Sermons from Good News: What can stop God's blessings

Church 11/16/2024

Offertory scripture:

Be thankful in all seasons.

Acts 16:25

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Sermon message:


Thesis: What can stop God’s blessings (in life)


Examples:

Genesis 1 & 2 vs 3 (the below verses from this section of scripture are my addition; our pastor was simply referencing the story arc from these chapters to make his point)

Genesis 1:31

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 3:22-24

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

For everlasting life:
John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Mark 16:15-16

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

1 Timothy 2:4

who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Point #1: Our pride can stop God’s blessings.


Ephesians 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Luke 18:10-14

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

1 Peter 5:6

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

Story of Naaman who had leprosy—he had to humble himself to bathe in the dirty Jordan river to get clean.


Point #2: A wavering faith can stop God’s blessings.

Psalm 78:9

The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows,

Turned back in the day of battle.

Psalm 78:41

Yes, again and again they tempted God,

And limited the Holy One of Israel.

Numbers 14:28

Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:

Matthew 13:58
Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.


James 1:5-8

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Point #3: Our words can stop God’s blessings.


Matthew 13:55-56

Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?”

Numbers 14:28

Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:

Romans 10:9-10

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Proverbs 6:2

You are snared by the words of your mouth;

You are taken by the words of your mouth.

Proverbs 18:20

A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;

From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

Proverbs 12:13-14A

The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,

But the righteous will come through trouble.

A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,

James 3:3-4

Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.

What can bring God’s blessings into your life?

• Humility and love
• Unwavering faith
• Words of faith

Mark 5:28

For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Mark 5:34

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”