We don't have to be insecure in the love of God and his blessings. It doesn't depend on who we are.
It depends on who he is. And he has blessed us simply because we believed in his son. And his son has a pledge or inheritance, but the view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of his glory. He chose us to be his own possession. And if God chose, and if you are God's possession, how can you not have a great day? How can it just be fine? It should be, I'm blessed. I have enough time to hear how blessed I am.
So I'll simply just say, I'm blessed. Now, we've taken a look at these blessings who are there because of our position, simply because we are believers in Christ. These are the blessings we received. And it doesn't matter what we've done, these are the blessings. Count them. Appreciate them. But there's also other blessings.
If you turn to Matthew chapter 5, Jesus does a sermon on the mount and he's going to list. And some of these blessings come because of circumstance and some of these blessings come because of our character. Matthew chapter 5 verse 3 says this. Blessed are those who mourn. Be comforted. That seems counterintuitive.
Most of us would say, blessed are those who get everything they want and have a charmed life and just are so rich in everything. Blessed are those who mourn. Well, we feel sad for people who mourn. Jesus says, you're blessed.
For they shall be comforted. I want to give you one example that the scripture says. The Christians have talked about that there will come a time, but God himself will wipe every tear away. Can you imagine that comfort? That God so personally comforts you. Now, if you are a believer and you've come into the time of mourning, you can understand how God does, in fact, comfort us from a distance.
But there will come a time when he will come. It'll be very much like when you were a child and you were running and you fall. And your mom or your dad, you know, you're come crying and they pick you up and they comfort you and they kiss your boo-boo and they wash it and they put the medicine and they make you feel better and loved. Not that it didn't hurt, but now it's okay because I feel the love comfort and your father in heaven is going to comfort you when you mourn. Blessed are they, blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth.
Again, counter-intuitive. We think might makes right. The way you inherit the world is you take it over. God says no. For those who are weak, those who are gentle, they will inherit the earth. The world, the earth is not any wants to give other than God's.
So God can allow the inherits to whoever He desires. And He has determined that the gentle. It's a great word. The son was about nine, ten months old or whatever. We were back in Virginia and one of my uncles owned a. I don't want to use this word because you guys are going. He raised chicken.
And they would come out and there would be all these little baby chickens. And the houses would be run and it would be portioned off and as the chickens got bigger, bigger, they would take the whole thing. But they had some little baby chicks. So we got one and we put it in my son's hand. I don't know. It's a word that kind of translates that, yeah, I may have the power to crush this little thing, but I'm going to be gentle. That's what God has called us to be gentle.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. That is right. Now this is something that we can do. Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? Is your desire to be more like Christ today than you were yesterday? Do you desire to know more about Him today than you did yesterday? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness?
But then shall be satisfied. You see the interesting thing about the rest of life, nothing that satisfies us. Take our appetites. We can go after church and have a wonderful lunch and be stuffed. We can then order dessert even though we're stuffed and be more stuffed.
And guess what happens? About five or six o'clock, I'm hungry again. Maybe even have a snack in between because we are never satisfied. You get a raise at work. You go, great, I get more money. Payment comes you though. Boy, I wish I had more money. We are never satisfied.
We get a brand new car. Whoa, whatever. Then we don't want to wash it because we're never satisfied. But blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
We'll finally be... Blessed are the merciful. Again, something you can do. You can be merciful for they shall receive mercy. Now, if there was ever a time when it is in your best interest to be merciful, it's now.
If you're merciful, you'll receive mercy. But if you're not merciful, you ain't going to receive mercy. Jesus similar said, if you don't forgive others, God's not going to forgive you. So again, you can be blessed today and every day thereafter by simply being...
Blessed are the pure and the heart, where they shall see God. This one's hard because the world wants you to be corrupt. The world doesn't want you to be innocent. The world wants you to evil, terrible things in any situation. But, pastor, you don't want to be naive. You may not want to be naive, but I want to be pure and heart. That my or above reproach, that my intentions have goodness for you.
For those who are pure and heart, shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, or they shall be called sons of God. Well, we are called sons of God, so therefore we should be peacemakers. But unfortunately, there are those who enjoy just stirring the pot. To make controversy, to say things that might rile people up. And unfortunately, in too many churches have too many people like that. Unfortunately, for the Baptist denomination, we tend to start more churches by church plits than we do by intentionality. Could you imagine how long churches there might be if there were peacemakers?
You said, how do we work this out? How can we resolve this situation? Let's be at peace with one. Because, for Lord, there comes that guy by the door. How do we become peacemakers? Blessed those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, heirs is the kingdom of God.
Again, that's something that doesn't necessarily depend on you. You may live a charmed life. You may be persecuted.
You may be persecuted. Jesus says, you are blessed when that happens. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you. And falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. You are an idiot, but because you believe in Christ. When they persecute you for him, he says, you are blessed. Rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great.
For the same way they persecuted the prophets. When you become persecuted, Wednesday and war was being poor me. You may be wonderful, hallelujah. I am counted to suffer in the same way my Lord did. Because they are not going to treat the servants, the slaves better than they sleep the master. If they treated Jesus that way, they are going to treat us that way. And Jesus saying, you just don't have to grin and bear it.
Jesus, you are rejoiced because you are blessed because you reward in heaven is great. Count your blessings, name them one by one. I am blessed because I have chosen. I am blessed because I am holy and blameless because I am redeemed. I am blessed because I have it inheritance.
I am blessed because he is merciful to me. I am blessed because he has given me all of these spiritual blessings. And I am blessed, but I am a peacemaker. I am blessed, but I am blessed.
I am blessed with a hunger and thirst for righteousness. I am blessed, but I am persecuted. I am blessed when I am mourned. There are so many blessings. I and we need to change our attitude. Several years ago, I went to a graduation of a person who is in our church who graduated from a church. I graduated from a sheriff academy. Usually, I hate graduation speeches.
It seems that the worst of a grade graduation. I can tell you what the next eighth grade graduation is. Our parents are terrible. They mess everything up. We are going to fix it. My response is, the world doesn't even know you exist. But that's the sevens and eighth grade graduation. This gentleman who spoke as his head cancer and his statement was, many of us say, why me?
My response is, why not me? When we receive these, what we think are difficulties and persecutions and obstacles, maybe instead of saying, why me? Why not me?
And God, thank you for the opportunity to bless me even more. You have blessed me so much. I can't count all the ways. And sometimes I might have to make it. I blame this a lot. So maybe I have to write them down. But if you start writing them down, I can guarantee you this.
You will never complete the list. Because even if you finish today, tomorrow, the next month, the next year, oh, God bless me this way. And God bless me this way. And God bless me this way. We are so blessed.
And all God's people said.