Christian Walk with God | Christian Ministry Training Blog

We Have Been Blessed

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

In previous posts we considered how God wants us as His people to bless others as we have been blessed. We can find some good lessons in Ephesians 1 about our blessings in Christ Jesus.

Lessons from Ephesians 1 of How We Have Been Blessed

Take some time to reflect on what Ephesians 1 teaches us about how we are blessed.

We are blessed by God in Christ Jesus.

the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us (Eph. 1:3)
through Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5)
freely given us in the One he loves (Eph. 1:6)
in him we have (Eph. 1:7)
in Christ (Eph. 1:9)
under Christ (Eph. 1:10)
in Christ, in him (Eph. 1:13)

We are blessed with every spiritual blessing.

blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3)
adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5)
glorious grace, freely given us (Eph. 1:6)
redemption through his blood (Eph. 1:7)
the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7)
marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13)
guaranteeing our inheritance (Eph. 1:14)

We are blessed in accordance with the sovereign and purposeful will of God.

he chose us in him before the creation of the world (Eph. 1:4)
he predestined us for (Eph. 1:5)
in accordance with his pleasure and will (Eph. 1:5)
with all wisdom and understanding (Eph. 1:8)
according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ (Eph. 1:9)
to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment (Eph. 1:10)
having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will (Eph. 1:11)

We are blessed for a reason beyond ourselves.

to be holy and blameless in his sight (Eph. 1:4)
to the praise of his glorious grace (Eph. 1:6)
to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ (Eph. 1:10)
in order that we … might be for the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:12)
to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:14)

We are blessed out of the good heart of God.

in love … (Eph. 1:4)
in accordance with his pleasure and will (Eph. 1:5)
grace, which he has freely given us (Eph. 1:6)
in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us (Eph. 1:7-8a)
according to his good pleasure (Eph. 1:9)

With blessings from a good and gracious God, we have all we need to live a purposeful life as a blessing to others. — “Praise God from whom all blessings flow!'”

What it Takes to be a Blessing to Others

Posted on September 28, 2022 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 1 Comment ↓

We previously established that God wants His people to be a blessing to others, resulting in praise and glory to Him and the building up of the people we bless. Treating others with the kind of grace and love He has shown us, however, doesn’t come naturally. We must ask what it takes to be a blessing to others.

Components for What it Takes to be a Blessing to Others

Since blessing others goes beyond mere vocalization of the words “God bless you” to authentically demonstrating His love and grace, we must consider all the components that go in to the ability to do so.

1) The Mental Component to Being a Blessing: Be Intentional

Hebrews 13:16 exhorts us, “do not forget to do good and to share with others”, suggesting that we need mental reminders to bless others.

We might forget because we get so busy and consumed with our own lives and needs. Blessing others may require intentionally making time for one another. What can we do to set up reminders to look outside of ourselves?

Forgetting to do good to others also happens when we forget the blessings of God in our own lives. If we don’t keep God’s grace and mercy toward us in the forefront of our minds, we’ll tend to overlook verses like: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matt. 10:8) “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32)

2) The Heart Component: Be a Humble Servant

Doing good and sharing with others emulates the heart of our Lord “who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:1-4)

Blessing others may mean laying aside our own interests and conveniences for the good of others, giving of our time and resources. To this end doing good and sharing with others is considered a sacrifice, and according to Hebrews 13:16, “with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

3) The Spiritual Component: Be Equipped to be a Blessing

Since the kind of blessing God wants us to be doesn’t come naturally, we need Him to work in and through us. — “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Heb. 13:20-21)

Also keep in mind that God uses Scripture to thoroughly equip us for good works (2 Tim. 3:16-17). He uses His Word to renew our minds so a transformation takes place (Rom. 12:2) and to adjust our heart attitudes, propelling us toward Christlikeness in the way we treat others. — “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)

Be a Blessing to Others

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 3 Comments ↓

We live in a self-centered, self-serving world. God, however, wants His people to be a blessing to others. That doesn’t just include those we like, those who agree with us, or those who have been good to us, but also those who seem hard to love, with whom we disagree, or who have wronged us. Jesus commands us, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk. 6:27-28). He goes on to say, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. …” (Lk. 6:32-34)

Why We Should Bless Others

We have something to offer others because God has first “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). We are “enriched in every way so that we can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11). We are comforted by God so we in turn “can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

We are blessed so we can be a blessing to others. This has been God’s way for His people to respond as seen even back to Abraham. God said, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing … all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen 12:2-3)

What it Means to be a Blessing to Others

To bless others, then, is to extend God’s grace to them as we too have been recipients of grace (Eph. 4:29, 1 Pet. 4:10). To bless others is to show them the love of God that we ourselves have experienced (Jn. 13:34; 1 Jn. 3:14-18).

We’re exhorted, “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 Jn. 3:18). Here are some ways we can be a blessing to others by extending His love and grace to them:

speaking uplifting and encouraging words that “benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29)
living authentically and honestly (Eph. 4:14-15; Col. 3:9; 1 Jn. 3:18)
being kind and compassionate (Eph. 4:32)
being hospitable, making people feel warmth and welcome (Rom. 12:13)
sharing of our resources to meet needs (financial and otherwise) (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:16)
answering kindly to those who speak wrongly to or about us (1 Cor. 4:12-13; 1 Pet. 3:9)
doing good to those who have done wrong to us (Lk. 6:27-28; 1 Pet. 3:9)
forgiving those who have wronged us (Eph. 4:32)
praying with gratitude for people and letting them know you’re praying for them (2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 1:16; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2)

What Happens When We’ve Blessed Others

When we’re a blessing to others, God is pleased (Heb. 13:16) and glorified (Matt. 5:16), often resulting in thanksgiving to God (2 Cor. 9:12-13).

As we bless others, it just might spur them on to bless someone else to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). As we follow the example of Christ, they can follow our example (1 Cor. 11:1).

And, though we aren’t to bless others for our personal benefit, remembering Jesus’ words that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts. 20:35), God does reward us for the good we have shown (Prov. 11:25; 19:17; Lk. 6:38; Heb. 6:10; 2 Cor. 9:6). The reward may not always come immediately or be a tangible reward but He “will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Heb. 6:10).

Since all this can happen as a result of us being a blessing to others, we need to ask what it will take for us to become more and more of that kind of blessing — the topic of the next post.

For help on specific ways we can bless others, check out this resource: People Helping Ministry Manual

Living as Christians in a Fallen World

Posted on September 7, 2022 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

As the Church, we need to lay aside our differences and stand as one voice in our Lord, especially as we see the liberal and immoral influences and agendas in our world increase. It’s about living as Christians in a fallen world — the Christ-followers we’re intended to be. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-16).

The world so desperately needs us
to live as salt and light.

It’s About Who We Are Not Just Who We Should Be as Christians

In looking at Matthew 5:13-16, I was struck by how Jesus said we are the salt and light — present tense. He didn’t say we should be or could be. The tense of the verb “are” in the original language is present indicative which indicates a simple statement of fact. We are inherently salt and light because of our life in Him. It is part of who we are as His children.

Now it is possible for salt to lose its saltiness and for light to be covered over so it is not seen. But, salt is still salt and light is still light. Remember, we are salt and light in Him.

Living as Christians Means Living as Salt and Light in Today’s World

To be the salt and light that we are is to be an influence for good in our world. As the light of the world, we will reflect the Lord before others in all His fullness. As salt, we will season the earth with His grace and truth.

Because we are salt and light, we already have what we need to live that way. As 2 Peter 1:3 informs us, we have “everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him.” — No exceptions! No excuses! So, let’s rely on His grace and power to live as Christians.

Here are some posts that give some thoughts on what it looks like for a believer to not just BE but to LIVE as salt and light in today’s world:

Limitless Possibilities in Worship

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

In answering questions about worshiping God like where, why, how, and who should worship, Psalm 150 shows the limitless possibilities in worship. Too often we confine worship to a certain time and place, to be done in a set way.

Learn about Worshiping God and the Limitless Possibilities in Worship

Let’s read through Psalm 150 and note what it teaches us about worship.

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. (Ps. 150:1)

Answers the Question Where, letting us know that worshiping God isn’t limited to a house of worship (church) or any other place.

Also Read: Spiritual versus Physical House of Worship

Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. (Ps. 150:2)

Answers the Question Why, making clear the limitless reasons to worship as His greatness surpasses our ability to comprehend

Also Read: How Can We Not Worship Our God?

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. (Ps. 150:3-5)

Answers the Question How, showing that worship isn’t limited to any one means.

Reading the Bible the Whole Way Through

Posted on July 20, 2022 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 4 Comments ↓

Have you ever read through the Bible in its entirety? Reading the Bible the whole way through can seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be if you are doing it for the right reasons and if you have a good plan.

Why Read the Bible in Its Entirety

Our reason for reading needs to be about more than saying we read through the whole Bible. Aim at the difference it can make in your understanding of God’s character and ways which in the long run should yield greater trust and love for Him.

Getting a handle on the whole counsel of God helps us understand some of the harder passages. It gives a context in which to figure things out. Scripture must reconcile with the whole of Scripture.

Getting an idea of God’s big picture helps us gain perspective for the here and now as well as for the end times.

Getting a broad perspective of who God is and how He works helps us trust God more even when we don’t understand what is happening because we see through the pages of Scripture how He is a sovereign and faithful God.

Personal Testimony About Reading the Bible the Whole Way Through

Some people use a plan that guides them through reading the Bible in one year (link goes to affiliate store). While that approach has merit, I personally vary the ways I read through the whole Bible. I usually don’t give myself a time limit but rather simply go at a comfortable pace and get done when I get done because my objective is more than simply reading through the Bible. Some methods have taken me a few years to make it through but it has been well worth it. Here is what I’ve done some of the different times I’ve read through the Bible:

developed outlines as I went through the Bible
recorded everything that showed God and man communicating (prayer)
marked all passages that pointed to Jesus
determined what character of God it depicted
profiled the various Bible characters as I came to them
more diligently prayed over what I read than usual
underlined key verses for the passages I read each day
purchased a chronological Bible and simply read it in the order provided based on dates the various books were written (link goes to affiliate store)

By changing the way I read through the Word each time, it doesn’t grow old to me and God has used some of the results in providing substance for materials on the web site and in seminars. I didn’t read through the Bible for that purpose. I read it because of my relationship with God, to learn more about Him and consequently build my love for and faith in Him but He uses it in various ways.

What’s Your Plan for Reading Through the Whole Bible?

If you’ve never read through the entire Bible, or if it’s been a long time since you did, consider doing so for the purposes listed above. Make it your goal to get beyond mere words to encountering its Author. Ask God to use it to refresh your soul, to make you wise, to find joy in Him because of it, and to light your way (Ps. 19:7-8).

If you’re new to Bible reading, rarely or perhaps never have read it on your own, starting from the beginning and going through to the end may not be the best plan for you. Check out the New to Bible Reading Discipleship Tool for help understanding Scripture’s big picture and find a reading plan that helps you see that before venturing out on reading the Word from cover to cover.