I am Blessed if I...

I Am Blessed if I Am In Christ, Period!

The word "Blessed" is one of those fantastic, grandiose words tied directly to the quality of our lives. Similar words would be "air," "food," and "shelter," as they are right up there with the importance of our being "blessed." The truth is, and even Wall Street knows, we all want to be blessed!

1 Thessalonians 5:23 - "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify (BLESS) you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The title of this Bible study is a bit misleading. "I am blessed if..." There is no "if!" The truth is, we are all blessed through Jesus Christ - EVERYONE. However, only those who believe receive and enjoy being blessed. Unfortunately, many are clueless and totally blind to their blessing, and their hearts have been hardened, and they flat reject God's unlimited and eternal blessings. How dumb! Seriously!

Ephesians 1:18 - "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,"

Whatever it takes, I will share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I don't care if anyone receives this great news. The information itself is significant enough that I don't need others to receive it to bless my life. I simply want everyone to be blessed by the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just like I've been blessed.

Ephesians 3:14-16 - "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,"

The reason I am blessed is Jesus. Plain and simple. His sacrifice took all my bad stuff, and in exchange, a total exchange, He took all my bad and gave me His righteousness. He gave me all His goodness. That means I am RIGHT before God, clean, accepted into the beloved, made whole, redeemed, all things restored, and with the Father for all of eternity. And I did nothing except believe. And, Jesus even gave me the faith to believe. He left nothing to chance, He did it all, we only need to believe to receive it.

Ephesians 3:17-19 - "so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."

You see, I am completely and totally blessed beyond belief. This very minute I am TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY BLESSED IN CHRIST, as much so as I will ever be. I have already been given everything, literally. I lack nothing. Being "saved" means I have received EVERYTHING; it means I have total health, healing, protection, provisions, and the blessings of God of every kind. And, I am not responsible for any of it and I certainly don't deserve it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

God, through faith, is working through me to manifest His blessings into my life. How much I am blessed depends on my belief - faith in what Jesus already did. JUST BELIEVE and RECEIVE.

Romans 10:10 - "for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Through faith in Jesus, I am blessed, and that is not of myself but of Christ. I will never be more blessed than I am now, but I have yet to enjoy or receive all He has already provided. I am learning to believe in His faith, and I am learning to ask to receive more of His blessings. If you don't ask, it's hard to receive.

Mark 11:24 - "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you."

It is just a matter of time. I believe Jesus has provided already ALL blessings; the word of God says so. He did it 2,000 years ago. Therefore, I am now in the process of receiving them as I grow in faith.

John 15:16 - "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."

My faith does not create the blessings. My good behavior does not make the blessings. Jesus' love and sacrifice, along with His obedience, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection, created the blessings. That happened 2,000 years ago. I have already been blessed. In faith, faith given to me by Jesus, I am learning to receive what Jesus already provided.

Ephesians 3:20 - "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,"

Jesus, as my Lord and Savior provided everything I would need to live full in this life and the eternal life to come. He missed nothing, left out nothing, and has provided it all. He simply asks us to trust, believe, and rest in His finished work.

Ephesians 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,"

We are blessed with and by the CREATOR OF ALL THINGS. He is the love of God poured out upon all flesh. He came so that none would perish and all would be blessed. So to those who believe will receive.

Titus 2:13 - "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,"